Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Mission animation

Visit to the Polish CLM group

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LMC Polonia

Before Christmas, I could visit the CLM Group in Poland.

As always, visit Poland is a joy and a moment to feel in family. From the host receive from Anna and Fr Chris at the airport until the last day. The first night I went to dinner with CLM community that was in training, we had a nice time walking the streets of Krakow, watching the Christmas atmosphere and keeping out of the winter cold.

The first days I worked with Kasia, Magda and Anna. It was an intense period of training, talked about community life, the CLM internationally, countries where they will go, intercultural relations, the period of inculturation, the presence and missionary methodology and other practical aspects of the mission.

We also had time to connect via Skype with Barbara in Italy and share with her some time about the experience of community formation that each of them was living. We also discussed how it would be the period of common formation that she and Kasia have in Portugal (where the Portuguese CLM Group in Braga now accompanies them).

During the weekend, the house was filled with young people from the CLM Group in Poland. We share a weekend where we could talk about the organization of the CLM internationally, the challenges we are facing calmly and respond to all questions that new CLM candidates had about the movement. It was also time to talk personally, to share concerns about the mission and even the possibilities for future incorporations to CLM and also for mission (hopefully they come true).

In addition, we get some time with the new coordinating team. Facing forward to this new commitment. As a new group does not have much experience in the field but their enthusiasm and desire to do things right make up. Michal was already in the coordinating team in the past as treasurer, now becomes coordinator, for her part Krystyna joins with enthusiasm and with Fr Chris (and the support of others MCCJ in Poland) face forward this missionary service. From the Central Committee we will be helping in any way we can.

During the weekend, we also had time to pray and celebrate Christmas together, sharing good wishes one to each other for the year that soon began.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon after the meeting, I could accompany Anna to say goodbye to her hospital patients and their fellow volunteers with whom she has worked over the past years. Leave a service to serve elsewhere. That’s the life of the missionary.

Magda is now studying English in London to Ethiopia, Anna is studying French in Congo with Congolese CLM before going to Central African Republic and Kasia meets Barbara in Portugal to perfect their Portuguese before going together to Mozambique.

A great joy to share the enthusiasm for the missionary sending. May the Lord bless them and all CLM groups and youth (one for age and other of spirit) who come to discern their vocation and prepare to serve as missionaries wherever there is a great need.

Greetings

Alberto

First Day – International PI (immediate preparation) community

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Braga

It was with great enthusiasm and attention that the Academic Community of Braga was with Kasia and Barbara on this first day for these CLM in Portugal.

During this event, organized by the University Pastoral of Braga, the CLM shared their life stories and their missionary testimony at this time before departure for the mission of Carapira.

CLM Portugal

On the way to the Mission – Sending Maria Augusta to CAR

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LMCOn October 25, echoing the message that brings the October missionary, celebrated around the world, we celebrated with joy and faith, the ceremony of sending of Maria Augusta Pires for the Central African Republic.

We thank God for a week of missionary animation in the schools of Dornelas do Zêzere and Pampilhosa, with great joy we share with the children our missionary experiences, while we gave testimony of Him who sends us always on mission.

In the four homes in the area, after a moment of prayer, was wonderful to see the faces of the elderly who opened into a big smile when we started singing and clapping… Everyone was very happy and promised to pray for missionaries every day.

On Saturday afternoon, in the Eucharist celebrated by three priests (Fr. João and Fr. Orlando, from these parishes and Father Dario of the Comboni Missionaries) in six parishes around Janeiro de Baixo (birthplace of Maria Augusta), we gave our missionary testimony as Comboni Lay Missionaries.

This missionary week culminated with a Mass in the parish church of Janeiro de Baixo, chaired by monsignor Virgilio, bishop of Coimbra, where we solemnly celebrated the sending of the CLM Maria Augusta Pires, that will leave next November 9 to the Mission of Mongoumba – CAR – where will make community with the CLM Elia Gomes that it is there since 2011.

In this so special and meaningful Eucharist, the church was full of Christians from the various parishes in the area who wanted to join us to pray for all missionaries. At the end of the Mass there were tears and emotion on the faces of almost everyone, moved by the words of Maria Augusta about the Mission. Many, many people came to say hello and to wish good luck for the mission and telling that they would pray for her.

After Mass Mgr. Virgilio greeted and spoke to all the people who wanted to be with him (and there were many!).

At the end of this day, I can only, thanks, thank the Bishop for his presence, his secretary Father Pedro, Father Dario, a Comboni missionary and the Fathers Juan and Orlando for the effort they put into making possible this missionary week. Everything went very well, so thank the Lord wholeheartedly.

LMCMaria Augusta Pires (CLM on the way to the Mission)

The mission is a plan of love for which we shouldn´t spare any effort

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ComboniThis is one of the many phrases that Comboni has left us as a proof of his donation and the conviction of his vocation.

Every day we hear, see and read in the news the world’s inequalities. Every day we find so many people who need hope.

A world, home of all, that is deeply interconnected, that need from us to wake up and unite all efforts to propose a new way of living, more just and dignified for all. It needs that we roll up our sleeves and get down proposing and carrying out a new humanity. Need people ready to be with those men and women who suffer most from exclusion and have no consideration from others. Needs people that carry the tenderness and love of God to every corner of the planet where necessary.

In a world where the money find facilities and people barriers, we need to recover and make present the love of God. Mercy that restore wounds and brotherhood and solidarity that allows us to share this land that is everybody’s home. We all have the right to enjoy it, no matter where we were born or the possibilities of the family that has welcomed us.

We need you to step forward and join us. The mission is a plan of love for which we shouldn´t spare any effort.

Youth Gymkhana

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Last Sunday the gymkhana was performed with the theme: “we are called to live young.” It was organized by the coordinators of youth of the parish of Santo Domingo and aimed to promote integration, encouraging youth engagement in the way of faith and building the Kingdom of God through the civilization of Love.
During the meeting and as a proposal for the month of vocations, some stalls were organized by the Comboni Missionaries, Salesian Sisters, Brothers of Saint Gabriel and Lay Comboni Missionaries.
The organization of the gymkhana began with the Mass in the community of San Judas, the offertory of the Mass has been donated to the settlement Rosa Leon as a concrete gesture of action: “I come to do, with pleasure, your will Lord.”