English – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Missionary Outreach on the Occasion of the 100th World Mission Sunday

23 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

On the occasion of the 100th World Mission Sunday, the Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM) of Togo organized a missionary outreach activity in two Christian communities: St. Joseph Parish in Akato and the Mary Gate of Heaven outstation, attached to Mary Mother of the Redeemer Parish in Adidogomé.

For this activity, the CLM members divided into two teams. At the Mary Gate of Heaven outstation in Lankouvi, the team was made up of Ernest Botri and Jean Akitibi, while the outreach at St. Joseph Parish in Akato was led by Jean-Baptiste Gnimassoun and Benjamin Adjogble.

In both communities, the CLM members participated in the Eucharistic celebrations. After the Masses, they introduced the faithful to the identity, spirituality, and mission of the Comboni Lay Missionaries, inviting everyone to learn more about the Movement and to take part in its mission in service of the Church and the poorest and most marginalized.

Information leaflets were also distributed to the faithful. Those interested in learning more about the movement were invited to provide their contact details so that they could receive information about upcoming activities and the process of joining the CLM.

The priests present expressed their support for this missionary initiative. At Mary Gate of Heaven, Fr. Yves Gbenou, and at St. Joseph in Akato, Frs. Augustin Soedjede and Abraham Agnimaka, encouraged the faithful to take a greater interest in the missionary vocation of the laity. They also invited those interested to approach the CLM for further information and to discern their possible commitment to the movement.

At the end of the activity, the Lankouvi team joined the Akato team for a meeting with the Parish Priest, Fr. Augustin Soedjede. He congratulated the CLM members for their availability and missionary commitment. He also encouraged them to strengthen their collaboration with the parish and invited them to contribute to the animation of various pastoral activities.

The fraternal meeting concluded with a shared lunch in a warm and convivial atmosphere.

Through this initiative, the CLM of Togo once again sought to respond to the Church’s call to make every baptized person an active participant in the mission. The outreach also provided a valuable opportunity to make the vocation of the Comboni Lay Missionaries better known and to inspire new vocations to missionary service.

“A thousand lives for the mission”: a commitment that continues at the heart of our communities.

Ernest Segno Botri, CLM Togo

Nine Hearts, One Mission: CLM NAP Begins a New Formation & Discernment Journey

22 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

Nine candidates, one missionary family, and a beautiful new beginning! On Saturday, October 17, the Comboni Lay Missionaries of the North American Province (CLM NAP) officially began a new journey of basic formation and discernment with nine candidates taking their first steps together in discovering the missionary vocation.

The morning brought together participants in a special hybrid gathering, with some meeting in person in the beautiful garden of the Comboni Mission Center in Covina, California, while others joined through Zoom. Our online participants connected from New York, Ohio, and Bakersfield, California, bringing together members from different parts of the country for this special occasion.

Thanks to today’s technology, we were able to connect across distances in a way that made everyone feel part of the same gathering. Those joining online could see and hear those in person, and those gathered in the garden could also see and hear their brothers and sisters joining virtually. Who says distance has to keep a missionary family apart?

From the morning until noon, we shared prayer, introductions, questions, experiences, and reflections, beginning what we hope will be a meaningful journey of faith, friendship, and discernment.

The morning opened with prayer, followed by a warm welcome from Rossie Patlan, CLM NAP Director. And Fr. Maciej Zielinski, MCCJ, both introduced the Comboni Lay Missionaries, helping candidates discover more about the CLM identity, spirituality, and missionary vocation. Through their presentation, questions, and personal experiences, they offered a deeper look into what it means to live the Comboni missionary spirit today.

A special highlight of the morning was the testimony of Linda, an Italian Comboni Lay Missionary currently serving in Kenya. Joining us from her mission experience, Linda shared a beautiful reflection entitled “Beauty of Being CLM.” Her testimony offered candidates a glimpse into the joys, challenges, and blessings of missionary life. Hearing from someone living the mission firsthand was a wonderful reminder that the CLM family extends far beyond borders, languages, and continents. One heart, one mission, one family!

We were also blessed to hear from Olivia Anguiano, a CLM candidate who has been journeying through formation for almost two years. Olivia shared her personal formation experience, offering an honest and encouraging perspective on what it means to take time to learn, grow, ask questions, and discern God’s call. Her testimony was a meaningful reminder that formation is not simply about attending classes, but about allowing God to work within us and transform our hearts along the way.

