Participantes de Fátima 2008: Slovenia

Slovenia became an independent country in 1991. It is the first time that we Slovenians have had our own state. For decades Slovenia has been a member of the former-Yugoslav federation that was governed by the communist. Countries neighboring Slovenia are Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Slovenia is a small country: It has only twenty thousand square kilometers of land and two million inhabitants. The main religious domination is Catholic (70% of the population), with the remaining 30% being primarily Protestant and atheist. However, secularization has affected Slovenian culture in the last few years and Slovenia has slowly become part of the secularized western culture. This is the milieu in which Slovenian CLC exists.

Slovenian CLC

After World War II, the communist government suppressed the former Jesuit-led Marian Congregations. There is no direct link between the Marian Congregations and contemporary Slovenian CLC. The "seeds" of Slovenian CLC began to germinate in the seventies when a group of young people started to live Ignatian spirituality. They named the group Kres (Bonfire). The basic "newness" of this group was their living out the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Within a few years many members joined the group. In the eighties Slovenian CLC initiated contact with members of other European CLC communities. Also in the eighties discernment was inaugurated to decide whether Slovenian CLC should join the World CLC Community. The result of the discernment was positive. Slovenian CLC became part of the World Community at the World Assembly in Mexico in 1990. Today, Slovenian CLC has approximately 250 members and 25 groups. The Community is rather young; more than half of its members are students or young professionals. There are about 50 young families. The Community has also fostered a number of vocations to the priesthood and to religious communities of men and women. The structure of the Community is well developed; the next step is to become more visible in the Church and more active apostolically. Many members of the Community are already active in their parishes and in society. It is important that some have decided to make temporal or permanent commitment. We hope that God will continue to lead Slovenian CLC to a greater maturity and apostolic activity.

The symbol of Slovenian CLC

The main motif of the symbol is fire, a bonfire. The symbol is central to the name of the community (Kres-Bonfire) and represents our awareness of the gifts received by the Spirit. The Community is a space where we start to look at life and God's talents with more responsibility and commitment. In front of the fire is a young branch, a young tree, a young wood. Both the fire and the branch are rising; their tops are not seen. This symbol portrays growth and the mysteries, which faced all of us; it addresses us in our desire to be lifted up to the Lord. The Lord himself, from the time he was lifted from the earth, draws us to himself (John 12:32).

De este país participarán en Fátima tres personas