First Meeting of the Coordinators of the Comboni Lay Missionaries of Africa

At the retreat center of the Comboni Missionaries in Layibi-Gulu, Uganda, the 23 Comboni Missionaries and lay people responsible for the CLM of Africa opened the meeting with a moment of reflection on the lay vocation, on Christian maturity and on the missionary spirituality of the Good Shepherd, starting from Jesus Christ and the example of St. Daniel Comboni. An historical presentation of the CLM followed in which the main meetings already held in the past and their conclusions were outlined. A day and a half was given to listening to the reports of the 12 Comboni provinces of Africa. Only the representatives of Eritrea and South Africa were absent. The latter sent a written report. Following that, time was given to group discussion to examine the situation of the CLM in Africa in the light of the international documents on the CLM and also of the articles of the Chapter Acts of the Comboni Missionaries that refer to the CLM. The history of the CLM and of the documents of the MCCJ was taken care of by the members of the Central Commission of the CLM that had organized the meeting: the Spanish lay missionary Alberto de la Portilla, Fr. Günther Hofmann, of the DSP (Germany) and Fr. Arlindo Pinto, general coordinator of the CLM, nominated by the General Council of the MCCJ.

From this work there emerged the necessity of deepening some concepts such, by way of example, the mission, the vocation and the identity of the CLM, the distinction between various types of  Comboni Lay Missioners and the formation of the CLM, and other topics tied to communication, organization and financial matters of the CLM. Special emphasis was given to the lifelong commitment of the CLM and on the need that they be available to go, leaving behind their geographic and cultural environment.

It was underlined also that there should be better communication between the local lay Africans and the lay people coming from other countries and continents and that the CLM should live, as much as possible, in international lay communities, aiming at financial self-sufficiency.

An African Continental Commission of CLM was been established, made up of five members who must meet at least every three years: two Comboni provincials, one for French-speaking Africa (Fr. Giovanni Zaffanelli) and another for English-speaking Africa (Fr. José Luis Rodríguez López); two African Lay people, one from Congo (Dido Likambo) and the other from Uganda (Otto Bartholomeo), and one non African lay person (Carlos Barros).

The next and more significant meeting of CLM will be the V Intercontinental Assembly that will take place in Maia, Portugal, on November 2-9, 2012.

The participants considered the meeting in a positive way and in particular they appreciated the organization, the hospitality and the active participation of all, Comboni Missionaries and lay people. It was observed that the objectives of the meeting were met, even though there lingers the feeling that the CLM vocation still has a long way to go, particularly in Africa. According to some Comboni Missionaries, the requirements expected in order to be a member of the CLM are excessive, and it would be better to lower the expectations, at least in this initial phase of consolidation on the African Continent.