Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Formation

Report day 1 of the Maia 2024 assembly December 9, 2024.

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Asamblea Maia 2024

The day began with a delicious breakfast, in which we enjoyed the typical delicacies of Portugal.

The opening of the assembly was led by Alberto de la Portilla, in which important points were highlighted such as

  • It is time to show the good or the bad that we have done and from there to be able to grow, review the path and develop the growth of the groups from the different countries.
  • What has been developed for 6 years is brought to the assembly, the life of the LMC, dreams and future plans that we want to live in the community.
  • Everything that is spoken and discussed will be collected in a document to share with the other LMCs in each country and is the responsibility of each of the LMC members in each country.
  • The assembly seeks general agreements so that each country can adapt to its reality; we do not seek to go into detail but rather to seek a general line that helps us grow; Consensus will be sought for each of these aspects.

It continued with a reflection developed by Kenyan group; we began with a Swahili dance and song that talked about how great God is and that we can find him wherever we want; we learned its meaning and danced it to warm up. Following this, we proceeded to reflect on four questions that guided a 30-minute meditation, reinforced by some biblical texts that made us search for the presence of God and the Holy Spirit in the assembly.

  • We do not walk alone. How to travel together?
  • A transformative encounter. Lord, talk to me.
  • Mister; why me? Why here?
  • Saints and capable. What can I offer?

The next activity was the presentation of the countries, then we began with the report of each of the countries. In this presentation, the video or support material that each one brought was shown. These presentations were developed from the topics that they sent us to prepare the report by country. The following annotations that correspond to all the communities were highlighted.

  • The responsibility of the people who are part of the LMCs must be those of the LMCs themselves; so we must have the autonomy of these decisions with responsibility. However, it must be noted that the last person responsible for the people who make up the LMC is the provincial of each province.
  • In Egypt, they have three moments of vows or commitments, after finishing the first year with a commitment to service, after finishing the second year of formation another vow and after finishing the third year of formation other vows that lead to growth of commitment to the Comboni charism.
  • The situation of RCA is a unfavorable reality of a community; It is worth noting that these situations must always be shown to know what type of community a missionary faces when applying for this type of mission places.
  • In some places like Congo and others, despite having a large number of people making up the LMC groups, it must be taken into account that the purpose of the LMC must be to assume the commitment to leave their country to provide their services in a place other than yours.

The day closed with the exhibition by country of its culture, its typical products and its particularities enriched by its people and their charisma; Photographic records of the activity and the exposed stands are left.

VI American Missionary Congress – America, with the power of the Spirit, witnesses of Christ!

by
CAM

Since Thursday I have witnessed the work that OMPE PUERTO RICO is doing to live our congress as a church in America.

I have had the opportunity to meet persons of the people who with their joy are able to transmit the Love and Joy of the Gospel in their work spaces.

We coincided with a group of missionary friends from different countries who gathered since Friday to be attentive and participate 100% as CAM6 congress participants, KNOWING THAT FROM YOUR HOME YOU CAN PARTICIPATE and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD on the topics that as a Church we are going to deal with.

A press conference has been held with those responsible for the realization of the event. Where they share the details of the topics to be discussed, who will participate and everything that the Missionary Church is interested in.

Join us through the virtual transmission if you are still at home.

Pray and make written contributions within the topics to generate opinion, YOU WILL BE HEARD.

CLM, Beatriz Maldonado

Golden Jubilee of the MCCJ’s presence in Benin

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Benin

On Sunday, October 27 at 10 a.m., the Pontifical High Mass was held presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotonou to mark the 50th anniversary of the presence in Benin of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus. After this great celebration which was attended by the Reverend Father Provincial of Togo-Ghana-Benin and several Comboni religious, the Reverend Father Chaplain invited us to the fraternal agape organized for this purpose by the Community of Comboni Missionaries residing in Benin.

