Familia Comboniana 717 - March 2014

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

L’Osservatore Romano publishes the text of Fr. General’s letter

On Friday, 31 January, L’Osservatore Romano published large extracts from the letter “The Plan of Comboni”, by Fr. Enrique Sánchez G., Superior General, written on the occasion of the “150^th anniversary of the Plan for the regeneration of Africa by Daniel Comboni”.

This is not the first time for the Vatican newspaper to devote space to a letter of Fr. General. The article ends with one of the concluding paragraphs of the letter in which the Superior General invites each of us to formulate a personal plan “showing how the charism of Comboni is still relevant, alive and fruitful today. It is a plan that helps us grow in confidence and in the certainty that the Lord continues to work with us, preparing new times to make us again live the joy of the mission, despite our poverty and fragility”.

Meeting of Circumscription Superiors

The meeting opened on 9 February, 2014. During the opening Eucharist, the Superior General, Fr. Enrique Sánchez G., stressed that the missionary must be “salt and light” for the mission, two ways of being present in the world and also two aspects we must not forget in our missionary action. He prayed for Comboni missionaries working in war-torn areas, especially in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. He indicated, as a starting point, the fact that Our Lord declared openly to his disciples what he expects of them as well as the style and manner required to be authentic instruments and collaborators in building up the Kingdom of God.

The encounter ended on the morning of Saturday, 22 February, with the Mass of the liturgical feats of the Chair of St. Peter. Fr. Enrique emphasised in his homily that part of the letter of St. Peter (1Pt 5, 2-3) which reads: “Be shepherds of the flock of God that has been entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it”.

Priestly Ordinations

Holy redeemer Guild

March              01 – 07 CO          08 – 15 E                16 – 31 DSP

April                 01 – 15 CN          16 – 30 EC

Prayer intentions

March – That the intercession of St. Joseph and St. Daniel Comboni may obtain for us to grow strong in faith, hope and total self-giving to others to build up a more just and caring world. Lord hear us.

April – That both men and women Comboni Missionaries may live so deeply the encounter with the sufferings and resurrection of Christ, that they transmit the great joy of Easter to all. Lord hear us.

Publications

Fr. Giulio Albanese, Alle periferie del mondo. La testimonianza cristiana al passo di papa Francesco, Emi, Bologna 2014. “That which will evangelise will not be the attraction of works or promises of development and progress but the faith of the disciple at the side of the very lowest”. These are the words of Fr. Albanese to be found in the last pages of this book which investigates the meaning of the expression: “going out to existential peripheries” used by Pope Francis, “a gift of Divine Providence to the third millennium”.

BRASIL

Spiritual exercises

The members of the Brasil-Setor Amazônico and Sudeste gathered for the spiritual exercises at the Casa Recanto Betânia, San Paolo. The theme was “Comboni spirituality in the light of the Word of God, in the 10 years since the Canonisation and 150 since the formulation of the Plan of Comboni”. It was an important moment in the life of the new province, still engaged in drafting the Provincial Plan of Action.

Fr. Justino Martínez Pérez, who guided the retreat and helped the participants to find inspiration and indications for making a Plan according to the vocational perspective of the prophets and of Comboni.

Priestly ordination

On Saturday, 22 February, at the parish of St. Amelia, Curitiba (Paraná), Rafael Gemelli Vigolo, a Brazilian Comboni, was ordained to the priesthood by Mgr. Celso Antônio Marchiori, Bishop of Apucarana. The Combonis have been present in the region for 39 years and Rafael is the first priestly vocation and the first Comboni from these lands. The parish communities of St. Amelia and San Carlo Borromeo, Fr Rafael’s native parish, prepared everything thoroughly in order to make the day one of real thanksgiving to God. Fr. Alcides Costa, Provincial Superior, expressing the joy of all the Combonis, observed that the seed, sown in the past years through the work of mission promotion in the local Church, was now beginning to bear fruit.

Fr. Rafael will continue his missionary service at the community of Porto Velho, in Rondonia, and will also follow the pastoral work among the people living on the banks of the Rio Madeira.

COLOMBIA

Varia

The Delegation of Colombia has concretely shown “the joy of announcing the Gospel” by sending Fr. Jorge A. Benavides Orjuela to the community of Portovelho, in Brazilian Amazonia. He will exercise his apostolate in the Comboni-run parish and in the villages of the Indians along the banks of the rivers. Best wishes for this apostolate!

In January, Mgr. Eugenio Arellano Fernández, Bishop of Esmeraldas, preached the spiritual exercises, touching upon the essential points of our spirituality and Comboni apostolate.

The Assembly held in January approved continentality by a large majority and, at the same time, made an appeal that the process of amalgamation of the circumscriptions in the Andean region should be undertaken with courage.

