Familia Comboniana 743 - July-August 2016

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

GENERAL NOTES

Consulta of June 2016

1. Appointments

The GC appoints Fr. Tesfaghiorghis Hailè Berhane, as father master at the novitiate of Asmara (ER) as from 1.7.2016.

The GC appoints Fr. Víctor Manuel Tavares Dias, as father master at the novitiate of Santarém (P) as from 1.7.2016.

2. Animated Comboni Video

The translation into various languages of an animated video on the life of Comboni is now complete. It is a valuable means of missionary animation and pastoral youth ministry and lends itself to the development of various dynamics. The video is on the Spanish Aguiluchos’ YouTube (aguiluchos.net) and the Latin American version can be found on Vimeo di Vida Misionera, Ecuador, video channel (vimeo.com/vidamisionera). These are the other addresses and languages available:

Portuguese:       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMa7y4sz39g

Italian:                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ifKixcQxI4

German:            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQQ0dRtvCyE

English:              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NecPJHEEz_Q

Spanish (Spain): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJnSMRPn1UI

Latin American Spanish:  https://vimeo.com/161674233

Those who wish to produce translations in other languages may contact the archives of Mundo Negro, Spain.

3. Consulta in August

To foster a moment of reflection and to accompany better the process of elections in the circumscriptions, the GC has decided to hold a consulta from 16 to 20 August of this year.

4. Events in 2017

4.1. Assembly of all circumscription superiors (provincials and delegates) with the GA will be held in Rome in February, 2017: 5 (arrival) – 25 (departure). Details of the programme of the meeting will be sent out next October. During this Assembly, the continental groups will have an opportunity to meet the GC and the members of the GA.

4.2. The Celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Institute (founded on 1 June, 1867) will take place from 1 January to 31 December 2017, and will be inaugurated with a letter from the GC. It will include a symposium on the mission from 25 May to 2 June, 2017, for the entire Comboni Family (with the participation of the circumscriptions), to which all the General Superiors Emeriti will be invited, and a concluding celebration in Rome. An ad hoc committee will be appointed in October to prepare the programme. The theme will be developed throughout the year with inserts in Familia Comboniana. The GC invites the circumscriptions to plan for local celebrations during 2017.

5. Document: “Identity and Mission of the religious Brother in the Church”

In October 2015, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life published the document “Identity and Mission of the religious Brother in the Church”, which underlines the value and relevance today of this vocation that places at its centre fraternity as a gift received, shared and handed on. The reflection group “All Brothers”, made up of Brothers working at the Curias of their respective Institutes in Rome, has produced printed material for the reading of the document as well as a series of dynamics and prayers to study it and make it known.

6. Amalgamation of the General Secretariats into the Mission Secretariat (EV, MP, JPIC and CLM) and the Secretariat for Formation (BF, OGF)

The decision to amalgamate the Secretariats was determined by the General Chapter, 2015 (CA ’15 nos. 64-65). The new General Secretariats of the mission and formation will serve as instruments of sharing, discernment and dialogue among the confreres involved in the various missionary situations in the case of the Secretariat for Mission and in the formation courses in the case of the Secretariat for Formation. At the circumscription level, the GA believes that, in the one Secretariat, there is ample room for the contextualisation of missionary and formation experiences. The GC will later provide more precise indications.

7. Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Generalate

On 3 June last, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart, the Patronal Feast of the Institute, the community of the Curia, together with neighbours, friends and benefactors and in the presence of the Bishop of the area in Rome, celebrated the fifty years of the Generalate. The celebration recalled the fifty years of service to the Institute and the mission of the General Administration in a spirit of gratitude towards all the confreres, living and dead, who served with so much dedication in the various offices of the Curia.

The formative dimension of the House was also remembered. We thanked the Lord for all the formative work carried out in this House:

1 – The Scholasticate that was based here for forty years, from its opening until 2006 when it was transferred to Naples. Around 300 scholastics, with the vitality of their years, spent the final stage of their preparation for the priesthood in this House.

2 – The Comboni renewal Course which, with its 46 editions, welcomed as many as 1,108 confreres for this Sabbatical period. It was first called the “Perfecting Course”, later the “Aggiornamento Course” and finally the “Renewal Course”.

3 – The community of confrere students who did further academic studies in preparation for more qualified service to the mission.

4 - Since 2010, the House has also been the Centre for Ongoing Formation of the Institute where the Comboni Year and the Course for Elderly Confreres have been held.

5 – Besides these, we may add the General Chapters, courses, meetings and other formative activities that took place in this House in the fifty years since it was opened.

