It was an experience that touched our hearts with the light of the Gospel, inviting us to recognize Jesus even when our human blindness prevents us from seeing him. He manifests himself in every moment of our lives, offering us the freedom to choose our paths. Inspired by the attitude of the disciples of Emmaus, who chose the path of proclamation and the breaking of bread, we understood the necessity of sharing this experience with our brothers and sisters, thus transforming our lives and our commitment to the mission.
As Comboni Lay Missionaries, we are called to follow this same path: to proclaim with joy and to place ourselves at the service of those most in need. This learning experience was deepened during the retreat held on August 1, 2, and 3 at the Laudato Si’ Center in Lima, Peru, under the guidance of Fr. Gianni Gaiga MCCJ, renewing our commitment to live and transmit the love of Christ in the world.
In today’s ever-changing society, we ask the Lord for the ability to listen to the needs of all humanity and all of creation, performing gestures of benevolence, respect and care for our “common home”. Lord, hear us.
This Sunday (20), the Father Ezequiel Ramin Community celebrated a historic and symbolic milestone: the 40th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Comboni missionary Ezequiel Ramin and also the 40th anniversary of the existence of the community that bears his name, in the municipality of Mirante da Serra (RO). The event brought together around 300 people, with representatives from neighboring communities and the Father Ezequiel Settlement, which also celebrates 25 years of its foundation.
The celebration was part of the 10th Pilgrimage of Father Ezequiel Ramin, which will take place on July 27th at the Fr. Ezequiel Ramin Community in Rondolândia, Mato Grosso. The Pilgrimage aims to keep alive the memory of the young missionary, who dedicated his life to defending the poor, rural workers, and indigenous peoples of the Amazon.
One of the most moving moments of the celebration was the presence and testimony of Fabiano Ramin, Father Ezequiel’s younger brother, who came from Italy especially to participate in the program commemorating the 40th anniversary of the martyrdom and the founding of the community. In his speech, marked by restrained emotion and profound gratitude, Fabiano emphasized the power of the memory that remains alive among the people Ezequiel chose to serve with his life.
“I feel like crying, but I won’t. Old people feel like crying when they’re very emotional. So, I’m in that situation. I’m the youngest of the Ramin family, and I’m very grateful to you for this celebration, for this occasion that commemorates not only the murder of Father Ezequiel, but also the birth of the community, the baptism of a people who continue to fight.”
He emphasized that the celebration is not just a remembrance of the past, but an act of hope and continuity: “I’m very happy to see that this community is alive. It fights, resists, and organizes itself. As the parish priest said, it requires sacrifice, time, and effort. The Christian mission, as Ezekiel wrote, is proclamation and denunciation. Denouncing injustice is part of faith. And you continue this mission.”
The presence of Comboni missionaries in Mirante da Serra throughout Missionary Week reaffirmed the continuity of the charism and mission of Father Ezequiel Ramin, who was also a Comboni missionary. They participated in pastoral activities, home visits, and moments of listening and prayer with the families of Our Lady of Migrants Parish, Diocese of Ji-Paraná.
The missionary presence reinforces the international and liberating dimension of the Church in the Amazon—a Church that walks with the people, listening to their pain and hopes. By visiting homes, the Comboni Missionaries strengthened community bonds and also revived Ezekiel’s missionary spirit: a faith that denounces injustice and proclaims hope.
The celebration continued with a community lunch, listening to residents, a performance by Clown Liro and closing with community bingo.
One of the most symbolic moments was the mystical performance performed by young people from the community, which portrayed the struggle for land and denounced the structures that led to Father Ezequiel’s martyrdom: “He was murdered because he defended the landless, the squatters, the indigenous people. Because he believed in a just society.“
So that missionaries may reach all peoples in every corner of the world to extend a friendly and helping hand with compassionate hearts that love, mourn, rejoice and pray together with them to God, who deeply loves every person. Lord, hear us.
“Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Corinthians 3:7)
On July 5, we had the opportunity to carry out a missionary day in the community of León El Manzanillo, an enriching experience for both us and the local residents. During the morning, we visited community members in their homes, approaching them with the purpose of informing them about the initiatives we had planned for that day. We also took advantage of each conversation to introduce ourselves as a missionary group and extend a special invitation to participate in the monthly celebration of the Eucharist, which takes place on the second Sunday of each month.
In the afternoon, we shared with those in attendance a brief reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, seeking to spread his message of love and mercy. The day ended with a practical workshop focused on caring for the environment, during which we taught how to make baskets using recycled newspaper, thus fostering creativity and ecological awareness.
As we mentioned, one of the objectives of the missionary work in Manzanillo is for the inhabitants to participate in the Eucharist. After sowing the seed and continuing to water it, it is God who will take care of its growth in their hearts. On Sunday the 13th, some of our members accompanied the community in the Eucharist and noticed that more people attended, which gives us great joy because the Eucharist is the center of our faith.
Gathering on July 20
On Sunday, July 20, in addition to sharing as a community and reviewing our missionary work, we received the following formation topics:
The first proclamation and the missionary role
As missionaries, we must remember that our work does not focus on worrying about results, for triumphs or failures are not evaluated according to human parameters. The essential thing is that when we sow the seed of God’s love, we trust that it will be the Lord who will take care of the harvest. Within the content of the proclamation of the Kerygma, we reflected on the main idea: God is a loving Father who loves us personally and unconditionally. His love does not depend on our being good, but on His being good. However, we may not experience this divine love because of sin, from which we cannot free ourselves by our own strength. Likewise, we cannot defeat our main enemies on our own: the world, the flesh, and Satan. Therefore, we need salvation.
But THE GOOD NEWS is that Jesus has already saved and forgiven us by paying our debt with the sacrifice of his blood. By dying and rising again for us, he has given us new life as children of God, a gift we can receive by believing in him, trusting in his love, and continually converting ourselves. A true encounter with Christ leads us to become part of his body and brings us closer to our brothers and sisters, especially those most in need, in order to build the Kingdom of God.
This central message must be adapted to the particularities of each person, considering the different levels of spiritual development in which they may find themselves. Therefore, when proclaiming the GOOD NEWS, we must first analyze individual needs and develop an appropriate plan that responds to them.
Consciousness
Human beings are made up of three fundamental areas which, although closely interconnected, are analyzed separately in order to better understand and address them. These areas are: the mind, the body, and the spirit.
Consciousness is an inner force that allows us to discern and make sense of every situation in our lives. It plays a crucial role in the search for purpose, helping us to identify meaningful values, goals, and objectives.
To illustrate the concept of consciousness, the parable of the compass was presented as a metaphor:
Direction: symbolizes the most relevant goal in a person’s life.
The body of the compass: represents the individual’s mindset.
Needle: reflects a specific responsibility necessary to achieve the goal.
It is important to foster both social awareness and personal awareness. Social awareness involves having empathy for the perspectives and emotions of those around us, respecting collective norms, and behaving responsibly within the community. On the other hand, personal awareness is oriented toward introspection, managing our emotions, understanding our feelings, thoughts, and the way we interact with others.
By cultivating our awareness as part of our integral development, we take a firm step toward authentic freedom.
CLM Guatemala
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