Familia Comboniana 786 - June 2020

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

First professions

SARH (Chad) (11) – 3 May 2020

Sc. AGNIMAKA Kodjovi Abraham (TGB)

Sc. AGUIAR Vignon Michel (TGB)  

Bro. ATAKPA Baïssa Marius    (TGB)

Sc. AWUDI Atsu Augustine (TGB)

Sc. KAMBALE Sivihwa Olivier (CN)       

Sc. KANGITE Wolima François d’Assise (CN)

Sc. KONOSI Atambanakabange André (CN)

Sc. MWEZE Zahinda Mathieu (CN)

Sc. N’GBOLO-MECKO Christ-Jordy Larry (RCA)

Sc. OUSSOU Gbèmahossou Saturnin (TGB)

Sc. SAKEDAKA Ouassoum Vendvyver-Jospin (RCA)

ISIRO-MAGAMBE (Congo) (1) – 9 May 2020

Sc. BEYOKOMU Anotengo Remy (CN)

XOCHIMILCO (Messico) (5) – 9 May 2020

Sc. ROMERO CHAJON David Eduardo (PCA)

Sc. BAUTISTA RAMOS Ivan de Jesús (M)

Sc. HERNÁNDEZ CRUZ José Manuel (M)

Sc. BEDOYA PATIÑO Luis Felipe (COL)

Sc. MORALES BOLÍVAR Yeison Olivo (COL)

NAMUGONGO (Uganda) (14) – 23 May 2020

Sc. ATARA Abebayehu Joseph (ET)

Sc. TWESIGYE Andrew (U)

Sc. ABABA Biruk Haileyesus (ET)

Sc. OLUPOT Christopher (U)

Sc. GAMA Felix Blessings (MZ)

Sc. OUMA Joseph (U)

Sc. BWALYA Kennedy (MZ)

Sc. WANYAMA Mark Musungu (KE)

Sc. MWABA Mathews (MZ)

Sc. MUTHEU Moses Mwatunge (KE)

Sc. MWILU Nicholas Mbithi (KE)

Sc. OCEN Moris Paul (U)

Sc. TAP Simon Yomkuey (SS)

Sc. MULIZA Vincent James (MZ)

NAMPULA (Mozambico) (4) – 23 May 2020

Sc. ADRIANO Agostinho Lapuia (MO)

Sc. FELIZARDO Azevedo (MO)

Sc. FIDÉLIO Artur (MO)

Sc. RONALDO Mateus Mulima (MO)

Ordinations

Fr. Opiyo Constanz (U)                Lacor-Gulu (UG)        30/05/2020

Message from the General Council

The GC informs us that the Course for the Elderly planned to take place from 3 September to 29 October has been postponed and will be held in 2021 on a date yet to be decided.

The meeting of the Comboni Social forum on Ministeriality, scheduled to take place from 12-16 December 2020 will go ahead as planned.

Book by Fr. Siro Stocchetti

Fr. Siro Stocchetti has published in four languages (English, French, Portuguese and Spanish) a book entitled “Interiority”, which will be sent to our formation houses. A publishing house has shown interest in the Italian version. The previous publication by Fr. Stocchetti, “Self-esteem”, is available in five languages. Those interested may contact Fr. Stocchetti by email (siro.stocchetti@gmail.com).

Bellarmino Prize

Fr. Victor Manuel Aguilar Sánchez has received the Bellarmino Prize for his degree thesis: “Corpus Nestorianum Sinicum” (an extract from the thesis was published in the MCCJ Bullettin number 280, July 2019, pp. 57-68). The Bellarmino Prize was instituted by the Pontifical Gregorian University to stimulate scientific research and to promote the best two degree theses defended during each school year. The decision to award the Prize for Fr. Victor’s thesis was taken on 30 April 2020 by the Office of the Academic Vice-Rector and by the Commission in charge of evaluating the candidates, after a thorough evaluation of the research carried out by each candidate.

