Our theme for the day was unity.
As the Lord has brought us all from different lands, languages and different cultures, we come together in the Holy Spirit.
We ourselves, our work and our communities are like a puzzle. One piece alone has little meaning, but together we can create something beautiful.
African CLM
Today, 25 years from the beginning of the CLM in Mexico, we gathered in Sahuayo, Michoacán to start our 19th National Assembly with great joy, faith and enthusiasm that spur us to continue in this vocation, because, as St. Daniel Comboni said, “This work will not die.”
On June 30 we reflected on our commitment to the lay vocation. In this journey, the call is the compass guiding our steps and pointing to the right way, since our vocation is to do what lines up with our passion that, in one way or another, contributes to the building of a better world: to give help and light, to generate wellbeing, to be guides and spread harmony. We all need to find our vocation, because it brings us to enjoy life more. The advice on this matter was: “If you are doing what you have a passion for, keep on doing it even better.” To follow one’s vocation involves getting to know one another and develop our talents. What am I good for? It means to feel called by God, as special people over whom God placed his sight.
Later, on July 1, we reflected on what must set apart a CLM, and we agreed that the CLM must show a fraternal spirit, act in solidarity and empathy in order to free and walk with the poorest and most abandoned. As for his personality he is a brother who gives confidence, makes you feel part of the family and shares with you sorrows and joys. Even more, he must be loving, generous, and feel the freedom and the joy of serving. In this vocation, not everything is easy, so that even we may not like to stay in it, God wants it and he keeps us going in difficult moments.
Along these same lines, we began to develop a work plan based on the lay missionary experience of the group. In order to progress with this plan it is necessary to observe, to be realistic, to listen and learn from simple things in order to finally to be able to act with patience. Not always can the missionary solve problems, but a process may be started so that there will be change. So, from the work experience among the indigenous communities of Guerrero, we identified these areas of activity: education, employment, nutrition, women’s promotion and inclusion of the disabled.
At the same time, we had the joy of sharing this festive occasion with a group of friends who accompanied us and worked during these days on a life project and reflected on the lay vocation, seeing whether it could be with the CLM. Besides listening to the witness of missionaries, they also took active part in the moments of prayer and celebration.
Finally, the big day arrived, July 2, when we had the opportunity to listen to the missionary testimony of the Mexican CLM who pioneered this work. It was a blessing to enjoy the presence of the Cornejo Castillo family, Olivia Ayala, Martha Navarro and Manuelita Valladares who, by their witness and commitment, left footprints to be followed in this journey.
The Thanksgiving Mass was presided over by Fr. Enrique Sánchez, the MCCJ provincial. Without any doubt, it was a very emotional time to say THANKS to all those who have written parts of this history and to those who are still writing it.
We are also grateful for the presence of Bro. Joel Cruz, mccj and Fr. Gustavo Covarrubias, mccj currently moderator of the CLM in Mexico, and all those who joined our festivities in prayer and from the heart.
Life is made up of moments. It was in July 1992 that the first formation meeting of the CLM took place, followed by July 1996 when our first CLM Silvia, Pablo, Oli and Ana Luz were assigned to Guatemala. In this same month we have given thanks especially for those who have accepted the missionary call to go to the mission ad gentes.
LMC Mexico
On Friday, June 30 we, members of the CLM-PCA of Guatemala were sent to El Salvador by our community.
The first meeting took place in December 2016. On that occasion in our mission promotion we shared about St. Daniel Comboni, the members of the Comboni family, the CLM, how we are organized and, at least a little bit, how in Guatemala the community followed a journey based on the indications of the directory.
On this second occasion, the mission promotion part took place on Saturday, July 1 and lasted from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
These were the points of our program of activities:
To go back to recognize St. Daniel Comboni, the Comboni family and the charism that identifies us;
The missionary vocation and how to be community in the Comboni style;
The directory and an explanation of the stages of human, spiritual and Comboni formation. At the same time, as an example, how we took care of our formation over two and a half years;
A small workshop on human development to end the day and to explain a little bit the role of the CLM in the field of the integral development of the person.
Results of the meeting:
Identification of and connection among the people who will be the contacts between Guatemala and El Salvador;
Several people were motivated to know better the Comboni charism in order to discern their vocation;
To start having meetings the last Saturday of each month, beginning now in July;
From our part, a commitment to nurture properly and periodically the seed that has been planted;
To pray for fruits and for our brothers of El Salvador.
We, the CLM of Guatemala, believe in the name of Jesus and with the intercession of St. Daniel Comboni, that this work is from God and will have success. The people of El Salvador are intelligent, fighters, lovable, accessible, open and, above all and most importantly, full of faith and of love of God and ready to serve the most needy.
This past weekend, we, from Guatemala, without any merit on our part, have enjoyed and shared in the mercy of God.
