The invitation received in one of the first houses visited was to “leave the rush behind”! In a loving way, it was a warning for us to open ourselves to the realization that life can have another rhythm and that we could deeply enjoy the grace experienced during these days in Capela Nova/MG in a contemplative and transformative way together with these people.
With great enthusiasm, a team made up of members of the Comboni Family from various parts of Brazil and the world gathered from August 2 to 10 at the Parish of Nossa Senhora das Dores to participate in the priestly ordination of Comboni Missionary Alex Nunes, held on August 9. It was a joy to experience this generous Yes together with him and his family and friends.
The purpose of this missionary week was to visit families, give thanks for the religious and missionary vocation of Alex, who was born and raised in the region, and to encourage the local Church in view of the Mission. These were intense days of visits to the 23 communities of the parish, meeting the sick, the elderly, the young, and all the People of God who gathered every day after the visits for the celebration of Mass in the communities.
Capela Nova is located in the state of Minas Gerais and enchanted us with its landscapes; it surprised us with its religiosity; it captivated us with its welcoming people, with open hearts and doors. There were many cups of coffee, good conversations, stories, and friendships that will remain.
The presence of the Comboni Family during these festive days certainly left its mark on the city. But we found a parish community that cultivates an attitude of openness, welcome, and communion, signs of a missionary church.
There are many biblical examples where this invitation to go out appears: it was so with Abraham, with the prophet Jeremiah, and this invitation remains relevant today. The region of Capela Nova is a fertile place for vocations, and Alex is the first Comboni missionary priest dedicated to the mission beyond the borders of his parish. His testimony revives this call of a church that goes out.
There were many expressions of affection, sharing, welcome, challenging realities, and the joy of hearing someone say: “This week helped me realize that we need to reach out more to those around us, who sometimes need a visit, a friendly hug!”
It is surprising, but the missionary dynamic subverts logic; we come away strengthened, cherished, and renewed in hope. May St. Daniel Comboni continue to inspire us, may we lose our fear of going out more and more and beyond our borders, for the danger is that we close ourselves in our structures that give us false protection, in activities that comfort us, while around us there is a hungry crowd.
May the example of Alex, who was baptized in this parish and will exercise his missionary spirit in other lands, help each of us to be missionaries of hope among peoples, here and beyond borders.
Cristina Paulek
Comboni Lay Missionary
