Comboni Lay Missionaries

Mission Camp 2025 Jubilee of Hope Metlatonoc, gro. Mexico

LMC Mexico

An experience with hope in common of the CLM that participated in the Holy Week Mission Camp in the Parish of St. Michael the Archangel, to discover how the people of the neighborhoods where we participated would receive us since it was the first time that they would have CLM in the neighborhoods of the parish. In our thoughts it was something complicated but the reality changed our vision since being there the experience was bearable, fruitful and of much teaching for all. We shared our faith from our experience even with the difficulty and limitation of not knowing the language or customs; they opened their hearts to us, with their attention and participation; they also expressed their gratitude to each one of us at different times.

The obstacles we encountered were diverse, the main one was the language, some of us got sick, the material we carried, not knowing the customs and culture. Fortunately there is something that unites us, the Faith we have in Jesus Christ lived in this Holy Week 2025 Jubilee year in which we were able to share with people in a friendly relationship, topics in the colonies, processions, prayer and Eucharist always with something characteristic of each day of the Holy Week.

That is why as CLM we believe that we must take into account: to know how to listen, to know without judging, to let ourselves be taught by the people who receive us, to enrich our values, to highlight the richness that we discover, to be open to the changes that may arise, to work obedience and respect for the leaders we meet, to forget about what may distract you and to live the MISSION, above all without leaving behind the Comboni Ideal, evangelizing the poorest and most abandoned, loving our Cross without being discouraged by the circumstances you may encounter, problems or adversities, always remembering Whom we serve and for Whom we are here, doing everything with Love to give Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

CLM Mission Team in the Parish

Tadeo, Felisa, Mariana, Beatriz CLM from Mexico and Carol CLM from Costa Rica.

Feast of the Señor de los Trabajos – San Miguel Arcángel parish

LMC Mexico
LMC Mexico

The tradition of the people strengthened my faith. On the first Friday of Lent I had the opportunity to live the novenary of the Señor de los Trabajos in Metlatónoc, where I will soon have my mission experience. It was something that helped me to get to know a little of this people to which I will be sent.

We were invited by the parish priest MCCJ Fr. Miguel Navarrete Arceo to the feast of the First Friday of Lent, so that he could introduce us to Bishop Dagoberto; as well as to participate in the retreat with the people who received the Sacrament of Confirmation. I was very happy to meet young people from the Xacundutia community who began their formation in the Mission 2024 Camp where I participated.

LMC Mexico

I can say that there are some new things that I found that I can compare with what I have experienced with my family. For example, when the pilgrimage arrives at the parish before entering they pray at the four points that are marked in the atrium, they give more importance to the Eve of the Feast than to the day itself, they have the custom of taking the offering of flowers and the lighted candles on the pilgrimage, they pray the rosary in Latin accompanied by the wind band. Once they finish their rites they take home some of the flowers offered and blessed as a relic that helps the person in their needs.

LMC Mexico

Here they are not used to participate in the daily Eucharist, but they do ask the priest to pray for them during the mass. We have been making people aware of the importance of their Sunday participation in the Eucharist.

LMC Mexico

This parish community helps me to better understand the topics that I am receiving in the community experience, opening my horizon to new realities, without judging the experience of God in the native peoples, being willing to live traditions and practices without losing my essence of who I am, where I come from and where God sends me; enriching my faith and strengthening my life for the mission.

Mariana Meléndez Candido.

A Tico missionary in Sahuayo

LMC Mexico

On January 21 I started a trip that I was looking forward to, in which I began to live an experience of community life and specific formation, and then put myself at the disposition of the mission Ad Gentes, within the experience we have had the opportunity to go to some states to visit and live experiences for individuals, one of these was in Sahuayo.

On Saturday, February 1, we left Xochimilco, Mexico, on our way to Sahuayo, after approximately 7 hours of travel with my sisters of the community and Father Filomeno Ceja, MCCJ, we arrived at the Minor Seminary of the Comboni Missionaries, where we stayed and shared some Spiritual Exercises that were directed by Father Juan de Dios, which ended on Friday with the Holy Eucharist at noon, they were very useful to reaffirm my spirituality and the call to the mission.

That same Friday at 5 pm, other CLM arrived from various parts of Mexico, to participate in the National Retreat, this meeting helped us to integrate as a family, seek and understand our ideals, working with and for the same goal, thanks to the support of the Parish Priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Sunday we did missionary animation, this in order to raise funds for the mission to be opened in Metlatonoc, Guerrero. During the retreat we lived moments to get to know ourselves, Eucharistic adoration, reflection, sharing and commitment to the mission.

In life, all experiences help us to grow and develop as integral persons, I tell you that personally, what we lived in addition to the retreat, between Friday, Saturday and Sunday surpassed my imagination, because they do tell you, but to live it is something very different.

Here in Mexico within its abundant history, the famous “Cristeros War” is told, where the people were forced to repudiate or rather to deny God, in this city and others died many people killed by the government of Mexico, ordered the closure to the worship of the Catholic Faith, today they are Martyrs in our Church.