CURIA

150th Anniversary of the Plan of Comboni

From 15 to 19 September, 2014, at the Generalate in Rome, a workshop will be held to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Plan of Comboni. Interventions will focus upon the question: “What are the Comboni answers to the urgent questions regarding mission today?”

APDESAM: annual meeting

The Circumscription superiors of Anglophone Africa and Mozambique (APDESAM) met for their annual meeting from 5 to 7 February, 2014. This year, the Assembly took place in Rome, a few days before the meeting of Circumscription superiors with the General administration.

“Throughout the three days of the meeting, there was ample opportunity for sharing and exchanging views on the various missionary situations within the African continent, especially in Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa and Mozambique where Comboni missionaries work”, reported Fr. Angelo Giorgetti, the present Provincial of Egypt and Sudan. As well as to the reports from those in charge of various sectors, and the planning of the next meetings, particular attention was paid to the situation in South Sudan, struck once again by a new wave of violence.

ERITREA

Fr. Tesfamariam Ghebrecristos Woldeghebriel has been appointed for two years as President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Eritrea. Congratulations.

ESPAÑA

XXVI Meeting on Anthropology and Mission

On 1 and 2 February 2014, at the provincial house in Madrid, the “XXVI Meeting on Anthropology and Mission” took place, an event which the magazine “Mundo Negro” holds every year. This year’s theme was “Refugees: voices for hope”. Africa is the continent with the largest number of refugees and Mundo Negro, always sensitive to everything that happens to men and women of Africa, could not ignore the issue.

At this XXVI Meeting there were speeches from Pablo Funes, responsible for the sector about Africa of the “Entreculturas ONG”, the Jesuit Refugee Service, and Ramón Arozarena, an expert on issues related to the area of the Great Lakes. There was also a round table attended by Beatriz García, an aid worker, José Naranjo, a freelance journalist, Nicole Ndongala, a woman who is a social mediator of the association Karibu based in Madrid, and Xaquin López, a journalist who deals with inquiries for TVE.

At the end of the meeting, the Fraternity Award 2013 was presented to Sister Angélique Namaika, an Augustinian religious of the Diocese of Dungu-Doruma (Democratic Republic of Congo), who started a Centre for the Reintegration and Development of Women and Children, victims of violence by rebels of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) led by Joseph Kony. Sister Angélique is a voice for hope who, late last year, received the prestigious Nansen Award, bestowed on her by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She has also been received by Pope Francis.

Mundo Negro granted her the award because “it is a symbol of the work that the Church carries out in one of the most conflict-torn areas on the African continent, in the midst of one of the groups – the refugees – often forgotten by the public”.

After the conclusion of the meeting, Sister Angélique visited the Comboni communities of Barcelona and Granada, where she also spoke about the work she does in Dungu.

ITALIA

In Limone but with the Congo and Africa in their hearts

A group of 25 confreres, who once worked in the Congo and are now in Italy, met at the house of the Founder, Limone, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Comboni presence in that African country. The invitation to meet in Limone was extended by the provincial council of the Congo to their Comboni confreres now in Italy for reasons of health, study or other services to the Institute.

The Jubilee Year began on 8 December, 2013, and will end on Sunday, 23 November, 2014, at Isiro, with a Mass at the parish of St. Anna, followed by a pilgrimage to Magambe to inaugurate a commemorative monument right at the spot where some confreres were killed in 1964.

“The slogan for this Jubilee Year – said Fr. Joseph Mumbere, Provincial Superior of the Congo, as he presented the situation of the Province – is 50 years of commitment and hope”.

The celebration in Limone was also attended by Daniele Armani, a grand-nephew of Fr. Remo Armani who was the first Superior of the first group in the Congo and the first to be killed on 24 November, 1964. Daniele, who has visited the places where his uncle worked, has written a thesis on his life and will himself be ordained priest in a matter of a few months.

Community initiatives for the 10^th anniversary of the canonisation

Trent has organised four meetings. On 21 February: round table with the participation of Prof. Gianpaolo Romanato and Fr. Venanzio Milani; 22 February: Eucharistic celebration at the Duomo presided over by the Bishop; 11 April: round table with Fr. Efrem Tresoldi and Sr. Paola Moggi; 23 May: a conference with Fr. Alex Zanotelli.

Cordenons, 6 March: round table at Pordenone with the participation of Prof. Gianpaolo Romanato and Fr. Venanzio Milani; 9 March: Eucharistic celebration at the Duomo presided over by the Bishop.

Palermo, 13 March: round table with the participation of JL. Touadi, Fr. Zanotelli and others.

For peace and disarmament

The association “Arena of Peace and Disarmament” has been established in preparation for the demonstration planned for 25 April, 2014.

