America – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Nine Hearts, One Mission: CLM NAP Begins a New Formation & Discernment Journey

22 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

Nine candidates, one missionary family, and a beautiful new beginning! On Saturday, October 17, the Comboni Lay Missionaries of the North American Province (CLM NAP) officially began a new journey of basic formation and discernment with nine candidates taking their first steps together in discovering the missionary vocation.

The morning brought together participants in a special hybrid gathering, with some meeting in person in the beautiful garden of the Comboni Mission Center in Covina, California, while others joined through Zoom. Our online participants connected from New York, Ohio, and Bakersfield, California, bringing together members from different parts of the country for this special occasion.

Thanks to today’s technology, we were able to connect across distances in a way that made everyone feel part of the same gathering. Those joining online could see and hear those in person, and those gathered in the garden could also see and hear their brothers and sisters joining virtually. Who says distance has to keep a missionary family apart?

From the morning until noon, we shared prayer, introductions, questions, experiences, and reflections, beginning what we hope will be a meaningful journey of faith, friendship, and discernment.

The morning opened with prayer, followed by a warm welcome from Rossie Patlan, CLM NAP Director. And Fr. Maciej Zielinski, MCCJ, both introduced the Comboni Lay Missionaries, helping candidates discover more about the CLM identity, spirituality, and missionary vocation. Through their presentation, questions, and personal experiences, they offered a deeper look into what it means to live the Comboni missionary spirit today.

A special highlight of the morning was the testimony of Linda, an Italian Comboni Lay Missionary currently serving in Kenya. Joining us from her mission experience, Linda shared a beautiful reflection entitled “Beauty of Being CLM.” Her testimony offered candidates a glimpse into the joys, challenges, and blessings of missionary life. Hearing from someone living the mission firsthand was a wonderful reminder that the CLM family extends far beyond borders, languages, and continents. One heart, one mission, one family!

We were also blessed to hear from Olivia Anguiano, a CLM candidate who has been journeying through formation for almost two years. Olivia shared her personal formation experience, offering an honest and encouraging perspective on what it means to take time to learn, grow, ask questions, and discern God’s call. Her testimony was a meaningful reminder that formation is not simply about attending classes, but about allowing God to work within us and transform our hearts along the way.

The morning also included the presentation of candidate expectations and guidelines, helping everyone understand the journey ahead. Formation is an invitation to grow in faith, learn about the spirituality of St. Daniel Comboni, discover our gifts, and prayerfully discern how God may be calling us to serve.

Importantly, candidates were reminded that this journey is not about pressure or having all the answers. It is about coming with open hearts, a willingness to learn, and the freedom to discover where God is leading each person. Missionary service can take different forms, whether overseas or through supporting and serving mission right here in North America.

After the closing prayer, the online meeting came to an end at noon, while those gathered in Covina continued with lunch and time to socialize, sharing fellowship and getting to know one another beyond the presentations.

This first gathering marks an exciting step in the renewal and growth of the CLM NAP community. With nine candidates beginning formation, we are grateful for every person who said yes to exploring this journey. We also give thanks to Linda, Fr. Maciej, Olivia, and everyone who helped make this day possible.

As St. Daniel Comboni reminds us through his missionary witness, mission begins when we allow our hearts to be touched by the needs of others and respond with love.

And this is only the beginning!

We look forward to our next formation gathering next month, continuing to grow together as a missionary family. We also warmly encourage anyone interested in learning more about the Comboni Lay Missionaries to join us. It is never too late to begin, and everyone is welcome! You do not need to have your entire future figured out. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple yes to discovering what God has placed in your heart.

May the Holy Spirit continue to guide our nine candidates and the entire CLM family as we move forward together.

Nine hearts, one mission, one family!

CLM NAP

Celebrating the Feast of St. Daniel Comboni in Ecuador

15 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

With joy, faith, and a missionary spirit, the Comboni Lay Missionaries in Ecuador celebrated the feast of St. Daniel Comboni on October 10 at the Afro-Ecuadorian Cultural Center in Guayaquil, in an atmosphere of fraternity, prayer, and community fellowship.

The day began with the celebration of Holy Mass, a special moment to give thanks for their shared missionary journey and to renew their commitment to continue living the Comboni charism in service to the poorest and most needy. Afterward, the participants shared a time of fellowship, strengthening the bonds of friendship, communion, and fraternity that animate the life of the community.

The celebration continued on October 11 with a brief tribute during Holy Mass at the Verbo Divino Parish, where the legacy of St. Daniel Comboni was also joyfully commemorated and the commitment to continue walking together in the mission was renewed.

These gatherings provided an opportunity to share our faith, give thanks for the gift of the missionary vocation, and reaffirm that the mission is built in community, through closeness, solidarity, and commitment to those most in need.

Inspired by the Comboni charism, the Comboni Lay Missionaries continue to bring the Gospel to life in their families, communities, and places of service, with the hope of contributing to a more just, fraternal, and supportive world.

Saint Daniel Comboni, continue to inspire and accompany our mission!

