Familia Comboniana 721 - July-August 2014

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

25^th CONSULTA – 3-27 June 2014

GENERAL NOTES

1. Convocation of the XVIII General Chapter

During the June Consulta, the General Council worked on the preparation of the XVIII General Chapter. Among other things, it decided to send out the letter convoking the Chapter. Attached to the letter is the list of the personnel of each circumscription in order to start the process of electing the Chapter Delegates. In this process, the number of representatives of each circumscription was reviewed, making changes according to the present number of personnel in the provinces and delegations. The lists of the Electoral College for the election of Brothers were also brought up to date.

We cordially invite all the members of the Institute to live this time of preparation asking the help of the Spirit so that we may be able to discern and understand what the Lord wants of us for the good of the Institute and the mission.

2. Towards the XVIII General Chapter

It is expected that the next General Chapter will last from 29 August to 4 October, 2015, including the preparatory week.

The theme chosen is: “Comboni missionary disciples, called to live the joy of the Gospel in the world of today”. We hope it will become a theme of reflection and prayer so that we may prepare ourselves adequately, allowing the Spirit to work in our hearts and our minds.

During this Consulta, the General Council prepared a brief document to be sent to all the confreres. It is our desire that it may be a helpful tool to involve us in the Chapter preparation at this most important moment of our life as an Institute. It will be sent out to all the circumscriptions so that it may assist each and every confrere as well as the Provincial Councils as they prepare their reports for the Chapter. This document, besides a questionnaire, contains suggestions and indications.

3. Appointments

Fr. Stefano Giudici is appointed second formator of the Nairobi (KE) scholasticate as from 1.7.2014.

Fr. José Gabriel Martínez Torres is appointed novice master of the novitiate of Xochimilco (MEX) as from 1.7.2014.

Fr. Siro Stocchetti is appointed superior of the OGFC and of those participating in the OGF Courses as from 1.7.2014.

Fr. Claude Bernard Wakouzou is appointed Vice Delegate of Central Africa for the triennium 2014-2016.

4. Extraordinary Administration

According to the Rule of Life (170) and the General Financial Directory (20), every act of extraordinary administration, the monetary value of which exceeds the limits fixed by the Chapter, must first be authorised by the Superior General and his Council. In order to render this possible, the circumscription superior must request it formally and explicitly. It is not, therefore, sufficient to include a notification in the minutes of circumscription councils. Once permission has been granted and the act of administration carried out, it is necessary to inform the Superior General, through the General Financial Administration, of the outcome of the act carried out, and its results, so as to close the case file with the necessary documentation.

5. Letter of the GC on the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Plan

During this Consulta, a meeting was held with the General Council of the Comboni Sisters. We discussed the draft of a letter which, as it was decided in a previous meeting, will be sent to all the Comboni family. The letter aims at sharing a reflection on the Plan by the heads of the Comboni family. It is hoped that it will be sent out sometime in September, when we shall celebrate the 150th anniversary of the drafting of the Plan for the regeneration of Africa by St. Daniel Comboni.

6. Holy Redeemer Guild

We welcome the invitation of the General Financial Administration to remind all the members of the Institute of the value which the Holy Redeemer Guild has for all of us and for the mission. We therefore insert here a brief text that reminds us of how important the Guild already was in the time of St. Daniel Comboni and we invite all the circumscriptions to commit themselves to this Guild.

The Holy Redeemer Guild, praying for benefactors during Holy Mass, is a highly appreciated and effective practice originating with the Founder himself who called it the “Work of the Good Shepherd”. For various reasons it came to be called the Holy Redeemer Guild.

Today too, it is a common practice within the Institute at various levels. Some Provinces have a register with the names of the benefactors enrolled in the Guild. They are remembered in the manner established by the Provinces themselves. The community of the Curia has started keeping a register of the benefactors who enrol in the Guild and has defined the way in which they are prayed for.

