Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Message of the General Council for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

by
Sagrado Corazón

Rome, 12 June 2026 – Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Dear confrères,

On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are invited to return to the source of our vocation and mission. By contemplating the pierced Heart of the Good Shepherd, we recognise God’s immeasurable love for humanity: a love that becomes closeness, compassion, mercy, and the total gift of self.

The Heart of Jesus is not merely a symbol of our faith; it is the place where we learn God’s way of loving and the criterion by which we discern our missionary life. In it, we discover a love that excludes no one, that allows itself to be wounded by the suffering of the world, and that continues to seek those who are lost, forgotten, or cast aside.

Saint Daniel Comboni found in the Heart of Christ the secret of his missionary passion. From that contemplation was born his love for the most abandoned peoples and his ability to share their history until he truly felt them to be his brothers and sisters. For us too, “sons” of so great an Apostle of Africa, mission finds its origin and renewal in allowing ourselves to be shaped by the Heart of Jesus, so that our outlook, our choices, and our relationships may increasingly reflect his sentiments.

Pope Francis reminded us that “the Heart of Christ, which symbolises his personal centre from which his love for us flows, is the living core of the first proclamation” (Dilexit Nos, 32). Only by remaining united to this centre can we prevent mission from being reduced to efficiency, organisation, or mere activity. Before being workers, we are disciples; before speaking about Christ, we are called to allow ourselves to be transformed by his love.

We live in a world marked by deep wounds. Wars, violence, inequalities, forced migrations, and both old and new forms of poverty continue to affect millions of people. Many men and women seek hope, a listening ear, and dignity; many young people search for a future; numerous communities live in situations of fragility and uncertainty. Faced with these realities, the temptation of indifference or resignation is always lurking.

The Heart of Christ, however, calls us to courageous closeness. It invites us not to pass by, not to shut ourselves within our securities, but to share the lives of the peoples to whom we are sent. Mission is born precisely from this movement of the heart: going out of ourselves to encounter the other, recognising him or her as a brother or sister loved by God. By giving priority to the least, the most marginalised, and the poorest, to the point of longing, in the words of Daniel Comboni, to hold in our arms and give a kiss of peace and love to those unfortunate brothers and sisters of ours (cf. Writings, 2742). Yes, as Comboni missionaries, we are called to be a sign of this love that welcomes and reconciles, that creates fraternity and generates hope on the peripheries of the world.

Our presence in the various Churches and among the different peoples of the world gains credibility when it becomes a witness of communion, especially within our international and intercultural communities. The diversity of our origins is not an obstacle to mission but one of its most eloquent signs: the Gospel can unite what the world so often divides.

On this feast, therefore, let us ask for the grace of a missionary heart, capable of compassion, listening, and closeness; a heart free from every form of closure and willing to be troubled by the sufferings of the poorest and most abandoned; a heart able to recognise the presence of God in the human and existential peripheries of our time.

We entrust to the Sacred Heart of Jesus our Institute, the communities in which we live, the peoples whom we serve, and all those whom we carry in prayer and in our daily work. May this Heart renew within us the joy of the Gospel, rekindle the fire of mission, and make us credible witnesses of his love in the world.

With fraternal affection, we wish you a holy and joyful Feast.

The MCCJ General Council

CLM Kenya Members’ Meeting

by
LMC Kenia

From June 4–8, a meeting of CLM Kenya members took place in Kitelakapel. It was a special time of reflection, prayer, and planning for the future of our community.

During the meeting, we reviewed the development of CLM over the past six months and reflected on the direction we should take moving forward. Together, we discussed our strengths, challenges, and opportunities for further growth and service. Each day began with Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Joseph, during which we entrusted our plans, activities, and intentions to God. The gathering was also an excellent opportunity to strengthen our relationships, share experiences, and build community.

A particularly important event during our stay was the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi on June 7. CLM members participated in the solemn Eucharistic procession in Kitelakapel. The Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Joseph, who reminded us in his homily of the importance of the Eucharist as a source of unity, love, and strength for every Christian. It was a special time of prayer and a public witness to our faith.

After Holy Mass, the faithful took part in the procession with the Blessed Sacrament, honoring Christ truly present in the Eucharist. CLM members actively assisted in the preparation and organization of the celebration and helped throughout the entire event.

This beautiful feast brought together many parishioners, children, and young people, demonstrating the living faith of our community. It was also a special moment of unity, joy, and gratitude for the gift of Jesus’ presence among us.

On Monday, after Holy Mass and breakfast, we departed for our homes, taking with us new inspiration, spiritual encouragement, and renewed motivation to continue serving others.