Its President is Fr. Venanzio Milani and a further 15 associations and institutions are affiliated to it including: Fondazione Nigrizia, Combonifem, Istituto don Calabria, Mlal, Pax Christi, Emi, Movimento Nonviolento, Emmaus, Banca etica, Emergency, Libera, etc. It has been joined by more than 50 organisations and many public figures. The demonstration is open to all and will begin at the Arena at 11am and will end around 5pm. It is hoped that a large number of friends of the Comboni Missionaries will take part. Information is available from the Fondazione Nigrizia Onlus.

NAP

Land grabbing and global conflicts

On 7 February, 2014, Fr. Gian Paolo Pezzi, on behalf of VIVAT International, submitted to the UN’s 8^th Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals a statement on the theme: “Allowing land grabs to continue equals inviting global conflicts.” We report just two of its paragraphs.

“Research has shown that there are currently over 200 local conflicts taking place in Central and South America alone that have resulted from mining activities. Conflicts are happening in Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, and Ecuador just to name a few. Blood is being poured out day after day because of the ‘rush for land’ while land grabbing continues to take place on all continents, though at least 60% is believed to occur in Africa, where investment in land is hardly ever conflict-neutral. In the Horn of Africa there is potential for localized political grievances linked to land issues to turn into wider regional conflicts”.

“As a result, in many parts of the world land grabbing is already leading to social conflicts, massive internal displacement of people as well as loss of their cultural identity, systematic human rights violations, destruction of livelihoods, poverty, permanent environmental damage, pollution and loss of biodiversity. Indigenous people’s leaders, community leaders and human rights defenders who speak out on behalf of their communities affected by land grabs are frequently persecuted, are victims of torture, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and assassinations.”

PERÚ-CHILE

75 years of Comboni presence: celebrations concluded

The celebrations of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the arrival of the Comboni Missionaries in Peru and the continent America, were concluded at the Provincial Assembly held in January (14-17), 2014. The three pioneers who arrived at Pozuzo (Huánuco) in September, 1938, were Fr. Luis Ipfelkofer, Fr. Andrés Riedl and Fr. Miguel Wagner.

In an atmosphere of fraternity, almost all the members of the Province took part: confreres from 13 nations and four continents. This internationality shows that the dream of Comboni for a “Catholic” mission has, for the most part, become a reality. This is one of the many graces we experienced during this Jubilee Year.

The anniversary was also marked by the publication of two books by Fr. Romeo Ballan and others: the biography of “Taita Andrés”, with the subtitle “Dios habla por las fechas” (Madrid 2013), and “Sembradores de Esperanza. Setenta cinco años en Perú-Chile” (Lima 2013).

The main celebration took place in the parish of “Cristo Misionero del Padre” at Lima-Chorrillos, on 8 September, with a great crowd of friends and faithful. The Combonis prepared for this day with a retreat preached by Fr. Antonio Villarino, Assistant General. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by the Comboni Bishop Mgr. Jaime Rodríguez Salazar (Diocese of Huánuco), accompanied by other bishops and numerous Comboni missionaries.

The Provincial Assembly in January was a moment of thanksgiving and an authentic memorial gazing towards the future, with the “Joy of the Gospel” (Pope Francis), in view of the challenges of the new evangelisation and the process of the Total Common Fund. In his homily, the Provincial stressed the importance of starting with this anniversary to look to the future wit hope and to grow in identity and love for the Institute. We all spent the Assembly with hearts filled with gratitude to God for our differences but also for our riches. “For the European missionaries, it is now time to hand on the best spiritual heritage to the new generations of Comboni missionaries of America, Africa and Asia”.

RSA

Course for scholastics

From 27 to 31 January, in line with the requirements of the 2009 General Chapter, the second Course, organised by the Treasurer General for the formation of scholastics and brothers, was held at the International Scholasticate of Pietermaritzburg, in the region of Kwazulu-Natal, in South Africa.

The Course was led by Fr. Claudio Lurati, Treasurer general, Bro. Daniele Giusti, Assistant General, and Fr. Mariano Pérez, Provincial Treasurer. The Course was attended by ten scholastics and five community bursar confreres who took the opportunity to engage in a period of ongoing formation on the theme of the Total Common Fund.

SOUTH SUDAN

The war continues

The war continues in South Sudan, affecting one third of the country. Three States (Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei) have almost been totally wrecked under the violence of the two factions: the official SPLA army and the Nuer rebels. It seems that more than 10.000 people have already died for this internal conflict. There are an estimated 700 thousand people displaced inside South Sudan. Of these, aid agencies have managed to reach only about 300 thousand. Another 150 thousand people have fled to nearby countries. The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, declared the crisis in South Sudan to have reached level 3.

