Comboni Family – Page 94 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Walking with Comboni

10 July, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

Hello fellow travelers, peace be with you!

These days was held the MCCJ Assembly in the Province of Mozambique. As Comboni Family, the Comboni Sisters and the CLM, we were invited to attend the first two days. This allowed us to better meet our Province and the Comboni Missionaries who are working here.

Being celebrating this jubilee year of the 150th anniversary of the Plan of Comboni, we start with a reflection presented by Father Vitor Dias, former in the novitiate of Santarém, Portugal. How to dream, to experience, to announce: Christ, Comboni and the joy of the Gospel today, in our daily lives, in our actions?

Among us, we were sharing our feelings, our experiences of Christ in the mission, and so, as craftspeople made a mat, we were sharing this reflection. I leave here, knowing that many things remain to be said, a few points:

We are invited, as Comboni, to encounter God, without letting our own tasks to bind us, so that with Him, remain in this attitude: “I am here for whatever you want me”, so let ourselves, therefore, every day, inspire, love, excite, challenge, by the Lord of the Mission.

A meeting methodology, that allows us to live the Pastoral of Meeting with the people in an attitude of listening and dialogue. Daring to live the mission as a “salute”, a beginning to “walk” with the communities, so that in the informal meetings, we announce Christ and allow ourselves to be evangelized by the people who welcome us.

Will you remember the attitude of Pope Francisco that leaving the car went to the old woman? Will it not result of greater impact, greater proclamation of Christ, than a thousand words spoken into a microphone?

For that, we also must leave our “car”, strip us of what we are and have (training, lifestyle, personal experiences), to find one another, our community and the people that welcomed us, from the essence of what the people are. It is an invitation to an attitude of humility; find the other starting from him. A major challenge, isn´t it?

Plan of Comboni, reproduction or upgrade? We would say that the two attitudes. An attitude of reproduction in relation to the Plan of Comboni in what is its highest expression: the freedom of the human person. On the other hand one of the fundamental aspects of the Plan is the dimension of Today. A plan that it is not just paper, but actions that generate life, a life that we want in abundance. For this it is essential starting from what is already built and contextualize our reality today, where we are. We try to leave the “old” to start the “new” from a continuous attitude of discernment.

Which is the new attitude? What we bet? Building structures or build with people? Stone buildings or human constructions?

The challenge is released: Let us not become mere administrators of created structures but seek, invent new possibilities, without fear, with hope and confidence, not in an attitude of “who comes to give”, but who “comes to learn and walk together”.

Seize the wealth of diversity, so that we can set the pace for a mission in increased collaboration and mutual assistance with the people we work, so they are increasingly the protagonists of the mission and their lives.

We leave you with the question: “How do we incarnate the Gospel today?”

With the knowledge that none of us has it all and that no culture drains the Gospel, we walk with the fear of walker and the heart full of trust in the Lord of the mission, which calls us to face the challenges with confidence and optimism.

“Peace be with you” and “Do not be afraid!”

I wait for you in Mozambique 😉

Márcia Costa. CLM in Mozambique.

Secular Comboni Missionary joins the Community of Mongoumba

21 May, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

Last May 11 was sent in her home parish Palmira Pinheiro, Secular Comboni Missionary that after a period of training in Spain and France along the CLM is already part of the CLM international community present in Mongoumba (CAR).

Palmira, retired nurse, arrived in Bangui (Central African Republic capital) on Tuesday with her suitcases full of enthusiasm and desire to work with the Central African people. There she will work with the CLM Teresa Monzón and Elia Gomes (Spanish and Portuguese CLM) in the mission of Mongoumba. Joining the community reinforces the missionary presence among the Central African people making actually the dream of Comboni of being a Cenacle of Apostles in the middle of the African people.

Palmira, we wish you all the best in this new phase of your life. Remember you have all our support and our prayers.

[Mozambique] Meeting of the Missionary Team of Carapira

13 May, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

On the afternoon of April 28^th, we had the meeting of the missionary team of Carapira where participated the Comboni Missionaries, the Comboni missionary Sisters and the CLM. The meeting had as its theme “SEE”, from the reflection of the letter from the General of the MCCJ on the 150th anniversary of the plan of Comboni, taking as a guiding line for reflection the question “what is the reality that is challenging us today as a missionary opportunity and with what universal issues?” The evening began with the adoration of the Most Holy. Right away began the works, for which we formed three thematic groups: 1) Health and Women; 2) Education and Parishes; and 3) Justice and Peace, Questioning over land and labor. Each group makes a list of the different views on every issue from the perspective of the question placed at the beginning, later in a general plenary; we all share the results of the work. A summary was prepared that will be used for the preparation of the next meeting of the team that will address the JUDGING. We conclude the Comboni family evening with a typical dish of Mexican cuisine “Posole” prepared by Beatriz CLM.