The prize-giving ceremony was held at the Gregorian University in Rome on 25 May 2020, using a You-tube link so as to allow Fr. Victor Aguilar, who works in Macao, China, to take part in the ceremony and receive the Prize, together with his confreres, relatives and friends. Prof. Henryk Pietras, SJ, relator of the thesis, accepted the prize on behalf of Fr. Victor.

The thesis emphasises that “By examining the history of Christianity in China, we realise how, for centuries, the missionaries worked so hard to take on the many challenges regarding the inculturation of the Gospel. More specifically, during the dynasty of Yuan and Ming, we remember especially the Franciscan, Dominican and Jesuit missionaries who distinguished themselves in this great work. Nevertheless, the Gospel of Christ has much more ancient roots, in the mission of the oriental Syrian monks who, at the beginning of the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) first proclaimed the story of Jesus to the Chinese people, by using the Chinese language”.

The marvellous work carried out by the Jingjiao community (The Religion of Light” or “Luminous Teaching”) was chronologically the first encounter between the Christian message and the Chinese people. The entire group of documents produced by this contact is “conventionally” known as the Corpus Nestorianum Sinicum, and two documents, whose titles in English are: “Thus Have I heard on the listening of Mishihe (the Messiah)” and “Discourse on the One-God”, are the subject of the doctoral research. Using the original text, the author has identified the various stages in the development of their composition and context. The theological value of the study is concentrated on the identification, exposition and explanation of the Trinitarian, Christological and soteriological concepts in the two documents.

Furthermore, this doctorate thesis presents the Chinese face of the pastoral and missionary undertaking carried out by the members of the Jingjiao community, demonstrating their efforts to “understand”, “translate”, “explain” and “transmit” the story of Jesus in Chinese categories.

Congratulations to Fr. Victor Aguilar and best wishes for his teaching and his pastoral service in the Chinese world.

Holy Redeemer Guild

June       01 – 07 ER                    08 – 15 LP    16 – 30 P

July        01 – 15 KE 16 – 31 M

Prayer Intentions

June – That, with our gaze fixed on the Heart of Jesus, we may see His face in all we meet, especially in the poorest and most abandoned. Lord hear us.

July – That the CLM, in their forthcoming continental meetings, may allow themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit and so respond generously to the needs of the people they meet in various countries. Lord hear us.

CONGO

Rebel incursion

During the past ten years, to the east of the diocese of Bondo, the LRA has never ceased to spread terror, death and danger. In February of this year, the rebels took over the forests in the parishes of Dakwa, Ango and Bili.

Early in May they reached a point 250 km from Bondo, close to Bili and on 28 May, at seven in the morning, they made an incursion into the parish of Bambilo, 170 km from Bondo, a mission we handed over to the diocese in February of this year.

It is not known how many people were kidnapped or killed as many fled to the fields. The rebels took away foodstuffs and ransacked houses, the “Fr. Senén’s Health Centre” and the mission where the Combonis were first present in 1999; some of these were: Fr. Senén Gandara, Fr. Elio Farronato, Fr. Claudino Ferreira, Bro. Santo Bonzi and Bro. Ivan Cremonesi. The health Centre and the mission were sacked and destroyed. We are wondering why this area of the Congo has for so many years been the target of so much insecurity and neglect.

In recent days, soldiers of the DRC armed forces have come to Bondo, but without any military equipment. How long more will the terror spread by the LRA continue in our diocese of Bondo? (Fr. Pedro Indacochea)

UGANDA

The experience of the Covid-19 pandemic

The Ugandan ministry of health has so far carried out twelve thousand Covid-19 tests with 85 proving positive and, after treatment, 52 people were completely cured. Hitherto, there have been no deaths recorded. The two groups with most positive results were those returning from abroad and international truck drivers.

The country entered a state of alert at the beginning of March; on 17 March the President of Uganda announced the first measures to slow the spread of the virus: schools and institutes of learning were closed as were businesses, with the exception of shops selling groceries and medical goods. Limits were placed on travelling. Later, more measures were put in place such as restrictions on people’s movements, except in emergencies, the closure of the international airport and all borders. The transport of goods, both by land and by sea, has been allowed to carry on as usual.

