Comboni Lay Missionaries

Conclusions of the 2nd Meeting of the CLM in Africa

CoordinacionThe 2nd Continental Meeting of the Comboni Lay Missionaries took place in Kinshasa, DRC on July 21-25, 2014. The participants included five priests, two sisters and 18 lay people, among them the six coordinators of the French-speaking and English-speaking African provinces. They were joined by representatives of the Central Committee.

The objective of the Assembly of Kinshasa was to establish a concrete plan of action based on the resolutions of previous gatherings – the Continental Assembly of Layibi in 2001 and the International Assembly of Maia in 2012 – having as a theme: “Beginning with what we have starting from our reality.”

Keeping in mind the current challenges of our African reality, where God calls us to live our vocation as witnesses of his love, according to the charism of St. Daniel Comboni, at the service of mission, which is a gift from God, and after having reflected together, we have come to some conclusions that will allow each province to set up a plan of action. These are the conclusions:

1. Vocation

We want to encourage each CLM to live one’s vocation as it was defined at Layibi; to overcome life’s difficulties and to keep the commitments we have as fathers, workers and Christians, thus giving witness to our vocation.

As it was said in Maia, the CLM communities need to formulate processes that will allow the full development of the personal vocation of their members during their entire lifetime. This means setting up a program of prayer, retreats, sacramental life and revision of community life.

In order to facilitate a joint journey in our vocation as an International Family of CLM, we encourage the new groups to keep in touch regularly with the Continental and Central Committees, in order to get help from those responsible for the coordination. We believe that it is necessary to follow the common lines of the international organization.

2. Relations among the CLM

The movement holds one single vision. All must cooperate and work together at living a harmonious community life.

In order to facilitate the integration of new CLM in the local CLM groups, we must strengthen communications and networking between the sending group and the receiving group, the Central and Continental Committees and the MCCJ provincials.

In order to reach full integration, we invite the new CLM to take part in the group’s activities: ongoing formation, assemblies, retreats, administrative practices and financial contributions…

We encourage CLM working in countries where we have no local members to promote our vocation and form a local group.

3. Formation

As a movement of CLM in Africa, we are committed to make our formation journey together, in order to follow Christ according to the charism of Comboni who calls us to make common cause with the people to whom we are sent.

The decisions taken in earlier Assemblies guide us on this journey of formation, where we should keep in mind the following aspects:

  1. The provinces must cooperate in the preparation of the various programs and materials for formation;
  2. We must share programs and topics of formation between the provinces and with the Central Committee;
  3. We must translate in all languages the formation documents.

4. Economy

We want to include the economy in our spiritual life, in order to live a life based on Providence. In this context, we ask the groups to include the topic of our relations with money in their formation programs, placing our stability and confidence in God.

In the process of our financial autonomy, we invite the various groups to form their members in the various aspects of finances, such as: development projects based on the local needs, the search for funds, compatibility…

Knowing that we all belong to this family of CLM, we are called to be responsible for and to support the group. In this sense, all the CLM must contribute to the fund of the local group. From this fund, the group in turn should contribute to the international common fund, managed by the Central Committee. We are also called to inspire the local Church and all people of good will to support our missionary activity.

In order to reach our financial autonomy, we invite the groups to start fund-generating activities such as in the field of agriculture, animal husbandry, pharmacies, movies, internet and photo-copying centers, production of local artifacts, talks, formation, dialogue and promotion of events…

It is not enough to engage in projects, but we are also called to give financial reports with great transparency (ledgers, bank accounts with more than one signature…).

5. Organization

5.1 Each Province must have:

  1. A Coordinating Team made up of : a coordinator, a secretary and a treasurer. This team must send its reports to the African and to the General Committees.
  2. A person in charge of communications (blog, Facebook, Twitter).
  3. A Formation Team which must: plan and prepare the topics of formation; ensure the follow-up and the evaluation of the formation given.
  4. Each group must have someone from those in charge of formation who will be networking with those responsible at the national level.

5.2 African Committee:

  1. The Central Coordinating Team is made up of: a coordinator, a secretary a treasurer.
  2. Its duties are:
  1. Ensure communications with the Central Committee.
  2. Call and organize continental meetings.
  3. Provide for communications between the provinces.
  4. Take care that the decisions taken at the various assemblies be implemented.

Grupo

Closing Mass of the community formation experience in Mexico

Envío Isa y CaroHello to the Comboni Family and Friends!

On this day I want to greet you with great joy of heart, and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Heart of Mary our Mother in heaven and St. Daniel Comboni. I send a big hug to each of you, wishing you to be great in the mission that each of you have received at this time from our God.

Here I share some photos of the day from our Sending Mass (Caro and mine). It was the Eucharist of Thanksgiving and sending at the end of our Missionary Community Experience and Training as CLM “Comboni Lay Missionaries”.

