Canonical Visit of Father David Domingues to the Comboni Delegation of Asia

After his arrival in Manila on 4^th October, Fr David spent a couple of days adjusting to the tropical climate and overcoming the effect of the different time zone. On the 7^th, we started our journey from Manila to Limay, Bataan, to visit the community of St Francis Xavier. Three years ago, after long discernment, the delegation began this pastoral engagement in a mixed context of urban and rural areas, with the presence of some communities of the indigenous population, called Aetas, until recently an ethnic group of hunter-gatherers that anthropologists consider descendants of the original inhabitants of the archipelago.

In Limay we are strengthening the Christian community and building the church and parish rectory, which is dedicated to St Daniel Comboni, the first in Asia to bear this name. On 10^th October, Fr. David presided over the Eucharistic celebration with the presence of the local clergy, the civil authorities and the parishioners of the different chapels and communities that formed the newly established parish.

In the afternoon and the following days, we visited the Daniel Comboni Seminary Community in Quezon City, Metro Manila. This compound is the heart of our basic formation within the Delegation, hosting the “Come and See Program” for Filipino aspirants, the Postulancy and the Novitiate, where we have at present only Vietnamese candidates in basic formation.

Father David received a warm welcome and was able to share his experiences with our candidates, the religious community and our friends and benefactors. On 13^th October, there was the blessing of the new gate of the complex: an excellent occasion for a lively missionary animation.

On 14^th October, Father David moved to the Comboni Mission Centre community, in Sucat, Parañaque City, Metro Manila, which, in addition to being the official headquarters of the delegation, is also the headquarters of our missionary activities, in particular with the publication and circulation of the World Mission Magazine.

It is true that today it is difficult to financially support a printed magazine, but we believe that the value of World Mission Magazine goes far beyond the economic aspect: the campaigns promoted in its pages are fruitful and benefit not only the local community, but also others. It should be remembered that more than half of the radical members of the delegation got to know the Comboni missionaries through this publication.

On the 17^th, we flew to Vietnam, to visit the community of Blessed Andrew of Phu Yen, in Ho Chi Minh City. We must be grateful to the Lord and St Daniel Comboni for the rich harvest obtained in this land in terms of vocations. Here, too, Fr David was able to savour the hospitality and friendly welcome offered to us by the local Catholics, who cheered us up with a surprising variety of food and drink. The witness of faith received by all was exceptional.

The arrival of Christianity in Vietnam can be traced back to the influence of French missionaries in the 16ht century. And today, one of the most remarkable aspects of Vietnam’s religious landscape is the peaceful coexistence of Christianity with Buddhism and other traditional beliefs. At present, considering the political environment, the Catholics give witness of their faith not much with words but through their lives’ choices, example and actions.

On 20^th October, we flew to Taipei, Taiwan, to visit the community of St Peter Wu Guosheng, a pastoral and missionary commitment made in 1997. The Comboni community pastorally follows a number of small Christian communities, all well animated and organised, characterised by a joyful atmosphere, and composed of local Taiwanese, aborigines and migrants mainly from Vietnam. The confreres are very busy with daily celebrations, family visits, caring for the sick and study.

A highlight of the visit was the meeting with local Catholics after the morning Eucharistic celebration. It is the custom of the parish to gather for a sober breakfast together. This is a very precious daily meeting, because it offers the opportunity to share a very simple meal, which invariably results in a moment of true communion and warm fraternity, before beginning the daily work. After breakfast, some parishioners – already retired – stayed for gardening, cleaning the various rooms and other activities.

On 24^th October, we flew to Macao, China, to visit the Saint Augustin Zhao Rong Community, opened in 1989. The community serves the local Church in Macao and also hosts the “Comboni Opera” for Mainland China, called Fen Xiang.

2024 has been a significant year for the Combonians in Macao, who celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the parish church of St Joseph the Worker, which we started and have continued to build to this day. A large group of Catholics (now over 500) has formed and grown around this building. The anniversary celebration also included a history exhibition displayed in the Yao Hon public market, located near the parish church. Father David, the confreres, representatives of the parish associations and groups, and almost all the parishioners attended the opening of the exhibition on 26^th October.

We are all very grateful to God for this moment of communion and sharing experienced with the entire Institute, officially represented by the Vicar General. All the communities in the delegation carefully prepared for the visit. Not only was time for individual and community sharing with Father David ensured, but meetings and celebrations were organised everywhere with local bishops, local clergy, lay people, as well as with our friends and benefactors.

Fr. Aguilar Sánchez Victor Manuel, mccj
Delegate Superior