The morning also included the presentation of candidate expectations and guidelines, helping everyone understand the journey ahead. Formation is an invitation to grow in faith, learn about the spirituality of St. Daniel Comboni, discover our gifts, and prayerfully discern how God may be calling us to serve.

Importantly, candidates were reminded that this journey is not about pressure or having all the answers. It is about coming with open hearts, a willingness to learn, and the freedom to discover where God is leading each person. Missionary service can take different forms, whether overseas or through supporting and serving mission right here in North America.

After the closing prayer, the online meeting came to an end at noon, while those gathered in Covina continued with lunch and time to socialize, sharing fellowship and getting to know one another beyond the presentations.

This first gathering marks an exciting step in the renewal and growth of the CLM NAP community. With nine candidates beginning formation, we are grateful for every person who said yes to exploring this journey. We also give thanks to Linda, Fr. Maciej, Olivia, and everyone who helped make this day possible.

As St. Daniel Comboni reminds us through his missionary witness, mission begins when we allow our hearts to be touched by the needs of others and respond with love.

And this is only the beginning!

We look forward to our next formation gathering next month, continuing to grow together as a missionary family. We also warmly encourage anyone interested in learning more about the Comboni Lay Missionaries to join us. It is never too late to begin, and everyone is welcome! You do not need to have your entire future figured out. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple yes to discovering what God has placed in your heart.

May the Holy Spirit continue to guide our nine candidates and the entire CLM family as we move forward together.

Nine hearts, one mission, one family!

CLM NAP

First provincial assembly of the Comboni Lay Missionaries of Togo-Ghana-Benin province

19 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

From 9th to 11th October 2026, the Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM) of Togo-Ghana-Benin Province gathered at the Leo XIII Spirituality Centre of the Canossian Sisters in Lomé for their first Provincial Assembly.

The gathering brought together CLM members from Togo, Ghana and Benin for prayer, fellowship, formation, discernment and mission. It provided an opportunity to review the life and activities of the national groups and establish common directions for the future.

One of the highlights of the Assembly was a presentation by Sr. Elizabeth Corte Imperial (SMC) on “The Laity in Comboni’s Plan.” Drawing on St. Daniel Comboni’s Plan for the Regeneration of Africa, she recalled that Africans are called to be the protagonists of their own history, evangelisation and liberation. The Assembly thus invited CLM members to reflect more deeply on the question: “What is our role today in St. Daniel Comboni’s Plan?” Comboni’s famous call, “Save Africa through Africa,” remains a source of inspiration for mission today.

One of the most significant moments was the celebration of the definitive commitment of five new CLM members: Lucien Aboe from Benin, Ernest Botri, Jean Akitibi, Benjamin Adjogble and Jean Baptiste Gbêssi Gnimassoun from Togo. The commitment ceremony took place during a Mass on 10th October 2026, commemorating the Solemnity of St. Daniel Comboni. Through this commitment, they chose to live out the Comboni charism and dedicate themselves to serving the poorest and most abandoned, wherever the mission may call them.

Participants also reflected on the CLM formation process, pastoral experience, ad gentes mission, language learning, administration, project management and fundraising. These discussions highlighted the need to prepare CLM members who can respond to contemporary missionary challenges with competence, faith and availability.

The Assembly established a new Provincial Coordination:

Coordinator: Justin Nougnui (Ghana)
Secretary: Ernest Segno Botri (Togo)
Treasurer: Lucien Aboe (Benin)
Counselor: Christian Wotormenyo (Ghana)

The national coordinations in Togo, Ghana and Benin were also updated.

The Assembly decided that the next Provincial Assembly would be held in Benin in 2028. It also emphasised the need to strengthen the financial autonomy of the national groups, facilitate French-English interpretation during meetings, and prepare the province’s participation in the Fifth African Assembly in 2027.

The gathering concluded on 11th October with Sunday Mass at Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish in Adidogomé, followed by a fraternal meal.

This first Provincial Assembly was a significant moment of communion, discernment, renewal and commitment.

Ernest Segno Botri

Comboni Lay Missionary – Togo

Celebrating the Feast of St. Daniel Comboni in Ecuador

15 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

With joy, faith, and a missionary spirit, the Comboni Lay Missionaries in Ecuador celebrated the feast of St. Daniel Comboni on October 10 at the Afro-Ecuadorian Cultural Center in Guayaquil, in an atmosphere of fraternity, prayer, and community fellowship.

