JPIC_en – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Coming together strengthens our collective journey

14 January, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

Participating in COP-30 in November 2025 and the Comboni Family Forum was a very memorable experience in my life. These were intense days of listening, learning, and sharing, during which I was able to closely follow important debates on climate justice, care for our Common Home, and the defense of peoples and territories.

During those days, I had some very meaningful experiences, such as Tapiri, a space for interreligious dialogue marked by respect, listening, and diversity of beliefs. I also had the opportunity to learn more about the work that the Comboni Missionaries do in other countries, which broadened my view of the struggles, challenges, and commitments undertaken in different realities.

Another very important moment was the visit to the community of Piquiá. This visit allowed us to present to the participants of the Comboni Family Forum, who came from outside, a little of our history, our struggles, and the resistance of our people. They visited the Frei Tito Community Center and also communities in the interior. It was a moment of sharing, visibility, and strengthening of our collective journey.

It was very good to see people again, talk to new people, and learn about different cultures. I take with me every conversation, every lesson learned, and every story lived. It was a remarkable experience, and I returned even stronger to continue on the journey, with faith, responsibility, and commitment to social and environmental transformation.

Mainara Bezerra, young woman from Piquiá/MA/Brazil

Guide to Peace Posters

8 January, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

On December 29, we published a blog post about peace materials created by the CLM in Germany.

At the request of some readers, today we are publishing a brief explanation of how to use these materials.

We hope you find it useful.

CLM Germany

How can we achieve peace?

29 December, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

As we approach the end of the year, our CLM brothers and sisters in Germany are offering us the posters they have created to promote peace. This is an initiative that we must always support.

One of the activities they carry out in Germany is the promotion of peace. These posters are offered free of charge to teachers, educators, and Christian communities.

We cannot falter in this endeavor.

The Prince of Peace was born in Bethlehem so that we may all live as brothers and sisters.

Merry Christmas, may peace reign throughout the world.

Peace – How Come Descarga

Hope, respect, solidarity, and let’s get to work…

17 November, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

Today, November 12, 2025, as part of the Comboni Family Forum on Integral Ecology 2025, we had an intense day, beginning with a community prayer at the Sagrada Familia Social Center in Belem, Brazil, where, after placing ourselves in God’s hands, we gathered in small groups and went to different locations where the COP30 International Conference on Climate Change is taking place.

An interesting reflection took place at the Church Symposium at COP30, where church leaders from various continents, authorities, and representatives of traditional peoples gathered for a dialogue on paths to ecological conservation.

At the same time, conferences were held at other locations, such as the Federal University of Pará, the blue zone, and the Pará River, where a boat trip took place.

Among the topics of conversation and denunciation at this summit were: the defense of the most needy peoples, an end to violence, peace, solidarity, and care for our common home, climate justice, the sovereignty of peoples, integral solidarity, and above all, such important issues as the protection of natural resources and saying no to mining and polluting practices.

The first day ended with the opening of COP30 at the University and the presentation of important figures, including the Rector, and artistic performances. At the same time, there was a march for the martyrs, which ended with Holy Mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nazareth, concluding a day full of reflection, commitment, and hope for a more just, sustainable, and supportive world, respecting all those who do not just talk about ecology but live it in their daily lives….

Maritza Rodríguez Pacheco

CLM Costa Rica

Responding to the cry of the earth and the abandoned.

12 November, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

Today, November 11, 2025, thirty-four members of the Comboni Family from around the world have gathered at the Sagrada Familia Social Center in Belém, Brazil, to celebrate the Comboni Family Forum on Integral Ecology 2025. This year’s forum is being held to coincide with COP30, an international conference on climate change.

The Comboni Family Forum on Integral Ecology (FFCEI) thus offers a concrete expression of communion with those who advocate for a just society that respects and protects our common home.

The opening session began with a prayer, followed by a brief introduction to the FFCEI, its purpose, and its mission. Participants then took part in group discussions, followed by a moment of sharing and presentation of the week’s program. The day concluded with the celebration of Holy Mass, during which participants gave thanks to God for the gift of creation and prayed for the grace to protect it.

Tomorrow we will continue to be present at the People’s Summit, which is part of COP30, with its various exhibitions and exchanges of ideas. We pray to God for the sensitivity and courage to heed and defend the cry of the earth. It is our commitment to raise awareness among the younger generations that we have only one common home and that it must be cared for with concrete actions that will endure over time.

CLM at COP30