Another moment of Comboni Family

12 May, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

Combonianas Europa

Last weekend I had the chance to participate in the assembly of the Europe province of the Comboni missionary Sisters. In Madrid they reunited sisters arrived from Berlin, Paris, UK, Portugal and Spain each of them with the hope of sharing their day-to-day missionary call.

I know that some people see the assemblies as a few days of long sitting and hearing many words. I think the assemblies of the Comboni Family are moments to share experiences and create missionary illusions.

This province born with the illusion of understanding and propose significant missionary presence in Europe, at a time when the mission is conceived not only as a geographical shift from north to south of the world, but as a meeting with all “South’s” that are scattered throughout the world, for a meeting with the brothers and sisters who live apart or are excluded. We met with our hearts full of missionary experiences on African, American, Asian soil that want to show in Europe the need to live in communion with those peoples more poor and abandoned. These hearts cannot close here but also be open here in Europe where there are victims of exclusion, exploitation, poverty … Knit in community, in family, a prophetic life style means to side with the underdog, of those who has less opportunities. Knowing that so many situations in the South are still bleeding but been aware that in this global village the interrelationship among everything, the interdependence makes us stand beside those who suffer anywhere in the globe, in solidarity one with the other, seeking a better world for all, where the causes, actions and consequences of our chores are strongly interlinked in this global village we inhabit.

From this fact we reflected on the need for reconciliation in our communities, in our environment. Only from the love that transforms the heart, and then generates life, we can offer an increasingly fraternal relations, understanding us as daughters and children of the same Father (Abba), enables us to rise above differences and difficulties in establishing bonds of brotherhood.

It has resonate strongly the Comboni´s intuition of the Cenacle of Apostles be made of religious brothers, priests, religious sisters, secular and lay as one family. This gift of the Comboni charism challenges us to think together, to work together, to pray together and suggest as a family the need for mission today.

The challenges of ministerial service, the missionary presence wherever we are, in the work of missionary animation (opening doors and windows to make known the life that is in need of our support in many corners of the world), the work with situations of South’s situations in Europe like immigrants, trafficking persons, peripheries where commitment to issues of justice and peace is necessary to address situations like a closeness hug to attend people… all networked with the lay that everyday are engaged in these realities, with other congregations, with social entities, with a real networking that fortify the action of every individual and institution engaged in this service to give life in abundance to those who need it most.

Revitalize everyday our community life, where everyone is protagonists, where we may propose a more humane style of life, sustainable, close to the needy, open and welcoming to those around us.

The formation that help us grow in our spirituality, to be attentive to new realities, to be prepared for a better service, which balances our doing with reflection and prayer that helps us to be and work with sense to the everyday of our lives.

To cap we also celebrate the 50th years of votes of three of the sisters present, witness of fidelity and devotion that encourages us in our missionary journey.

Therefore each assembly of the Comboni Family, and this one confirmed, it remains to be a place to pray and dream a better world, to walk together on the path of Emmaus to discover the presence of Jesus that is on our side and unfolds and open our eyes to the realities of this world, encouraged and precedes us on the way to Galilee.

Thanks for these days

Alberto de la Portilla

[Spain]: “COMBONI CHARISMA: The branches of the tree”

16 April, 201416 April, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

I think the more we feel challenged, more can be the conviction to accept the challenge.
We have always known that the presence of the laity in the evangelizing mission of Daniel Comboni was a reality since the beginning of his ministry. However, feel saying the speaker of “work shop” about the PLAN FOR REGENERATION OF AFRICA, Joaquim Valente (Comboni missionary) to be a fundamental intuition of the Plan, the Comboni Family: Religious and Lay, the CHARISMA is as a tree with branches that if any of these are separated from said tree, and ceases to have life the whole tree is affected.

