Meeting with friends and benefactors at the General House

Sunday, 5^th of May, at the General House of the Comboni Missionaries about a hundred people, including friends, benefactors and supporters of the Comboni mission met for the annual encounter. At 10:30 am Fr. Antonio Villarino (in the picture on the right), general assistant, gave an input about the presence of the Comboni Missionaries in the world and the challenges they face in carrying out their mission.

Fr. Villarino also brought up the issue of vocations, especially of their dearth in Europe and in the northern hemisphere. This situation contrasts with the growing number of teenagers and young people in Africa who apply to be admitted to the Institute. The latter fact – said Fr. Antonio – is a source of hope and optimism because it is in tune with the dream of Daniel Comboni: “Save Africa with Africans”.

At noon, Fr. Villarino presided at the Eucharist in the chapel of the house. Concelebrating with him there were seven confreres from the General Curia. In his homily, he spoke of the action and the central role of the Holy Spirit in the mission. To support his assertion, he told of a personal experience: the conversion to Catholicism of a voodoo priestess who asked to be baptized because she “wanted to live in the shadow of the great light.” The meeting was concluded by sharing a meal in fellowship.

From left: Bro. Daniele Giovanni Giusti, general assistant;
and Fr. Juan Climent Vilaplana, superior of the Curia Community.

From left: Fr. Torquato Paolucci; Fr. Umberto Pescantini; Fr. Villarino;
and Fr. Carlos Humberto Rodriguez Cascante.

From left: Bro. Giuseppe Lagattolla and Bro. Raniero Iacomella.