English – Page 18 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Little by little

27 October, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

Yes, little by little, our province is moving on. Some years back, a lay person, to move on the footstep of Comboni, could only choose to be a religious. If not, you could only journey in the group named Friends of Comboni. But thank God, since 2011, after the first CLM African Assembly in Uganda, things have changed. The first meeting held officially as CLM candidate’s group was in May, 2013. Bit by bit, we are moving on. On the 10th October, 2022, three (3) candidates were accepted and made their promise as CLM. The first pioneer group in the province (Togo-Ghana-Benin) is in Ghana. But as a province constituted of three countries, it won’t be representative enough to have such group in only one country.

By God’s grace, zealous lay men in Togo with the guidance of Rev. Sister Elisabeth, SMC, came up to start a same journey, to become CLM. More than 20 in the beginning, seven of the group at Adidogome, with determination, maintained their expectation and kept on undergoing the training required for CLM candidates according to our International Formation Guide. Monthly basis, they meet for a formation which the Rev. Sister takes so seriously by inviting resource persons. Last 15th October, they met in the Comboni Sisters’ House to receive a formation on the topic “Affectivity and Human Maturity” delivered by Rev. Sister Cecilia of the Congregation of “Les Petites Soeurs de la Sainte Famille”. The Sister let them understand that affectivity engaged the totality of human life.

MCCJ are in the three countries and so should CLM candidates. Since some months, new CLM candidates are arising in Benin. Our friends Lucien and Ulrich, (CLM candidates) have started having a training too. With the help of Brother Pascal, MCCJ, training is ongoing at St. Francis of Assisi parish of Fidzrosse. On the 8th October, they met again to receive a training from Father Francisco, MCCJ. Father shared with them the “Evangelic Counsel of Chastity in the life of a Christian”. Brother Pascal is committed to give a solid foundation to our CLM candidates. Last week, through the guidance of Sister Elisabeth, a new female candidate, Rita Kebi, from Houegbo, joined the two candidates in Benin. She will soon be inserted in the group to continue with Lucien and Ulrich the journey.

In Ghana, we had the grace to rejoice with Father Shane, MCCJ, his 25th priestly anniversary at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus’ parish of Abor. It was a great celebration attended by faithful from the three countries of the province. Bishop Gabriel, SVD (Bishop of Keta-Akatsi Diocese), Bishop Anthony (Bishop emeritus of the diocese), Father Timothy, Provincial of MCCJ in the Province, religious and lay people, all came to thank God with Father Shane for the wonders and care He took the blessed of the day through. At the end of the celebration, we took the opportunity to greet the Provincial and interacted with Brother Pascal and some other MCCJ.

Justin Nougnui, CLM coordinator.

25 years of Comboni Lay Missionaries in the mission of Mongoumba, Central Africa.

26 October, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

World Mission Day was the ideal setting for this celebration.

Mgr. Jesús Ruiz Molina, a Comboni Missionary of Spanish nationality and bishop of the diocese of Mbaïki, where our mission of Mongoumba belongs, after thanking the Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM) for their missionary work, whom he named one by one – a total of 18 during all this time – highlighted some of their characteristics:

First: A lay mission with a feminine imprint.

It happens that more lay women than lay men have come to the mission of Mongoumba. Fifteen women for three men. This mission on the part of the laity has a feminine imprint since its beginning, since it was an Italian lay missionary, Marisa Caira, who opened this mission for the laity, having dedicated more than 20 years of her life to it. This feminine presence contrasts with a local church, such as the Central African Church, whose movements and fraternities, where the majority are women, are led by men.

Second: Internationality.

The mission is not of a single nationality, but Catholic, that is to say, universal. And the CLM have given testimony that it is possible to live fraternity, even with cultural differences, under the guidance of the same faith. That which makes us different, far from being an obstacle, becomes an opportunity for mutual enrichment and growth as missionaries, because the mission encourages us not to close ourselves in, but to open ourselves to the new and to assume the challenges that living with people of other nationalities implies.

Third: A specific mission.

