Africa – Page 28 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Tell what you have seen and heard

18 October, 2021 by Alberto de la Portilla

In this missionary month the Church encourages us again to be witnesses.

We, as missionaries present in various continents, are witnesses of a humanity that wants to live fully and be happy.

We are witnesses of the inequalities that are spread over all continents, of the accumulation by some who do not want to look towards their brothers and sisters, as well as the difficulties of many to have the most basic things.

But above all we are witnesses to the generosity and solidarity that exists among people. When we share the difficulties we also open ourselves to share the way out of it, to share the possibilities of improvement, to share what we have and above all what we are.

As humanity we need human warmth, one from another. This pandemic has forced us to physically separate ourselves at many times to protect ourselves, but we know that nothing is as comforting as an embrace. In an embrace we express closeness and complicity with each other’s lives, with each other’s suffering, with each other’s joys.

We witness how generosity emerges in the midst of difficulties. Of course, we are overwhelmed by the miseries to which so many people are subjected, but we cannot be paralyzed by this vision. We must not close our eyes but act.

But we cannot reduce the person to his or her difficulties and forget how much we have experienced in so many countries and with so many cultures. The generosity of those who offer everything they have, the openness of their homes to those who come from abroad, the joyful welcome of those who feel they are foreigners, the capacity for recovery and resilience that makes people go out every day to look for a better future for their families, the effort to study and learn every day….

That is why in this month when we turn our eyes to the mission we want to be witnesses of the God of Life, of how his Spirit becomes present and fills with Life the communities of the peripheries of the world. We want to be witnesses of Jesus of Nazareth who walks every day with those who need him most, even when sometimes we are not even able to perceive His presence.

We encourage all of you to take a step forward and commit ourselves to life. Life in abundance that Jesus brings to all humanity.

Let us each do our bit.

We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard. Acts 4,20. Alberto de la Portilla, CLM

Prayer Intentions of the Comboni Family October 2021

1 October, 2021 by Alberto de la Portilla

Together with all the missionaries of the world we thank the Lord for the opportunities he gives us of serving the neediest and we pray that we may always be able to do it with love. Lord hear us.

African Memory Project: Aristides Holgado

29 September, 2021 by Alberto de la Portilla

We continue this series with Brother Aristides Holgado. Born in Madrid, Aristides was going to be an architect until he was assigned to Mozambique by the Comboni Missionaries. He arrived six months after their independence from Portugal and lived through the civil war that ravaged the country for 15 years. In his interview, Aristides speaks openly about issues such as the quality of democracy, communism and capitalism in the African country and the war.

(Interview in Spanish)

New school year

9 September, 2021 by Alberto de la Portilla

Fr. Francesco Pierli MCCJ and Sr. Teresita Cortés CMS share with us this reflection at the beginning of the academic year.

Dear Friends,

Let me take this opportunity of the approaching of the New Academic Year 2021-2022 to share few feelings anf few thougths with you. It is a great joy for me to be involved in this New Academic Year you are about to start. My mind goes back to the numerous years I was in Africa living with many of you the adventure of studying and researching together. If we are interested in succeding in whatever adventure we plugged ourselves into, it is important to shake hands with others. Beeing together it is God’s dream and an essential condition to be successful in whatever initiative we take. Fraternity and cooperation are two cornerstones of social ministry for social transformation from the very beginning. Let us continue to develop our passion and methodology for collaboration and togethernes men and women. Let us look at each other with appretiation and friendship. Our committment to collaboration assures God’s presence in our midst as Jesus clearly states in Chapter 5 of his Gospel.

Togetherness, mutual acceptance and collaboration are oustandig marks of social ministry meant for social transfomation of any environment. May yhe Holy Spirit grant us all, new joy and fraternity ever more. Fraternity is needed all over the world, and so as well for us to start anew in the new conditions we come to the University now.

I am aware of the hardships you are undergoing, both students and lecturers, in this time of global planetarian health crisis, due to the Coronavirus pandemic and othe catastrophies. I also had my part in times of isolation, loneliness and lack of socialization; not being allowed „to shake hands“. But now, let us be united and build anew our relationships. That would will be the way to grow stronger and we will regain hope and trust in a better future for our beloved Kenya and for the world. May the Holy Spirit show us ways to build bridges among individuals, families and nations and to sow the seed of collaboration. This hign value I am insisting about, is one of the strongest objectives of social ministry while bringing different ethnic groups, different religions, any diversity among cultures together. Especially bringing men and women together, according to the indication of God’s Word, according to the social teaching of the Church, becoming bearers of this new vision of Social Transformation which means to overcome even the old fashioned apostolic style where only men were supposed to be in leadership. I do not believe in a Kingdom of God built only by men; they alone do not generate life. New life comes only through „team spirit“ where men and women with equal dignity and mutual respect and understanding creatively generate the Social Transformation. This is already your Movement for Social Transformation….!!

I invite you, to look attentively and with contemplative eyes, at the picture which is at the apse of the main Hall at the Tangaza University College which shows how our equal footing, together male and female, create and bring equilibrium to God´s Creation. Let us start this Academic Year with „team spirit“, with joy, with new courage and new hope.

Thank you and be reassured of my daily prayer for each one of you.

Fraternally, Prof. Fr. Francesco Pierli MCCJ LTh. Sr. Teresita Cortés Aguirre CMS

Prayer Intentions of the Comboni Family September 2021

1 September, 2021 by Alberto de la Portilla

That the celebration of the XIX General Chapter of the Comboni Missionaries may light up their way in humble service to the mission of the Church. Lord hear us.