America – Page 103 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

This is our mission field on the outskirts of Nova Contagem in the Parish of Santo Domingo

20 December, 2013 by Alberto de la Portilla

The parish of Santo Domingo and the thirteen communities received the pastoral visit of Bishop Luiz Gonzaga Fechio (Bishop of Belo Horizonte), 7 and 8 December in the district of Nova Comtagem. A special time of fellowship and sharing.

On Saturday, the Comboni missionaries presented the activities of the parish and visit the religious communities. During the evening Mass, Dom Luiz Fechio imparted the sacrament of Confirmation to the youth of the communities.

Dom Luiz visited on Sunday, the Comboni house that, through the Ministry of Prisons provides support for families of prisoners and people with addiction. He also met with leaders of the Parish Pastoral Council and the coordinators of the communities.

Don Luis Fechio in his pastoral visit also had the opportunity to see the house of the Comboni Lay Missionaries here in Ipê Amarelo and know how is the life of the CLM. For him and for us it was good to share the experiences, joys and sorrows, more joys as it is clear. Don Luis was happy to know that in a distant periphery, the CLM are communion with the people.

A Mass attended by representatives of the thirteen communities marked the end of the visit.

By Maria de Lourdes Vieira

We share the joy of the CLM group of Mexico.

19 December, 2013 by Alberto de la Portilla

On the 21st of October has started the communal experience of Ma Isabel Buenrostro and Carolina Carrear, with some unusual anomalies, they had to start with the mission experience, as the missionary community in Huexuapa, Guerrero, has been left with a single element for family situations while someone decides to go to team up with Alma Rosa Navarro, they will be in the mission until 31 January, to continue his training in Mexico city.

They support in catechetical pastoral, liturgical and pastoral indigenous as well as in their professional work, since one is a doctor and the other has technique degree in childcare.

We entrust to your prayers.

A hug. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Manuela CLM from Mexico

Arrival of Emma (Italian CLM in Brazil)

11 December, 2013 by Alberto de la Portilla

Emma arrived in Brazil on December 1^st, 2013.

She has come for a period of 3 years.

The community of Our Lady of Aparecida, Ipê Amarelo, has welcomed her. On this day 8/12, day of the Immaculate Conception, Emma was presented and received by the people. Taking advantage of the pastoral visit of Don Luis, Bishop of our region, Emma spoke of the joy of participating in community life and walk with Jesus in this Brazilian land.

Now she is studying the language and seizes the moment with the children here at the home of Mission Santa Terezinha of Ipê Amarelo to improve her Portuguese.

Welcome Emma!

By María de Lourdes,

CLM Brazil

Annual CLM Meeting in Brazil (conclusion)

5 December, 2013 by Alberto de la Portilla

It has just finished the second day of our annual CLM meeting.

The morning began with a delicious mining breakfast, fried cake with traditional mining cheese, and of course a good cup of black coffee.

In the morning we talked about the economic reality and the challenges posed by the CLM Central Committee.

We also reviewed the action lines defined for the biennium 2013-2014 in the last assembly, highlighting proposals for the coming year. We hear work prospects of each one and ended with the impressions and conclusions of the meeting.

It was given great importance to the wealth that the presence of the lay missionary couple that is present with the Comboni Missionary in Açailândia, Maranhão, for the opportunity to share and exchange experiences, which has united us even more.

We conclude the morning with the celebration of the Eucharist, reminding all CLM in the world and the challenges that lie ahead.

We remain united in prayer and mission!

We are together!

CLM Brazil

Annual CLM Meeting in Brazil

4 December, 2013 by Alberto de la Portilla

We ended the first day of the CLM meeting in Brazil. 11 people attended, including Marco and Valentina, couple of Italian lay missionaries who are working with the Comboni Missionaries in Açailândia, Maranhão, and Emma, Italian CLM who arrived on 2 of this month to join the CLM community of Ipê Amarelo.

We share the experiences made during 2013 of the various communities and reflect on “Comboni and missionary Juncture ” based on some challenges posed by Father George and the CLM coordinator team related to the concepts of new evangelization, conversion, some meaningful words from Pope Francisco and the proposal of the 51st General Assembly of the Brazilian Bishops’ conference.

By late afternoon, we reproduce the workshops held in the Assembly of Maia, which has helped us to start thinking about the next steps as CLM for reflection on the second day.

We concluded the evening with some videos about APAC (alternative prison system), the international community of Carapira and the indigenous cause.

We count with the prayers of all for the continuity of our meeting!

We are together!

CLM Brazil