At the level of the Institute, benefactors who join the Guild are remembered in a Mass celebrated daily in turn by provinces and delegations. The rota is published in Familia Comboniana.

7. Hospitality at the Generalate

Due to the numerous meetings and courses to be held in Rome at the Generalate in Via Lilio in September and October, 2014, it will not be possible to offer hospitality either to other confreres or their guests during these two months. If necessary, and in order to avoid disappointment, those concerned are kindly asked to contact previously the Superior of the house by telephone.

8. Ongoing Formation Courses in Rome

We wish to remind circumscription superiors to send the names of confreres participating in the January to May Renewal Course to Fr Siro Stocchetti; to date only a few applications have been made. We encourage the superiors to select carefully the confreres who are to take part in the Comboni Year, which will start after the Chapter in October, 2015. Their names are to be sent to Fr. Siro Stocchetti before the 1^st first of January, 2015, so that the March Consulta may examine and finalise the list of participants.

9. Commitments and Visits of the GC

Fr. Enrique Sánchez G.

7 July - 14 August: visit to Mexico (with a retreat and Assembly)

17-23 August: spiritual exercises (Tavernerio)

24 August - 14 September: visit to Mozambique

Fr. Alberto Pelucchi

21-24 July: meeting of European Provincials in Pesaro

27 July - 3 August: Youth Camp

12-16 August: retreat for the LCM

17-23 August: spiritual exercises (Tavernerio)

25 August - 7 September: holidays

Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse G.

2-13 July: to Kenya: meeting of Local Superiors and spiritual exercises

14-28 July: to Ethiopia

17-23 August: spiritual exercises (Tavernerio)

Fr. Antonio Villarino

9 July - 5 August: to Spain

17-23 August: spiritual exercises (Tavernerio)

Bro. Daniele Giusti

31 July - 12 August: to Malawi-Zambia

17-23 August: spiritual exercises (Tavernerio)

Eightieth Anniversary of Comboni Sisters’ Magazine

On the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of the Comboni Sisters’ magazine ‘Combonifem’, known until a few years ago as ‘Raggio’, the Superior General, Fr. Enrique Sánchez G., has sent them a message of appreciation and good wishes, part of which follows: “We thank God for all the good you have done for the mission by means of witness, the written word and the means of expression you offered to the many people you encounter in your missionary ministry of service to the poor and most abandoned.

Combonifem is not just a missionary magazine. It is, rather, a vocation that has become a magazine on the pages of which there are to be found extensive reports, well-documented articles, interesting interviews and up-to-date information. All of this has made of it a window through which to observe the missionary situation of our time. However, this would not have been enough to gain for it the place it holds among many magazines; what is unique to it is its commitment to give a voice to those who rarely, if ever, are heard in Europe and in many other parts of the world.

While congratulating you, I wish to take this opportunity to encourage you to continue in your mission, keeping before you the example of St. Daniel Comboni who, as a missionary of broad vision, did not hesitate to use the press of his day to bring his mission to the hearts of his contemporaries and knew well how to use this medium to raise up missionary vocations”.

Venerable Servant of God Maria Giuseppa Scandola

On 12 June, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, received in private audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, and authorised the Congregation to promulgate a number of Decrees, one of which concerned our sister Maria Giuseppa Scandola. The Vatican Press Office Bulletin reported: Decree on the “Heroic Virtues” of the Servant of God Maria Giuseppa Scandola (1849-1903), a professed Italian Sister of the Missionary Sisters Pie Madri della Nigrizia.

With this decree, our sister Sr. Maria Giuseppa Scandola becomes a “Venerable Servant of God”. This means that she may be proposed by us for the devotion and imitation of the faithful.

Praise be to God (Rome, 13 June, 2014 – Comboni Sisters).

