Comboni Lay Missionaries

One in Christ, United in Mission

LMC Mexico

The spiritual retreat for the CLM is very important; it helps us recognize what God is asking of each of us, it renews us when we need to make corrections in our lives, and it prepares us when we need to make decisions. Our spiritual director, Fr. Filomeno Ceja MCCJ, led the opening and closing of the retreat. He accompanied us through personal conversations; his advice is always spot-on and helps us make decisions both personally and as a group.

Mariana joined us virtually from the mission in Metlatónoc, Guerrero, to greet us; we continue to invite people to join the missionary project. She is very happy; it always brings us joy to see her so happy and increasingly integrated into the service she performs, following the work plan with the parish.

The monthly half-day retreat that we CLM hold in Mexico is very important; it prepares us and helps us better experience our annual three-day retreat, giving us time to be at the source and find God’s grace for ourselves. on this occasion our central theme was Pope Leo XIV’s message for DOMUND 2026, “One in Christ, United in Mission.” Fr. Héctor Manuel Peña MCCJ was the preacher; we had moments of prayer, reflection on the theme, personal reflection, lectio divina, sharing, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Eucharist, all of which helped us have a personal encounter with God.

Eight of us were able to attend: Daniel, Alejandra (widow), Cesar, Ana and Florencio (married couple), Hortensia, Adriana, and Beatriz. It has been very interesting to see how each of us is walking this path, the challenges to overcome, and the goal to reach. We regret that some of our companions could not be present due to work and study commitments; we kept them in our prayers, which always unite us.

Florencio and Ana made a one-year commitment to follow the CLM path during Sunday Mass at the San Francisco del Rincón community in Guanajuato; they have pledged to continue doing monthly missionary animation and to support formation. Daniel took on a personal task and will continue his growth within the group; Alejandra will be accompanied as she works through her personal situation; Cesar decided to leave the group; Adriana, Hortensia, and Beatriz will remain on the coordination team.

God continues to challenge us through our lay reality; returning to daily life and making our missionary commitment a living reality is not easy, but we know that “All things are possible for those who strengthen us,” convinced that we will continue moving forward together in our missionary commitment to evangelization.

CLM Mexico

Called to Be a Cenacle of Apostles

LMC Brasil

On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, we arrived at the Santa Terezinha Mission House of the Comboni Lay Missionaries, a missionary presence in the Ipê Amarelo neighborhood of Contagem, in the state of Minas Gerais, where we were welcomed by Ana Cris, Alejandro, and their family, Comboni Lay Missionaries from Guatemala.

The following day, we began our in-person formation session with the Palm Sunday procession, starting from the Nossa Senhora Aparecida community in Ipê Amarelo and proceeding to the São Judas community (about 2.5 km away), where Mass was celebrated, bringing together all 10 communities of the São Domingos de Gusmão Parish.

We gathered as Comboni Family, welcomed by the Mccj community present in the region, learning a bit more about the region’s history and the Comboni presence, and renewing old friendships.

Another memorable moment was gathering at the Comboni Justice and Peace House to meet with the Comboni Spirituality Group (GEC), and following a prayer session beautifully led by members of the GEC Contagem, we shared our lives and missionary experiences, both here and beyond borders, for, from the moment of our baptism, we are all missionaries and called to act at the frontiers where we are.

Fr. Rafael reminded us that “from the dimension of mission rooted in the Comboni charism, we rediscover the need to be true communities”—to work together in the spirit of the Cenacle of the Apostles, the Comboni identity of serving in a mission.

Because we love one another

Comboni had Christ in his heart and saw Christ in other countries.

May we love the mission, the poorest, and be steadfast in the call God has for each of us: to live united and happy.

CLM 2026/2027 Itinerary Group