While remaining open to the service of all, the CLM have found some fields of action in which to carry out their specific mission: education, health, and the Aka or Pygmy people. This requires an adequate preparation in the professional field and an attentive sensitivity in dealing with a sector of the mission such as the Aka, historically marginalized and discriminated against in the national context.

Bishop Jesús Ruíz encouraged the CLM not to lose heart in the face of the trials to which we are continually subjected as missionaries. For this reason, he reminded them of the experience of the disciples of Emmaus to allow themselves to be accompanied by the Lord who, with his word and the Eucharist, opens our eyes to recognize him alive and to feel him walking among us. Jesús Ruíz, “If we forget the Eucharist, source and summit of our Christian being, our mission will be reduced to humanitarian or philanthropic work, but not that of witnesses of the Risen Lord who spread new life”.

Cristina Souza, CLM, from Portugal, accompanied by the laywomen Elia, also from Portugal, Cristina from Brazil and Anna from Poland, on behalf of the lay people who have carried out their missionary service in Mongoumba, thanked everyone for the support and trust received, as well as for their patience in approaching and understanding the people of the mission. She mentioned the commitments made by the laity in education, health, caritas and the Aka people that would not have been possible without the accompaniment of all.

Father Victor Hugo Castillo, delegate of the Comboni Missionaries in Central Africa, recognized the work of the CLM for a mission where personal interest is not enough, but faith in the Lord Jesus who has called and sent them. He invited the people to reflect on the witness of the laity who have left their country, their people and their culture to insert themselves in a very different reality, often overcoming the difficulties that this entails, as well as living fraternity with people of other nationalities. He encouraged the young people of the mission to decide to serve as lay missionaries in other countries, since they also have riches to share in other latitudes from their own culture. Finally, he encouraged the CLM to see this Jubilee year not as a point of arrival, but as a point of departure, to continue the work of the Lord who never ceases to invite his chosen ones to give it continuity.

Fr. Fernando Cortés Barbosa, Comboni Missionary

European CLM meeting in Krakow

25 October, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

Last October 12 and 13 we held in Krakow the assembly of representatives of the CLM of Europe. A meeting that has been postponed several times because of Covid or the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the refugee crisis that it has generated. Finally, we were able to find some days to share.

It was a great joy for all the participants to be able to meet in person. After many years of working and sharing online meetings, the possibility of a personal meeting was experienced as a moment of grace. It is the joy of a family meeting, the joy of dreaming together, praying together, reflecting together…

It was a simple meeting. We felt at home at all times because of the wonderful welcome received by the CLM and the MCCJ from Poland. Those who arrived earlier had the opportunity to visit the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy and to entrust to the Sacred Heart of Jesus the days to be shared.

The next day, with everyone present, we began a shared analysis of the reality of each of our groups. Step by step, theme by theme, we have been sharing and deepening the richness of our missionary life, the difficulties we face in each country (many of them common to the whole continent) and the dreams we have.

Once we had a clearer idea of the path we have traveled during these years and how we find ourselves in each country, it was time to go into the fundamental topics of the meeting.

First of all, we had time to deepen our CLM vocation and the life commitment it implies. To discover what we are called to as missionaries in Europe. To understand the difficulties and challenges that our continent presents to us. An increasingly secularized Europe, where the danger of individualism and indifference looms in the face of the many problems that should be faced in solidarity. A lifestyle that is so often opposed to the values of the Gospel and the search for the common good.

But in the presence of all the difficulties we found the antidote to use, the ideal characteristics of the good missionary that should help us to overcome all these difficulties (here we had to use our more artistic side).

And from there to go deepening and understanding that our CLM community is our main strength, that alone it is difficult but that in community and placing Jesus in the center everything is possible.

To recognize that we are involved in many aspects of life, that lay life with all its family aspects, work, pastoral and social involvement is not easy, that we must learn to prioritize. We must be aware that our life is not compartmentalized in our many tasks but united by a single vocation that is expressed in the various areas where we are present and share our life. That prayer, formation and community accompaniment as CLM are basic pillars that help us and strengthen our fidelity to our vocation. We are aware of the difficulties of many of our CLM in living their vocation on a daily basis, that many times the return from the mission in other countries is not easy and finding what the Lord asks us every day is a challenge, but from the personal and community discernment it is possible.