8. Next edition of the Comboni Renewal Course

The next edition of the Comboni Renewal Course is scheduled to begin on 4 January and end on 31 May 2017. It is open to confreres between 50 and 70 years of age.

Those wishing to take part, having received the approval of their circumscription superior, may contact the Course coordinator, Fr. Siro Stocchetti, by email: siro.stocchetti@gmail.com for further information.

9. Results of the straw ballots for the election of the Circumscription Superiors

The GC has received and analysed the results of the straw ballots carried out in the circumscriptions and encourages the confreres to participate in the elections with a spirit of belonging and to accompany with their prayers the entire process of the elections.

The GC reminds us that there must be sufficient time for personal and community discernment between the straw ballots and the elections.

10. Provincial Financial reports

In a meeting held last May, the Council for Finance studied the reports from the provinces. Most of the circumscriptions ended the year with a profit, while eleven provinces ended with a deficit. For some it is a multi-year trend that deserves due consideration. Yet not all the reports were in the original and with the appropriate signatures. In some cases it was raised some concern for the lack of continuity in the closing and opening balances with the previous year's reports. Only half of the reports were accompanied by explanatory notes which are sometimes necessary for understanding the figures. These and other indications suggest that not everywhere the secretariats and the audit have been effective.

The GC expresses its concern and invites the circumscriptions to follow the instructions and suggestions of the General Secretariat for Finance.

11. Ecuador: solidarity with the earthquake victims

Last April 16, a massive earthquake struck Ecuador, causing hundreds of deaths and leaving thousands of people homeless. The GC requested contributions on behalf of the victims and the General Economate made itself available to assist those circumscriptions wishing to do so to make a concrete gesture of solidarity with the people affected by the disaster.

The Conference of Religious, in coordination with Caritas, Jesuits and other organisations, has organised some important interventions on behalf of the victims to which the GC, the Comboni Provinces and their benefactors have contributed the sum of € 164.750.

The GC thanks all the circumscriptions for their spirit of solidarity.

12. Journeys and Commitments of the GC Members

Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse

1 – 24 July:                 in Rome

24 July – 14 August:   in Paris to study French

16 – 20 August:           Consulta in Roma

22 – 28 August:           Spiritual exercises in Pesaro

1 – 30 September:      visit to the Province of Italy with Fr. Ciuciulla

30 September:          in Limone for the closure of the Sisters’ Chapter

Fr. Jeremias dos Santos Martins

24 – 28 June:              in Poland

3 July – 1 August:     visit to the Provinces of Mexico and Mozambique

16 – 20 August:           Consulta in Roma

22 – 28 August:           Spiritual exercises in Pesaro

12 – 30 September:    visit to South Sudan

Fr. Rogelio Bustos Juárez

30 June – 30 July:       in London to study English

30 July – 13 August:   in Lima for spiritual exercises

16 – 20 August:           Consulta in Roma

22 – 28 August:           Spiritual exercises in Pesaro

31 August – 28 Sept.: in London to study English

30 September:        in Limone for the closure of the Sisters’ Chapter

Fr. Pietro Ciuciulla

2 – 15 July:                 Spiritual exercises in Kenya

18 July – 7 August:     in Sicily

16 – 20 August:           Consulta in Roma

22 – 28 August:           spiritual exercises in Pesaro

29 August – 30 Sept.: visit to the Province of Italy with Fr. Tesfaye

30 September:        in Limone for the closure of the Sisters’ Chapter

Bro. Alberto Lamana Cónsola

24 – 28 July:               in Poland

29 June – 7 July:         in Spain for the Provincial Assembly

8 – 17 July                  in Rome

18 – 22 July:               in Verona for a communications meeting

16 – 20 August:           Consulta in Roma

22 – 28 August:           Spiritual exercises in Pesaro

30 Aug. – 10 Sept.:     in Nairobi CIF

30 September:          in Limone for the closure of the Sisters’ Chapter

Perpetual professions

Sc. Chola Ben (MZ)	Namugongo (UG)	30.04.2016
Bro. Basinski Tomasz (PO-C)	Strzyzewo Koscielne (PL)	26.06.2016

Priestly ordinations

Fr. Mabuluki Bakwa Nickel (CN)	Kinshasa (RDC)	05.06.2016
Fr. Fene-Fene Santime Augustin (CN)	Kinshasa (RDC)	05.06.2016

Holy Redeemer Guild

July                  01 – 15 KE           16 – 31 M

August             01 – 15 MO          16 – 31 MZ

Prayer intentions

July – That, in serving the poorest, we may be able to join together with all people of good will and create around us networks of solidarity Lord, hear us.

