Familia Comboniana 802 – December 2021

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

Perpetual professions

Sc. Telmo Efrain Castillo Merino (EC)   Quito (EC)         21.11.2021

Holy Redeemer Guild

December       01 – 15 PE           16 – 31 U

January           01 – 15 A             16 – 31 BR

Prayer Intentions

December – that Our Lord Jesus Christ may grant to all missionaries whom he has called to follow him fidelity and constancy in the mission entrusted to them. Lord hear us.

January – We pray for the Comboni Sisters who this year are celebrating the Jubilee of 150 years since their foundation, that they may continue being faithful witnesses of the Gospel in all the situations in which they are present, according to the particular Charism they received as a gift. Lord hear us.

Publications

Encontros. A Vocação nos Evangelhos, Editorial Além-Mar, Lisboa 2021, pp. 167. The Além-Mar editorial house has published a series of vocational reflections, based on stories from the Gospels, on the missionary vocation. The text was composed by Fr. Manuel Augusto Lopes Ferreira, mccj, considering the youth and those interested in the ecclesial community and intending to favour their encounter with the person of Christ. The process of preparation for the next World Youth Day, due to take place in Lisbon, has already begun in the dioceses of Portugal and he wanted to provide a contribution to reflection upon the missionary vocation in the Church today, placing at the centre the Word of God and the encounter with Christ.

Enrique Javier Rosich Vargas, mccj, Misión en la periferia. Crónicas chadianas, editorial Mundo Negro, Madrid 2021. The book is a “missionary diary” in which, through accounts of life experience, anecdotes and encounters one reflects on the complete “freshness of a missionary life lived to the full”. Fr. Kike spent more than forty years in Chad: he first went there when he was 28. He is at present in charge of the ongoing formation of lay people, priests and religious in the diocese of Doba.

Fr. Daniel Cerezo Ruiz, mccj, Pinceladas. Desde China con amor (new extended edition), CEU Ed., Madrid, Spain, 2021. The book is a collection of monthly articles which, over a period of fifteen years, Fr. Daniel Cerezo sent to friends, benefactors and people interested in the mission in China. The first volume was published in 2014. The volume we now present is being published by the “Asociación Católica de propagandistas (ACdP)” and includes both the first and the second volume in a new enlarged edition. There is also a photographic appendix with a photo for each article to illustrate the content. The common denominator is the impact of “The Great China” on the heart and mind of the missionary. Particular emphasis and additional stress are placed upon the journey of pilgrimage of the Christian communities amidst the adversities and systematic persecutions to which they are subjected. Reference is also made to cultural, sociological and traditional themes and their influence on the life of the itinerant missionary. The aim is to help the reader to approach the China of today in the complex context of the political campaign of “sinicization”.

The style is cordial, sometimes ironic, always contains healthy realism and is often full of the unpredictable.

ESPAÑA

Book Fair

As in former years, this year the Province of Spain, through the Mundo Negro Editorial House, has taken part in various Book Fairs.

These fairs are open spaces for readers, editorial houses and bookshops in which reading is promoted by presenting what is new in the field of publishing. There are many cities and countries that organise these fairs today.

The Mundo Negro editorial House was present this year at ten book fairs: Guadalajara, Valladolid, Alicante, Miraflores de la Sierra (Madrid), Palencia, Granada, Madrid, Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Murcia and Valencia. The final result was the sale of more than 1,600 nooks and 200 items including maps of Africa, special editions of Mundo Negro.

Some time before a book fair, the Mundo Negro administration sends out a letter to all the magazine subscribers and friends informing them of the date and place of the fair where Mundo Negro will be present as well as other details regarding publications.

The fairs, therefore, become a place for missionary animation and evangelisation with friends, benefactors and people interested in Africa and the world of the missions and give them an opportunity to get to know the missionaries more closely. (Fr. Jaime Calvera Pi)

ITALIA

“Magic and medicine – disease, grace and healing in Africa”

The presence of the Comboni Missionaries for more than a century in Padova has always been an opportunity to create a relationship with Africa, one that is spiritual, social and cultural. It is in this context that, from 9 November to 12 December, in the Samona Gallery in via Roma, Padova, a photographic exhibition was held entitled “Magic and medicine – disease grace and healing”, the work of the photographer and film director Massimiliano Troiani.

Fifty photos, taken over a period of ten years in different African countries, approach the theme of magic and medicine as it has been lived for centuries by some peoples of West Africa.

The camera lens allows us to approach the human reality of both physical and psychological sickness and it captures the interweaving between the method of the “scientific”, allopathic, modern, imported treatment and that which is traditional and millennial and refers to the use of the products of nature such as herbs, leaves, roots, bark or fruit, accompanied by magic-ritual gestures, invocations of the world of the spirits and the ancestors. This custom is present in voodoo practice but also in hospitals and dispensaries.

The exhibition has been organised in collaboration with the Department of Culture of the Commune of Padova, the Comboni Missionaries, the Banka Popolare Etica and the Nigrizia Foundation.

Padova, fertile ground for the charism of Comboni

“Here the missionary charism of Saint Daniel Comboni has found fertile ground”, said Fr. Alcides Costa, Assistant general and representative of Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse, Superior General, at the Mass of thanksgiving for the centenary of the presence of the Fathers of the African Missions, now the Comboni Missionaries, celebrated on 10 October last in the cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption.

“Many young people, men and women – Fr. Alcides continued – set out from here to travel the roads of the mission to announce and witness to the Gospel of joy often among people who were humiliated in their dignity and impoverished in their social position. Jesus is the only civilisation of Africa, Saint Daniel Comboni affirmed. More than 300 men and women missionaries from the diocese of Padova collaborated in this work”.