First professions (34 newly-professed)

Perpetual professions

Ordinations to the priesthood

Holy Redeemer Guild

July                      01 – 15 KE             16 – 31 M

August                 01 – 15 MO            16 – 31 MZ

September           01 – 15 NAP           16 – 30 PCA

Prayer intentions

June – That, following the example of St. Daniel Comboni, we may keep our eyes fixed on the Crucified One, in order to assimilate the sentiments of his Heart and become witnesses of them through communion among ourselves, with the local Churches and with the poorest. Lord hear us.

July – That the love of Christ the Good Shepherd and the example of St. Daniel Comboni may make us ever more capable of working for peace, unity and reconciliation among all peoples. Lord hear us.

August – That, as they celebrate next month their General Assembly, the Secular Comboni Missionaries may receive with docility the gift of the Spirit for the renewal of persons and structures. Lord hear us.

Publications

Fr. Vittorio Moretto, Il celibato dei preti. Una sfida sempre aperta (The celibacy of priests. A perpetual challenge), VELAR publications, June 2014. This is a translation from the Spanish of the book – published in 2012 – Fr. Moretto, a Comboni missionary from the region of Venice and based in Mexico since 1998. It is a publication that “extremely involves the author and even more so those who read it and want to fully put into practice what it proposes” – says Cardinal José Saraiva Martins in his introduction to the book. In the preface Mgr. Corrado Pizziolo affirms: “This is a precious book. It ought to be read by many people. It is not a book for experts, even if the more substantial statements are taken from experts to place them at the service of ordinary people”.

CENTRAFRIQUE

Notre Dame de Fatima parish attacked

Since 5 December, 2013, the parish of Notre Dame de Fatima had been home to more than 5,000 displaced people (women, men, children and elderly) from the nearby quarters and other parts of Bangui.

Recently, the parish again experienced one of the most painful; weeks in its history. The story begins on the evening of Saturday, 24 May, when a boy of eleven was wounded in the right arm. It was first thought to have been just a matter of stray bullet but the child was only the first of many victims during that terrible week when that place of refuge for the displaced became, night and day, a veritable battleground.

The worst day of bloodshed was on 28 May. Shooting started at about three in the afternoon. At around four o’clock, the attackers broke in and started shooting indiscriminately. After half an hour of killings and terror, they left but not before capturing a number of people and loading them on trucks. They left seven people dead, one of which was a visiting priest, and about forty wounded. Soon after, the number of dead rose to fifteen. After an hour and a half, the International Forces arrived, provoking angry scenes by the people who felt they had been abandoned. Now the place is totally deserted but for the four missionaries of the parish and a few workers. Even the ambulances found it difficult to enter and the work of evacuating the wounded went on until seven in the evening.

COLOMBIA

Superiors of the circumscriptions of the Andean Region

The provincial superiors and their vice-superiors of the Andean region (Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia) gathered for the first time from 20 to 23 May, 2014, in Bogota, the capital of Colombia. The main aim of the meeting was to exchange experiences and ideas in order to strengthen ties of collaboration and communion among the circumscriptions in an atmosphere of brotherhood and openness to the signs of the times, so as to serve better the people of the Andes.

The superiors who took part were: Fr. Raffaello Savoia, Delegate of Colombia, with his Vice-Delegate, Fr. Daniele Zarantonello; Fr. Rafael González Ponce, Provincial of Ecuador, with his Vice-Provincial Fr. Félix Angel Cabascango Ulcuango; Fr. Luis Alberto Barrera Pacheco, Provincial of Peru-Chile.

DSP

Provincial Assembly

From 9 to 13 June, 2014, the confreres of the German Speaking Province (DSP) held their annual meeting at Ellwangen-Josefstal on the importance of the Plan of St. Daniel Comboni for today’s missionary activities.

The discussions during group work stressed the fact that the Plan was written in a quite different situation compared with today’s reality. Moreover, the usual edition of the Plan we speak of is actually the fourth edition. If Comboni himself had to update his Plan a few times, it certainly means that it has to be constantly updated, even in our time, maintaining of course, the features that are important, like the commitment of Comboni towards people, his heart open to the marginalized, his fight for human rights (particularly against the slavery of his time).

