Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Comboni Family

What is mission, if it’s not connecting people?

by
LMC Kenia

Here we are, CLM of Kenya, at the recent Friends of Comboni feast in Utawala, on Ascension day, to arouse people’s enthusiasm about missionary work, about what it means to be a CLM, whether in Nairobi, or West Pokot, or wherever we are. To build bridges between our mission in Kitelakapel and this Comboni parish within Nairobi, and all the Friends of Comboni gathered there.

As we keep reaching new parishes with our mission animations, more and more people are getting to know us, embracing our cause, getting involved, supporting us spiritually and economically, and more importantly, increasing our numbers. We are now so many that we are looking for a new place for our monthly meetings, as we don’t fit anymore in the guesthouse which we’ve been using so far.

Mission is a passion, which can drive each one of us to contribute in their own way: those who are in the field, abroad or doing service in the place where they live, those who support economically near and far, those who dedicate their time and service to fundraise, to make our work and charism known, to build relationships, to involve new members and form them, to connect with the other branches of CLM and remain united.

And as we thank the Comboni family for involving us in this exercise, we want to send a message of encouragement to all CLM: let’s not lose hope and keep reaching new places, physically and virtually (social media!) with our mission animation! The only tool for us to keep growing, in numbers and strength, so that the good work we’re doing everywhere in the world, and especially in the international communities where we so need more missionaries, will not be wasted.

May the Spirit give us this courage!!!

CLM Kenya

Missionary sharing about the mission in Mozambique

by
GEC Brasil

On the evening of May 9, Regimar and Tito shared with the GEC (Comboni Spirituality Group) of Nova Contagem about their first mission period in Mozambique.

Through photos and videos, they recalled various moments from their memories.

The people present interacted, asking questions and commenting.

One of the highlights of the sharing was the help given to the families with the donations received from Brazil and Poland after the cyclone that hit the region in 2022. The couple thanked them for their collaboration and stressed how important it had been.

They talked about the seed project, which worked very well, where they gave the families a quantity of bean and corn seed to plant and after the harvest, the families returned the same quantity. Although not everyone returned the seeds, the overall balance was positive, with beautiful signs such as families returning larger quantities than they had taken, as a sign of gratitude. And this cycle is continuing for this harvest too.

They talked about the culture, the challenges, the joys and the future prospects.

At the end, we prayed together and ended with a shared snack.

The GEC is grateful for the sharing and the missionary enrichment!

GEC Brasil

GEC Nova Contagem

Golden jubilee celebration of the MCCJ in Ghana

by
MCCJ Ghana

The first group of MCCJ arrived in Ghana in 1974. Among this group was Rev. Fr. Joseph Rabbiosi who is still serving in Ghana and father Cuniberto of blessed memory.

To mark this fiftieth anniversary, the MCCJ in Togo-Ghana-Benin planned a conference on the 26th April at Good Shepherd Catholic Church of Mafi-Kumase and climaxed it with a thanksgiving mass on 27th at Our Lady of Assumption (OLA), Accra.

An exciting mark of the anniversary was the presence of the Father General of the MCCJ, Father Gabriel Tesfaye and one of his assistants Fr. Elias Sindjalim. The conference was facilitated by the Superior General and his Assistant together with the Superior Provincial, Fr. Timothy Hounake. The bishop of the diocese, his Lordship Gabriel Kumordji was also present for the conference. The theme of the conference was “Save Africa through Africa.” In his presentation, the Superior General laid emphasis on the Plan for the Regeneration of Africa of our Founder St. Daniel Comboni. The Father General insisted on the dream of Comboni, which he said, was a dream of faith. To show the realization of that dream in the MCCJ family, a statistic was presented by Fr. Elias on the presence of MCCJ in the world, in Africa and in Ghana. It was clear, the dream of Comboni is coming true. Another truth of the realization of the dream is the presence of the CLM who also said few words during the Superior General presentation.

On Saturday, the climax was the thanksgiving mass at Accra presided over by the Archbishop of Accra, Bishop Bonaventure Kwofie around which MCCJ priests and other priests and a chapel full of faithful among which the CLM. An award was presented to Fr. Joseph Rabbiosi a living testimony of the fifty years of presence. A cake was cut at the end of the celebration after which a meal sharing took place.

Justin Nougnui, CLM.

Between Palms and Songs

by
Domingo de Ramos

A day of faith and reflection

Still in the Easter mood, an invitation to revisit the intense days leading up to Resurrection Day, a unique week in which we tried to recreate with fervor the last steps of Christ as Man.

At the entrance to the village, under the welcoming shade of the mango trees, children and adults, men and women gathered in faith to begin the celebration of Palm Sunday. Everyone had their own palm, some of them beautifully decorated.

To the vibrant sound of the songs of “Hossana”, the community walked down the main street in procession, a sea of palms waving in the air, a unison chant that echoed the joy of faith.

In the church, the celebration went on for more than two hours.

Thus began Holy Week, paving the way for a time of reflection, a time to meditate on Christ’s sacrifice and the promise of redemption.

On this journey we are invited: to relive the footsteps of Jesus, to meditate on the meaning of his surrender and to reflect on the meaning of our own lives.

A unique opportunity to strengthen our faith and renew our hope.

Élia Gomes, CLM RCA