In the “Calzada de los Mártires”, where on both sides of the street is full of trees, where they hung people who were discovered professing their faith to die in front of the people, that is one of the forms of martyrdom that received all those soldiers of Christ who bravely decided to give their lives before denying Christ, among the many martyrs that exist is one, very young, but brave, his phrase “it was never so easy, to win heaven…”. José Sánchez del Río or San Joselito as he is affectionately known today, who as a boy of only 14 years old joined the Cristeros to defend the faith, being an assistant to General Gorostieta, carrying the banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the Cristeros’ flag. He was captured in the city of Cotija by the government after he was left without a horse because he put it at the service of his General.

He was transferred to the city of Sahuayo where his prison was the Parish of Santiago Apostle, where the military had their barracks, they had it full of animals, in the main altar were the roosters, this made Joselito angry and at night he killed them saying … “The temple is God’s house and no place for these animals” … this was the cause that made advance his execution, infuriating the Captain. The political leader of his town, who was his Godfather of First Communion, was the one who gave the order to kill him, under pressure from the Captain, for not risking his life or public position, proceeding with the tortures from blows, stab wounds, to cutting the skin of the soles of his feet, making him walk about a kilometer, until he reached the cemetery, and in every step he took he shouted loudly “VIVA CRISTO REY Y SANTA MARIA DE GUADALUPE” (LONG LIVE CHRIST THE KING AND SAINT MARY OF GUADALUPE!), this cry I dare say was the motto of all the martyrs who died in that war, and for Joselito was his direct insurance to reach the altars, because in addition to martyr, Pope Francis canonized him on October 16, 2016, and his feast is celebrated every February 10.

For the Sahuayenses it is a reason for joy and celebration, different activities are organized and carried out: “Los Tapetes” from the hill of Cristo Rey to the birthplace of Joselito with much love they make tapetes with artistic designs of painted sawdust that form colorful religious images; “La Molienda” takes place in the Calzada de los Mártires where the pilgrimage that leaves the Cemetery arrives to live the Eucharist in memory of the murdered people, all the neighbors that live in this street organize themselves placing altars presenting scenes of what was lived, as well as typical dishes of the place to give to all those visitors who want to, I was particularly struck by the fact that in that same place, which was once an avenue where a lot of blood was shed, today it has become a symbol of fraternal love, solidarity and mercy; “La Cabalgata” and ‘La Caminata’. The celebration and the remembrance is great, thousands of people come from surrounding towns on horseback or on foot leaving early Saturday from Cotija where Joselito was captured and arriving in Sahuayo where he was martyred, they arrive at the Sanctuary of Joselito, which is currently under construction, but is undoubtedly a place of pilgrimage and devotion, upon arrival they participate in the Eucharist scheduled at 14:00 hours.

May our faith continue to grow and be as firm as that of San Jose Sanchez del Rio, San Joselito de Cariño.

LONG LIVE CHRIST THE KING AND SAINT MARY OF GUADALUPE!

SAINT JOSELITO, pray for us…

José David Rojas Quesada, CLM Costa Rica in Mexico

Community Experience in Mexico

LMC Mexico

“BECAUSE TO SERVE YOU MUST BE PREPARED”.

The final stage in the formation of the American candidates of the “Comboni Lay Missionaries” (CLM) movement has begun, a time of being in tune with themselves and with the other CLM before leaving for the ad-gente mission to give a generous response to the call received to go to the evangelization of the most abandoned peoples, the main reason why we exist as a group.

There are four people who share this experience: Mariana Meléndez Cándido, 36 years old; Rosalinda Olivo Oria, 69 years old; Sandra Luisa Rodríguez Andalón, 64 years old; all Mexican and José David Rojas Quesada, Costa Rican, 43 years old; from a human point of view it is not understandable to leave family, work, friends, customs, knowing that only the ideal of Comboni unites them, with the only objective of being ready for the mission.

Now they are part of the same family where, strengthened by prayer, it makes sense to be together. United, remembering that being children of the same Father makes them brothers, rescued by Jesus Christ who from daily life invites them to be with Him and moved by the Holy Spirit to be sent to the most needy as Daniel Comboni did in his time.

Today this legacy continues as heirs of the Charism, the Comboni Family (MCCJ, HC, SC, LMC).

CLM Mexico

Vocation is a call

LMC Perú

There is always a response to God’s call, when people say yes, a celebration can be held over the years, where we can all participate to celebrate, I Lety was invited by a religious to support her Missionary Animation and so it happened from November 9 to 17, in the community of Bocja Arenal Hidalgo, a community between Actopan and Pachuca we participated.

It was a week of sharing where I participated and not alone; I was able to live it with Sandra CLM from Guadalajara, a companion of the local group and who will soon begin her community formation to be able to go out to the ad-gentes mission.

Sharing with the people our Catholic Christian Joy in the style of St. Daniel Comboni, the reason for the week of Missionary Animation was the 25th anniversary of religious life of my friend, a vocation of this place to awaken the vocation in new generations. We are grateful for all that we lived; always filled with the presence of God.

María Leticia Ordoñez. CLM Mexico