The day began with the celebration of Holy Mass, a special moment to give thanks for their shared missionary journey and to renew their commitment to continue living the Comboni charism in service to the poorest and most needy. Afterward, the participants shared a time of fellowship, strengthening the bonds of friendship, communion, and fraternity that animate the life of the community.

The celebration continued on October 11 with a brief tribute during Holy Mass at the Verbo Divino Parish, where the legacy of St. Daniel Comboni was also joyfully commemorated and the commitment to continue walking together in the mission was renewed.

These gatherings provided an opportunity to share our faith, give thanks for the gift of the missionary vocation, and reaffirm that the mission is built in community, through closeness, solidarity, and commitment to those most in need.

Inspired by the Comboni charism, the Comboni Lay Missionaries continue to bring the Gospel to life in their families, communities, and places of service, with the hope of contributing to a more just, fraternal, and supportive world.

Saint Daniel Comboni, continue to inspire and accompany our mission!

CLM Ecuador

To be leaven of PEACE and HOPE, like the disciples of Emmaus

14 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

From September 4 to 6, the assembly of the Comboni Lay Missionaries of Italy was held at the General House of the Comboni Missionaries, drawing inspiration from the biblical image of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus who, sad and disoriented, were walking away from Jerusalem.

That sense of disorientation was our initial feeling: the weariness of our local groups, the weariness of accompanying the poorest and most abandoned members of our communities, the weariness of our daily lives immersed in a fragile, disoriented, and violent world.

We arrived disoriented and sad, and little by little, Jesus began the healing process of HOPE. First, during the opening prayer, we listened to the Word of God and excerpts from a catechesis by Pope Francis on the disciples of Emmaus; next, we heard the report from our secretariat team; then, we listened to the voices of our CLM members on mission: Linda from Kenya and Ilaria and Federica from Mozambique; and finally, all the groups expressed their weariness using cards from the DIXIT game.

After dinner, the Provincial Father and the Superior of the house welcomed us, and we connected via Zoom with Alberto, the coordinator of the Central Committee, who updated us on the international CLM movement and on the ongoing process of ecclesiastical recognition with the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life.

The next day, we continued this active listening, always drawing from the Word of God, specifically the biblical passage: “burning hearts, open eyes, and feet on the move”; and, following greetings and a brief reflection by Fr. Gigi Codianni, Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries, guided by Sr. Maureen, we conversed with the Spirit in small groups—a technique also used at the Synod on Synodality in Rome.

During her explanation, Sister Maureen invited five of us to make bread: water, yeast, oxygen, salt, and flour are mixed together, kneaded, and something new is born… bread—fragrant, flavorful, warm—but it takes time, patience, and the collaboration of many hands.

In the afternoon, this time guided by Dorotea (CLM from Palermo), we began with a brief story by Eduardo Galeano from the book *Words on the Way*: “On the shores of the sea, a potter retires in his old age. His eyes grow dim, his hands tremble; his time has come. Then the initiation ceremony takes place: the elderly potter offers the young potter his finest piece. Such is the tradition of the indigenous peoples of northwestern America: the departing artist hands over his masterpiece to the artist receiving the initiation. The young potter does not keep that perfect vase to gaze upon and admire it, but instead throws it to the ground, shatters it into a thousand pieces, gathers the fragments, and incorporates them into his clay.”

Dorotea invited us to do an activity: to write down words, principles, and fundamental values that define our CLM identity; so each CLM member wrote down their 7; then we paired up, but out of 14, there always had to be 7; next, we formed small groups of 4; then into larger groups; and, finally, the entire group had to agree on just 7 fundamental words, principles, and values for the entire CLM ITALY movement. CARE, WELCOME, SPIRITUALITY, MISSION, JOY, DREAM, COMMUNITY: these are the principles and values from which we want to start anew after our period of disorientation.

After a brief break, we continued by hearing the testimony of an Italian initiative active in the Rome area: SPIN TIME, a large occupied building in the Esquilino neighborhood—the site that hosted the 2025 gathering of global popular movements—an experiment in urban, social, and cultural regeneration.

On Sunday morning, our assembly concluded with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. John, our point of reference for the CLM, where we brought to the altar, together with Jesus, our entire experience of emotions and reflections from these intense days of active listening, ready—like the disciples of Emmaus—to set out without delay and without fear, returning to our local realities to be leaven of peace and hope, with the certainty that Jesus walks beside us.

Simone Parimbelli, CLM Italy