CLC in the world

With more than 30,000 members worldwide, the CLC is present and active in more than 79 countries divided into six regions: Europe, Africa, Middle East, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. In which countries exactly? Where are the largest communities? Which are the national communities that are about to become members?

Find out more by consulting the interactive map on the website.

A brief overview

Let’s get to know some of the National Communities via their websites (click on the country name below to go to the relevant CLC website). A great way to travel from home! It’s also a great way to discover that the same charism can be lived out through different actions, different languages and even different alphabets.

Latin America: 18 national communities 

Take a trip to Argentina. CLC Argentina was one of the first communities, founded in 1968. It hosted the previous World Assembly in 2018 and currently brings together 90 companions. 

Africa: 19 national communities

Would you like to discover Africa? Visit the Kenya CLC website. This community has existed since 1989 and counts 477 companions. 

Asia Pacific: 13 national communities

The South Korea CLC website is sure to give you a real change of scenery. CLC South Korea was founded in 1986 and now has 151 companions. 

Middle East: 3 national communities

The CLC Egypt website will give you a change of scenery. Did you know that من نحن؟ means “Who are we?”? CLC Egypt has been a member since 1982 and brings together 164 companions. 

North America: 4 national communities

Behold the dynamism of CLC USA, one of the oldest and most dynamic. Founded in 1967, it now has 1,369 members. Did you know that French-speaking Canada and English-speaking Canada are two distinct communities? 

Europe: 22 communities 

Like Canada, Belgium is also divided into two national communities: Flanders and French-speaking Belgium. To get closer to Amiens, we invite you to visit CLC France, which is hosting this year’s World Assembly. Founded in 1967, CLC France is the world’s largest CLC, with 6,510 members.

Discover communities around the world via Facebook

In NL#1 you discovered some of the websites of communities around the world. This time we’d like to introduce you to some pages hosted on Facebook. A great way to keep travelling from home! It’s also a great way to discover that the same charism can be lived out through different actions, different languages and even different alphabets. Maybe this will make you want to play translator, using a free online tool like Reverso or Deepl for example. Enjoy your trip!

If you want to explore Latin America (there are 18 communities in Amiens), you could go to Brazil by clicking here to access the CLC_Brazil page. CLC_Brazil was founded in 1977 and currently has 435 members. Would you like to discover Africa (there are around 20 communities in Amiens)? Come and surf on the page of the young and dynamic CLC_Cameroon by clicking here. CLC_Cameroon has existed since 2013 and has 150 official members. In the Philippines, in the Asia-Pacific region (13 communities present in Amiens), the page of CLC_Philippines will take you on a photo journey by clicking here. It is one of our oldest communities, having existed since 1967, and now has 1,069 official members. In the Middle East (3 communities present in Amiens), you can visit the CVX_Liban page by clicking here. The World Assembly was held in Lebanon in 2013. In North America, which has 4 communities present in Amiens, we suggest you visit the Canadian page by clicking here. This page regularly relays news of the Assembly. CLC_Canada has 267 members and was founded in 1982. Finally, let’s return to Europe, where 22 communities will be present. Click here to visit the very young and dynamic CLC-Lithuania, which was founded in 2010 and has 256 members.

New member communities: a sign of fruitfulness

You chose to become a member of CLC many years ago or more recently, after a time of discovery and welcome in your community. The first communities date back to 1967, and the youngest will join the world community this year, during the Assembly. The shared experience of an Assembly is a sign of the fruitfulness of the CLC charism today. How does this process work? And who are they?

The process is set out in the General Norms (NG 16 and 30-33), and is framed by the “Internal Regulations 1”. It is similar to the discovery journey that you have been through. A national community wishing to become a full member begins by submitting a written request to the World Committee, which then proposes a trial period. It then becomes an “observer” community. Observers” are sponsored by member communities throughout their journey, and usually attend a first Assembly (without voting). If the discernment of the “observer” community leads to a request for entry into the world community, the “sponsoring” community proposes full membership of the World Executive Council. The process is finalised at a World Assembly. The sponsorship relationship then ends and the community that has become a member can vote in the same way as the other members.

This year, four countries will become full members of World CLC after a process of community discernment: Ethiopia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Sweden. Ethiopia is sponsored by Kenya, New Zealand by Australia, Slovakia by Malta, and Sweden by Germany. Nine other young sponsored communities are taking part in the Assembly as observers: the Central African Republic (sponsored by France), Benin (sponsored by Côte d’Ivoire), Congo Brazzaville (sponsored by the Democratic Republic of Congo), Haiti (sponsored by Canada), Macau (sponsored by Taiwan), Singapore (sponsored by Hong Kong), South Sudan (sponsored by Kenya), Chad (sponsored by Cameroon) and Panama (sponsored by Uruguay). Burkina Faso and Togo are the two youngest observer communities, and have not yet found a sponsor.

Members, observers, emerging?

66 national communities, 11 observers and 2 emerging communities were invited to take part in the 18^th World Assembly in Amiens. These last two categories include those who wish to join the CLC World Community in the longer or shorter term:

• Observer countries are in the process of joining, having been sponsored for several years by a member country of the Community;
• Emerging countries are interested but not yet sponsored or officially in the process of joining.

Observer countries are sponsored by member communities throughout their membership process. At this 18^th Assembly, four countries will become full members of World CLC after a process of community discernment: Ethiopia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Sweden. Ethiopia is sponsored by Kenya, New Zealand by Australia, Slovakia by Malta, and Sweden by Germany. Membership will be formalized during the Assembly.

See more:

The diversity of CLC in Europe through some apostolic initiatives

Local, national and global realities of CLC in Africa: testimonies from the DRC, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic