Formation – Page 65 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Ghana CLM aspirants meeting

23 November, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

This 14th November, we met at Abor for our formative meeting.

At the beginning, we prayed the Lauds and meditated upon a letter of St Comboni to his parents (Writings n.55- 62). After this, we had a presentation about the History of the CLM family. The presentation was based on the one that Alberto de la Portilla presented at Kinshasa at our second Continental Meeting. The presentation first talked about the various CLM international meeting with their conclusions. The main one is the one of Ellwagen in 2006. The continuation shows the readiness of the MCCJ to journey with the lay people. The last step is the showing of the various CLM groups in the world with their way of life.

After this, we discussed a little bit about the selling of the magazine New People. The coordinator insisted on the availability of each member to commit himself in responding to our CLM vocation. We talked also about the commitment at our various places.

The prayer and our community food ended the meeting.

After the meeting, we were informed of the appointment of a new Chaplain for the group in the name of Rev. Fr Philip Zema, mccj. We thank the Provincial and His Counsel for their attention and readiness to help us grow in our vocation.

Justin Nougnui, coordinator.

Let your kingdom come

28 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

That rainy weekend from 9 to 11 October, we were welcomed in Viseu in the house of the Comboni Missionaries for the second formation meeting.

For me it was the first time I have experienced, and very successfully, this monthly walk I propose myself: a trip to Viseu, the warm welcome in the house of our missionary brothers, the deepening of faith and love for Jesus, St. Daniel Comboni and the neighbor.

In the previous meeting in Fatima, they had met for the first time the new candidates that are now beginning the process of formation, to know the CLM Movement. This encouraged me to decide, take inner awareness and the decision to start “now”.

Now we face a first issue as a question or challenge

– Kingdom of God: myth or reality? For this, the Comboni Missionary Secular Clara Carvalho guided us and helped deepen.

First, what is a myth? What is reality?

From common sense, if we think that reality is not only the body but also the mind, sensations, feelings and emotions, our relationship with God and his love are realities.

– Is the Kingdom of God something that already exists and is still under construction? Or is it something that may come here in many centuries? Nothing better than God’s Word to answers.

From a long list of references to biblical texts of the Old and New Testaments, we create two working groups, one to examine the question How is the kingdom of God?, the other to answer the question How can we enter in the Kingdom of God?

A kingdom for all, universal. For all time, which it cannot be destroyed. Which it is already among us (and in us), but does not seem visible. Unlike the kingdoms and republics of men, the kingdom of God is not “eat and drink”, but righteousness, peace and joy. It grows as the grain germinates on earth (even while the farmer sleeps) and fruits such as mustard seed, like yeast that makes the dough rise.

– What it is needed to “join” the kingdom of God?

(How to “enter” the Kingdom?, who “deserves” the Kingdom? … do not seem successful ways to place the question. Will not deserve all the men, leaving the wheat and the weeds grow next to each other until harvest?).

“Let the children come to me”.

“Blessed are the poor … … those who cry, the humble … the hungry … thirsty for justice … the merciful … the pure of heart … the peacemakers … those who are persecuted … “.

“You are the salt of the earth … the light of the world …”.

What a responsibility for us! And what an honor!

What is our role here and now, as subjects and servants of this kingdom? Where and who have yet to come? Believe in the Good News is accepting the mission to go and take the good news.

Leave everything and go without looking back. How this challenge calls us and scare us! How many of us are willing to do so? We trust in God that He providence the rest, how and when He called us.

On the second day, Clara shared with us her testimony of love for God and our brothers who suffer, in the various parts of the world where she was called. I retain, from her fiery words, the idea that “the mission is always action of God, we are only their collaborators”.

I cannot stop from evoke and emphasize the moments of prayer and Eucharistic celebration in which everyone participated and made me feel (as in the Upper Room of Jesus’ disciples) the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Comboni missionary spirit.

It was a very special meeting because, at the same time passed the annual meeting of the CLM of Portugal and we had the opportunity to live and share moments of prayer with the laity. And above all, for having the presence, quiet but determined, of Maria Augusta that will depart shortly for Mongoumba mission in the Central African Republic. Let us pray that the Lord will protect and bless the mission.

The rain that fell during the weekend, blessed by the Lord, make germinate seeds thrown to the ground and grow His harvest.

Mario Breda (Portugal)

The celebration of the 10th October in Ghana

21 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

For the first time, we celebrated as lay group the Solemnity of our Founder. We took the opportunity to talk about the founder, ourselves and the process of formation.

Everything started on Wednesday, the 7^th of October. Mr Adze Daniel, an old Comboni student, presented the life of Comboni. He talked about his birth, his parents, his vocation and mission. The presentation was so seducing that the workers, the youth and children around were filled with admiration towards the zeal of Comboni.

On the second day, the 8^th, Rev. Fr Joseph Rabbiosi, MCCJ, presented the Comboni Family. He presented the four branches, the Priest and Brothers, the Comboni Sisters, the Seculars and the Comboni Lay Missionaries. He emphasized a little upon the history of the male Congregation, the MCCJ, how it has started and how and when they came to the Province Togo-Ghana-Benin and what they are doing.

On the third day, the 9^th, Mr Justin Nougnui talked about the formation process for the MCCJ priest and clm. He insisted on the need of having a spiritual director, the disposition of community life, the disposition to witness the good news to the poor and vulnerable for both MCCJ and CLM; the academic performance so necessary to journey towards priesthood and the professionalism necessary for the CLM. The CLM can be married or single and we do not make any official vows. To a question, he explained clearly that some of the works we do cannot free us to give ourselves totally for the proclamation of the Good News and to fulfill what is required for a CLM candidate. Nevertheless, such workers can be friends of CLM and support them financially for achieving their goals.

The 10^th was a diocesan programme for priestly ordination. So the 10^th Mass was celebrated on Sunday 11^th to thank the Lord for giving us a so committed person in the name of Daniel Comboni who did not spare any effort to work for the regeneration of Africa. We prayed for the Comboni Family and especially for the CLM in our province that the Lord may strengthen them and provide them with means to carry out their activities.

Justin Nougnui, coordinator.

Kingdom of God, Myth or Reality?!

20 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

“… God reveals to man the immeasurable riches of his being, his power, his goodness.

Creation and Revelation are their language…”

(Paul VI)

Love is not a myth!

Then the kingdom of God is not a myth! Because talking about love is talking about God! His Kingdom is not a space, a place, a hierarchy system. He is within us, like love! We are (all) a particle of His Kingdom.

We have an obligation to care, to feed it; Each with their responsibility and form, but always with lots of privacy! We are all different, it is true! But diversity is the wealth that God gives us to know and let us been known!

It is in this relationship of exchange that God is present, revealing, making us feel the unconditional love that makes us believe in our ability to grow with him and for him; That love that melts and transforms us into a beautiful unit, transcendent that makes us see in the other his face!

A unique love, great, merciful, that provokes us constantly!

However, it is necessary and essential that this Love is installed in our guts and sprout in our hearts through the words, thoughts, actions and ambitions to be active particles and of his kingdom!

For the kingdom is real, the love that is not always true! (The correct question would be: Love: Myth or Reality?!

Cristina Sousa (Portugal)

German CLM Group Meeting in Nuremberg, 9th to 11th October 2015

14 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

It was nice to start the Comboni Day, on 10 October, with the celebration together with the Comboni Missionaries of the house. After that we worked in the encyclical “Laudato Si” of Pope Francisco. Pia Schildmair explained the theological basis of the document. Steffen Riedel gave us, from the point of view of a technical advisor for energy, the good news that we can meet the challenges of our land and preserve it in the broad sense. Of course, there was a discussion about it. In addition to the encyclical we perform the program for 2016 and have taken the first steps to participate in the 100. Katholikentag in Leipzig, where the Comboni Family from Germany wants to present. On Sunday Mass in the community of Kunigunda we celebrate again St. Daniel Comboni. The Provincial, Father Karl, spoke of the charism of Daniel and the main points of the General Chapter in Rome. The CLM enriched the mass with songs and texts of the encyclical “Laudato Si”.

CLM Germany