“THE MISSIONARY MUST AT TIMES BE HAPPY WITH SOWING A SEED THAT WILL GIVE FRUIT WITH THE MISSIONARIES WHO WILL FOLLOW.”
St. Daniel Comboni
COMBONI LAY MISSIONARIES OF THE PROVINCE OF CENTRAL AMERICA
“HOLY AND CAPABLE MAKING COMMON CAUSE WITH THE POOREST AND MOST ABANDONED.
St. Daniel Comboni
On June 2, 2017, the annual meeting of the Central Committee of the Comboni Lay Missionary and the General Councils of the Comboni Missionaries, the Comboni Secular Missionaries and the Comboni Missionary Sisters was held in Rome at the General House of the Comboni Missionaries Sisters. A full day lived with moments of prayer, exchange, reflection, programming, meals together and Holy Mass. The MCCJs had just finished their Symposium on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of its founding, and therefore shared with us all the fruits and provocations gathered during the symposium.
Fifteen years after the letter written together by the three General Councils on “Collaboration for the Mission” we now wanted to return to our intuitions, recognizing the path cover, reinforcing certain aspects and exploring new proposals for cooperation. The Comboni Lay Missionary are an integral part of the Comboni family that now also wants to open to new forms of Combonian laity that arise in the different realities.
The publication of two letters, one for all members of the Institutes and movement and another for those in charge of formation will collect the work and guidelines that emerged during this day.
General Counsels of MCCJ, SMC, MSC and the Central Committee of the CLM
The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated next Friday, June 23. “Let us therefore live this Feast so dear to all of us with our gaze fixed on the Heart of Jesus, allowing ourselves to be enriched by the testimony of those who have gone before us in the history of our Institute and devoting ourselves ever more deeply in daily fidelity to the values of the Gospel. Happy Feast of the Sacred Heart! In the Year of the 150th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Institute.” (The General Council).
“Yes, God so loved”
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world but so that through him the world might be saved”
(Jn 3, 16)
Most Dear confreres,
Greetings and Prayers: Happy Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
God our Father sent his only Son as a sign of his love for needy and suffering humanity and consoled us all through the Holy Spirit, the gift of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord Crucified and Risen. We believe that every disciple is called and sent to announce, give testimony of and serve this love of God. Let us all thank the Lord for he has made of Saint Daniel Comboni, and of us, his children, Comboni Missionaries, messengers, witnesses and servants of his love.
All that our Father and Founder, Saint Daniel Comboni, understood of the great love of God, he brought to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, symbol of God’s love for humanity.
“Since I have an extreme need of the help of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Sovereign of Central Africa, the very joy, hope fortune and the all of her poor Missionaries, I write to you my friend…to commend and entrust to the Sacred Heart the most precious interests of my trying and difficult Mission to which I have vowed my whole soul, my body, my blood and my life!! (Writings, 5255-5256).
Most Dear Confreres, in this year in which we are celebrating 150 years of our Missionary Institute, we wish to continue to contemplate and thank God for the love that was lived in the life of Saint Daniel Comboni and that of many of our confreres and for the great generosity shown to the people of God despite our fragility, our limits and our sins.
“I make common cause with each one of you, and the happiest day of my life will be the one on which I may be able to give my life for you” (Writings, 3159).
Indeed, Comboni and our confreres allowed their hearts to open so that they might more resemble that of Jesus, in such a way as to make common cause and share generously in the mission of God among the peoples where we are and especially among those who suffer, are marginalised and impoverished.
“I am always with my dear lepers; I speak to them of the goodness of God and I teach them the Word of God. He chapel is attached to my little house so Jesus is close to Giosuè: who can be happier than me? Is this not a little Paradise? As to the evil which is upon me, O, I kiss the hand of the Lord that gave me leprosy; is it not a grace to be able to suffer so for these souls? I have but one desire: to die a leper among my lepers!” (Bro. Giosuè Dei Cas, 1880-1932).
Yes, we continue to thank the Lord for each of our confreres who makes common cause and proclaims Jesus Christ and his Gospel to build up the Kingdom of God, remembering that some have paid the price of their testimony with their lives.
“The Cross is the solidarity of God that takes up the human journey and human sorrow, not to make it eternal but to put an end to it. The manner in which he wishes to end it is not through force or domination but by the way of love. Christ preached and lived this new dimension. Fear of death did not make him desist from his project of love. Love is stronger than death” (Fr. Ezechiele Ramin, Homily to the Faithful, Good Friday, Cacoal, 05-04-1985).
Let us therefore live this Feast so dear to all of us with our gaze fixed on the Heart of Jesus, allowing ourselves to be enriched by the testimony of those who have gone before us in the history of our Institute and devoting ourselves ever more deeply in daily fidelity to the values of the Gospel.
Happy Feast of the Sacred Heart!
In the Year of the 150th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Institute
The MCCJ General Counsil