The power struggle between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his former vice president Riek Machar plunged the world’s newest state into crisis in mid-December. The international community dutifully mobilized to bring the warring parties to the negotiating table. Right now South Sudan seems to be sliding toward open civil war. While representatives from both sides are engaged in direct face-to-face talks in Addis Ababa, the two armies are carrying on their fight in Unity State and in the town of Malakal, capital city of Upper Nile State, which makes it difficult to be optimistic about the current peace talks. It is a pity that the previous agreements and the attempt to form a unity government have miserably failed. Furthermore, it is clear from previous experience that just there cannot be a military solution to this problem.

Confreres and Comboni Sisters are safely back

After more than two weeks of no communication from their escape from the mission of Leer to the bush, due to the fighting between the SPLA and the rebels of Machar, our five confreres (Fr. Yacob Solomon Shole, Bro. Nicola Bortoli, Fr. Raimundo N. Rocha dos Santos, Bro. Pierre Ayik Teko Fafa, Scholastic Ketema Dagne Tadesse) and four Comboni Sisters (Sr. Agata, Sr. Laura, Sr. Carmita, Sr. Lorena) have finally come back safely to the mission of Leer that was looted and partially destroyed, including the workshop. All of them have been evacuated to Juba for a good rest and recovery after this difficult experience.

Also Fr. Francis Chemello, the superior of the community, arrived safely in Juba from Ganylielm, after three months of bush and swamp life. He was in a different area of Unity State when the events took place at Leer. Even Fr. Michael Barton, who was in Leer alone and witnessed to all the looting and destruction of the missions, the violence of the people, of the rebels and of the SPLA soldiers, arrived safely to our community of Old Fangak, quite far from Leer, after an adventurous and dangerous journey.

Pastoral Letter and urgent appeal from the Bishops

A Pastoral Letter entitled “Let us re-found our nation on a new covenant” was written and released after the Plenary meeting of SCBC (Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference) held in Juba from 21 to 31 January 2014. This pastoral exhortation of the Bishops is addressed to the people of South Sudan, of Sudan and to all people of good will. “We meet at a time of crisis, perhaps one of the gravest situations we have ever faced. Our vision of a liberated nation in which all people will be equal and live in peace appears to have been shattered. You are your brothers’ and sisters’ keepers! In November 2010 and again in April 2011 we wrote: ‘South Sudan will never be the same again!’; in January 2014 we said: ‘South Sudan must never be the same again!’. Now there is no longer ‘business as usual’. Now is the time for our nation to rise from the ashes, but not to take up from where the old one left off. Now is the time for a new nation!”

In their long pastoral exhortation, the Bishops examined the difficulties and failures of the country and proposed some responses, a sign of mediation and tireless work of the Catholic Church for a peaceful and reconciled solution to the conflict. They also appealed to missionaries and religious Institutes not to abandoned the diocese of Malakal which has had all its parish communities and structures almost totally destroyed and the Church personnel dispersed.

UGANDA

Another Comboni bishop for Karamoja

Pope Francis has appointed a new bishop to the diocese of Moroto, Uganda, following the resignation of Mgr. Henry Apaloryamam Ssentongo, for reasons of age. The new bishop of this Ugandan diocese is to be the Comboni missionary Fr. Damiano Giulio Guzzetti.

He was born on 15 July, 1959, at Turate, in Milan Archdiocese and joined our novitiate in 1983; he made his first religious profession on 25 May, 1985, and took perpetual vows on 27 March, 1989. He studied philosophy in Uganda at Ggaba Major Seminary, Kampala (1986-1988), and theology in Kenya at Tangaza College, Nairobi (1988-1989). He was ordained priest on 23 September, 1989.

After his ordination, from 1989 to 1994, he worked in Italy in mission and vocations promotion. In 1994, he returned to Uganda where he was the first curate at Namalu and Naoi and the parish priest at Matany, in the diocese of Moroto. Member of the Provincial Council of Uganda Province for the triennium 2009-2014, he was also formator at the Postulancy as well as being bursar and teacher at the Queen of Apostles Philosophy Centre at Jinja. Congratulations.

Let us pray for our beloved dead

THE FATHER: Abraão, of Fr. Alberto de Oliveira Silva.

THE MOTHERS: Maria, of Fr. Eugenio Petrogalli (T); Ermenegilda, of Fr. Francesco Nascimbene (CO).

THE BROTHERS: Luigi, of Fr. Romualdo Anselmi (MO); António, of Bro. Matias Martins dos Santos (P).

THE COMBONI MISSIONARY SISTERS: Sr. M. Martina Meotti; Sr. Rosa Gaioni.