For the Comboni Missionary Sisters who are celebrating their Inter-Capitular Assembly: so that, inspired by the breath of the Spirit, they may live this event as a kairós in the process of reconfiguration that they are now. Lord, hear us.
America
Casa Familiar Rural de Açailândia celebrates its 20th anniversary
On the evening of Friday, September 26, Casa Familiar Rural de Açailândia (CFR) held the 13th edition of its traditional Peasant Philosophy Night. This annual celebration aims to highlight the knowledge and awareness of the peasant people.
The event, organized by the school’s pedagogical coordination, administration, and student body, had as its theme this year “CFR, 20 Years Planting Knowledge and Harvesting Wisdom: rural education, youth, and family farming.” The evening was filled with memorable moments, such as the opening ceremony, the reading of the speech by the Comboni Missionary from Congo, Father Joseph Mumbere, the artistic presentation by the first-year class, and the awarding of agricultural technician degrees to the graduates, followed by a spectacular fireworks display accompanied by tears and hugs.
The Rural Family Houses, a model that originated in France and was brought to Brazil in the late 1960s, are structured around alternating pedagogy, general and technical training, and family succession. The CFR in Açailândia was founded by Comboni Lay Missionaries in 2001, welcoming its first classes of young people from the countryside in 2005. Despite facing many challenges, it has already trained more than 200 students, children of the peasant class from various municipalities in the region.
Xoancar, CLM
Peace with Creation
Throughout history, many human activities have contributed to the destruction of creation.
Today, more than ever, some of these activities take the form of a war against creation. Some bear more responsibility for this crisis than others.
However, there is hope for a peaceful earth. Isaiah 32:14-18 envisions a peaceful creation where God’s people will live only when justice is achieved.
Hope is being able to see that there is light, despite all the darkness, said Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
We cannot and must not combat climate change without working closely together.
The Laudato Si Circle of the Archdiocese of Nampula, Mozambique, in union with several Christian churches, held an ecumenical prayer service for creation on Sunday, September 21, with the theme “Peace for Creation” and the symbol “Garden of Peace,” inspired by Isaiah 32:18, as part of Creation Time. A time of prayer and action for our common home, which occurs every year from September 1 to October 4.
The service was celebrated by the Catholic Church, nine Evangelical churches, and the Laudato Si movement, with approximately 500 people in attendance.
It was an afternoon of praise, thanksgiving, and asking God for forgiveness.
We recognize the urgent call to action, and we recognize that we can only respond on the basis of faith. The season of creation is a source of strength and unity (Dr. Anne Burghardt, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation).
We are all invited to care for the place God has given us to live.
The next interfaith meeting in Nampula is already scheduled for October 4.
Regimar Costa.
CLM Brazil in Mozambique.
Reasons for hope amid uncertainty
Here is the training we conducted for the Comboni Lay Missionaries of America on “Reasons for hope amid uncertainty.”
We are sharing the video recording of this training, which we hope you will find useful. The video is in Spanish.
Sincerity, honesty, and integrity: aspects of Christ’s character in us
With God’s grace, we have continued our missionary work in the community of León El Manzanillo, which we have been sharing with you in previous posts. On Saturday, August 2, as we do every month, we went door to door in the village, encouraging families to participate in the activity planned for that day and extending an invitation to attend Sunday Mass.
In the afternoon, we shared with those in attendance the theme: “The Love of the Father” and continued with the making of baskets from recycled newspaper. In addition, a special activity was held with the children to teach them the importance of proper hand washing, and we took the opportunity to introduce them to the idea of the Holy Spirit using the idea of Living Water.
On Sunday, August 24, we gathered for our monthly get-together. After participating in the Eucharist and sharing breakfast, we began with training on the topic “Home Visit Guide.” This topic was extremely important, as it will allow us to make improvements to the visits we already make in the “El Manzanillo” Project, as well as in future mission projects. It should be noted that, as part of our call to share the Gospel, we go to meet our brothers and sisters in their homes or wherever they carry out their activities, and it is prudent to follow certain guidelines. After introducing ourselves respectfully, and provided they are willing, we share the Word of God with them.
Home visits are a true pillar of our calling, as they enable direct contact with people who may be going through difficult times, such as hopelessness, poverty, marginalization, etc. Through these visits, we offer them a different path, guided and strengthened by the light of God’s Word.
The second topic we discussed during the gathering was “Sincerity, honesty, and integrity.” Below is a brief description of these values:
- Integrity is a fundamental virtue that invites us to act with righteousness and justice, respecting what belongs to others and approaching our responsibilities with integrity. It is a commitment both to the proper management of goods and resources and to the fair treatment of others, implying not taking advantage of or taking what does not belong to us.
- Sincerity reflects our authenticity in words and actions. It is the ability to interact without hiding our true intentions or resorting to falsehoods. However, this virtue must be accompanied by prudence, which helps us choose the right moment and the right words to express our thoughts. In this way, we not only care for other people’s feelings but also our own, since not everyone reacts well, understands, or appreciates what we want to share with them.
- Finally, honesty is related to living in accordance with truth, justice, and integrity. It is also understood as the virtue of always acting with righteousness in our intentions and decisions.
Each of these values reflects aspects of Christ’s character in us. They not only strengthen our personal and family lives, but also contribute to building a trustworthy, strong church with a good witness before the world.
On Sunday, August 31, we gathered for our first Spirituality Workshop. That day, we used the Lectio Divina guide to share a moment before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The reading we used was from the Gospel of the day, Luke 4:16-20.
We also meditated on section 1 of the document “Missionary Methodology: Spirituality, Lifestyle, and Model of Intervention LMC,” which emphasizes the importance of spiritual nourishment, since without it, our spirit weakens. We find this nourishment in the sacraments, in the Word, in prayer, in community, in spiritual retreats, etc.
CLM Guatemala