The provincial, Fr. Karl Peinhopf, gave a report concerning our communities and Fr. Gregor Schmidt reported on the situation in South Sudan and the enduring presence of the Comboni missionaries in spite of violence and war in the country.

ECUADOR

Ecuadorian missionary to the plains of Brazil

On the morning of Saturday, 14 June, in the city of El Carmen (Manabí), there was something special in the air. The young Combonian Orlando René Vera Coello was about to be ordained priest and to give his life to God for unconditional service to the people who would be entrusted to him. Easier said than done, we might say, since for Rene (known as Reno by his friends), it involved many years of effort, of pursuing a goal and, at times, of suffering, striving against economic difficulties and poor educational opportunities and the times when he felt like giving up; it meant trusting solely in the certainty of the call of Jesus manifested in the determined support of the missionary men and women who were his guides.

At the stroke of ten, the procession started with over 30 concelebrating priests representing the Archdiocese of Portoviejo and the Institute. It is good to note that most of the people present came from places where Rene grew up and where he exercised his evangelising apostolate before entering the seminary. Foremost were his parents Aparicio and Marcelita, filled with emotion and surrounded by a number of their children and grandchildren. There were also many people there from Guayaquil, a sign of the commitment of René as a deacon close to all the people.

Bishop Emeritus Mgr. Mario Ruíz was the first to arrive for the ceremony presided over by Archbishop Lorenzo Voltolini Esti, who personally supported Rene at the beginning of his missionary formation, encouraging him in times of difficulty.

Fr. Rene Vera was appointed to one of the Comboni missions in Brazil.

ESPAÑA

European meeting of Comboni under forties

From 28 April to 2 May, at the Comboni community of Granada, the annual European meeting of confreres under forties took place. Altogether, there were eight of them, working in the provinces of Europe: Fr. Roberto Turyamureeba (DSP), Fr. Théotime Parfait Akpako, Fr. Maciej Tomasz Miąsik, Fr. Krzysztof Adam Zębik (Poland), Fr. Celestino Seabra Invaha Namaneque (Italy), Bro. Roberto Misas Ríos, Bro. Francisco Carrasco López and Fr. Héctor Manuel Peña Sánchez (Spain).

It was a period of fraternal encounter and sharing, as well as an opportunity to get to know the situation of the new pastoral commitment in the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Granada), assumed by the Institute two years ago and where there is a high percentage of immigrants.

ETHIOPIA

Diaconate ordination

Scholastic Ketema Dagne Tadesse, a radical member of the province of Ethiopia, was assigned to the province of South Sudan two years ago for his missionary experience, after completing his scholasticate in Nairobi. Due to the sad events caused by the violence originated in South Sudan, which led to the closing of his mission of Old-Fangak, Ketema returned to our province. He joined again his fellow scholastic Endrias Shamena Keriba for a common celebration of the diaconate.

Endrias, who did his scholasticate in Pietermaritzburg, came to Ethiopia for his missionary service. He was assigned to the community of Gublak, the last of the communities to be opened in our province, among the Gumuz people, a typical environment of first evangelization.

The choice of Gublak was motivated by pastoral reasons as the parish could offer the young Christian community the opportunity to witness the character of service imprinted in the ministerial priesthood.

The ceremony was officiated in the Ethiopian rite by Abune Lisane-Christos Matteos, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa.

Priests and Religious of the zone joined the colourful and joyful celebration, while the youngsters of the parish concluded the day with a football match, the first of its kind in the area.

Credit for the success of this event goes to the members of the Comboni local community who tirelessly organized the hospitality to the many guests who spent a few days among them, including relatives of Ketema and Endrias who had to travel a long distance from their place of origin to this ‘remote’ part of the Country. The priestly ordinations are scheduled for November, 2014.

