Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Portugal

News from Central África

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Maria Augusta Hello everybody,

I hope you are well as your entire family.

I am in Bangui, I have arrived last night. All the apostolic community and I are well, thank God.

I pass today through the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Bangui. I was there on the opening day, but I could not get through, we went through one of the side doors. I really enjoyed going through it today.

In Central Africa was opened first the door of the Cathedral of Bangui, by the Pope, before the others! On December 20 the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Mbaiki, our diocese opened. Christmas Day opened the Holy Door of each parish. From January 17 until yesterday, the Holy doors opened in all the chapels that had door and the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in all of them for worship, in the custody that the Holy Father offered to our diocese and also offered to all other Central African´s. People were on pilgrimage on foot to the nearby chapels. We, on Sunday, went to delivered it to the parish of Safa. They came to procure us 6 km from the town and then went in procession to the church and remained in worship. The monstrance with the Blessed will visit all the parishes of the diocese until the end of “The Holy Year of Mercy”.

Since 13 December, I do not come to Bangui, there is always plenty to do in the Mission…

Since early January, a teacher and I are giving some afternoon classes to students to see if they begin to read. There are many students in CE2 (4th grade and who do not read anything). Thank God, it seems that they begin to read a little, the first few letters. With the help of God, who gives us the strength and patience to work, and the desire of the students to learn, we will get to learn. This month I was with a class during three days, but it is very difficult because students do not understand French and I do not know Sango to translate what I say. In May I will become the school principal. Pray God to help me in this new occupation.

From December 2 it has not rain, only on February 17 occurred a downpour as usual here. There were 75 days without rain … We had dry bushes, some avocado too, we will see if they still bear fruit. There were many fires in the forest and many cassava fields were burned. Many trees were burned. The atmosphere was filled with smoke, everywhere smelled like that. It was so much that made you mourn! We hope that will not cause more hunger than there are already. Thank God, it came two downpours, all nature has changed… just 34 hours, and tiny herbs came out where it seemed that everything looked dry. Truly, the water is the blood of the earth! Here the rain it calls “ngu ti Nzapa” = water of God, and it is true. Here in Bangui, it has not rained and everything is very dry… very hot!

Elia continues to care for malnourished children and not only. In January, she started going to Batalimo and found very serious cases, very sick children. When mothers do what they are asked (to give children everything it is distributed) they can recover well. When it comes to more serious cases, they are hospitalized sometime in the hospital.

Pygmies are still helped with medication when sick. Fortunately, because many would die since they have no money to buy them.

In the mission we have a home for the pygmies students, so they can better leverage school. Here they eat, sleep, go to school in the morning and during the evening come to study for one hour at the library. They are a dozen students.

Last week doctor Omnimos and his wife spent four days at the mission, as always very friendly. They operated 16 persons (adults and children). Thank God everything went well. This week they are also operating here in Bangui. If there were more people like them, the world would be better!

I wish you well-lived Lent.

United in Prayer

Kisses

Maria Augusta CLM

Formation Meeting of the CLM in Portugal

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ComboniOn days 22, 23 and 24 January 2016 another formation of Lay Comboni Missionaries was performed, the first in 2016, in the house of MCCJ in Viseu. Training by the CLM Pedro Moreira, that focused on the role of the laity in evangelization, using the documents of the Church.

On Saturday morning, we started the day with the celebration of the Eucharist with the community of Viseu. In the morning, after breakfast, we start with the Lumen Gentium, Cristifidelis Laici and Redemptoris Missio encyclical. The aim was to deepen the true role of the laity in the Church. The laity incorporated into the Church through baptism should always be witnesses of Christ in the family, at work, with friends, in short, in all situations of life. Still in the morning, we were invited to meditate individually some of the texts proposed. The silence was very productive and allowed us to listen to God who wanted to talk to us. In fact, the life of a Christian, of a missionary, has to pass through the arid desert to Jesus returns us productive. As we emphasized at the meeting, faith is a personal encounter, is an experience of personal encounter.

In the afternoon, we move into our training as lay with a missionary charism. As CLM, we were invited to reflect on various writings of Comboni, deepen the spirituality of Comboni, whose essential characteristics are: the Cross, the Good Shepherd, the Heart of Jesus and life in the cenacles (of prayer). Before dinner, we had a moment of prayer with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. In this encounter with Jesus, face to face, between meditation of a text and silence, we let Jesus look us, as Pope Francisco says.