Fidelity to our Comboni charism keeps questioning and invites us to live more deeply the desire to grow in union between the different BRANCHES of the Comboni Family; we’re waking each other through mutual understanding.
Personally, and I have not been the only one, I have noted with great joy at this meeting that I already knew all the Comboni Lay Missionaries, unthinkable just a few years ago. This knowledge creates bonds of friendship, love and understanding of the different lifestyles that lives the Comboni Family.

With great joy I have experienced this encounter; 20 years lived in Uganda have enriched me at level of collaboration with other apostolic forces and have experienced the joy of union. The current Spanish situation can actually be more tiring this path of collaboration and union, but if in other continents and contexts we can cooperate even without having the same CHARISMA, aren´t we going to get it among the members of the Comboni Family?
I think that the unity challenges us in a same way: Comboni Missionary Sisters, Comboni Missionaries and Lay Comboni Missionaries. I also believe that the way forward is listening to the Word of God, listening to the greatness of the legacy of Comboni (Charisma) and listening to each of us to understand how we should be faithful to the novelty that each one brings and enrich at the present time in our history.

We have experienced the pride of having a Founder with intuitions (PLAN) so divine and human, and this has increased our desire to grow in unity. Logically, first of all being “THE CENACLE OF APOSTLES” Comboni wanted from us.

Personally I think we have to face a great challenge: Are we called to cover all fields of apostolate that we find around us? We have heard with satisfaction that being the CHARISMA a GIFT for implementing a particular aspect of the Kingdom of God, each task has its Charisma that complements the TOTALLY. Therefore we must continue to reflect for not wanting to cover all there is to do in the Church and in Society and make room for the others Charisma.

Encarnita Cámara Liébana. Comboni Missionary Sister
(Currently in Spain for the ministry of Missionary Animation)

We want to share with you the meeting of the Comboni Family, we had in Madrid, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Plan of Comboni.
I must say that it exceeded all my expectations. In the beginning was the idea that it would be a formality within the activities planned for the event. The truth is that it was a beautiful and rich time in every sense, was noticeable that the spirit of Comboni was there updating its Plan, reminding us that we had to unite all our efforts and put our heart to serve the poorest and abandoned; that with different characteristics continue to be today at the “Africa’s” of our world. All this without losing sight of the crucified Christ who continue to suffer in all our brothers because of selfishness and injustice.

Fr Joaquim Valente was slowly reeled the PLAN OF COMBONI FOR THE REGENERATION OF AFRICA. This exhibition enlightened us and helped us to see what is our mission today as Comboni Family. Result of this listening and reflection shared a lot of ideas came to work as Comboni family serving the mission in different fields like: immigration, missionary animation, places of presence, mixed communities, mission today in Spain… plus what we are already sharing as Vocational Youth Pastoral, assemblies and celebrations.

Finally: We started and ended the meeting celebrating the Love around the Banquet Table as a real family, where children could not miss. A bless of God. We left with renewed heart willing to work with enthusiasm and passion for the mission.

Antonia and Felix. Comboni Lay Missionaries

Just a few days after the conclusion of the general meeting of the COMBONI FAMILY in Madrid, I keep remembering and echo the words and messages we received during those days. Aiming: look at Comboni missionary Plan, we have taken on the task of looking. Looking at ourselves, look at each other, looking at our missionary path, looking at our projects. I am delighted that once again today as yesterday, there are no “silver bullets” for the implementation and development of a mission plan. Are faith, brotherhood and perseverance at work, which have allowed our family to start, following the footsteps of our founder.

Comboni began in the name of God a missionary work and the progress of this work, it has been made from every Comboni (lay or religious). Together we have written a story that belongs to us. God has put each family member in the proper place and has wanted today as yesterday to continue the work for the implementation of the missionary plan of Comboni.
I am aware of having participated to an unprecedented event in our province and that puts us at the forefront in the way of a deep and sincere collaboration in the missionary task of the Church. Although not comes to an epochal change, we are facing a new perspective to see our mission.

No doubt, like me all those present, appreciate the valuable intervention made by Fr. Joaquim Valente who through his interventions facilitated the work of reflection. It was precisely in the group work, where we descended to our Comboni missionary walking in the province of Spain. Participation in the living from many of those present allowed us to realize the interest of each member of our family to implement the Comboni mission in the Church, which is still new and urgent.
We ended our meeting with a good taste but especially with the desire to continue taking steps that allow us to look with hope to the future of our mission. We found that in everyone the desire to continue our missionary pilgrimage for the poor and abandoned is latent: Legacy of Comboni.

Hector Manuel Peña. MCCJ