We thank God for this time, for all our life experiences, friendship and knowledge received. Greetings to each of you, I remember with great fondness, affection and respect, and in my prayer and missionary spirit keep join to this family that God has given me. May God bless each and every one of your carnal family and personal friends and also our people where we work. Also attached are some pictures of our training period and Mission Community Experience.

Yours Forever! And thanks for the support and friendship you gave me and Caro in this particular stage of our missionary life.

 

😉 ISA.

Magda Plekan, “New” Comboni Lay Missionary

MagdaOn the 27-29 of June we had the last CLM meeting before holydays during which we concluded our formation year. This was special meeting not only for the CLM group but for the all Comboni Family as well.

On the 27th of June during the Holy Mass of Solemnity of Sacred Heart of Jesus, presided by Fr. Maciek Miąsik, Magda Plekan officially entered into group of CLM Community. The most important moment was the official reading of her prayer as free act and wish to join the community of CLM.

It was big celebration for all our community, although young in age courageously answered the call of God. We are proud and happy for Magda, who beside to Danka, Ewa, Asia and Monika is already fifth Polish full member of the community of Comboni Lay Missionaries. All the girls and all international community of CLM we embrace with our prayer and we wish them unfading enthusiasm taking as their model S. Daniel Comboni.

During the Eucharistic Celebration on Saturday we celebrated missionary sending for monthly experience of our group of seven people. Zuza, Magda, Kasia, Piotrek, Maciek and sister Ula under the eye of fr. Maciek will spend one month in Africa experiencing a bit of missionary life discerning their own vocation.

On Sunday we’ve heard the testimony of Magda, our new CLM. She underlined that the community was very important for her during the missionary experiences and how important is prayer which unites. She shared with us how looked like her way to decide to enter to CLM community. She underlined that during the discernment is important patience and trust in God.

We thank God for Magda and her vocation to be a CLM.

Magda Magda
Magda Magda

CLM group of Poland

We need missionaries

MozambiqueDuring this time, where I have been fortunate to serve in the international organization of the CLM, I have had the treasure of meeting and interacting with many missionaries around the world.

Many letters we have crossed from one side to another. Many share the joy of a life in service to others, how in their commitment have realized how their life have been filled and they become happier. They tell me about their dreams and difficulties in their work in the outskirts of the large cities, the adventures of teaching in a school with few resources but with amazing students. Looking for a good professional training for students and families of the communities where they live, care for the sick in hospitals and health posts where they are.

They also share how they live their faith with the communities where they are; the responsibility of each member of the community, bringing the Word of God to remote places on foot, by bike, jeep or canoe.

There are a myriad of experiences, joys and difficulties shared with people.

But I also get many requests for staff. Missionaries are needed! In many places the call repeats: are there people available to come to our community?

Cooperation projects are important, schools, hospitals, cooperatives, denunciation of the injustices… all is central and needs people to continue encouraging and being bridges. Someone reminded me that “the bricks do not embrace.” And it’s true, if there is something that I usually hear from the simple people is to thank for the company that offer the missionaries, to be with them, supporting them in tough times, celebrating the joys together… to have this close embrace. Make present the love of God through their hands supporting them and accompanying the road.

Therefore, in this celebration of Pentecost let the Spirit fill us, take us out of our closed rooms and bring us to the middle of the square, to the road.

If you feel a missionary concern I invite you to find the nearest group in the place where you live. You can also visit our website where you will find the contact of the 20 countries where we are in Europe, Africa or America. Find other people like you and find a time to discern your vocation.

Do not wait! Now is the time! Do not delay the response and start your formation that may lead you to your missionary service.

Play

Comboni said that “the mission is a plan of love for which we shouldn´t spare any effort”.

Is up to you!

[Mozambique] Youth meeting in the parish of Mossuril

The meeting took place in the town of Namitatar, community of Saint John the Baptist, where 130 adolescents and youth participants assist from various areas of the Parish of Mossuril, motivated by the celebration of the “World Youth Day”, with the following schedule: Saturday; welcoming, games, dynamics for integration, Stations of the Cross prayer and a film. Sunday; reflection on topics of JPIC for youth such as “recenseamento” and the law of the land; and a topic about the stage of adolescence with the adolescents. After, animation, culminating with the celebration of Palm Sunday, where young people proclaimed singing and dancing that Jesus is the King of the Universe.

On Saturday the group of CLM of Mozambique organizes the procession of the Cross, as a sign every young wear a cross to their personal reflection within the family and community. On Sunday, we share together the celebration of Palm Sunday, we had a moment to do missionary animation where we invite people who feel called to live this lifestyle to approach our responsible, Father Paulo, pastor of that Parish. I liked so much to have participated in this event and I hope to continue to do it more times in order to prepare myself in my journey to the mission and God bless the youth of Mossuril.

Ancha Luis, candidate of the CLM in Mozambique