From December 9 to 15, 2024, the VII General Assembly of the Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM) was held at the Comboni Community House in Maia. The theme of the assembly was “All together for the mission!”.
The 29 participants – 20 CLM and 9 Comboni Missionaries – came from 16 countries from three continents: Africa (9), America (9) and Europe (11). Alberto de la Portilla (Spain) and Marco Piccione (Italy), as well as Fr. Arlindo Pinto (Rome), the CLM General Council reference person.
The morning of the first day was dedicated to prayer. Father Fernando Domingues, Provincial Superior of Portugal, presided at the opening Mass.
On Wednesday 11, an online meeting was held with the representatives of the General Councils of the Comboni Family. On Thursday afternoon, the participants went on pilgrimage to the Marian Sanctuary of Fatima. On Tuesday and Friday, testimonies were heard online from CLM working in international communities, in Mozambique, Kenya, Central African Republic, Peru and Brazil.
The main topics discussed during the Assembly were: the presentation of the path followed by each CLM group in the different countries during the last six years, at all levels (formation, mission, economy and organization) and the reflection and approval of the CLM statute, which will be presented to the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life at the Vatican. The last two days were dedicated to deepen the common responsibility for the mission, especially the mission outside our borders, as well as the Missionary Methodology document that reflects on spirituality, lifestyle and model of CLM intervention.
On Saturday 14, the members of the new Central Committee that will coordinate the CLM for the next six years were elected: Flavio Schmidt, from Brazil, Mukami Anne Mutheede, from Kenya, Anna Obyrtacz, from Poland, and Alberto de la Portilla, from Spain, who was re-elected, and who will also continue to be the general coordinator. Father Arlindo Pinto will continue in his position as MCCJ General Council referent.
Alberto, in the message he addressed to the CLM and the whole Comboni Family, underlined the hopes that are born from this new assembly: “an assembly that we hope will help us to mature and deepen our vocation in every corner of the world, and to acquire responsibility in our journey of autonomy at all levels”. Regarding his re-election, he added: “I hope that it will not only be a service of continuity, but a consolidation of the important aspects and advances that we need as an international movement. The real protagonists are each and every CLM, each and every one of our communities and groups, listening to and at the disposal of the Holy Spirit’.
The work concluded on Saturday afternoon, December 14, with a Mass presided by Father David Domingues, Vicar General. The following day, Third Sunday of Advent and International CLM Day, Father David also presided the Mass in the presence of the participants in the assembly, together with the people of God, in the chapel of Maia House.
Original: https://www.comboni.org/contenuti/116578
