From the 17 to 19 April we celebrate in Viseu the eighth meeting of the training program of CLM in Portugal. The training was dedicated to the theme “Comboni: God, the Cross and Mission”, presented with enthusiasm by our sister Carmo Ribeiro. Participating in this meeting, Carlos (CLM), Andreia, Carolina, Flavio, Marisa, Neusa, Patricia and Paula, CLM candidates.
We were welcomed generously (and comfortably) by the Community of Viseu of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, to whom we are very grateful for the hospitality.
The kick-off of our trip was the movie “The Mission” 1986, a historical drama directed by Rolland Joffe that presents the period in the history of the evangelization of the Guarani Indians of Brazil.
On Saturday and Sunday morning Sister Carmo guided us in finding Comboni, his life and mission, which transmits Christ: “Speak of Comboni, his life and mission, is to talk about his experience of God. This experience that molded, shaped, give meaning and direction to all his life. The life that became mission. The experience of God is the aliveness of God, let God live in us, and above all let us live in Him”.
In first person, we get to know Comboni through his writings read in parallel with quotes from the Bible that inspired it.
Our itinerary went through the discovery of the pillars of the life and mission of Comboni who are also the pillars of any Comboni vocation. Here I present these pillars citing the writings of Comboni.
1st Trust in God
“May the Lord dispose as best it pleases Him. We are in his hands and we are only too well supported. Thus may it be done according to God’s will”. E 457
2nd charismatic moment: pierced Christ’s love, of Christ the Good Shepherd
“The Catholic, who is used to judging things in a supernatural light, looked upon Africa not through the pitiable lens of human interest, but in the pure light of faith; there he saw an infinite multitude of brothers who belonged to the same family as himself with one common Father in heaven. They were bent low and groaning beneath the yoke of Satan, and they were placed on the threshold of a most terrible precipice. Then he was carried away under the impetus of that love set alight by the divine flame on Calvary hill, when it came forth from the side of the Crucified One to embrace the whole human family; he felt his heart beat faster, and a divine power seemed to drive him towards those unknown lands. There he would enclose in his arms in an embrace of peace and of love those unfortunate brothers of his, upon whom it seemed that the fearful curse of Canaan still bore down “. E 2742
3rd The Love of the Cross
“I find myself right on top of Golgotha, in the same place where He was crucified the only Son of God, here I was redeemed.” E 39-43
“The cross has the power to transform Central African in a land of blessing and salvation”
4th Cenacle of the Apostles
” This Institute, then, becomes like a little Cenacle of Apostles for Africa, a centre of light sending to the centre of Africa as many rays as are the Missionaries who go out from it. These rays of light, bringing warmth as well as illumination, cannot but reveal the nature of the Centre from which they spread out “. E 2648
5th Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of Africa
“To you I owe, O Mary, not died yet … Oh Mary show yourself also queen and mother of the poor Africans, because they are also your people… Show yourself Mother!” E 1639-644
6th Saint Joseph
“St. Joseph is always young, always has a good heart and honest intentions and always love Jesus and the interests of his glory.”
“We are the happiest in the world, because we are in the hands of God, Mary and good San Joseph.” E 5082
7th Prayer
” Since the work I have in my hands belongs completely to God, for it is with God above all that we must deal with every important and lesser matter of the Mission: therefore it is very important that piety and a spirit of prayer should prevail among its members”. E 3615
8th Sense of Church, belonging
“I refuse to convert the entire world, if by the grace of God it were possible, if not mediate the mandate and approval of the Holy See and its representatives.”
In addition to the richness of these days, yet there was time for two meetings. We visited and were visited. On Saturday afternoon we visited the Community of Sisters Conceptionist of Santa Beatriz da Silva, who shared the joy and the mission of a life totally dedicated to God in a fruitful silence and inhabited (as someone said, it’s beautiful!). On Saturday night, we received a visit from two Comboni Missionary Sisters, Sister Lourdes Ramos and Sister Augustine Guida. Sister Lourdes Ramos shared her missionary experience among the indigenous of Amazon and later on the island of Lampedusa. Following the example of Comboni, a life made mission, forgetting herself, wounds to serve and love the brothers.
By unfortunate coincidence, that night of April 18, shipwrecked at sea an immigrant ship in route to Lampedusa, we know the tragedy that followed … that night the sister made memory of those who leave their houses and risk their lives to live and when arriving to land has nothing to live with. “We are all people,” I think that even today, in our prayer these brothers are not indifferent… “He felt his heart beat faster, and a divine force seemed to push him to these barbarian lands, to squeeze in his arms and give a kiss of peace and love to those unfortunate brothers “…
Finally, we finished our meeting celebrating Easter, the glory of the Risen Christ; LIFE that flows from the pierced heart. “My God is a God wounded”, recognized by Thomas in the marks of his love for us: “My Lord and my God!”
Patricia
