Africa – Page 3 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Jonas: mirror of our escapes

23 December, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

As planned in the programme of the year, we gathered in Ghana to have the Advent recollection. But, from a day in the Action Plan, we spread our gathering to cover three days for three main reasons. First, to have our recollection on the 13th December. Second, in order to be at Mafi-Kumase early for the recollection, we needed to be there on the 12th. And thirdly, to do vocation promotion at the parish where we met for the recollection.

In the evening of Friday, 12th December, Daniel, Christian, Elisabeth and Justin gathered at Good Shepherd Catholic Church of Mafi-Kumase and entered in the mood of recollection. We were joined later by Valentine. On Saturday, the 13th after the Holy Mass and breakfast, we had our first talk which was given to each one to read individually and reflect upon. It was a topic prepared by Fr. Manuel Joao Pereira Correia, mccj, which our chaplain gave to us to reflect upon. The title was Jonas: Mirror of our escapes. It was so meditative and Fr. Joao always left a question at the end of each subtopic to lead us in our meditation. An inspiring part of the topic was where father Joao quoted a theologian who said that the Lord is «The God of thousand surprises». He continued saying that ‘He even goes before us on the paths that lead us away from Him, in order to set a ‘trap’ for us so that we fall into his arms’. Indeed, that was what happened to Jonas when he was fleeing from the service that God entrusted to him.

In the afternoon, we had the second talk entitled ‘Inspired by Christian hope, let us live out our prophetic calling’ which our chaplain, Father Ephrem, mccj, shared with us. ‘One who hopes, he said, lives different life’. And our hope, he said, quoting a pope, is rooted in Jesus and Jesus is our hope. The prophet, according to father Ephrem, has three functions: talk in the name of God, denounce (the wrong doings) and suggest (new ways).

After the second talk, we had the celebration of the Sacrament of Conversion followed by the prayer of the Holy Rosary. In the night of that Saturday, we started a discussion on the Questionnaires that the African Committee sent to the various groups in Africa.

On Sunday, during mass, we were invited to share our vocation reality with the parishioners. Few got closer to us at the end showing interest to join us.

After lunch, we had a handing over ceremony. Justin who has been playing double role as National Coordinator of Ghana and Provincial Coordinator (Togo-Ghana-Benin) passed the service of the National Coordinator to Christian. Other members present were invited to pray upon the new National Coordinator. The Chaplain also prayed upon him and blessed him for the service the group and God have entrusted to him.

After this ceremony, we participated in the Zoom Meeting that gathered all the CLM worldwide to celebrate The International CLM Day before departing from Mafi-Kumase.

Justin Nougnui, CLM.

Happy CLM Day

14 December, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

On this third Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of joy, we celebrate our CLM Day.

We ask the Lord to keep us faithful to our missionary vocation.

A big hug to everyone

Prayer Intentions of the Comboni Family December 2025

1 December, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

Lord Jesus, fount of peace, help us to be generous missionaries, to bring your message of brotherly love to those who live in anguish, to be brothers of the needy and to free the oppressed, in the manner of Saint Daniel Comboni. Lord, hear us.

Second CLM community in Kenya: a dream come true!

21 November, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

Sunday the 16 November 2025, what a historic day! It’s the beginning of a new adventure for us CLM here in Kenya, as on this day we opened a second community in Chelopoy, West Pokot!

We are so grateful to all those who made it happen: our “ancestor” (as we fondly call him), fr. Maciek Zielinski, the MCCJ provincial of Kenya, fr. Andrew Wanjohi, the CLM of Kenya and all the CLM!

The members of the new community are: Mercy Lodikai (from Kenya), Giulia Lampo (from Italy) and Iza Tobiasiewicz (from Poland). Round of applause, please!!! These three pioneers are ready to start serving in the area of Chelopoy, and will probably join the community of Kitelakapel in the Life Skills project, expanding it to the schools in their area, while also collaborating with the local dispensary, run by the Franciscan sisters of St. Joseph – Asumbi. They will also engage in pastoral activities, of course. For now, the plan is for them to take their time to settle in and get to know the place and the people, create bonds of friendship and get to know their culture, their situation, their needs.

On their very first day, as we celebrated the opening of the community and the works of renovation in the house they’ll be using, they were received with great warmth and joy by the local people. We, the community of Kitelakapel, accompanied them, and we were blessed by the presence of our dear fr. Maciek, our equally dear MCCJ provincial, fr. Andrew, the parish priest (fr. Philip Andruga) and Comboni sisters of Amakuriat (the parish to which the new community belongs), and even two representatives of the CLM of Uganda, the very coordinator Beatrice Akite, and treasurer, Asege Teddy, accompanied by two Italian volunteers and a local member of Kalya peace village, Uganda.

The Mass was lively and participated, so well animated by the local people, who gave us all some gifts and made us feel at home from the very beginning. The provincial then proceeded to blessing the house and then we all had something to eat. It was a simple but lovely moment of celebration.

As usual, starting a new community in a new place is not something easy. It requires a lot of patience, humility and ability to adjust. However, our friends are not alone! They have the Franciscan sisters as caring neighbours, local families and church members as their new friends and new extended family, and the fathers and sisters from Amakuriat as a strong source of emotional and practical support. Not to forget us, the community of Kitelakapel, who are also so happy to have them as our “neighbours” in West Pokot! Together we will walk on this journey, grow, support each other, and do wonderful things! And of course, all this is possible only with the broader support of all CLM, the whole Comboni family and all those who believe in us!

So, thank you all! Keep being with us in prayer, and stay tuned!

Linda Micheletti, CLM Kitelakapel, Kenya

Responding to the cry of the earth and the abandoned.

12 November, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

Today, November 11, 2025, thirty-four members of the Comboni Family from around the world have gathered at the Sagrada Familia Social Center in Belém, Brazil, to celebrate the Comboni Family Forum on Integral Ecology 2025. This year’s forum is being held to coincide with COP30, an international conference on climate change.

The Comboni Family Forum on Integral Ecology (FFCEI) thus offers a concrete expression of communion with those who advocate for a just society that respects and protects our common home.

The opening session began with a prayer, followed by a brief introduction to the FFCEI, its purpose, and its mission. Participants then took part in group discussions, followed by a moment of sharing and presentation of the week’s program. The day concluded with the celebration of Holy Mass, during which participants gave thanks to God for the gift of creation and prayed for the grace to protect it.

Tomorrow we will continue to be present at the People’s Summit, which is part of COP30, with its various exhibitions and exchanges of ideas. We pray to God for the sensitivity and courage to heed and defend the cry of the earth. It is our commitment to raise awareness among the younger generations that we have only one common home and that it must be cared for with concrete actions that will endure over time.

CLM at COP30