Mons. Claudio Cipolla, Bishop of Padova, presided at the Mass which was concelebrated by forty priests among whom were about twenty Combonis from Verona, Castel d’Azzano, Cordenons, Rome and Casavatore. Among those present were Fr. Fabio Baldan, Provincial of Italy, Mons. Rino Perin, a Comboni and Bishop Emeritus of M’Baiki (Central Africa), and some official representatives of the civic authorities.

Liturgical service was provided by the scholastics of Casavatore, all Africans of various nationalities. The conclusion of the celebration was animated by members of the GIM, to the rhythm of guitars and drums. The congregation was made up of many religious including Comboni Sisters and Secular Comboni Missionaries, laypeople, former students, relatives and many friends and Comboni collaborators. The event was broadcast live on the platform of the diocese of Padova and other local TV stations.

Mons. Cipolla, while giving thanks for the hundred years of presence and apostolate of the Comboni Missionary men and women in the Church of Padova and in the whole world, emphasised that every baptised person “Can and must ‘be a witness and prophet’: great figures like Comboni, of course, encourage us towards this wonderful awareness. For us, Fr. Ezechiel Ramin is also a strong reminder of this since he was born here in our country, grew up with us and was educated in the family and community of the diocese of Padova”.

MALAWI-ZAMBIA

Provincial Assembly and visit of Fr. Tesfaye and Fr. Pietro

This year, the Provincial Assembly was held from 16 to 20 November at the Benedictine monastery of Msipadzi/Chipata, in the east of Zambia.

Despite the difficulties posed by the Covid pandemic, almost all the 35 members of the Province attended. The Assembly was also honoured by the humble and active presence of our Superior General Fr.  Tesfaye Tadesse. Fr. Tesfaye, after a moment of recollection that moved the hearts and minds of all, took a full part in the work of the Assembly, listening and intervening freely and proactively. During the last three days, Assistant General Fr. Pietro Ciuciulla also participated. This helped the Province to tackle with sincerity the sector of economy and finance: we hope to find new ways to make progress with our Total Common Fund, also since the Province has the honour of having adopted it before it became the practice of the Institute.

Those were days of intense reflection, sharing and seeking together the paths to follow in the various fields of our mission. First and foremost, we examined the Code of Conduct which, at the end of the Assembly, we were invited to sign. Each one of us received his copy of the Code from the hands of the Provincial. The themes of Mission, Formation and the Provincial Directory were then discussed.

The work concluded in a positive atmosphere with a Eucharistic celebration presided by Fr. Tesfaye. The presence of our two confreres, members of the General Council, was much appreciated and left us feeling most grateful.

After almost a month with us, bringing us support and enthusiasm for the mission, they were faced with the emergence of the Omicron version of the Covid virus in South Africa and the challenge of travelling restrictions affecting passengers flying to Italy. We wish them both a safe return to Rome, though we would be most happy if they decided to stay here with us for good! (Fr. Carlos Nunes)

TCHAD

Meeting of young Comboni Missionaries in Chad

During the second week of November, a meeting was held at Bakara (Chad) for all the young Comboni Missionaries working in Chad and from various countries: Congo, Central African Republic, Mexico, Benin, Togo and elsewhere. The priests ordained less than ten years ago and Brothers who made their profession just a few years ago met to share experiences. The meeting was led by Fr. Enrique Javier Rosich Vargas who presented the figure of Saint Joseph, that wise and responsible worker who agreed to collaborate in God’s salvific mission as the father of Jesus.

We Combonis are well aware of the importance of accompanying the young missionaries in their first apostolic assignment after ordination, for priests and after perpetual profession for brothers, once they have completed basic formation. It is a period during which they take on responsibilities with insufficient experience and a time when they need to have support to prevent them from falling into the many temptations they may encounter.

TOGO

A time for a fresh start in the spiritual life and communion

While the month of November is usually lived ecclesially as a month of prayer and communion with our brothers and sisters of the Church triumphant and suffering, it is even more so for us Comboni Missionaries in Togo-Ghana-Benin.

Each year, in this Province, the month of November is reserved for the annual spiritual retreat which is held in common or personally in alternate years. The provincial retreat lasts one week is held twice, once in English (usually in Ghana) and once in French (usually in Togo).

This year it was held in common; the first session was held in Accra, at the Spirituality Centre of the SMA from 8 to 13 November, and the second was held in Vogan, at the Spirituality Centre of the Cenacle Sisters from 15 to 20 November.

The two weeks of deeply lived retreat were led by Fr. Ameka (OP), who urged us to see the community as the reason for our life and our identity.

When the retreats were over, as a sign of communion with our deceased confreres, the confreres visited the graves of our confreres interred, like seeds, in the land of Togo, especially those in Vogan of: Fr. Pierino Re, Fr. Augusto Zancanaro and, more recently, Fr.. Roberto Pazzi, who died a hermit and was buried at his hermitage of “The Holy Cross” at Vogan.

LET US PRAY FOR OUR BELOVED DEAD

THE FATHERS: Arnaldo, of Fr. Stefano Giudici (I); Margarito G. Garrido Jr., of Fr. Margarito Garrido III (A).

THE MOTHERS: Emilia, of Fr. Leonel Rodrigues Claro (TCH); Aurelia, of Fr. Alejandro Canales Maza (TCH); Benita, of Fr. Jacovo Carmona Miranda (TCH).

THE BROTHERS: Alfio, of Fr. Severino Crescentini (I); Luigi, of Fr. Benito Cruciani (EGSD); Luis Alfonso, of Fr. Enrique Sánchez González (M).

THE SISTERS: Ortensia, of Bro. Silvano Bergamini (I); Romana, of Fr. Piergiorgio Prandina (C); Sr. Adriana, of Fr. Tonino Falaguasta (I) and the aunt of Fr. Giorgio Padovan (I).