Portugal – Page 28 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Called to live and be community

19 March, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

During the weekend 21 and 22 of February, the Comboni Lay Missionaries gathered in Viseu for the sixth formation meeting on the theme: “Community: Challenges and Opportunities” oriented by the community-life of Oporto. The meeting was held at the Monastery of Santa Beatriz da Silva, who graciously welcomed us and we are very grateful for that.
During this meeting, we had the opportunity to reflect and understand in depth what is community life. The community appears at the beginning of the Bible, when God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2, 18). So, in fact, we are called throughout our life to live and be community. As Susana said: “The world is our structure. People are our home. Without this world we cannot have another, without people the human been does not live”. Thus, it must be with people and for people that the community exist.

“We have to be parts of one body”

IMAG0618 The community is everywhere, in every field of our life: school, work, family, friends, church, catechesis and mission. However, we can only speak fully of community if we accept Jesus Christ as a member of our community, as the brother who loves us so much to die on the cross with the weight of our sins. Jesus loves us and is part of our community and together with the Father and the Holy Spirit are the center, the heart of any community. Like them we must be one voice, be one soul, we must be parts of the same body. This is the real challenge of being community. This is because we are all different in our weaknesses and qualities. And God calls us individually by name. God calls different, sinners. God calls us. And we are, with all that characterizes us, who form community.

“We have to be parts of one body”

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And the question we ask many times is: Does the community work despite the differences between people? Yes, it is not easy but it is definitely possible. It works if we know our center, if we are honest with each other, if we use the gifts of each to serve in things where we’re good. It works if we have the humility to share tasks. But not to divide but to unite. Thus, the community goes through faith in the other. The community is a matter of love in which there is only one heart, one mind and one voice. Stop being “me” to be “us”. Where everything is put together.

“The community is love”

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The community is undoubtedly love. The love that comes from God, born of Him who loves us first in an overwhelming way. It is this love that moves the world we are called to be for our brothers. And as S John Paul II said: “Love is an act of will.”

So depend on us to forgive, excuse, want to love the others, choose to love despite all its faults and errors, which I also have, and love with our differences and our weaknesses.
By: Paula Sousa

Echoes of CLM mission

19 October, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

From an early age I wanted to be as close as possible to those who have nothing, and above all, be one with them, to become a bridge between the poorest of the poor and their local authorities and of course between them and Europe.

I remember when I left at 24, on a mission to the Central African Republic had no idea what to expect. I just knew that God was calling me and the heart of Africa needed me as much as I needed it.

In this sense, the formation of Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM) was very important and helped me to confirm my vocation as a lay missionary and with the charism of Comboni. At that time I loved Africa, and did not conceive the idea of ”happiness” without actively strive for a happier, more just and true world. Today, after five years spent in the heart of Africa, I can say that the donation to Mission brings me more than happiness, brings me the meaning of life, the strength and hope in the new morning and, above all, I feel the love and presence of God more than ever, after all, being among the poorest in the world, I am among the most beloved people of God.

Forgotten by men

In Central African Republic, this country forgotten by men and loved by God, I joined what was the first international CLM community: Mongoumba, in the forest, living and working with Pygmies and Bantus (not pygmies’ population).

One of my daily struggles was the fight so that increasing deforestation ended. Indeed, if logging continues, soon will no longer exist in the region Pygmies; and Bantus, who live in the villages, will become cheap labor for those who want to exploit the region.

Currently, due to this situation, the Pygmies and non-Pygmies have been forced to live too close and, of course, the culture shock arise – for which no one was prepared and came by the interests of the European woods companies. This has made that Pygmies live in a state of slavery and total social exclusion. To work against this social exclusion, the mission has created and manages six schools for the integration of the pygmies. The schools are scattered throughout the jungle in a radius of about 60 km. We try, from a specific method, that the Pygmy children attend the early years of primary education and then be better integrated into public schools.

Other problems, abounding here, have to deal with health. To the extent that the Pygmies live in the jungle, and because it is being destroyed, opens a path of starvation and disease. On one hand we find hunger, because trees, which are the staple diet, are slaughtered. On the other hand, health, diseases increase because trees and medicinal plants used in traditional medicine begin to be hard to find. In this sense, and in order to help integration of the Pygmies in the public health system, the mission runs a health clinic. This is especially directed to the Pygmies and the poorest of the village. Here we pass no consultation, only serves as a bridge between patients and the public health center, in addition to providing the support necessary for taking medication. We work with a nurse-Central African lifeguard that helps us control that patients take the right medicines and make health awareness in the pygmies’ camps.

In this area, the struggles are more than everyday: are every minute! At all times we are facing serious medical errors in the public health center, which is resultant from both ignorance and negligence of those who work there, as well as discrimination and lack of awareness of the importance and value of life.

In this sense, there are days that this health center seems to produce more death than life. So when deaths occur “without having to occur”, brings us to the fights that sometimes end up in court and sometimes in the Ministry of Health.

Giving voice

Looking at these people – Pygmies and Bantu – one realizes that they are simply victims of the global corruption that helps Central African Government to be more concerned about arms supplies than to health and education. How can we, in this context, paddle upstream? It is certainly no easy task, but does not discourage us. However, makes us fight for life and true freedom in this country, theoretically independent, that continues to suffer daily abuses of colonization.

