New digital evening prayer open for interested people once a month – sometimes brings forth a surprise!
The Comboni Lay Missionaries in the German-speaking countries have introduced and tried out a new, open format: The upcoming meetings will initially consist of a digital evening prayer. This is to be kept rather short, so that it is possible for interested people to log in and participate once or spontaneously. Those who want to stay longer afterwards and still want to stay for an open exchange are welcome to do so with the group.
The second evening prayer with the new schedule designed by the CLM group took place on 23.7.2023. Youtube recordings of communities of the Comboni Family – in English, Italian, Brazilian, Spanish – were chosen as the introduction and outgoing songs to symbolize the worldwide connectedness of the CLM movement. The lyrics and images keep the global concerns current and present. Together we shared our thoughts around the Bible text from Paul’s letter (Romans 5) on peace, grace, hope, love. From this, Brigitte highlighted the importance of Christ and the importance of prayer for the most neglected, but also for the privileged decision makers. For St. Daniel Comboni the relation to Christ is as important as the relation to all kind of groups in society. The international prayer for mission of the Comboni-Family concludes the prayer.
In between, during our CLM zoom-session, the global church became present twice lively: Barbara Ludewig sent just-in-time greetings from Brazil, where she is currently on an update-visit with some friends with whom she lived, prayed and worked during her mission several years ago. Together they continue to share life’s challenges, sufferings and joys till today. Thanks to all the donors who have supported the CLM projects in Brazil over the years and now!
Another surprise then logged on from Bressanone with some minutes of technical delay: The Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries Father Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie and Brother Friedbert Tremmel (currently working for Missionary Awareness in South Tyrol and previously often present at meetings and actions of the CLM) digitally logged into the evening prayer unannounced. On the occasion of Father Eder’s 65th anniversary as a priest, they were both together in the Milland Mission House (and Friedbert knew we were meeting openly and surprised us). Father Tesfaye personally inquired about our current locations and missions and also remembered some meetings with lay people during his time in Ethiopia, among others Christine Hügler, who had been prepared through Comboni-Familiy members and had travelled out to work in projects of the Missionaries of Charity (“Mother Teresa Sisters”) ( https://comboni.de/briefe/selam-aus-aethiopien ). The Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries greeted us CLM community and wished us all the best. He blessed us and wished all the best for the future time, when the laity in the church will play an increasingly even more important role in the Church.
The next digital evening prayers open to all interested will take place on:
27.8.2023 from 20:00 / 8 p.m. Rome time (prepared by Barbara and CLMs)
24.09.2023 from 20:00 / 8 p.m. Rome time (prepared by Maria and CLMs)
29.10.2023 from 20:00 / 8 p.m. Rome time (prepared by Christoph and CLMs)
26.11.2023 from 20:00 / 8 p.m. Rome time (prepared by Willi and CLM)
Each date in zoom-room 67654472400 https://uni-bayreuth.zoom.us/j/67654472400?pwd=eXUxd1lzdG9vbEJ4WVNJZVk4cnFJQT09 with code: “IKL”
The next meetings in the Mission House in Nuremberg will take place on Fri-Sun 6.10.-8.10.2023 (possibly with a joint hike to the Sacred Heart Chapel in Velburg) and on
Fri-Sun 15.12.-17.12.2023 in the Mission House in Nuremberg (possibly with a live link to the CLM meeting on the African continent).
A warm invitation to all to one or several of these dates for prayer and exchange!
German CLM