CLM Ecuador

One Heart, One Mission, One Family: CLM NAP Celebrates the Feast of St. Daniel Comboni

13 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

On October 10, the Comboni Lay Missionaries of the North American Province (CLM NAP) came together to celebrate the feast of our beloved missionary father and inspiration, St. Daniel Comboni. It was a beautiful day of prayer, fellowship, and renewed missionary spirit as we celebrated not only the life of St. Daniel Comboni but also the gift of our shared vocation.

United in Prayer, Even Across the Miles

Our celebration began with a morning Zoom prayer gathering, bringing CLMs together from different places to pray and give thanks for the gift of our Comboni charism. We began by praying the final day of our novena to St. Daniel Comboni, entrusting our community, our missionary vocations, and the people we serve to his intercession.

Knowing that not everyone could join us online, we also made space for the voices of our absent members. Through their personal reflections and messages, they were able to share what they are grateful for about being CLMs and what St. Daniel Comboni means to them. Although we could not all be physically present or connected at the same time, we were reminded that we remain one missionary family, united in prayer and in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Our gathering was also a meaningful opportunity to look toward the future as we begin a new chapter of ongoing formation. Inspired by Comboni’s example, we renewed our desire to grow in faith, deepen our missionary spirituality, and continue supporting one another in our vocation.

Celebrating Together in Faith and Community

Following our morning prayer, we continued the celebration with Holy Mass alongside the local community in California, giving thanks to God for the life and missionary witness of St. Daniel Comboni.

We concluded the morning with a joyful, in-person gathering at the Comboni Mission Center in Covina, California, alongside the young adult ministry, Missionary Souls. We shared fellowship, celebrated our missionary family, and, of course, enjoyed some cake! It was a simple but beautiful way to bring our celebration to a close, sharing the joy of our faith and the spirit of Comboni with the next generation.

Rekindling the Fire of Mission

As the CLM NAP community continues its journey of renewal, this feast day was a reminder that the Comboni charism is alive in each of us. St. Daniel Comboni allowed the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to transform his life and send him out in service to others. His example continues to inspire us to respond generously to God’s call, recognizing the dignity of every person and serving with hearts full of love.

Though we may be separated by distance, we remain connected through our shared vocation and commitment to mission. We are grateful for everyone who participated, sent a message, prayed with us, or joined us in spirit.

May St. Daniel Comboni continue to intercede for our CLM community as we grow together in faith, strengthen our bonds of fraternity, and renew our commitment to serve wherever the Lord calls us.

St. Daniel Comboni, pray for us!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, make our hearts like Yours!

Rossie Patlan from NAP CLM

We Celebrate the Feast of St. Daniel Comboni

7 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

On October 10, we will celebrate the feast of St. Daniel Comboni.

It is a special occasion to return to the roots of our missionary vocation, renew our commitment, and continue to make Comboni’s dream a reality.

As Comboni Lay Missionaries, we wish to join in this celebration by inviting our groups, communities, and all those who share the missionary spirit to set aside a moment for prayer.

To that end, we have prepared a brief prayer to be said in our missionary groups—a simple prayer designed to help us come together, give thanks for the journey we have made, and allow ourselves to be challenged anew by Comboni’s missionary dream.

We invite you to celebrate this together, wherever you may be, feeling part of the same family and the same mission.

May Saint Daniel Comboni help us keep our hearts open and our eyes fixed on the mission.

Happy Feast of Saint Daniel Comboni!

Saint Daniel Comboni, pray for us and accompany us on our mission.

Oración día de Comboni EN Download

(Prayer prepared by the Spanish CLM for Comboni Day)

Celebrating the Joy of Childhood in El Manzanillo

7 October, 20266 October, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

With great joy, as Comboni Lay Missionaries of Guatemala, we shared a very special day with the children and families of the El Manzanillo community, celebrating Children’s Day.

It was a day filled with smiles, games, a piñata, gifts, and moments of fellowship. But we wanted this gathering to do more than just provide fun—we wanted it to plant a small seed in the heart of every child.

Through a simple evangelization activity, we shared the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), recalling one of Jesus’ most beautiful teachings: to love our neighbor not only with words, but by reaching out, helping, listening, and showing compassion.

We learned that to be a “Good Samaritan,” we don’t need to do extraordinary things. We can be one by sharing, helping those in need, accompanying those who are alone, listening to a friend, giving a hug, or simply offering a smile.

And perhaps this lesson wasn’t just for the children.

They, too, evangelize us with their simplicity, their joy, and their way of receiving and sharing love. They remind us that often it is the small actions that can make a big difference in someone’s life.

As a missionary community, this gathering also reminds us that evangelizing means reaching out, sharing life, and allowing Christ’s love to become visible through our actions.

May we not pass by those who need us. May we learn to see through the eyes of the Good Samaritan and have a heart willing to stop, reach out, and serve.

“Go and do likewise.” — Luke 10:37

Thank you to the children and families of *El Manzanillo* for once again opening the doors of their community to us and allowing us to share a day full of joy, faith, and love.

CLM Guatemala