Africa – Page 54 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Virtual Missionary Pilgrimage with Comboni

5 October, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

Dear friend,

Do you have your backpack ready? We have prepared a virtual missionary pilgrimage. Don’t be afraid, we are not going to walk 30 km every day (well if you want to…). What we will need are minds and hearts full of passion, can we count on you?

[I have to inform you that the pilgrimage will be in Spanish]

WHAT IS A PILGRIMAGE?

Pilgrimage: From Latin. Peregrināri. 1. A person’s saying: To walk in strange lands. 2. intr. To go on a pilgrimage to a shrine for devotion or for a vow…

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

– Visit virtually 7 places that marked the life of St. Daniel Comboni, starting in Italy and ending in Sudan.

– Get to know the Comboni Mission and St. Daniel Comboni, its founder

– Discover his passion for Christ, for the mission of the Church and for the African people.

– To have moments of silence, prayer and meeting.

– To ask ourselves what is our mission wherever we are.

WHAT IS THE JOURNEY?

1. Limone Sul Garda (Italy)

2. Verona (Italy)

3. Holy Land

4. Rome

5. Nile River

6. Malbes (Sudan)

7. Khartoum, Sudan.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

All those who wish to participate.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT?

– You must register in the pilgrims’ registry. When you do so, you will be able to access the content of the first stage.

– In each one of them you will be able to enjoy: virtual tour, missionary testimonies, reflections, prayers, some history, many stories? and a very good atmosphere.

– Before moving on to the next stage you will have to answer a brief questionnaire. This will give you the key to access the next stage.

WHAT IS NEEDED?

– A computer or a cell phone

– At least one hour every day (x 7 days). The pilgrimage is designed to be done in 7 days, but don’t worry, if you need more time, the materials will be available.

– And above all, a lot of desire to live this experience.

DO YOU HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING?

– God’s grace is FREE! But if it has helped you, invite others, don’t keep it just for yourself!

AND WHY EMBARK ON THIS?

Because it is worthwhile to live an adventure with Jesus and with Daniel Comboni. The missionary and prophet who went beyond his time and his land. He gave up everything for the mission and consecrated his whole life to an ideal: “To save Africa with Africa”.

What better travel companion than someone who travelled through 3 continents in the 19th century without a plane! He sailed the Mediterranean Sea; he crossed Europe by train; he travelled the African deserts by camel and the Russian steppes by sledge; he even saw the crocodiles of the Nile up close and travelled on foot many of the roads of Africa! And why all this? Because Daniel Comboni lived with passion the call to make Christ known to those whom history and society had left out.

Are you ready to embark with him on this adventure?

STARTING THE MISSION: 3, 2, 1…!

If you are interested in participating:

Web: https://t.co/oZmuYlfOVE

Registration: https://t.co/ge6WNoxD5t

Prayer Intentions of the Comboni Family October 2020

1 October, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

October – That all Christians may feel they are “sent” ad gentes and take to heart the mission of building up an atmosphere of welcome and encounter for the poor and for migrants, and commence initiatives of mutual knowledge and respect.Lord hear us.

Book: We are mission

14 September, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

“Creation itself awaits with eager expectation the Revelation of the Children of God” (Rom 8, 19).

Dear members of the comboni family in the name of our Lord Jesus, we greet you warmly!

As you remember well, about two years ago, the first volume was published, entitled: “Be the change you want to see in the world“, where were collected the ideas which animate us and guide us in a particular way within the paths inherent to JPIC. These paths, in turn, were also made possible by the meetings of the World Social Forums (FSM) and the Forums organized as Comboni Family in conjunction with the FSM. In 150 years of History and Life, our Institutes have been enriched by a great ministerial experience thanks mainly to the dedication of many missionaries of our comboni family who have interpreted with creativity and apostolic passion the specificity of our Charism.

This second volume entitled: “We are mission: witnesses of social ministry in the Comboni family“, presents a significant range of concrete ministerial experiences, chosen among many others. Our desire is that sharing them will help us to value what we already do, thanks to the Gift of the Holy Spirit and our personal and community responses. In addition, this plurality of shared experiences helps us to appreciate the different Comboni ministerial actions that complement and enrich each other, revealing the richness of the Charism in a growing dynamism.

We ask our Provincial Superiors to take care in distributing printed copies to all communities and also the digital copy translated in four languages, so that all and everyone can enjoy the work done together and in collaboration with more than 40 Comboni missionaries.

We thank the members of the Commission on Social Ministry of the Comboni Family who worked with passion and expertise for the publication of this second volume and also facilitated the work of mapping of our Comboni initiatives on social ministry around the world. In December 2020, Covid-19 permitting, will be held the Forum on Social Ministeriality in Rome.

These initiatives and activities are part of a great journey of synergy and collaboration of the members of the Commission and of many confreres and sisters, who will surely bring enthusiasm and openness to newness to which the Lord is guiding us. All this requires, however, on the part of the whole Comboni Family a great opening of heart, mind, creativity, and commitment that we entrust to the intercession of our great founder San Daniele Comboni.

Mary, Woman of the Gospel teach us to announce your Son Jesus in our ministerial commitment!

Sr. Luigia Coccia, smc Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse, mccj

You can download the book following this link

Meeting amid an ongoing pandemic

9 September, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

When we last met in March this year, none of us thought we would not be in a position to meet over the next six months. We had made plans to meet again within the same month, and induct some potential new members from Kariobangi in Nairobi and Nyeri. As CLM-Kenya, we were excited to go over possible charity activities that we would be a part of. However, not only were our plans derailed with the onset of the corona virus pandemic in Kenya, so was our formation. We also knew we were not the only ones, so many more countries had been affected, some more than others. Still, we tried conducting our meetings online hoping for a day that we would finally meet again.

The departure of Fr. Claudio, MCCJ from Kenya back to Italy came as bitter sweet news to us. He has been very instrumental in our formation from the very beginning of the group’s formation. How could he leave without us celebrating him and bidding him farewell with our physical presence? We therefore decided to meet on the 29th August not only to wish him well as he prepared to leave our beloved country after serving for many years, but to also meet as a group to plan out our future.

During the meeting, we strived to adhere to the safety guidelines issued by our government as we shared our experiences over the last six months. The pandemic had certainly affected each and every one of us. But all in all, we were grateful that by the grace of God we had been able to move forward. What a joy it was to see each other again face to face. For a moment, we all forgot the fears and challenges brought about by the pandemic.

In the short amount of time we had, we were able to discuss matters pertaining to the group such as financial aspects, our honey project, online presence and future plans on how our formation would progress. The missionary zeal within the group has not faded in the least. In fact, the challenges faced seem to ignite a deeper desire to serve the Lord as missionaries in our country and beyond. We plan on continuing our formation classes, albeit for a single day in a month, so as to try and make up for the time lost. We keep hoping for a time when we can resume our usual lengthened formation. In the meantime, we will try to make the best of the chances we get. As Fr. Claudio embarks on another phase of his missionary life, we pray that the Lord blesses and stays with him always.

CLM group in Kenya

Prayer Intentions of the Comboni Family September 2020

4 September, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

September – That the Secular Comboni Missionaries, while conducting their X General Assembly centred on the icon of the mustard seed, may live in the certainty that Christ will cause the seeds of the Gospel sown by them to bear abundant fruit. Lord hear us.