The most affected people are those with low incomes who are unable to continue with their usual activities that enable them to live; the government has introduced measures to provide some food to the most vulnerable families. All health facilities are on maximum alert. We are proud of the confreres in the province who are directly involved in the hospitals and medical services, especially in the hospitals of Lacor (diocese of Gulu) and Matany (Moroto diocese).

In our parishes, the liturgical celebrations and other public pastoral initiatives have been suspended due to the prohibition of public gatherings. One mission deeply affected by this is that of Kasaala (diocese of Kasana-Luwero). The parish was due to celebrate its 75 years of presence on 21 March 2020. The President was expected to have taken part in the function and enthusiastic preparations were under way for a great celebration. Unfortunately, while it seemed at first that the celebration could take place, right on the eve of the great day the parish was informed that it was not possible to hold the celebration and that the presidential directives had to be strictly followed.

Nevertheless, on the other hand, the experience of isolation has led to a rebirth of initiatives which, in a certain sense may be described as providential. First of all, the daily adoration of the Blessed sacrament was proposed to all the communities and widely accepted. One confrere shared his experience explaining how, before the pandemic, he rarely found time for the prayer During the Day from the breviary but has now resumed the practice. In one of the communities, the confreres have seriously recommenced the activity of gardening: a greenhouse was set up and a large vegetable garden is developing. Having to stay together has somehow reinforced and consolidated the communities. Three of our confreres renewed their vows and the celebrations were beautiful in their simplicity.

The situation has also its challenges. One confrere lost his father and another his mother but neither of them could go home for the funeral. The Provincial Council could not meet physically, even though there were some urgent questions to be discussed. Those confreres who were due to travel abroad for reasons of health had to postpone their journey. Thanks be to God, there have been no emergencies in the Province.

At the present moment, among other things, we are preparing new ways of reaching people and this is an advantage also for the future. The social media have an important role in communication between ourselves and with the Christian communities. They help us to evaluate how well we have trained people spiritually, remembering that the family must be the fundamental cell of the Church.

First professions

On Saturday 23 May 2020, at the center of the Novitiate of Namugongo, fourteen confreres made their first religious professions. Fr. Achilles Kiwanuka Kasozi, Provincial of Uganda, received their vows.

Four of them are Ugandans: Andrew Twesigye, Joseph Ouma, Moris Paul Ocen and Christopher Olupot and on 26 May they left the novitiate and went home for a period of holidays.

The other ten scholastics, Abebayehu Tefera Atara Joseph, Biruk Girma Ababa Haileyesus, Felix Blessings Gama, Kennedy Bwalya, Mark Musungu, Mathews Mwaba, Moses Mwatunge, Nicholas Mbithi Mwilu, Simon Yomkuey Kueth Tap and Vincent James Muliza will remain in the community of Namugongo until the borders are reopened. It may not be easy to keep ten newly-professed in a community with no specific programme of life but we shall see how to adapt to this new scenario. (Fr. Sylvester Hategek'Imana)

LET US PRAY FOR OUR BELOVED DEAD

THE FATHER: Gabriel, of Fr. John Peter Alenyo (U).

THE MOTHERS: Anne Marie, of Fr. Justin Dossou-Yovo (U); Azucena of Fr. Janito Joseph Aldrin Palacios (RSA), Letesilassie, of Fr. Sebhatleab Ayele Tesemma (ET); María Pilar, of Fr. Enrique Bayo Mata (E), Virginia, of Fr. Mario Cerda Contreras (M).

THE BROTHERS: Graziano (who died a few days ago) and Arnaldo (who died some months ago), of Fr. Erminio Pegorari (†); Freddy, of Fr. Pedro Percy Carbonero Mogollón (PE); Muke Bwakyananda, of Fr. Kasereka Amini Wasingya (TCH); Fr. Giacomo (Xaverian), of Fr. Alberto Doneda (I).

THE SISTERS: Annamarta, of Fr. Antonio Campanini (P); Bice, of Fr. Renato Rosanelli (I).

THE COMBONI MISSIONARY SISTERS: Sr. Emilia Maria Grassi, Sr. M. Matilde Montanari.