After dinner, we heard the moving testimony of Barbara, Italian CLM preparing to go to Carapira, Mozambique. We heard a testimony of life rich in Gospel, where Barbara clearly substantiated us the option to leave a stable job, which culminated in home, car, family and social life, “it is Him that asks us to leave everything and follow Him.” A very interesting testimony.

The 24 began at 08:00 with the prayer of Lauds. In the morning, we were asked to form four groups and then go to ponder some of the texts proposed. During this time, the group had the opportunity to exchange our points of views with colleagues, a very interesting dialogue. At noon, we celebrate the Eucharist, which is always time for unity, sharing and joy. After lunch, the candidates started on their journey back home, because it was the day of the presidential elections and most of us still must fulfill our civic duty.

I believe that this meeting was very important and intense. It challenged us to grow spiritually, to become aware of what the Church calls and wants of the laity, in addition to seeking God in silence. I appreciate the wonderful meeting that the CLM, through Pedro Moreira, provide us with the certainty that we are a real family which is passionate for Christ and mission in the manner of Comboni.

By Pedro Nascimento (CLM candidate)

First Day – International PI (immediate preparation) community

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Braga

It was with great enthusiasm and attention that the Academic Community of Braga was with Kasia and Barbara on this first day for these CLM in Portugal.

During this event, organized by the University Pastoral of Braga, the CLM shared their life stories and their missionary testimony at this time before departure for the mission of Carapira.

CLM Portugal

Training International community in Portugal

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Portugal LMC

We are happy because we have just received from Barbara (Italian CLM) and Kasia (Polish CLM) that will stay with us until April to learn Portuguese. This preparation aims the preparation before departure for the mission of Carapira, Mozambique.

During this time, both will share many moments with us and together we will walk toward a greater internationalization of our CLM family.

We welcome them and we ask you for prayers for this time of specific training before their missionary service.

CLM Portugal

Visit to the CLM group in Portugal

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LMC Portugal

Before Christmas, I was invited by the CLM from Portugal to share with them their Christmas meeting.

This is an important meeting for the CLM group, where candidates and CLM meet to get formation, pray and celebrate Christmas together.

We met in the house of the MCCJ in Viseu. It was a weekend full of many important moments.

On arrival at Lisbon, they were waiting for me and we could dine in Pedro´s home before travel by car to Viseu. There we went slowly reaching the different participants from all places in Portugal. A moment of gathering with the CLM and meet all those who are preparing and discerning their missionary vocation.

We began with Mass in the morning where we also find Comboni fathers, brothers and sisters. During the morning, we talked with the group about the history and organization of CLM internationally. From the group’s questions we were entering in part of our history, of the decisions we have been taking to grow as a family and especially of how we have been doing reality, through the commitment and dedication of many, this missionary vocation.

The second part of the morning we used to enter into the commitments of Maia, see how we are trying to carry out and explain the support that from the Central Committee we tried to give to all groups to enable the challenges agreed.

The afternoon was spent touring the city of Viseu, giving hugs, thinking and praying about the year of mercy, doing missionary animation and talking to people about the challenge of mercy throw us this year by Pope Francisco. All this in an entertaining Gymkhana. All these experiences were able to share in the evening prayer.

We spent the night sharing the testimony of my beautiful years of Mozambique. A time to talk about vocation and missionary service.

On Sunday, we worked on practical aspects of the next CLM European assembly of this summer to be held in Portugal. A nice welcome challenge for the group of Portuguese candidates and CLM that will host the 5 European countries that give us appointment in August. Also a time to speak of missionary animation and finding the funds needed to carry out the mission.

At the end, the Eucharist served as conclusion and thanksgiving for this beautiful time.

I said nothing of the many Christmas sweets who joined us for the weekend, and the numerous conversations we were able to keep, a great part of the meeting. Of course, I encourage those who have doubts, touches off the couch and find which path to which the Lord calls us. In Portuguese CLM Group, you will find a good place to reflect, discern and be accompanied on this missionary service.

Christmas Greetings