August – That the Lord may make us instruments of his preference for the poorest by means of the daily practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Lord, hear us.

Publications

Enjeu de Dieu et les défis africains, Fugain Dreyfus Endjegandeyo Yepoussa, ed. L’Harmattan, Paris 2016. A young Comboni scholastic from Central Africa makes a critical evaluation of the thoughts of Jean-Marc Ela, the Cameroonian theologian whose theology is decidedly practical and African – “theology made under a tree” –, to restate the urgency of assisting African Christians to discover the true face of God.

Nuer. Folktales, Proverbs and Riddles, Fr. Christian Carlassare et al. Paulines Publications Africa, Nairobi 2016. Written in collaboration with the local population, the book, moving in the furrow of inculturation, is an attempt at preserving the riches of a culture that is disappearing.

A missionary experience in a context of war, Fr. Francesco Chemello, Fondazione Nigrizia Onlus 2016. This is the English version of the book already published in Italian in 2015. It is “a historical account of an extremely meaningful experience of a group of Comboni Missionaries in the so-called ‘liberated zones’ of Sudan”, as Fr. Venanzio Milani writes in the preface.

An amazing story, Fr. Fernando GatKuoth Gonzalez G., Fondazione Nigrizia Onlus 2016, is the extraordinary story of the beginnings of evangelisation and the Catholic Church in the rural areas of the land of the Nuer.

Comment former les prêtres et religieux ouest africains à vivre authentiquement le conseil évangélique de chasteté, Fr. Eugène Yao Djodjo Nordjoe, Roma 2016. This is a thesis for a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology, specialising in Vocational Formation, defended by Fr. Eugène at the St. Peter Claver Centre for Formators for Priestly and Consecrated Life of the Pontifical Gregorian University.

CONGO

Meeting of circumscription superiors of Francophone Africa

The provincial superiors and delegates of Francophone Africa met from 24–29 May at Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The main reasons for the meeting: to share the post-capitular journey of the Comboni circumscriptions in view of the preparation of the new six-year plans; to take stock of the situation of the Afriquespoir Centre (CAE); the approval of the Charter of the Centre. The missionaries approved the Charter for mission promotion in Francophone Africa and the conclusions of the assembly for mission promotion held last January in Chad. The meeting made it possible to focus on certain common priorities for the next six years which will be included in the continental plan, soon to be prepared.

The last day was spent at the scholasticate in Kintambo, in Kinshasa, where they met the community and the scholastics of the francophone circumscriptions in an atmosphere of brotherhood and sharing.

CURIA

Meeting of the Financial Council

From 24-27 May, the Council for Finance met at the Generalate in Rome. The continental representatives, technical councillors and the members of the General Economate took part. The main purpose of the meeting was to examine the financial reports of the circumscriptions and General Administration. The themes discussed during the four-day meeting were: the application of the General Chapter, the Statutes of the General Administration Funds, guidelines for the review of the accounts, reserve funds and formation courses of treasurers.

Two members of the Council were appointed recently by the GC: Fr. Paolo Latorre, Provincial Bursar of Kenya, and Bro. Guillermo Casas, Administrator of the Centre for OGF, Rome.

The next meeting was fixed for November 22-24, 2016.

Fiftieth anniversary of the Generalate

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the General House in Rome in Via Luigi Lilio. It was celebrated coinciding with the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom the Comboni Institute is consecrated. To prepare for it, a triduum of prayer was arranged by Fr. David Glenday on the theme: “The house well built (Lk 6,48): the house of the Lord, our house.”

For the event, on June 3, the three communities of the Curia invited the auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Rome, Mgr. Paul Loiudice, who presided at the Eucharistic celebration, the scholastics of Casavatore (Naples) and our friends in Rome. The missionaries recalled people and past events, thanked the Lord for His presence and His protection and renewed the bonds of friendship with the people who accompanied them in their missionary service to the Church. The beautiful day of celebration ended with a reception in which everyone participated.

In memory of these fifty years, 1966-2016, a small photo exhibition was prepared, with a presentation booklet that was distributed to those present.

At the end of the Mass, Fr. Jeremias dos Santos Martins, Vicar General, on behalf of the General Council and the Curia communities, thanked everyone for their participation, in particular the bishop, the Comboni Sisters who for many years were a welcome presence in the House, the Provincial of Italy and all the missionaries of the Italian Province, the house employees and the scholastics of Casavatore, who also animated the liturgy.