ITALIA

Class of 1964: 50 years of priesthood

They numbered 62, those Combonians ordained in 1964, 56 FSCJ and 6 MFSC: from Austria, Egypt, England, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Sudan.

Seventeen of them passed away, one of whom, Fr. Egidio Ferracin, was tragically martyred and fourteen left the Institute (two of these are still priests).

Therefore, 32 confreres are today living and active in the field of the mission. Of these, 25 gathered at Limone, Verona and Bressanone from 19 to 23 June. Some had never again seen each other since the day of their ordination.

They spent those interesting days speaking about the mission, going back to the sources and in thanking God, the Institute and many other people. These confreres, despite their aches and pains, do not consider themselves as retired pensioners but are ready, to a man, to leave once again “for the mission”.

The meeting culminated in a Eucharistic celebration on 22 June at the Votive Temple in Verona where as many as 54 of the 62 were ordained on 28 June, 1964, by Cardinal Agagianian, then Prefect of Propaganda Fide.

The Superior General, Fr. Enrique Sánchez G., presided over the Mass and we thank him sincerely for that. The provincial of Italy, Fr. Giovanni Munari, was also present. There was a warm welcome on the part of the diocesan priests of the parish, Fr. Carlo and Fr. Mario, and the people. The press, radio and TV of Verona amply covered the event. Our sincere thanks to the confreres of the communities that received us. Each of the 32 will celebrate the event also in their native parishes or in the mission. Ad multos annos.

LONDON PROVINCE

Assembly of Confreres working in the field of Mass Media

The Confreres responsible for our publications in Europe – Germany (DSP), Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal and the United Kingdom and Ireland (LP) – met for their annual Assembly from May 26 to 30 in London. The theme chosen for this year’s reflection was, “The New Evangelization and our Means of Social Communication” and was led by Bro. Enzo Biemmi, a Religious from the Institute of the Brothers of the Holy Family.

The Vicar-General, Fr. Alberto Pelucchi, the Provincial Superior of Portugal, Fr. José da Silva Vieira, the Provincial of the London Province, Fr. Martin James Devenish, and two Comboni Missionary Sisters, Sr. Elisa Kidane and Sr. Paola Moggi, representing the Italian magazine “Combonifem” also participated in the meeting. Unfortunately Fr. Jorge Oscar García Castillo, the General Secretary for Missionary Animation, was unable to be present for health reasons.

Apart from the reports on every publication, printed and on-line, by their respective Directors, Fr. Carmine Curci spoke briefly on his work with the Missionary News Agency, MISNA, and presented the evolution of the on-line web magazine in English, “SouthWorld”, a four years old initiative of the Provinces of Europe.

Fr. Pelucchi asked the participants to reflect as a group, in view of the forthcoming General Chapter in 2015, on three points: what relationship exists between our Media and Mission promotion; what vision of Mission do we communicate in our publications, and thirdly, what Kerygma do we announce, taking into consideration the social, economic, cultural and ecclesial reality of Europe today.

NAP

Spiritual exercises

The Comboni Missionaries of the North American Province (NAP) – the United States and Canada – are celebrating this year their seventy-five years of service in these two countries. The programme of celebrations includes spiritual exercises done together. For this reason, Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, Assistant General, was invited to preach the exercises which were carried out in two phases, one in Cincinnati (5-10 May) at the Jesuit Spirituality Centre, Milford, and the other at the Mater Dolorosa Passionist retreat centre in Los Angeles (19-23 May).

Fr. Tesfaye also had the opportunity to meet many confreres in their communities and to visit the centre for the formation of the Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM) at the community of La Grange Park, Chicago.

Award for Comboni Missions magazine

Every year the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada holds a national convention of all its members at which awards are given to different publications, divided into newspapers and magazines and further subdivided according to their field of interest.

