America – Page 98 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Last day of the XVIII General Chapter in Rome

5 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

“Now it’s time to bring the Chapter in the life of the Institute”, with these words the outgoing superior general Fr. Enrique Sánchez González, who presided at the concluding Mass of the XVIII General Chapter, called on the delegates to send to all the confreres the spirit and message of these weeks they had together. On this last day of the Chapter, in the morning session Fr. Enrique Sanchez read in the Assembly hall the formal decree of the Chapter’s closer that had been approved by the Chapter delegates.

At 11.30, the concluding Mass began. During the homily, Fr. Enrique focused on three words: courage, joy and hope. He invited everyone to renew the experience of the love of God, the source of our missionary commitment, to bring even with greater joy the proclamation of the Gospel to the poor and the outskirts of suffering. On the novelty of the Chapter is that “the Lord – said Fr. Enrique – has not tired of us, he is still with us … and the best is still to come”.

At the end of the Mass, the newly elected superior general, Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse, thanked Fr. Enrique and the outgoing Council for their commitment and enthusiasm in guiding the Institute in these past six years. Also the Superior General of the Comboni Sisters, Luzia Premoli, who participated in the Eucharist with some of her sisters, expressed gratitude for the cooperation experienced in the past five years, for her, with the General Direction of the Comboni Missionaries.

The celebration took place in the main Chapel of the house and wad then continued with the convivial and lunch.

www.comboni.org

Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse elected as Superior General

1 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie was elected as Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries by almost all of the Chapter delegates. He is 46 years of age, Assistant General in charge of Basic Formation and the provinces/delegations of English-speaking Africa (except Eritrea) and Mozambique. Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse G. was born on September 22, 1969, in Harar (Ethiopia). He is the first African to hold the post of Superior General.

Immediately after the vote, the outgoing Superior General, Fr. Enrique Sánchez González, asked Fr. Tesfaye if he accepted the election.

Fr. Tesfaye replied: “My dear confreres, I would like to say a few words.

Thanks. Thank you for the trust and mercy that you have shown me. Both in the vote as well as in personal dialogues with some, you have shown confidence, solidarity and support. Thanks for it. I would like to say thanks to the confreres who have expressed their reservations, their hesitation. I agree with you and thank you, because I myself am afraid, I too have my reservations and my hesitations. So thanks for your realism.
Smallness. Our Institute, beginning with St. Daniel Comboni, is a great one, it is a beautiful family of disciples and martyrs for the mission, for Africa and for being at the side of the poor. Our Institute, too, has its problems. Faced by all this, I feel small, a little confrere who has had the experience of the great forgiveness of God and confreres. I feel small before the greatness of our Institute.
Respect. The General Chapter among its activities must also give the Institute a General Council, as it has just elected the coordinator of this General Council. I respect your dialogue, your discernment and your vote. Out of respect for those who voted for me and for what these votes represent, after having prayed about it, I contacted my spiritual director and others, and especially after the encouragement of Fr. Enrique and the General councillors to accept, I, for the glory of God and trusting in God’s help, in the General Council, the General Direction here in Rome and in you, circumscription superiors, and humbly asking for mercy, I accept to serve as Superior General.”

After the acceptance by Fr. Tesfaye, Fr. Enrique Sánchez G., following the procedure of the elections as stated by the Statute approved on September 8, 2015, said: “Having the Rev. Father Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie received enough votes on behalf of the Chapter, I, Enrique Sánchez González, declare the Rev. Father Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie the elected Superior General of the Institute of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