DSP

Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM)

The CLM of the German Province were started three years ago and comprise three groups. The first, the central group, is at present composed of seven members who meet three times a year and work together on various projects and activities of the Comboni Family. Two members of the group, Barbara Ludewig and Brigitte Kreiter, keep in touch with the international central committee, communicate with the CLM of the Province and organise the meetings. Their Comboni reference person is Bro. Friedbert Tremmel. The second group is a supporting group and takes part in the various activities of the CLM in the Province while the third group, with around twenty members, concerns itself with the various projects of the CLM and provides assistance.

CLM activity camps

The German CLM carry out their activities especially in marginalised situations. Besides supporting the projects of the Comboni Family, they keep in touch with the CLM in other Comboni provinces and do mission promotion in the local Church and parishes. The regular meetings throughout the year in the various Comboni communities help them to learn from one another, to share ideas and keep in step with the MCCJ priorities. Their work is appreciated by the Province and their cooperation during the “Katholikentag in Leipzig” reinforced missionary cooperation.

100^th “Katholikentag”

The 100^th Katholikentag (“Day for Catholics”) was held in Leipzig (Germany) at the end of May. The theme of the day was “Look, here is the man”. Leipzig, the city chosen for the day, is in eastern Germany where 80% of the population have not been baptised and Catholics are only 4% of the population.

This biennial meeting is always a remarkable event, unique on the stage of the universal Church. As we know, Comboni himself took part in the day for Catholics at Mainz, in 1868.

For four days, thousands of Catholics from all the dioceses of Germany gather, together with members of religious communities and Catholic associations and organisations such as Misereor, Adveniat, Missio, Renovabis, Opera of St. Boniface, Caritas, etc. There is ample space for conversations, praying together and the exchange of ideas and opinions on a great number of ecclesial and social themes. Representatives of the world of politics and the Evangelical Church come to seek dialogue with the Catholic Church.

Our Province was also represented with its own stand. Two confreres and some CLM made themselves available for dialogue with the many curious people who visited the stand. The “Day for Catholics” is a golden opportunity for missionary animation in the Europe of today.

Nuremberg Provincial House

The provincial seat of the DSP was transferred in 2013 to Nuremberg and the Bamberg house was sold. In spite of this, letters, magazines, requests and other material is still coming to the old address. Please use only the Nuremberg address: Comboni-Missionare – Scharrerstrasse 32 – D-90478 Nürnberg – Germany.

ITALIA

Some events

Fr. Alex Zanotelli has been honoured with the award “Trentino of the Year 2016”, on 18 June, at the Castello del Buonconsiglio in Trent. This recognition was accorded to him by the cultural group and the historical publication “Uomo-Città-Territorio” for his life spent fighting alongside those of least account, in defence of the weakest, of “water as a common good”, of justice and the protection of creation as well as care for immigrants. Fr. Alex dedicated the prize to the commissions working for “water as a common good” in the province of Trent and to the No TavBrennero. Congratulations.

On 19 June, the people of St. Gaul (BG) unveiled a plaque in honour of Bro. Santo Bonzi on the 90th anniversary of his birth, “For his great commitment to missionary activity and human promotion”. The plaque was placed in the porch at the front door of the church where there is already a small monument in memory of Fr. Antonio Zuccali, martyred in the Congo. The event was well attended and was enlivened by the parish priest, Fr. Giovanbattista. Fr. Venanzio Milani, who knew Bro. Santo very well, presided at the Eucharist.

The IX edition of “Oh, what a summer!”, is due to take place in Verona from 22-24 July, organised by the Nigrizia Foundation, with the participation of a number of African communities. It is planned to have concerts by the “Original perdido jazz band” and by “Dove comincia il mondo” by Fabrizio Colombo, the screening of two films, Luoghi comuni, by Angelo Loy and Difret, by Zeresenay Mehari, sponsored by Angelina Jolie, with live music and dance by DJ Ducmarco and 9ditroppo.

MOÇAMBIQUE

Fifty years in Chitima

On Sunday, 19 June, the fiftieth anniversary of the Comboni presence in Chitima, in Tete diocese, and the foundation of the parish of Saint John XXIII, was celebrated. Among those present were Msgr. Inácio Isaure, Bishop of the Diocese, Fr. José Luis Rodríguez López, provincial superior, a number of Comboni Missionaries from other communities, diocesan priests as well as men and women religious from other Institutes.

Msgr. Isaure thanked the Comboni Missionaries for their presence and for their work during the past fifty years and encouraged them to continue to collaborate with the local Church, by means of prophetic missionary pastoral work. For his part, Fr. José Luis thanked God for the work done by the confreres who passed through this mission, some of whom have already returned to the house of the Father, and for those who were present at the occasion, determined to give their lives for the mission. He also took the opportunity to thank the local Church for their welcome and for their confidence as well as the people of Chitima for the support they gave to the missionaries. He asked pardon for the errors and failings of the missionaries.