Our Comboni Missions publication has been in the winners’ circle on and off for many years, the last time being in 2011. We are happy to report that this year once again we have been recognized with a 3rd Prize for General Excellence with the following motivation: “This magazine contains powerful images and excellent critical thinking. A must-read for those interested in diverse missions around the world.”

This year, Comboni Missions is making a special effort to publicize the missionary vision of Pope Francis, first because we believe in it, second because too many priests and bishops in the United States seem to be afraid to speak about it.

PORTUGAL

First religious vows

On 24 May, the five second-year novices – three Italians (Alessio Geraci, Mario Pellegrino and Stefano Trevisan) and two Mozambicans (Mponda João Mponda and Gribeti Juliasse Pofo) – took first vows at the Comboni novitiate of Santarem. The Eucharist was presided over by the Provincial of Italy, Fr. Giovanni Munari. Fr. Jerónimo Alberto Vieira da Costa represented the Provincial of Mozambique and received the vows of the Mozambican candidates.

About 200 people including Combonians, relatives, friends and neighbours of the community of Santarém attended. The Provincial of the DSP, Fr. Karl Peinhopf, in charge of formation at the European Provincials’ level, was also present.

To conclude the celebration, Fr. José Juan Valero Maciá, the Novice Master, read a brief message to the newly-professed, signed by Pope Francis.

Meeting

The first encounter of the Comboni Missionaries of the two Iberian circumscriptions of Spain and Portugal involved in evangelisation and missionary animation brought together 23 Combonians with experience in Africa and Latin America. The missionaries, representing ten communities from throughout the two countries, met from 6 to 8 June at the hospitality and spirituality house of the Claretians, at Fatima Shrine, to get to know one another and share thoughts on their activities from the point of view of action and a common mission in this part of Europe.

The missionaries prayed the Via Crucis of Comboni and the mission along the streets of Fatima and participated at the official Eucharist in the Chapel of the Apparitions, thus giving witness of their mission. They also visited the European Novitiate of Santarem and ended their meeting by celebrating the feast of Pentecost in the Shrine of Fatima.

The next encounter was scheduled for June, 2015, in Spain.

Honour conferred on Comboni Missionary

Bro. José Manuel Salvador Duarte, a Portuguese Combonian, was honoured – together with some Portuguese communities and foreign citizens – with the grade of Commander of the Order of Merit by the President of the Republic of Portugal, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, on the occasion of “Dia do Portugal” (Portugal Day), on 10 June.

Bro. José Manuel, after the period of formation at Bogotà, Colombia, from 1995 to 1998, worked for five years in Portugal and then returned to Colombia in 2002. He lived in the Comboni communities of San José, Aguas Chicas and Bogota. At present he is formator of the Colombian candidates at Medellín. He is one of the founders of the Portuguese House in Colombia and has worked in the outskirts of Bogotà, where he was even threatened by armed groups. He is the soul of a group of volunteers who assist 180 prisoners, 300 homeless and 3500 families displaced due to the FARC conflict in Medellín, the second largest city of Colombia, giving them spiritual and medical help.

It was for these reasons that the Portuguese President conferred the honour on Bro. José Manuel.

Weekend on Comboni spirituality

The Province organised another weekend on Comboni spirituality, 20-22 June, at the house of the Maia community, this time on the theme “Christ liberates for the mission”, tackling the problem of slavery at the time of St. Daniel Comboni and the modern forms of slavery. The meeting was attended by about forty Comboni Fathers, Brothers and Sisters, Seculars, Lay Comboni Missionaries and other lay people connected to Comboni communities.

On the first day, Fr. Francisco José de Sousa Machado and the catechist and psychologist Liliane Mendonça, dealt with the theme of slavery and liberation in the Bible while Fr. António Carlos Simões Ferreira spoke about Comboni who, as a missionary in Sudan, strongly condemned the slavery of black people, doing everything in his power to free them.

