Comboni Lay Missionaries

Logo LMC
LMCCentroafrica2
MisionenGuerrero2
Natal20162

Echoes of the CLM Training Meeting in Portugal

by
Oracion LMC

We have concluded the initial training meeting for Comboni Lay Missionaries: It is through prayer that we understand each other.

The meeting was held online, and our dear trainees, Isabel and Nair, participated.

This formation turned out to be very rich and beautiful, at least for me (who thought I already knew something about prayer). I hope it was just as or even more beneficial for our trainees who were kind enough to accompany me throughout the weekend.

Because God is always the one who takes the initiative first and humankind has always been searching for God, we began by reflecting on the revelation of prayer throughout the history of salvation, passing through the Old Testament, the time when Jesus walked with us here on earth, and the time of the Church.

The deepening of humankind’s experience of prayer is evident until we reach Jesus, who reveals the full dimension of this gift.

After talking about the sources of prayer, the path, and the guides that lead us through it, we arrive at the life of prayer itself.

Seeking to respond to St. Paul’s challenge to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), we find in the Church specific and concrete community proposals that will allow us to nurture rhythms of continuous prayer.

We reflect on the differences and importance of vocal prayer, meditation, and mental prayer.

In this last degree of prayer, we had contact with the master of prayer, St. Teresa of Avila, and the degrees of prayer she proposes, making a comparison with four ways of watering a garden.

In this analysis, it is clear that God is not at all a passive subject in this relationship. In fact, the highest levels of prayer depend solely on his will and, in addition to requiring great humility on the part of the person praying, they instill even more humility in them as they realize their unworthiness of the greatness of the graces received.

One thing that strikes us when we devote a little time to these themes is the consistency of the concepts from the time of the Old Testament, through the time of Jesus here on earth, to the current proposals of the Church.

One of the ideas that stands out is the fact that prayer can be seen as a real struggle. Praying requires our effort.

Our ego and the snares of those who seek to lead us away from God are enormous and require great humility and persistence.

This is evident in the prayer life of St. Daniel Comboni, which we meditated on Sunday morning.

In Comboni we find a man of deep prayer, perfectly aware of the fundamental importance of this dimension in the Mission entrusted by God to his Church.

In fact, it was only through prayer that he was able to give meaning to and love the many crosses that arose throughout his missionary life.

At the end of the meeting, I realized that I have to rethink my prayer life.

As a CLM, I have to pray much more (and better) for vocations and for the means to carry out Jesus’ command that still echoes in our hearts as those who are called: Go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News to every creature. (Mk 16:15)

Pedro Moreira, CLM

CLM International Economy Meeting

by
Tesoreros LMC

Last Saturday, 21 June, we gathered online for the first international economy meeting since our international assembly last December.

The assembly requested that a global meeting be held around the middle of each year to jointly assess the progress of economic issues in each country and in each of our international communities.

Representatives from 13 countries and 2 international communities were present, including treasurers, coordinators, and members of the coordination team. Due to the language challenge, we were able to count on the support of two volunteer translators, Ana Cris, CLM from Guatemala, and her son Esteban.

It was an important moment of information and clarification, where proposals for joint next steps were presented. One of these was to hold two more online meetings this year, in three smaller groups, according to language, so that we can facilitate greater interaction between participants and the development of practical tools to aid our quest for economic autonomy.

We appreciate everyone’s commitment and participation!

See you at our next meeting!

Flávio, treasurer of the Central Committee

Meeting in Nuremberg

by
LMC Alemania

This time, the focus was on designing the Comboni family’s joint stand at the Church Mile of the Catholic Day in Würzburg. Together with Father Günther, Father Michael, and Brother Hans, we gathered ideas on the theme “Have courage – stand up!” in a constructive brainstorming session and were able to assign the first tasks. Nine missionaries will represent the Comboni Family in Nuremberg.

We also discussed feedback on our peace exhibition in Mellatz, arrangements for Brigitte Kreiter’s participation in the provincial assembly, and plans for the planned visit to the Comboni Missionaries’ community in Graz. We were very moved by Hans Eigner’s report on the situation in the diocese of Bentiu in South Sudan, where he will be involved in development work starting this fall.

We held a small barbecue to thank him for his involvement in our group over the past years and to “bid farewell” to him and Father Günther as they embark on their next missionary assignments.

Barbara Ludewig, CLM

The importance of communication

by
LMC Kenia

We are grateful for the wonderful meeting we had together as CLM members, we had an amazing and fruitful weekend together.

We interacted, bonded and shared responsibilities together creating one community

Our formation sessions were based on the topic of communication.

Communication is a vital component of our living as missionaries for in this we are able to reach those we are called to serve

We learn from our Lord Jesus how He communicated the message of the Kingdom of God.

With his messages he spoke to the hearts of people bringing them close to God, He spoke the truth without fear even of death, John 5:18-47

Christ knew and understood his audience he used different strategies to pass on his messages to people and separately to his disciples

He used parables, stories silence etc. to pass on information.

Many instances he gave people chance to express their perspective, Mark 10:51

As we read the letters, articles and magazine written by saint Daniel Comboni we understand his passion for the mission.

This encourages us to use the tool of communication appropriately in our missionary lives to spread the gospel to far ends and to coming generations

With effective communication we bridge the human connection creating healthy relationships and building our communities and also the local communities that we serve.

Belinda Awino CLM

Our growing Ecuadorian community

by
LMC Ecuador

In mid-2021, together with Fr. Joseph Ng’ang’a from Kenya, who was our Comboni chaplain, we invited people known within the mission and others who shared our charism to continue their formation and become part of our lay community.

Thus, after completing the formation and accompaniment, our aspirant Carlos Enrique Zamora Medina was accepted as a Comboni Lay Missionary on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

During the days leading up to the ceremony, there was an atmosphere of nervousness and tension due to the organization and development of the program to be carried out, which fortunately received the support and collaboration of several people who did their part to ensure that everything went according to plan.

The Mass was held at 10:00 a.m., together with the community of the Parish of “Our Lady of Fatima” in El Empalme, Province of Guayas. In addition to Carlos Zamora’s family and guests, those present at this celebration were attentive to every moment of the Mass celebrated by Fr. Seraphin Kakwata, our current Comboni advisor, who kept everyone very attentive at the moment of signing the commitment as a Comboni Lay Missionary. It was a very special moment, which was also shared with the lay missionaries who collaborate in the Pastoral Integration that is taking place at the Divine Word Missionaries in Guayaquil.

Later, in a sharing meeting, Carlos Zamora said that he had faced many obstacles in his life due to health reasons, which he had been able to overcome through the efforts and prayers of his mother. Despite this situation, he always showed a desire to be a missionary and do something for the Church and for God. He made the phrase “Life is giving time” his guiding light to discover God’s timing, resuming his sacramental formation and his high school, university, and pastoral studies, which he had put on hold.

Despite everything, he said that he was still not sure what the future held for him, but that this process had been a blessing from God for him and, above all, a good decision to follow Jesus’ call to his pastoral and lay life, and that together with his community he had been able to consolidate this desire for the Comboni mission.

With this important moment for our lay missionary community, we feel very happy and encouraged to follow the charism of our Founder, supported by one of his phrases, “Providence guided my mind and my heart,” and to continue trusting that these moments are from God and that he will help us to consolidate our community. (PHOTOS 6,7)

Greetings in Christ.

Abg. Susana Ortega Delgado, CLM