Comboni Lay Missionaries

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America

Community Experience in Mexico

by
LMC Mexico

“BECAUSE TO SERVE YOU MUST BE PREPARED”.

The final stage in the formation of the American candidates of the “Comboni Lay Missionaries” (CLM) movement has begun, a time of being in tune with themselves and with the other CLM before leaving for the ad-gente mission to give a generous response to the call received to go to the evangelization of the most abandoned peoples, the main reason why we exist as a group.

There are four people who share this experience: Mariana Meléndez Cándido, 36 years old; Rosalinda Olivo Oria, 69 years old; Sandra Luisa Rodríguez Andalón, 64 years old; all Mexican and José David Rojas Quesada, Costa Rican, 43 years old; from a human point of view it is not understandable to leave family, work, friends, customs, knowing that only the ideal of Comboni unites them, with the only objective of being ready for the mission.

Now they are part of the same family where, strengthened by prayer, it makes sense to be together. United, remembering that being children of the same Father makes them brothers, rescued by Jesus Christ who from daily life invites them to be with Him and moved by the Holy Spirit to be sent to the most needy as Daniel Comboni did in his time.

Today this legacy continues as heirs of the Charism, the Comboni Family (MCCJ, HC, SC, LMC).

CLM Mexico

Manizales 2025, first CLM Colombia face-to-face meeting.

by
Colombia

In the city of Manizales, department of Caldas in Colombia, between January 25 and 26 of this year, in the facilities of the Parish Nuestra Señora del Pilar, the first face-to-face meeting of the CLM of Colombia was held, in this meeting the planning for the year 2025 was done.

Among the topics discussed, the dates and places for the Holy Week and Christmas Mission Camps were defined, for which it is the responsibility of the new coordination to socialize the places with the MCCJ of the country, in order to work hand in hand with them, as always.

Regarding the formation, both for the discernment group and for the deepening group, the programs, topics, responsibles and frequency were established; virtual meetings every 15 days were defined. The discernment program for those who want to be part of the CLM begins on February 5 and ends on December 3 and for the CLM that will enter into the deepening module, the formation begins on February 12 and will end on December 10.

In addition, two other face-to-face meetings of the CLM were proposed for this year; the first one will be held in the city of Cali between June 20 and 23; this will have as its objective a deeper knowledge of the group the persons who are in discernment and who want to commit themselves to the Comboni Charism; the second meeting will be our annual spiritual retreat that will begin on October 31 and end on November 3 in the Municipality of Suaza in the department of Huila.

The economic budget for the present year was calculated and a projection was made, a priori, for 2026, in view of the creation and support of the first national permanent mission that two of the CLM will do, in the municipality of Tumaco, department of Nariño, as a support to the work developed in the community by the MCCJ.

There was a feedback of some of the agreements that were worked in the international assembly of Maia 2024, some of the minutes that were worked during the working days were reviewed and the processes that are being developed to make the recognition of the CLM by the dicastery were explained.

At the end of the meeting a new conformation of the CLM committee in Colombia was proposed, with Janeth Escobar as national coordinator, Jenny Trujillo Marulanda as treasurer and Felipe Mora as secretary of the group.

Written by: Jenny Trujillo Marulanda.

1st Christmas celebration in Piquiá da Conquista, a symbol of struggle and hope

by
Brasil

On December 25, the first Christmas celebration took place in the community center of Piquiá da Conquista, in Açailândia. Comboni priests, lay missionaries and the local community, made up of the neighborhood’s new residents, gathered. Piquiá da Conquista is the result of more than a decade of struggle by the people of Piquiá de Baixo, who faced unhealthy conditions and rights violations due to industrial pollution. This mobilization resulted in a historic victory: resettlement in a dignified space, where today the families are building a new life.

Marcelo Moutinho, a psychologist and Brazilian CLM, who took part in the celebration with his wife Adriana, says: “On a visit to Maranhão, I longed to return to Piquiá da Conquista, after the construction work had been completed, to witness and together celebrate this great victory, which will become an inspiration for the various challenges that Christians face in their day-to-day mission and struggles for human rights. The CLM in Brazil, through the different presences over the many years of the struggle of Xoáncar, Ilária, Federico, Liliana, Flávio, Gabriel, Anna and other supporters, together with the community of Comboni Fathers of this parish, have actively participated in various stages of this achievement”.

The Comboni Lay Missionaries, as part of the Comboni family, work in partnership with communities to evangelize and build social justice, being signs of hope and solidarity in the most challenging contexts of the Church, such as the indigenous cause, the challenges of the urban peripheries, Restorative Justice in the prison system (APACs) and the struggle for decent housing.

The celebration was a moment of deep spirituality and fraternity, symbolizing the rebirth of life and faith. May the example of struggle and resilience of this community inspire more people to join the Comboni mission of spreading the love, justice and peace that Christmas invites us to live. After all, the true meaning of Christmas lies in building a more just and humane world together.

Adriana and Marcelo Moutinho, Brazilian CLM couple

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