On Sunday there was a round table discussion. Fr. José da Silva Vieira, the Provincial, who worked with the network of Catholic radio stations in South Sudan from 2006 to 2013 and who personally experienced the transition to independence in 2011, spoke of the various forms of abuse of women in South Sudan.

Bro. Manuel Carmo, Director of CEPAC (Father Alves Correia Centre), introduced the institution, founded in Lisbon by the Spiritan Missionaries, to offer medical, psychological, psychiatric, juridical and pedagogical assistance to undocumented immigrants.

Sr. María del Carmen López y Galán, a Comboni Sister, spoke of her experience as a member of the Commission of Support for Victims of Human Trafficking (CAVITP), a group of religious who seek to raise awareness of the problem among religious and in the Church.

First CD of Missio Band

After four years of concerts, the Missio Band has launched its first CD of original music. ConTigo consists of 13 pieces composed by Combonian Fr. Leonel Claro, who founded the group at Maia in May, 2009, as a means of vocations ministry among the youth.

A successful concert launching the CD was held in the Oporto House of Music. The CD is published by Salesian Publications.

The Missio Band is made up of seven musicians and has already made 50 performances in diocesan and parish youth scenes, including concerts of prayer and fund-raising.

SOUTH AFRICA

Ninety years of Comboni presence

To celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Plan of Comboni and ninety years of our presence in South Africa, the Province organised a retreat directed by Fr. David Glenday and two conferences on the Plan of our Founder. The retreat, from 8 to 13 June, was held at Maria Trost where the Comboni presence began in 1924. Many confreres who worked in South Africa during these years lie buried in the cemetery of this mission. The retreat, focussing on the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, and on the Plan of Comboni, was attended by 23 confreres.

The two conferences – one in Johannesburg on 7 June and the other in Pretoria on 14 June – were open to priests, religious and friends of the Comboni Missionaries. There were not very many participants but they were all very well-motivated. Comboni and his Plan is becoming increasingly part of the life of the Church in South Africa, filling people with the desire to become involved in evangelisation.

Like Comboni, we see “a bright future” for the Church and society in South Africa. We are convinced that the master route for a more meaningful missionary Church is one that has its roots in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and our Founder. This is the way – to use the words of Pope Francis – to become “missionary disciples”.

SOUTH SUDAN

The situation improves

After five months of war, a peace agreement was signed on 9 May, 2014. There are now fewer clashes and the country is on the way to a complete cease-fire.

Fr. Daniele Moschetti, the provincial, and Bro. Nicola Bortoli, visited the mission of Leer (16-18 June) to assess the situation and to see if it could be re-opened. The house of the missionaries, one of the few still standing, though partly destroyed, had been occupied by catechists and their families as well as UN workers and other humanitarian organisations. The school, youth centre and the catechetical centre had been taken over by families that lost their homes due to the war. To date, the area has been free of conflict and people are returning to the city.

The Comboni community is organising aid for the stricken families. A Brother will stay until mid-July and it is hoped the mission may be reopened within six months.

When the Provincial came to visit, the population of Leer expressed its appreciation for the presence of the missionaries and the hope that they would soon return to the area.

TCHAD

Silver Jubilee of the Diocese of Doba and its first Pastor

On 21 May, 1989, Mgr. Michele Russo, MCCJ, was consecrated Bishop of Doba and became the first pastor of the diocese which, throughout the years, he organised in all its dimensions. This year, from 21 to 25 May, there was a gathering to celebrate 25 years of history, reflecting on the theme “Signs of hope and challenges in our Church, the Family of God”.

Sunday, 25 May, was the day of the great Eucharistic celebration: all the dioceses of Chad were represented by their bishops, priests, men and women religious and a multitude of the faithful. On the previous 30 January the Holy See had accepted the resignation of Mgr. Michele Russo and, from that moment, Mgr. Miguel Angel Sebastián Martínez, also a Combonian and the present Bishop of Lai, became the Apostolic Administrator.

