Daniel Comboni
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Comboni missionaries of the Ethiopian Province prepare six-year plan
Monday, May 15, 2023
Twenty Comboni Missionaries working in Ethiopia met from Tuesday, May 9, in the afternoon, until Friday, the 12th, at lunch, in Hawassa Comboni House, to prepare its plan for 2023-2028 taking as its guideline the 2022 Chapter Acts. The meeting started with a reflexion on community life prepared by Fr Hippolyte Apedovi Awoumessi. Then, Fr Asfaha Yohannes Weldeghiorghis, Provincial Superior, presented his report on the state of the province. There was a period of discussion after both presentations.
Fr Juan Núñez, the apostolic administrator of Hawassa Vicariate, presided the Eucharist that concluded the day’s works.
The morning of the Assembly’s second day was dedicated to the presentation and the study in groups of the Six-Year Plan draft prepared by its commission based on the reflexions on the 2022 Chapter Acts the communities produced. The objective was to choose among the 120 commitments defined by the Chapter those considered most relevant for the Ethiopian Province, today.
The afternoon of the second day and the whole of the third day were dedicated to the plenary reflections and discussions on the five Chapter priorities — Spirituality, Identity and community, Revision of formation, Ministeriality at the service of requalification, and Communion of goods, sharing and sustainability — and to choose the commitments the Province wants to implement in the next six years.
Fr Nicola di Iorio, Hawassa’s Vicar Delegate and Financial Administrator, presided the Eucharist on the second day and recently ordained Fr Abreham Woldetinsae Hailemariam on the third. On Thursday, after supper, the participants were treated with a social evening to celebrate Fr Abreham’s ordination and Fr Pedro Pablo Hernández’ graduation and return to Ethiopia. The Comboni Sisters from the Hawassa Community also attended.
In the morning of the last day, Fr Juan Núñez and Sr Marisa Zorzan shared with the Assembly some relevant information about the Vicariate of Hawassa and the Province of the Comboni Missionary Sisters, respectively.
Fr Asfaha concluded the assembly presiding over the closing Eucharist.
The Comboni Missionaries in Ethiopia are 25. They live in nine communities in the Eparchies of Addis Ababa (two) and Bahir Dar-Dessie (two) and in the Vicariate of Hawassa (five). They work among the Sidama, Guji and Gumuz peoples in five missions. In Hawassa, two confreres are setting up the Youth Comboni Centre and another two lead the Vicariate while waiting for the appointment of its bishop.There are two communities in Addis Ababa: the Provincial House and the Postulancy.