Bursars’ Formation Meeting for confreres of the Comboni circumscriptions

Testimony on the course of bursars

Widening Horizons

A completely new and yet worthwhile experience is what could sum up my being a part of the course of financial administration. When asked to be a part of it, I immediately agreed to it and yet I could not wrap my mind around what it really meant. Each day through the course unraveled a completely new outlook of taking responsibility of our finances as Comboni Missionaries. This comes at a moment in time when there is a rising demand for accountability and transparency of how financial transactions occur, not only in the secular context but also in the religious context linked to our vow of poverty. The course widened my panorama from a narrow outlook of merely keeping the books of accounts to a rather larger perspective of putting in order and taking care of our patrimony, both fixed and liquid, a delicate and yet very important service to take on.

Ranging from Canonical, spiritual and practical aspects of finance, the course made clear to me what being a financial administrator in a religious family like ours means.

I can most certainly testify that I became exposed to many details, without which many financial mistakes could be made leading to both financial and credibility losses incurred to our Comboni family. With this awareness, I look forward to paying more attention to any financial management issues within my reach, with a canonical and spiritual outlook, trying to see to it that all transactions and patrimonial heritages within where I am are clearly documented and reported.

Taking account of all this, I feel more the need to journey towards a spirit of financial brotherhood and hence embracing with complete trust and understanding, the “Total Common Fund” as a means of pooling funds and placing them at the disposal of all of us in an atmosphere of brotherhood and family. It now dawns to me that the proper management of our funds is an indispensable part of our religious life that touches not only our vows but also our community living, our ministry, our lives as witnesses and our personal and community spiritual growth. May our founder St. Daniel Comboni always accompany us as we bear in mind that each one of us is a part of those 'a thousand lives' of Comboni for the Mission.

Fr. Deogratius Alule, mccj
Egypt-Soudan Province
Sacred Heart Parish Schools, Sakakini, Cairo