At the beginning of the year we had a meeting with Fr. Seraphin Kakwata, MCCJ, who since 2022, is in charge of the Divine Word parish of the South Vicariate of the Archdiocese, located in the South East of Guayaquil, in the sector known as Guasmo Sur, who was concerned about the missionary animation that Fr. Enzo Ballazo maintained, wants to resume the activity and left his proposals for the future.
However, we could not leave aside the activities that we had planned with the candidates and those that were already part of our pastoral, such as:
- RESA Foundation, accompaniment of foreign immigrants and their families;
- Annunciation of Mary Chapel, of the Claretian Fathers, accompaniment in masses;
- Archdiocesan Prison Ministry;
- Immaculate Conception Parish, in the Extraordinary Ministry of Holy Communion;
- Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians, in Catechesis, Animation and Bible Study Group.
At the beginning of September we received from Fr. Seraphin the proposal of the Project of Pastoral and Community Integration of the Comboni Lay Missionaries of the Province of Ecuador in Guayaquil, where we want to link not only the CLM but also other lay people who have accompanied Fr. Enzo in missions and who know the Comboni charism, so that together with the priests and MCCJ brothers they can live together and form a community collaborating for the benefit of the members and people of the Divine Word parish. This proposal has a duration of one year until October 2024.
So in October 2023, until the present date each lay person, alone or accompanied by another, we take turns each week and spend two or three days in the parish house, we participate in the activities that are held with the groups, masses, meals and others.
In a particular way, this missionary experience has been very fulfilling for the CLM because it has helped us to reinforce our charism and the importance of community life among Comboni Missionaries.
(PHOTO) Meeting of the CLM together with the lay collaborators, with Fr. Seraphin and Fr. Antonio in the Verbo Divino parish.
Unfortunately, it was not possible for the candidates to participate in this project, so they opted to withdraw from the formation.
We are trying to get some of the lay people who accompany us to join the CLM community, having already experienced the experience of the Divine Word parish.
Susana Ortega, CLM Ecuador
