Comboni Lay Missionaries

Staying true to our nature

LMC Kenia

Hello Saints!

The month is still fairly new, so please allow me to begin by saying happy new month!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the women out there, especially in and around the Comboni Family, a happy women’s day, celebrated internationally this past Friday, the 8th of March. Did you know that our patron St. Daniel Comboni was a great champion for women? All through his mission work, he was insistent on the importance of including women in evangelisation. On May 5th 1878 (W5117) he wrote: “…My secret, based on my long experience of 21 years, is this: in a mission station in which there are six or seven sisters, I only need to put two missionary priests. Two priests and six sisters in a mission in Central Africa will do more good than a Mission with twelve priests and no sisters. This is a fact.” (Pg. 24, Daniel Comboni, Witness of Holiness and Master of Mission.) ‘Without women missionaries, men would achieve nothing in Africa.’ (Pg. 186, The Spirituality of Daniel Comboni by John Manuel Lozano.) To every female, I hope you feel seen, loved and appreciated. You are wonderfully and fearfully made and you deserve to be celebrated every day!

This past weekend, beginning Friday 8th to Sunday 10th March, we, the Comboni Lay Missionaries – Kenya had our monthly formation meeting. We had a guided recollection at Uganda Martyrs Scholasticate with Fr. Sylvester Hategek’Imana MCCJ. We delved a little more into what our identity is as CLM – adding to what Fr. Maciek taught us last month. My identity and my call/vocation to be a CLM should never be in conflict. My values and my work must always reflect my identity as a CLM. We have been called to be the salt and the light of the world. We must let our light shine before men that they may see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven. Mathew 5:13-16.

Fr. Sylvester shared this beautiful story with us. Once there was a holy old man who loved to meditate every morning under a large tree on the banks of a river. One morning, after he had finished his meditation, he noticed a large scorpion stuck, fighting helplessly against the strong current of the river. He reached out his hand to help free the Scorpion and immediately the Scorpion stung him. And again, he reached out his hand to help free the scorpion. A young man who was passing by saw this. He asked the old man, “Why risk your life to save such an ugly useless creature?” The holy old man was in much pain having been stung violently, severally. In his pain, he said to the young man, “Friend, because it is in the nature of a scorpion to sting why should I give up my own nature to save?” The world is consumed with different shades of darkness. Our nature as CLM is rooted in Christ. We have been called to be kind, loving, empathetic, selfless, forgiving and so much more. In our daily lives, we get stung – by friends, family, employers etc. We can only find solace in Christ. At no point must we allow it to alter our nature.

We also learnt that love and forgiveness go hand in hand. The greatest commandment is love. Christ is the embodiment of love. That a man should give up his life for the sake of his friends. There is no greater love. And while Jesus was stretched out on the cross, he showed mercy to his persecutors and asked the Lord to ‘forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ Jesus set a great example for us. He expects much of us. Every day we must love more and forgive more. Christ will give us the grace to love the unlovable and forgive those who show no remorse.

This weekend was more special as we had a chance to hear from Fr. Gregor MCCJ, the Provincial of the Comboni Community in South Sudan. He was pleased to learn of our formation program for CLM-K. In Juba, they only have Friends of Comboni. They are yet to have Comboni Lay Missionaries. Christianity is very young in South Sudan. So young that the first generation of Christians in Nuer are still alive. The country is also young. Infrastructure is almost non-existent and illiteracy levels are as high as 70%. It was very grounding to hear of the work the missionaries are doing in South Sudan. Being a missionary there requires that you truly give up everything and offer up your life in service to God. We are very thankful to Fr. Gregor for taking the time to share with us and indulge our curiosity.

We would like to thank the Scholasticate for having us through the weekend. Your environment offers the stillness that one requires when seeking and hearing from our Lord. Thank you for your hospitality that knows no bounds.

We would also like to thank the Comboni priests stationed at Holy Trinity Kariobangi for allowing us to do our apostolate there and at the outstation, on Sunday.

This coming Saturday, March 16th, all Comboni family will gather to commemorate St. Daniel Comboni’s Birthday. St. Daniel Comboni pray for us that we may follow in your footsteps. May we use our time on earth to prepare for heaven.

This fourth week of Lent, let us reflect on what matters most in this life. St. Mother Teresa said, “At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.’”

Remember, the goal is heaven.

Warmly,

Cecilia Nyamu

Comboni Lay Missionary – Kenya

Towards the mission

LMC México

Last February 3 and 4, the Mexican CLM held our National Assembly 2024 in Monterrey, N. L. The topics discussed were commitment, belonging, missionary animation and economy.

The dynamic was very revitalizing, it helped the integration of the group. The topics discussed reaffirmed our vocation as CLM, being that missionary disciple in constant integral formation where Christ is the center of his life and in this intimate connection he can give himself to others in the mission entrusted to him.

The meditation was focused on the identity as CLM to be an authentic witness of Christ, recognizing the evangelizing mission, being the salt of the world, for this we must work in social fraternity, transforming the reality of death that we can find in the spaces of our environment, being people generators of life, sensitive to the human needs of the community where we are, rescuing the dignity and freedom of people.

All this helped us to be aware of the team work that we must do to be good missionary animators and to be able to add up to a healthy economy where we all give of what we have to make possible the maintenance of the mission.

