Familia Comboniana 841 - June 2025

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

First professions

Perpetual professions

Ordinations to the priesthood

Holy Redeemer Guild

June                01 – 07 ER           08 – 15 LP              16 – 30 P
July                  01 – 15 KE           16 – 31 M

Prayer intentions

June – We pray that, following the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd whose heart is pierced, we may create relationships of mercy and welcome in our daily realities. Lord, hear us.

July – We pray that, as missionaries, we do not rely solely on human and structural resources, but above all on the humanising power of the Gospel. Lord, hear us.

Comboni liturgical calendar

JUNE

Meaningful anniversaries

JUNE

CURIA

Presentation of the book Missionari Insegnamenti – in honour of Father Fidel González Fernández

On 26^th May 2025, an academic event was held in the Thesis Hall of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in honour of Father Fidel González Fernández, on the occasion of his 80^th birthday, in recognition of his extensive work as a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and the Pontifical University of Propaganda Fide, as well as his service as a member of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, of which he has been a member for 40 years. The event was attended by: Fr. Mark A. Lewis, S.J., rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University; Fr. Paul Oberholzer, S.J., director of the Department of Church History at the same university; Fr. Mark Inglot, S.J., professor of the faculty and president of the Committee for Religious Sciences; and Fr. Jaime Calvera, a Comboni missionary and director of the publishing house Mundo Negro in Spain, who published the book in homage to Father Fidel González, entitled Missionari Insegnamenti (Missionary Teachings), which collects the contributions of over thirty-four authors from various university, ecclesiastical, religious and cultural institutions from all over the world.

Fr. Filippo Lovison, a Barnabite and publisher of the book, expressed his thanks to the figure of Father Fidel, also offering an explanation and motivation for the publication of this work dedicated to him. Numerous professors and university lecturers who accompanied Father Fidel during the years of his teaching attended the event, as well as a large group of Comboni missionaries, eager to be present to honour a member of their Institute. Fr. Fidel González expressed his heartfelt thanks to those present, and for the work required for the publication of this precious work, which enriches the already extensive catalogue of the Mundo Negro publishing house, specialised in themes regarding Africa and the missionary world. (Fr. Jaime Calvera, mccj)

APDESAM – ASSEMBLY OF THE MISSION

Review of the Comboni mission in view of a Mission Charter in English-Speaking African Countries.

The coordinators and representatives of the Secretariats for the Mission of the Countries of Anglophone Africa and Mozambique (APDESAM) met from 6^th to 9^th May in Nairobi (Kenya) with the aim of developing a Charter for the Mission in the subcontinent. The assembly was convened and prepared by the Council for the Mission of APDESAM, in coordination with the General Secretariat for the Mission.

The first day of the assembly began with the celebration of the Eucharist in the chapel of the provincial headquarters of Kenya, presided over by Father John Baptist Opargiw Keraryo, provincial superior of South Africa and coordinator of APDESAM, who in his homily, inspired by the biblical readings of the day, emphasised the need for a mission cantered in Christ, regardless of how demanding and ‘costly’ it may be.

The provincial superior of Kenya, Father Andrew Wanjohi Thumbi, officially welcomed the participants, while Father José Joaquim Luis Pedro, provincial superior of Mozambique and coordinator of the APDESAM Mission, presented the program of the meeting, underlining the importance of a Mission Charter to help us achieve a common missionary methodology.

The day was dedicated above all to listening to the reports of the different circumscriptions of the macro-region, which illustrated the numerous services that the Comboni Missionaries carry out in the different countries.

The points that emerged most frequently from the various reports were, among others, the importance of integral ecology, youth ministry, the involvement of Comboni lay missionaries as key collaborators in missionary work, evangelisation through social media, first evangelisation, the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation sector.

Through the Zoom platform, the General Secretary of the Mission, Father González Galarza Fernando explained the collaboration between the General Secretariat for the Mission, which is based in Rome, and the Secretariats of the Circumscriptions and the Subcontinental Council for the Mission. The mission style adopted by the XIX General Chapter was then presented, and further considerations were made on the requalification of our missionary service, based on an incarnated spirituality, fraternal community life and a specific pastoral care focused on continental priorities. Thanks to a continuous and in-depth reflection on our ad gentes charism, the subcontinent has long identified some priority human groups such as nomadic peoples whose economy is based on pastoralism, the inhabitants of slums, and the youth.

EUROPE

Brothers’ Meeting in Rome – ‘Embracing Hope’

From 29^th April to 1^st May 2025, about twenty Comboni Brothers working in Europe gathered in Rome for a dynamic and inspiring meeting on the theme: “The Brother: A Man of Hope”. Participants came from the General Curia and the provinces of Spain, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Portugal.

The meeting was “dynamic” for several reasons: it took place in Rome, rather than Verona, to celebrate the Jubilee Year, and included not only moments of reflection and prayer, but also visits to communities and initiatives that embody Christian hope in action.

The opening speech was given by Father Luigi Codianni, Superior General, who emphasised the importance of living the vocation of the Brother with passion. He invited participants to rediscover the charism of the Comboni Brother not only as a gift functional to the mission, but above all as a deeply personal and communal spiritual experience. Finally, he launched an appeal for a renewed commitment to:

• look to the past with gratitude,
• live the present with passion, and
• embrace the future with hope.

The second day was dedicated to the theme of hope. Participants listened to the testimony of Eraldo Affinati, founder (with his wife) of the Penny Wirton School, which offers free Italian lessons to immigrants. Affinati emphasised that, in addition to teaching methods, what really matters is the welcoming style that builds meaningful relationships – relationships that lead to the sharing of life itself.

