Consecration is at the origin of the Comboni Institute

Fr. Carmelo Casile,
Comboni missionary.
 

In the first reflection I try to delve more deeply into the joy and the beauty of following the Lord Jesus under the guide of St. Daniel Comboni. This is a topic that was proposed to me many times in my formation years and particularly during the month-long Ignatian retreat of 1972, which I attended while preparing to serve as formator at the Novitiate. Since then, I went back to it several times for my own use and for the young people in formation, looking at it from a Comboni perspective. Lately, I read it again in the light of the Chapter of 2015 which reminds us that we are ‘Comboni missionary disciples called to live the joy of the Gospel in today’s world.’ It may be of some use also to some confreres.

The second topic is a reflection on the 150^th anniversary of the foundation of the Institute. Reflecting on the recurring dilemma among the followers of Comboni - “missionaries or religious?” – I have reached the conclusion that ‘consecration is at the origin of the 150^th anniversary of the Comboni Institute.’ I have tried to organize the reflection drawing from three sources: the history of our origin which goes back to St. Daniel Comboni, the Magisterium of the Church and the Rule of Life.
Fr. Carmelo Casile, mccj