Today, this CLM community here counts with the help of the Comboni Missionaries and the Secular Comboni Missionaries. Within this Comboni Family, and working from the apostolic community, we develop projects in different areas trying, by the witness of life; announce the One who sends us to the Mission.

In fact, the mission in all parts of the World needs life testimonies that are keys to the liberation of the people. Today, in the mission, the challenge is not to “do something for others,” but “to be someone with others”. Prayer without action is useless and far from Gospel values.

Today, the mission challenges us to live according to the values we stand for and for a World where everyone, without exception, are considered, in fact, sons of God, so that in Him may encounter life in abundance.

Susana Vilas Boas CLM

Secular Comboni Missionary joins the Community of Mongoumba

21 May, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

Last May 11 was sent in her home parish Palmira Pinheiro, Secular Comboni Missionary that after a period of training in Spain and France along the CLM is already part of the CLM international community present in Mongoumba (CAR).

Palmira, retired nurse, arrived in Bangui (Central African Republic capital) on Tuesday with her suitcases full of enthusiasm and desire to work with the Central African people. There she will work with the CLM Teresa Monzón and Elia Gomes (Spanish and Portuguese CLM) in the mission of Mongoumba. Joining the community reinforces the missionary presence among the Central African people making actually the dream of Comboni of being a Cenacle of Apostles in the middle of the African people.

Palmira, we wish you all the best in this new phase of your life. Remember you have all our support and our prayers.

Missionary animation in Meixomil (Portugal)

3 April, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

The weekend of 14, 15 and 16 of March the community of life of Porto met in the house of MCCJ in Maia for another occasion of missionary animation in the parish of Meixomil in Paços de Ferreira. The meeting was opened praying in the day when the 183 anniversary of the birth of St. Daniel Comboni was commemorated. Participating in the charisma of this special day, God told us in the daily liturgy: “The Lord has exalted you today to be one people, as he told you, and to keep all his commandments;” Deuteronomy 26, 18. This is how God has called us to another day of consecration to Him, a day where we are happy to be chosen to fulfill His commandments, in order to be God’s people.

Embedded in this environment where we share the joy of the gift of being Comboni Lay Missionaries, we are encouraged to go in search of paths of faith, always having the joy of living in communion with all. We share this with all catechized, the happiness of having in common, with all people of this world, that God loves us so much; we sang happy birthday to Saint Daniel Comboni and challenged the young people preparing for confirmation to participate in the JIM project of the Meixomil Ativo group.

During this weekend, in the same parish, a campaign of fundraising organized by the JIM Meixomil Activo group for the KWE ZO ZO (“Every person is a person”) project was also launched. Thus, during the weekend we gave voice and share with everyone the many challenges of the pygmies who are vetted daily some of the fundamental human rights. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make this weekend possible, the group of JIM Meixomil Ativo, the parish priest, catechists and catechized and the entire parish community, who received us very well.

During this tour, it was always the joy of serving, of being people of God. As God said in the Sunday readings “Leave your country, your family and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you”. Genesis 12:1 is this constant call to go to serve without fear that leads us to spend our time each day to this task, which makes us evangelize and be evangelized. As Pope Francisco says, “Go, without fear, to serve. Following these three words, you will experience that who evangelizes, is evangelized, who conveys the joy of faith, receives more joy. ”

by Paula Sousa

[Portugal] Echoes of the March 2014 meeting

28 March, 2014 by Alberto de la Portilla

On 8 and 9 of March, a training meeting of the CLM, in the house of Coimbra, was held. The theme was “The documents of the Church”. The training was led by the CLM Susana Vilas Boas, amazing as always. It was also with us Fr Manuel Lopes.

Despite the complexity and richness of theme, the creativity of the presentations made it to be a nice training around the basic texts of the Church motivating the desire to know. We recognize the importance of the documents to live the faith and mission in communion, as members of the Church of Christ.

The program included the presentation of the most relevant documents for the Mission followed by the reading and debate in group and then sharing together. I transcribe fragments of the selected texts:

Humanity can have hope and should have hope: the living and personal Gospel, Jesus Christ himself is the “news” bearer of joy that the Church proclaims every day and who is a witness every day. (Laici Christi fideles)
The envoy enters into the life and mission of the One who “emptied himself, take the form of a servant. So, be prepared and be faithful lifetime in a vocation, to resign yourself and all your stuff, and be everything to everyone. (Ad Gentes)
With the message of the Gospel, the Church offers a liberating and creative force for development, precisely because it leads to conversion of heart and mind, does recognize the dignity of each person, encourages solidarity, commitment and service for other to insert man in God’s plan which is to build the Kingdom of Peace and Justice, already in this life. (Redemptoris Missio).
To each disciple of Christ incumbent the commission to spread the faith, according to his own measure. (Lumen Gentium)

The exchange was synthesized by each one in a word, that we share in the Evening Prayer: commitment, community, communion/community, will, responsibility, humility, generosity and mission.

On Sunday morning, we read the Holy Father’s Francisco message for Lent. Disturbing and challenging: “For the reason of all this is the divine love. A love that is grace, generosity, desire for closeness, which no doubt to give himself and sacrifice for their beloved creatures (…) Do not forget that true poverty hurts”.

The times of prayer set the tone of the meeting and gave meaning and force to our purposes of communion and mission in the Church.

The meeting did not miss the joy, sharing, music, sunshine and flowers…

For all this, Thank goodness!

by Patricia