TOGO-GHANA-BENIN

Perpetual vows and ordination to diaconate

There was a great feast at Fidjirossé (Cotonou) on the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity: two young Comboni students, Léopold Adanle and Raoul Sohouénou, made their perpetual profession in a church packed with young people and faithful of the parish of St. Francis of Assisi and in the presence of their family members.

In his homily, the provincial superior, Fr. Girolamo Miante, stressed what Pope John Paul II wrote in his apostolic exhortation “Vita Consecrata”: the consecrated one is called to be a flash of the Trinity. This image suggests another in the Comboni tradition: St. Daniele Comboni wanted every missionary to be a ray of light to light up the joy of the Gospel in humanity.

This celebration is part of the Silver Jubilee of the Combonian parish of Cotonou. Twenty five years have passed since the arrival of the first three Comboni Missionaries in the parish of St. Francis of Assisi: Fr. Gaetano Montresor, Fr. Cesare Pegoraro and Bro. Alfio Guzzardi who has passed away. The main Jubilee celebration will take place on 30 November next. The community is preparing for it with a journey of renewed faith, enriched by a plenary indulgence granted by the Holy See to all the faithful of the parish.

All this is within the Golden Jubilee of the Province to help continue our living out of the charism of Comboni in the three countries where we are present. The precious fruits of this are to be seen in the 85 confreres of the Province: Togolese, Beninese, Ghanaians.

On Wednesday, 18 June, 2014, Raoul and Léopold were ordained deacons in Ouidah, at the Grand Séminaire St. Gall, which is celebrating its centenary, at the hands of Mgr. Antoine Sabi Bio, the new Bishop Natitingou (Benin).

UGANDA

Episcopal consecration

On Saturday 24 May, 2014, Mgr. Damiano Giulio Guzzetti, mccj, was consecrated Bishop of the Ugandan diocese of Moroto, in Karamoja. Mgr. Guzzetti is the fourth bishop of the diocese since its erection in 1967. His predecessors were Mgr. Sisto Mazzoldi mccj, Mgr. Paul Kalanda and Mgr. Henry Ssentongo.

The ordination, presided over by the Metropolitan of Totoro, Archbishop Emmanuel Obbo, with the Apostolic Nunzio Mgr. Michael Blum and the outgoing Bishop Mgr. Ssentongo co-ordaining, was attended by 20 bishops from all over Uganda, among whom were two Combonians, Mgr. Giuseppe Filippi and Mgr. Giuseppe Franzelli, the Assistant General Bro. Daniele Giusti and a great rejoicing congregation, among whom were many confreres and Sisters from Uganda and Kenya.

Mgr. Guzzetti, a native of Turate (Milan), studied theology at the Comboni scholasticates of Kampala and Nairobi from 1986 to 1989. After a period of apostolate in Italy, he worked as a missionary in Karamoja from 1994 to 2009. From 2008 to last year, 2013, he was formator at the postulancy of Jinja, Uganda. He had just begun to serve in the community of Venegono when the unexpected news came of his appointment as Bishop of Moroto.

Let us pray for our beloved dead

THE FATHER: Josef, of Bro. Tremmel Konrad (U).

THE MOTHER: Mariana, of Fr. Aldo Pusterla (EC).

THE BROTHERS: Ricardo, of Bro. Santos de la Cruz González (M), Antonio of Fr. Mansueto Dal Maso (BR), Remo, of Fr. Fiorenzo Felicetti (I); Lyndel, of the Sc. Daniel Babley (CN).

THE SISTERS: Hodewa Bernadette, of Fr. Pierre Latevi (CN); Sr Oliva, of Fr. Elio (CN) and Fr. Lorenzo (CN) Farronato.

THE COMBONI MISSIONARY SISTERS: Sr. M. Simonetta Martignoni; Sr. Irene Feliza Quiñonez Estacio; Sr. M. Nazzarena Zecchini.