We thank everyone for their presence, commitment, and the time we shared together. May Christ present in the Eucharist continue to guide and strengthen us in our daily lives and in our mission as

CLM Kenya

Three months have passed, and we’re already halfway through the year.

by
LMC Guatemala

We’re happy to share a brief account of our departure from Guatemala and arrival in Brazil.

We started last year with the confirmation of our departure, and with that came the documents from Brazil to process our visa—and then the complications began: our vehicles broke down, many of our household appliances failed, work piled up, and our parents fell ill. Amidst a storm, we reached January without knowing the exact departure date. We bought the tickets and had to change them for a month later because the visa hadn’t come through. While we waited, the visa arrived, and a day later we traveled to Brazil.

How comforting it is to know there is a community waiting for you; the prayers of our community and those who welcome us help sustain us. Without a doubt, the first impression is a shock—even though we know the culture, language, and customs, it always hits you head-on, and stepping out of your comfort zone stirs your very core. You remember the beautiful things, the glorious moments, the joys, but in that instant you remember the difficulties, the lack, what you leave behind, and you turn back to God because only He can sustain you.

We arrived to work… getting off the plane and preparing a topic to share at a parish women’s gathering. We found the roof broken and in need of repair, because it rains more inside the house than outside—dampness and other issues—and thank God, Cristina had already cleaned the house, which had been empty for seven months. The car broke down three times, and we’ve only just begun!

With great effort and joy, we cleaned and repaired the two houses to welcome the laypeople who are going through their discernment process to become CLM of Brazil during Holy Week, and amidst these trials, we managed to get our children started on their studies.

Today, after settling in, establishing a routine, and beginning to work on parish activities, we feel more at peace and have a clearer sense of purpose.

We have resumed activities at the Comboni House, a small group of us, a house that carries out social and human development work in the region. We started with the women’s crafts group and are in the process of integrating other educational and community service activities into the house, as it has been closed for a long time.

We are accompanying two communities that are somewhat struggling and short-staffed; we have begun working with the neighborhood association and we are waiting for their issues to be resolved so we can start Spanish and English classes. Meanwhile, we have already begun premarital catechesis, meetings with the family ministry, and accompanying the Comboni spirituality group.

We are getting to know the place again, reconnecting with the people. It brings us joy and strength when they greet us warmly, and above all, it presents us with a great challenge: to do our work well for the glory of God. The provincial came to visit us, which undoubtedly gave us even more encouragement to move forward and organize together the work to be done as a Comboni family.

We celebrated these three months with the Feast of Corpus Christi and the parish festival of Los Centinelas, a time for fellowship, sharing, and encouraging the community.

There are many emotions, sorrows, longings, and reunions; every missionary needs time to calm the spirit, to settle into the mission field, to find clarity of mind and heart. We love to work and be with people, to accompany them and evangelize them, but above all to be witnesses to God’s love.

May St. Daniel Comboni continue to intercede for each of us, for all his missionaries, and may the upcoming celebration, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, be a time of unity for the entire Comboni family, which struggles with daily challenges, precariousness, and so many other problems that Comboni himself endured.

With love and great hope in God,

The Camey Figueroa Family

CLM of Guatemala in Brazil

A Day of Faith, Learning, and Hope in Manzanillo

by
LMC Guatemala

Last Saturday, June 6, we, the Comboni Lay Missionaries of Guatemala, had the joy of once again sharing a day of mission in the community of Manzanillo.

In the morning, we held activities with the children of the community, exploring the theme of the Angel’s Annunciation to Mary. Through games, songs, dances, moments of prayer, and times of reflection, the children were able to better understand Mary’s generous response to God’s call and discover how they too can say “yes” to Jesus in their daily lives.

It was a morning filled with enthusiasm, smiles, and active participation, where each activity became an opportunity to sow Christian values and strengthen the faith of the little ones.

In the afternoon, the gathering continued with the adults of the community. On this occasion, we reflected on the theme “God dwelt among us,” delving into the immense love of God who drew near to humanity through Jesus Christ. Dialogue and reflection allowed us to share experiences of faith and strengthen our sense of community.

As part of the day’s activities, a practical workshop on making traditional sweets was also held, with the aim of providing an additional tool that can contribute to the economic development of families in the community. This initiative seeks to foster new entrepreneurial opportunities and strengthen local capacities to improve the living conditions of the community’s residents.

We give thanks to God for this beautiful mission experience, for every child, young person, and adult who participated, and for all the people who made this activity possible. We continue walking alongside the communities, sharing the faith, promoting human dignity, and proclaiming the Gospel with joy, following the example of St. Daniel Comboni.

“Save Africa with Africa,” said St. Daniel Comboni. Today we continue to believe that true development arises when communities discover and strengthen the gifts that God has sown within them.

CLM Guatemala