Daniel Comboni
Comboni Missionaries
Institutional area
Other links
Newsletter
Home
Circumscriptions
Portugal – (Notícias)
The Comboni Missionaries celebrate 70 years in Portugal

The Comboni Missionaries celebrate 70 years in Portugal

Immagine
Articoli Correlati
Immagine
12th Symposium of Limone 2018
Immagine
Aiuti urgenti per milioni di bambini del Congo
Immagine
News from the Comboni North American Province

Thursday, May 4, 2017
The official date of the arrival of the first Comboni Missionaries in Portugal is April 22, 1947. On that day, Fr. Giovanni Cotta settled down in Viseu and, from there, started to lay the foundation of a story which is now 70 years old. To celebrate this date the Portuguese Comboni Missionaries organized a week-long intense series of activities in the Mission seminary of Viseu, and in some schools and parishes of the diocese. Comboni Fr. Carlos Alberto Nunes tells us about the celebrations that also saw the participation of Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, superior general of the Comboni Missionaries. In the picture: Bro. António Martins da Costa, 89 years old, the first Portuguese Comboni missionary.

A WEEK
OF LIFE AND MISSION

During the week of April 24-30, we, the Comboni Missionaries of the Portuguese province, celebrated 70 years of our presence in Portugal. In order to celebrate this significant chapter in our history, we organized a number of missionary activities. In groups made up of Comboni Missionaries, Comboni Sisters and CLM – as a true Comboni family – we visited three middle schools in Viseu, two youth parish groups and various retirement homes. At the mission seminary itself we organized a number of meetings: for the diocesan clergy in the morning of the 27th, for adults and lay people who are committed to mission on the evening of the 28th and for young people on the 29th.

The highlight of the commemoration was the solemn Eucharistic celebration held on April 30 with Bishop Ilídio Pinto Leandro of Viseu as the main celebrant, and concelebrated by Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, superior general, and several other Comboni Missionaries and other priests. Many benefactors were invited, together with friends and officials in recognition of the Comboni Institute, chief among them the President of the Municipal Council, António Joaquim Almeida Henriques. The chapel was packed.

During the week, Fr. Manuel Augusto Lopes Ferreira presented his book, “Missionários Combonianos em Portugal – UMA HISTÓRIA SINGULAR” (The Comboni Missionaries in Portugal – A singular History), a publication of about 400 pages narrating the history of these 70 years, historically very important in order to get to know our roots.

One of the last chapters in the book is titled, “The Return of the Caravels.” This week taught us that the caravels can leave again and now as a Comboni Family, just as Daniel Comboni had so ardently wished, with Comboni lay people, secular consecrated, sisters, brothers and priests, all in one and the same boat! We look forward trusting that our history and the history of mission have a future.