We also had time to reflect on our responsibility with the mission outside our continent. The diversity with which each group was born brings us a lot of richness that we do not want to lose, but at the same time the essence of a single CLM vocation and the commitment to face it together is strong. Our CLM groups are the local expression of a single global commitment, being part of the CLM makes us belong to a large international family with which we feel committed to the service of the Kingdom of God. Doing mission wherever we are at any given moment does not detract from the other responsibilities we have at the global level, starting with our international communities present in Africa or America and everything that has to do with our international membership.

The numerous agreements we have at the international level, the documents we have jointly approved and the tools we have created (such as the international formation plan or the communication guide) are important tools that can help us in our journey.

Finally, we dedicated some time to visualize what kind of service is expected from the European Committee in the coming years, where to focus its work priorities and how it can be an instrument of help for the different groups in Europe.

Undoubtedly a very intense few days, which as always are made short because one enjoys a lot when one is with the family. But now it is not the time to make three tents but to come down to reality and make the dream of Comboni possible in and from Europe.

Thanks to all of you who have made these days possible (both to those who have attended and to those who have prepared beforehand) and lots of encouragement to make our CLM vocation come alive.

Best regards

Alberto de la Portilla, CLM Central Committee Coordinator.

Triple Celebration in Kenya.

17 October, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

It was a triple celebration in Kenya when the feast of St Daniel Comboni coincided with the 50th celebration of Comboni MCCJ presence in Kenya as well as the Kenya nation was also celebrating “Huduma Day” loosely means Service Day.

The celebration was held at the Community of Postulants in the outskirts of Nairobi. The celebration started by a talk from by Fr. John Korir who is the vocation director. The theme of the day was “Rooted and Grounded In Christ” this is well in line with the writings of St Daniel Comboni .. “We will have to labor hard, to sweat, to die; but the thought that one sweats and dies for love of Christ and the salvation of the most abandoned souls in the world, is far too sweet for us to desist from this great enterprise” St Daniel Comboni, from the beginning knew where his strength will come from, which is Christ himself.

This celebration marked the 20th Anniversary of St Daniel Comboni Canonization, by St John Paul II who said “we need evangelizers with enthusiasm and apostolic outfit of St Daniel Comboni an apostle of Christ among the Africans” this reminds us to be apostles of Christ among those who are in the same reality and those who are abandoned. Comboni discerned and a abandoned his parents for the most abandoned in Africa.

On the Jubilee Celebrations for the MCCJ presence in Kenya, a brief history was shared how the MCCJ came from Uganda to Kenya in 1973, during the reign of Uganda dictator president Idi Amin. The Comboni Missionaries (MCCJ) came through the north west of Kenya in Kacheliba West Pokot, and then spread to other areas like Turkana, Marsabit, Wote, Naivasha and Nairobi. Some of the missions were handed over to the diocese. True to their charism of the most neglected and abandoned. The MCCJ presence is felt in areas that no one dares to go and evangelize, to date the Kenyan MCCJ are 30, Brothers – one in novitiate formation, Comboni Lay Missionaries – 6, Comboni Secular Missionaries – 4. Comboni sisters came to Kenya earlier in 1963.

It was a holiday for us also to celebrate the “Huduma Day” where citizens come together to help their brothers and sisters who are less fortunate, and offer services to the nation.

St Daniel Comboni said am dying but my work will not die, lets pray for more vocations for our youth and the laity that they may be sent to priestly ministry wholeheartedly.

Martin Onyango, CLM Kenya

Comboni feast

6 October, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

St. Daniel Comboni Parish, in Guriri, Diocese of São Mateus, in the state of Espírito Santo, began the feast of St. Daniel Comboni on Sunday, October 1. The celebration began with the blessing of the image of the patron saint containing the relic of St. Daniel Comboni, followed by a procession from the residence of Bishop Emeritus Aldo Gerna to the parish church. The image of St. Daniel Comboni was carved in wood especially for the first Comboni parish in the world by the sculptor Werner Thaler, from the city of Treze Tílias, in Santa Catarina.

Fr. Raimundo Rocha

Provincial of the Comboni Missionaries of Brazil