After the feast, an information session and official launch of the formation of the Comboni Lay Missionaries was presided over by the Reverend Father Chaplain of the Comboni Lay Missionaries in the presence of Rose, Ulrich, Isabella, Dénise, Esperanzia of myself and the Scholastic Constantine. The Reverend Father Chaplain entrusted us to the good care of the Scholastic Constantine for our formation. From 10 a.m. when we started the celebrations, we left at 3:45 p.m. We were all very happy with the feast of COMBONI and the beginning of our accompaniment by the Reverend Father Chaplain.

Lucien Aboe

National Assembly in Mexico

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LMC Mexico

From September 27 to 29 we had our national assembly in preparation for the international meeting 2024, the appointment was in Mexico City where 15 CLM from different groups of the national movement participated, Fr. Filomeno Ceja MCCJ as our companion present and Fr. Luis Enrique Ibarra invited to give the theme of Missionary Animation.

In an atmosphere of prayer and dynamism we were able to address the issues provided by the central committee that we had to work, we made groups where each one of us had the opportunity to express our missionary feeling about the reality presented, in addition we established our commitments based on what we can do in our place. We have managed to address all the issues, we are still preparing the documents that will be sent to the central committee and we managed to make the work plan for next year.

We have established dates where we highlight the moments of prayer in the monthly retreat in each group, dates for virtual prayer where we all participate remembering key moments in the life of Comboni, as to strengthen the spirit and our retreat in person at the national level, as well as the date for our next assembly.

The dates for the beginning and closing of the community experience.

The formation for the following year.

The activities that will be carried out to gather economic resources for the following year. To continue sending our contribution to the central committee, to sustain the community experience and the mission house in Metlatónoc.

Each one of the members wrote our letter of commitment where we specify what we are going to commit ourselves to for the following year. This letter was received by the Assessor and the Coordinator of the CLM movement in Mexico. It was really a moment of happiness to see something concrete for each of the CLM members present.

The party was not long in coming and we all shared the typical things that each one has in their region. Thank God we all returned safely to our cities.

CLM Mexico.

A missionary sending, blessed by the star of Evangelization.

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LMC Guatemala

Our dear laywomen, Mercedes and Carolina, spent from September 13 to October 11 in a small experience of community life in a community of the Little Vincentian Sisters of Charity, who welcomed them with much love and generosity.

On their return they attended the feast of St. Daniel Comboni, which we celebrated as a Comboni family at Casa Comboni. It was a very joyful afternoon, full of enthusiasm and many surprises, we all had lunch together and shared with the people who study in the school of evangelization run by the MCCJ. We also played BINGO, an activity with many prizes that turned out to be a great success.

During the mass Mercedes and Carolina introduced themselves, they told a little of who they are and where they are going, many were admired for their decision and collaborated with joy for the cause.

On Sunday 20 we were ready to celebrate as a community the DOMUND, with a special event.

At 7:00 p.m., the sending out mass for Mercedes and Carolina was held at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, patroness of Guatemala. The mass was presided by Monsignor Tulio Lopez, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Guatemala, who, with much admiration, dedicated part of his homily to the missions and the courageous decision to say Yes to Christ through the mission of the agents, he told them that his heart is young, full of ardor for service and that Guatemala sends them together with the prayers of this people. Fr. Juan Diego Calderón, provincial of Central America, presided together with Monsignor Tulio the celebration and together they did the blessing and sending.

As a community we feel very happy, joyful and encouraged, because Christ has chosen these lay women to continue with His mission, that of building the Kingdom, and we are participating in sending them, working together with them, opening our hearts to this fire that burns for Christ and does not go out.

We trust in Providence, that the road is being smoothed by God and that all the obstacles are being overcome little by little, we believe that St. Daniel Comboni intercedes for this small community and accompanies us with hope, so that we can continue with this work of giving “a thousand lives for the mission”.

We continue to work and pray that our dear Mercedes and Carolina will soon be in Peru, so that they can tell with their testimony, the wonders that God works in their lives.

A fraternal embrace from Guatemala.

CLM Guatemala Community