One important point in the celebration was when Fr. José Luis Vale Insua read out the names of all the Comboni Missionaries who served in Chitima during the past fifty years.

PORTUGAL

New CD by Banda Missio

Banda Missio launched their second CD during a concert in the Casa das Artes at Vila Nova de Famalicão, on 8 June, last. More than 250 people attended the concert which, according to the participants, was a success, a genuine celebration offered by the Banda.

O Sonho de Deus (Dream of God) CD has 13 songs by the Comboni singer-composer Fr. Leonel Rodrigues Claro who, eight years ago, founded the pop/rock band to play Christianity-inspired music to unite mission and youth in youth vocations ministry.

Fr. Leonel explained that ConTigo, the first CD which also had 13 songs, came out in 2014. It was more vocational as it emphasised one’s close relationship with God. The second CD, more in the rock style, explores the idea of departure, of relations with humanity. “We are intermediates and builders of the dream of God for humanity”, he said.

Fr. Leonel Claro will shortly return to Chad but thinks that Banda Missio is quite capable of continuing to perform concerts, including those about prayer.

With Comboni – Missionaries of Mercy

About fifty people – including lay people connected with the four branches of the Comboni family, as well as Comboni Sisters and confreres – took part in a weekend of Comboni spirituality for lay people on the theme “With Comboni – Missionaries of Mercy”. Maia seminary hosted the event in the period 17-19 June.

The participants reflected on “Mercy in Scripture and the magisterium and on Comboni and his mercy as challenges to mission”, assisted by the use of a display showing concrete experiences of mercy in hospitals, in prisons and among the poor.

TOGO-GHANA-BENIN

A day with family members, perpetual professions and ordinations to the diaconate

On 29 May, at the provincial house of Lomé, the Family Day for relatives of Togolese Combonians was held. More than 100 people took part, as they faithfully do each year to renew friendships and their sharing in the missionary vocation. The presence of some confreres on holiday from their missions, Fr. Boris Ketemepi (Sud Sudan), Fr. Donatien Atitse (Ethiopia) and the scholastic Théophile Atti (Nairobi), enriched the encounter with personal and concrete testimonies. The Eucharist, with Fr. Boris presiding, made everyone feel united in prayer with all the confreres of the Province scattered throughout the world. The fraternal meal was a moment of sharing and joy for all.

On Saturday, 11 June, in the chapel of the Provincial House in Cacaveli, Lomé, the scholastics Amegnaglo Jean Nestor, Atohoun Armel and Dofonnou Lionel celebrated their final profession. It was a time for thanking the Lord for the gift of the Comboni vocation cultivated by means of so many years of formation and spiritual journeying with the Lord in the company of St. Daniel Comboni. Flanked by confreres, relatives and friends, they pronounced their ‘yes’ for life to the Lord, in the presence of Fr. Girolamo Miante, provincial superior who encouraged them to live this gift with fidelity each and every day.

In 18 June, Jean Nestor, Armel and Lionel were ordained deacons at the Comboni parish of Our Lady, Mother of the Redeemer, Adidogome, by the laying on of hands by Msgr. Denis Amuzu-Dzakpah, Archbishop of Lomé. In his homily, Mons Denis encouraged the ordinands to live their ministry with the charity of Christ, manifesting to all the mercy of the Father. Once again, the occasion of these ordinations enabled the youth of Adidogome to understand the richness of the missionary vocation and to let themselves be challenged by what they saw and heard during the celebration. The new deacons will exercise their ministry in the communities of the Province where they are doing their missionary service, Cacaveli, Toko-Toko and Tabligbo, respectively.

Let us pray for our beloved dead

THE FATHER: Abraha Iskyias, of Fr. Mehari Abraha Iskyias (ET); Carmelo of Fr. Giuseppe Caramazza (KE); Antonio, of Fr. Fernando González Galarza (SS).

THE MOTHER: Juliet Baweera, of Bro. Richard Lukwago Matiya (U); Annamaria, of Fr. Gianni Pacher (†).

THE BROTHER: Valentino, of Bro. Luigi Salbego (I) and Sr. Natalina (CMS).

THE SISTER: Wube, of Sc Tesema Habtamu Masresha (ET).

THE COMBONI MISIONARY SISTERS: Sr. Rosa Irma Pedron, Sr. Claveria Galli, Sr. Gianfranca Longhin.