In it we committed ourselves as groups and individually to prepare everything for the next sending of some of our members who are already available to leave for the mission ad gentes. Thanks to all the participants, benefactors and MCCJ who supported to make this meeting possible.

Congratulations, CLM! May the fruits continue at the foot of the Cross for the glory of God.

CLM MEXICO

GEC from Curitiba meets to plan the year’s activities.

LMC Brasil

The Comboni Spirituality Group of Curitiba, present in Santa Amelia Parish, met on the first day of March. Present were Jussara, Fátima, Fr Lionel, Leonel, Darlene, Fr Rafael, seminarians Antônio and Tiago, Cleia, Pedro, Cristina and Luzia.

It was an important moment for us to pray together, to welcome the two seminarians who are starting the Propaedeutic Course, which is the first stage of formation in the journey of Comboni priests and brothers.

We also made a plan for our monthly meetings and drew up some guidelines for our work in the communities.

May Saint Daniel Comboni, in this twentieth year of his canonization, continue to inspire us with his boldness and missionary zeal!

Cristina Paulek – CLM Brazil in Curitiba

Recollection of CLM candidates in Togo

Togo LMC

On Sunday 18th February 2024, the CLM candidates of Togo took part in a recollection organized at the house of the Comboni Missionary Sisters in Adidogomé. Focusing on the theme “Prayer and the Eucharist”, the day brought together 5 candidates, a guest and Sister Elisabeth, SMC.

The programme began with an opening prayer and teaching led by Father Michel Adom, MCCJ head of the Cacaveli Missionary Animation Centre. Under the chosen theme, Father Michel outlined the two concepts, placing particular emphasis on the Eucharist as the most excellent prayer, a moment of communion with Christ and his mystical body. He emphasized that the Eucharist is not limited to the end of Mass, and as missionaries we are called to carry the Christ we have received wherever we go.

After this teaching, the participants had a time of meditation and personal prayer. The day continued with the celebration of Sunday Mass in the sisters’ chapel, presided over by Father Michel Adom.

The day ended with a fraternal meal, followed by a reflection on the year’s future activities and a final prayer led by Jean Baptiste Gnimassoun.

By Ernest Botri (CLM candidate), Togo.

Formation meeting and sharing with Father Tesfaye General of the MCCJ

CLM-Kenya

Hello Saints!

Receive the warmest greetings from Comboni Lay Missionaries – Kenya. We hope you all had the best St. Valentine’s Day and a wonderful start to Lent.

We had our monthly CLM-K formation meeting this past weekend from Friday 16th February to Sunday 18th February. This month’s topic was “What is our Identity as Comboni Lay Missionary?” There are three aspects to look at: The spiritual approach, Comboni Charism and the Human aspect.

On the Human aspect, we learnt that Identity grows from discernment. We must all reflect on our values, what matters most, and what we stand for. It matters how you view yourself. Our identity affects the decisions we make. Making decisions without discernment causes strife, unhappiness and discontent with life. We also learnt that our environment affects our identity. In the famous words of Dr. Asfia Qaadir, “Our roots keep us grounded and help us remember what truly matters at the end of the day.”

On the Spiritual approach, we reflected on various scriptures that tell us what God thinks of us. One of my favourites is Proverbs 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Another favourite is 1st Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” If He who created us in His image and likeness thinks so highly of us, how dare we question his judgement? Our identity is in Christ and by his grace and mercy, He has made us worthy.

Lastly, on the Comboni Charism, we reflected on the life of St. Daniel Comboni. St. Daniel Comboni wrote: “We must pray instead that we may save many souls and go to heaven, not alone but with a great crowd of converts.” These and many more words of St. Daniel Comboni speak of his heart and his identity. He made so many sacrifices, travelling back and forth through the desert, the suffering he endured: tropical diseases, hunger, poverty, language barrier, opposition and more. Yet, he did not give up. Ordained as a priest at the young age of 23 years, he went ahead to become a Bishop and later formed the Comboni sisters who helped him with his missionary work in Khartoum, South Sudan. St. Daniel Comboni gave up his life in service to the poor and most abandoned until his death. Every single morning, he lived for the glory of God. This was his identity. As CLM-K, we must fashion our lives to match the great example set for us by our founder. “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1st Corinthians 10:31.

This weekend was also quite special for us. On Sunday we had a visit and seat down with MCCJ General Fr. Tesfaye and his Assistant Brother Alberto. They were accompanied by Fr. Juanma and Fr. Christopher. It was so lovely sharing further on the topic of identity with them. What made it more special is their experience over the years. Their sharing spoke of the goodness of the Lord. We are so thankful to you General Fr. Tesfaye, Brother Alberto, Fr. Juanma, and Fr. Chris for making the time to meet with us.

On a final note, we wish to thank all Comboni Priests stationed at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish Kariobangi for hosting us for dinner on Saturday evening. We would also like to wish our MCCJ province well during their annual assembly that began Monday 19th February and will run through Friday 23rd February.

1st Peter 1:3-5, St. Peter wrote to the Christians saying: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, which is kept in heaven for us. This Lenten season, reflect on the suffering of our Lord and be filled with hope knowing that Christ will rise from the dead and in him we have been made new.

Warm regards,

Cecilia Nyamu, Comboni Lay Missionary – Kenya