“We are community.” This is one thing the Pope says to us for the month of October.
Pope Francis reminds us of the importance of walking together, making ourselves “co-responsible for the Church’s mission.” He also emphasizes that priests are not “the bosses of the laity, but their pastors,” and that “Jesus called us, one and others – not one above others, or one on one side and others on another side, but complementing each other. We are community.”
This is why consecrated persons, the laity, priests, all Christians must “witness with our lives,” always giving the best of what they know how to do.
When you decide to go on mission you know that you are not going alone, that is why it is necessary to dialogue with the family.
Mariana CLM since 2017, has decided to go on mission, she has demonstrated it by enrolling in the diploma course on Mission offered by MILAG (Misioneros Laicos Ad-gentes en México), she requested to enter the community experience next year, she is in dialogue with her immediate boss to define the day she will leave her job to concentrate on her preparation for the mission.
And most importantly, we have taken on the task of getting to know her family, especially her parents and talking with them to let them know that we are accompanying their daughter for the vocational step she is going to take. With happiness I can say that it has been a meeting of Faith, Prayer, Sharing and Living together where I have confirmed that Mariana our Sister in Christ has everything to take this step to the mission since God occupies the first place in her life, she experiences this every day following the example of her parents.
Elan Missionary in Benin
After participating in the diaconal ordination of certain MCCJs in Aného in the diocese of Aného this Saturday, July 27, the chaplain Fr. Ephrem, MCCJ and Justin, LMC took the road to Cotonou, the capital of the Republic of Benin. The fundamental goal is to visit our candidates and also do vocational promotion. We were welcomed to the MCCJ Novitiate in Cotonou where we stayed together with certain novices and scholastics, the father master and his assistant being in Rome for training. On Sunday morning, we were at the parish of St. Joan of Arc of Sedegbe (Parish where we celebrated the international day of CLM on December 15, 2022 at the end of the African Assembly in Cotonou). The mass was in honour of Grandparents, fourth Edition of the Archdiocese of Cotonou to have a special look for the elderly. This is in line with Pope Francis’ message titled ‘In my old age, forget me not’. A collection was made in this line. Towards the end of the celebration, the chaplain was able to briefly speak about the CLM and introduced the provincial coordinator. At the end, some people expressed their desire to know more about CLM. The coordinator told them a little about CLM and took their contacts to maintain communication with them.
In the evening, we met our candidates Lucien, his wife and Ulrich thanks to the effort of Brother Pascal, MCCJ who accompanies the group in Benin. We had to share about the history, mission, training and challenges of CLM in the world and in the province and reflect on the best strategy to adopt for the consolidation of the CLM Association in the province.
We were also able to meet certain members of the ’Friends of Comboni’ Association to inspire in them the desire to journey like CLM.
Monday July 29, around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, we headed back to Ghana.
Kenya, Kenya, Kenya… a lot is happening in Kenya. People leaving, people coming, visitors of excellence to strengthen our ties with the movement, to grow and shine. Last month it was Hani from Egypt, our African coordinator, accompanied by another Egyptian CLM, Mira, talking to us in our monthly meeting, accompanying the CLM of Kitelakapel in their activities and particularly with the Mental Health Workshops. These days, instead, the house is full of “Have you read that document?” “This is in the conclusions of Maia!” “Elwangen 2006” “Formation guide!”… And I’m sure, unless you are still unfamiliar with the Comboni Lay Missionaries, only that one name must have surfaced to your mind: Alberto de la Portilla!!!
Indeed, our guest of honour this month is our general coordinator, invited by the CLM community of Kitelakapel and the CLM of Kenya to spend some time with us, with the specific aim of guiding our Kitelakapel team as they keep laying the foundations for their young mission.
Our Alberto arrived well, and immediately delved into CLM matters, as he was taken to Kariobangi, in Nairobi, to attend our monthly formation meeting. For the occasion, all CLM and candidates gathered, so it was indeed a unique event! We got the chance to hire a house belonging to the Comboni sisters, not far from the parish, where we had all the space, peace and quiet we needed, to focus eagerly on the history of our movement, its most important documents, our identity as CLM, and a personal testimony of Alberto on his own mission experience, with his family and within a community, in Mozambique, a few years ago.
It was surely a wonderful opportunity we had to grow as a group, as we expand our awareness and knowledge of our origins and our identity.
On Sunday, while the candidates were doing mission animation in another parish in Nairobi, the commissioned CLM had their own special moment with our general coordinator, reflecting on how they can keep living, experiencing, practising their vocation as Comboni Lay Missionaries, whether serving in the country or abroad.
All this was obviously accompanied by moments of prayer and sharing.
We are deeply grateful that Alberto’s visit was made possible, as it has given us a chance to reflect again and in depth on who we are and who we want to be, and we hope he will enjoy his time in Kenya, until we meet again before he returns to Spain!
On Saturday, June 23 this year, during the meeting of the Combonian family in Krakow, Paweł and Iza ceremonially joined the movement of the Comboni Lay Missionaries.
The event took place before the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, loved by the founder of the congregation, Daniel Comboni. He wrote many times in his letters to always have “eyes fixed on Christ”, these words are the foundation of a missionary’s life.
During the solemn Holy Mass, both candidates read the handwritten act of ac-cession and then presented it to Father Adam Zagaja, who is responsible for CLM in Poland on behalf of the Congregation of the Comboni Missionaries.
CLM, family and friends were present on this important day for Paweł and Iza.
CLM Poland
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