CLM meeting in Mexico

28 September, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

Hello dear Comboni missionary family,
Came the month of the homeland and with it our monthly Comboni missionary meeting. The CLM of Mexico, DF met at the headquarters of the continental novitiate. After settling, Brother Joel invited us to dinner. The kitchen was already moving with Bayro preparing water melon, José heating the soup, Roger setting the table and Delio organizing the food in the “shopping taste”. After sharing the bread, we turn to our holy hour to the candlelight, between psalms and prayers we discovered ourselves before the Lord needed his strength, and his love to continue in his service.
After a good rest, we set to start on Sunday with the prayer of Lauds, led by Juanita We had breakfast prepared by the sisters of the Oblate Congregation of St. Martha, and we share the Eucharistic celebration with the community; and a youth group that was conducting a retreat. Father Anastasio, MCCJ, during the homily reminded us that our encounter with Jesus should lead us to seek spiritual healing previous to our physical or economic well-being. He invited us out following the example of Jesus; to share with others, to show our enthusiasm and thus, by helping others, we will transform our life and testimony.
Sister Ma. Elena shared with us the theme of women in the plan of Comboni. And between reflections and writings together we discovered what St. Daniel thought of women, how he values, demands, protects, and treats women as an equal, considered a stronghold for the mission. One of the most moving text was a letter written to his mother, Domenica Pace, where he speaks with great tenderness. Finally, we could not leave without organizing the activities of October and giving thanks to God for this meeting, we live with joy in the midst of the Comboni Family.
Martha CLM coordinator of Mexico

Three “sayings” of Jesus

26 September, 2015 by Antonio Villarino

A commentary on Mc 9, 38-48 (XXVI Sunday O.T., September 26th 2015)

The gospels, besides narrating episodes of Jesus’ life and reproducing his parables, contain also collections of “sayings”, small sentences that He surely pronounced in different times and places and the first disciples retained by heart and repeated to the new disciples that were entering the communities. In the verses we read today, we find three of these sayings that I understand as follows:

1.- Goodness has no frontiers. The exact saying of Jesus is “whoever is not against us, is with us” and He pronounces it because somebody wanted to forbid people who did not belong to the group of disciples to act in the name of Jesus. It would be like forbidding someone to help the poor because he or she is not a member of the Church. Any act of goodness belongs to God; it’s a sharing in God’s goodness. We are invited to acknowledge it, be grateful and glad for it.

2.- A glass of water may have an infinite value. Jesus says: “Whoever gives a glass of water in my name, will not lose the reward”. Sometimes, not much is needed to put joy in a persons’ life, to make her or him feel respected, to offer a sign of hope in the middle of difficulties. To give a glass of water is a sign of welcome, respect, availability to “give a hand” if needed. Who gives a glass of water to someone in need, is open to the other and who is open to the other is open to God. What is the “glass of water” that I could offer to the people around me?

3.- Be careful, do not become a stumbling stone for the little ones! Mark puts here three sentences with a common reference to the “scandal”. We know that this word means really “stumbling stone”, trip up somebody who is defenceless, so that he falls down. Jesus, who is full of goodness and tenderness, becomes quite angry when someone lacks respect for the house (temple) of his Father or when somebody wants to trip the little ones, those who have only God to trust. You should not “joke” with the little ones of God. At the same time, Jesus tells us something that to my ears sound like that: “Do not trip up yourself; if something is doing any wrong to you, cut it, do not indulge, choose the way to righteousness with decision and clarity”
Every Sunday, as we celebrate the Eucharist and listen to these words of Jesus, we say to Him: Amen, thank you, I wish these words to illuminate my life. Help me to make them true in me.
Fr. Antonio Villarino
Roma

Comboni Family day in the MCCJ Chapter

16 September, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

The XVIII General Chapter of the Comboni Missionaries on the theme “Comboni Missionary disciples, called to live the joy of the Gospel in today’s world” started on September 6 in the General House in Rome. On Monday, still in the reading of reality, gave the floor to the institutes of the Secular Comboni Misionaries, the Comboni Missionaries Sister and the Comboni Lay Missionaries. Through its reports, the Assembly approached the achievements, difficulties and dreams; in which in one way or another also it reflected the Institute of the Comboni Missionaries.

The secular Isabella d’Alessandro expressed their concern about the decline in staff, however, this is not a limit to the enthusiasm and desire to open up to the challenges posed by the mission. She recalled that the experience of weakness is an opportunity to collaborate with others, which invites to deepen our identity.

Mother Luzia Premoli, Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries Sisters, presented the main lines of reflection held as an Institute on the issue of ministerial service. The transformation of the mission requires a change in the governance model. Also, the rapid decline of sisters in the Institute poses challenges to be responding through various forms of reorganization.

Finally, Alberto de la Portilla, coordinator of the CLM submitted its report to the Assembly. He explained the internal structure of the movement and the challenges made in the last intercontinental CLM assembly of Maia (2012). Expressing the desire to consolidate the already established groups and improve international coordination.