Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Avatar photoAlberto de la Portilla

Visit to Poland

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Hello everyone. As many of you know last week I was visiting the polish CLM group. It has been a very interesting week. First I would like to highlight the weekend with the group of young CLM candidates. In Poland we have a large pool of boys and especially girls interested in missionary life who come to this group in order to meet this vocation and with desire to serve the mission. It is a large and dynamic group, with great interest and availability.

On Saturday we were working in groups and in plenary on what means to be a Comboni Lay Missionary and what it means to participate in the group. It was a nice moment to share expectations, hopes, doubts and questions about this lay missionary life.

At night we share the missionary witness of Monikę Krasoń (Polish) and Carmen Aranda (Spanish). Two of the CLM who are now preparing themselves to go to Uganda as an international community, and also some of my experience in Mozambique. It was short but nice.

We also had time to participate in Sunday’s official sending of Joanna Owanek and Ewa Maziarz (the other two Polish CLM to form part of this international community) from their parish. This Mass was presided by the Bishop Monsignor Nitkiewicz, accompanied by the parish priest, some diocesan priest and 6 Comboni Missionaries of the two communities in Poland led by P. Gianni Gaiga (representative of the general vicar in Poland).

It was nice to see how the whole community, with his bishop in front was responsible for these lay that are sent to mission, both spiritually as well as with economic commitment to enable them to travel, have a medical and social insurance as well as some money to support themselves. I think we have much to learn from the Polish Church in this regard. From Krakow (about 3 hours) we also went 7 cars with the young people of the meeting, so they were heavily covered throughout the Comboni family (We will continue this support in their time of formation and destiny in Uganda).

The weekend also gave time to particularly speak with some young people, to share vocational concerns and specific questions about the missionary work. Hopefully, many of them will find their way and commitment to service the mission here.

16 years walking as CLM!

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On January 25 (1998), at the home of the Comboni Missionaries in Maia (Porto) began the adventure of the Comboni Lay Missionaries in Portugal. Many were those who attended this first meeting, and God intended, with the efforts of some, that this exhilarating adventure continues today.
At present, the CLM, inside and outside its borders, testify of Christ as St. Daniel Comboni did. In fact, for us: “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3: 28), so we proclaim Christ – Light of the World and joy of Humanity – to all men and women. For us, this challenging call passes through the explicit announcement as well as the development and human promotion.

16 years later, we are part of the larger Comboni Family and in particular, of the great CLM family extended worldwide. Today, we want to leave a thank you to all who “sow and look after” the CLM seed and all that, with us, continue to live this exciting adventure that makes us dare to go further in the ways of the mission.

by Susana Vilas Boas

The official sending of a Comboni Lay Missionary in Poland

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Monika

“The mission is not going away, because the mission is not a touristy tour of the world, but we are sent on a mission”- emphasized Archbishop Victor Skworc, who sent Monika Krasoń our Comboni Lay Missionary from Poland to work in Uganda. Monika will go on mission to Gulu, where she will work in an orphanage which is led by Comboni Missionaries. She will spend two years serving the poorest and the most abandoned and she will give a testimony of love of God, who doesn’t forget about Africans.

The official sending took place on 12th January in her family parish in Łaziska Górne. It was in the church of Our Lady the Queen of the Holy Rosary in the presence of family, friends, Comboni Missionaries, Comboni Lay Missionaries and all parishioners. It was an unusual event, because Monika is the first missionary in her parish.

In the homily Archbishop emphasized that we are responsible for the future of the Gospel and we have to share with those who hadn’t heard it yet. Everyone is called to be a missionary, no matter if it’s in their country or in a missionary country which is distant, sometimes thousands of miles away. Monika decided to go to Africa. It is a very beautiful work, but also very difficult, so it’s important to support her, especially in prayer. The Archbishop assured Monika that the Church and her parish will support her CLM commitment both in prayer and through material support.

Monika received a cross from the Archbishop. That cross will be a guide in her missionary work, help in danger and give consolation in difficult times. It was an unusual and beautiful experience for Monika which means the real beginning of the mission. We wish Monika all the best, beautiful moments in Uganda and good mission experience among the Acholi. And of course we all promise a memory in prayer.

Envio Monika Envio Monika Envio Monika
Envio Monika Envio Monika Envio Monika
Envio Monika Envio Monika Envio Monika

Polish CLM

Another year ends!

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Many good things happened throughout 2013.

The sending of Scharliman to the international community of Rondos in Peru.

The arrival of the CLM Emma, who comes from Italy for a period of 3 years to Ipê Amarillo, Contagem-Minas Gerais.

The constant communication and support from the Central Committee and the Comboni Missionaries.

The annual meeting of the CLM, moments to check the path we are walking and find the CLM scattered throughout the mission territories of this immense Brazil.

The renewal of Flavio for 2 more years on African soil, and of course his presence with us on vacation and his availability, even while on vacation, he spared no efforts to address many invitations to talk about his missionary experience in these two years Mozambique.

Time to satisfy our nostalgias, to share joys and sorrows and recompose the strength to follow God’s plan in our missionary commitment for 2014. The pains, which are not lacking in anyone’s life, passed because its promise is real and true: I will be with you until the end.

So, friends and fellows CLM everywhere, we want to start 2014 with much strength and courage to all.

May Our Lady of Aparecida and all the saints in each country encourage us in this beautiful journey of our yes to God and Comboni.

By Maria Lourdes Vieira.