In the afternoon, the Brothers visited several “places of hope” in Rome:

• the ACSE (Comboni Association for the Service of Emigrants and Refugees),
• a branch of the Penny Wirton School,
• ‘Casa Magnificat’, a shelter for women victims of trafficking, and
• the ‘Sulla via di Agar’ project, which offers community and hospitality to women and men on the path to escape from trafficking and gender-based violence.

These visits deeply moved the participants, who described them as “encounters with territories of hope” and “places of the incarnate Gospel.”

On the last day, the Brothers rose early to attend Mass in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, next to the tomb of Pope Francis, to whom they addressed a heartfelt thank you for his 12-year pontificate as a beacon of hope for the Church and the world.

They then participated in a biblical reflection led by Brother Giandomenico Placentino, a monk of the Monastic Community of Bose in Ostuni. The focus was on Genesis 6:5 – 9:17, exploring the story of Noah and the flood as a symbol of renewal and divine hope. Particularly intense was the reflection on the Hebrew word tebah (ark), which also means ‘basket’, thus connecting Noah’s ark to Moses’ cradle. The tebah is not only a means of navigation, but also a sign of trust and abandonment to God. There is, therefore, a clear appeal addressed to the Comboni Brothers to trust in the providence of God and to create around themselves ‘workplaces of kindness’, where mutual care between people and animals symbolises hope as active compassion.

The meeting concluded with a pilgrimage to the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica and a final mass in the Vatican Grottoes. Father Codianni, in his homily, emphasised the unique vocation of the Brother – an expression of gratuitous love and obedience, made visible through concrete service and work. In this way, the hands of the Brother become the hands of Christ in the world.

In the end, the participants expressed their deep feeling of gratitude towards the organisers, the hosts, the speakers and the communities visited. And now they are joyfully looking forward to next meeting. (Brother Antonio Soffientini, mccj)

Assembly of Missionary Animation in Europe

From 12^th to 15^th May, in Palencia (Spain), the assembly of the missionary animation of the Comboni missionaries at European level took place. The theme was: “Mission and Missionary Animation in Europe today”. 29 confrères involved in this sector participated, coming from Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom-Ireland, Italy and Portugal. Also present were two Secular Comboni Missionaries, a representative of the Lay Comboni Missionaries (LCM) and a Comboni Missionary Sister.

Three objectives of the assembly:

1) to take an honest look at the past to realise the immense wealth that the Institute boasts in terms of missionary animation, starting from our founder himself, Saint Daniel Comboni, who was an unsurpassed missionary animator, but also to evaluate in a frank and critical way the path taken to date in Europe;

2) examine the present day of the Church, the Mission and missionary animation on the continent, evaluating the diversity of the models followed and the challenges that reality presents to us;

3) dare to look to the future, with the intent of adequately preparing missionary animators, providing them with the necessary tools to carry out their task with an attitude of hope, in a continent that from being an ‘evangeliser’ has become a place where people are need to be evangelised.

The reports and the various group works have helped us to understand more clearly the reality of a very indolent Christian faith, as it manifests itself today in our European countries. On the other hand, it was reiterated that precisely this state of affairs makes the ministry of missionary animation essential. We said to ourselves that it is a great opportunity that we have to be able to give the first announcement again, through missionary animation, and return to the sources of our faith: Jesus Christ and his Gospel.

The bishop of the diocese of Palencia, Msgr. Mikel Garciandía Goñi, celebrated the Eucharist with us on the feast of St. Matthias the Apostle, and encouraged us to be bearers of the joy that must animate a true missionary spirit, in every corner of Europe where we are present.

The contributions shared by the participants in the assembly were interesting and stimulating, offering us a glimpse of the rich variety of missionary animation initiatives implemented in the countries where we work.

An important aspect present everywhere is our clear desire to collaborate with the local Church, with other missionary institutes and within our Comboni Family.

The assembly concluded with the Eucharist presided over by the provincial superior of Spain, Father Miguel Ángel Llamazares González. (Father Javier Alvarado Ayala, mccj).

EGYPT-SUDAN

The death of Father Cosmo Spadavecchia

The death of Father Cosmo Spadavecchia was an important moment for our province in which we paused to thank God for the gift of the mission.

The life and apostolate of Father Cosmo were characterised by his simplicity and his talent for creating dialogue. Few have learned Arabic as well as he did, and few have served for so many years and with such total dedication both the Sudanese and the Coptic Catholic Church.

To remember him and entrust him to the Lord, we celebrated a funeral mass in Sakakini, where he had lived for most of his missionary life. In his homily, Bishop Claudio Lurati emphasised that Father Cosmo was the first to open the doors of a Catholic parish in Egypt to the Sudanese, when in the 1980s their “exodus” began due to the second civil war. May the Lord bless Father Cosmo with eternal life, and always grant us to be pastors after his own heart.

Latest news from Sudan

Starting on 4^th May, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been attacking Port Sudan for about two weeks almost every day with drones sent from operational bases on the Red Sea (most likely from Somalia). This is an unexpected development in the war: in recent months, in fact, the regular army had won victories on the ground, especially in Khartoum.

While the situation in Port Sudan remains tense, many are choosing to return to Khartoum, to put the homes and structures they abandoned due to the war back in order. We hope that the right time will soon come for us too.

Our four confreres in Port Sudan, as well as the three from Kosti and Father Yousif William, in Khartoum, are all well. Thanks be to God. (Father Diego Dalle Carbonare, mccj)

ETHIOPIA

Provincial Assembly – “Revisiting the Future”

Twenty-three confrères of the Ethiopian province of the Comboni missionaries gathered from 6^th to 9^th May at their house in Hawassa to celebrate the 2025 provincial assembly, with the modification of the Provincial Directory as the main item on the agenda. Four confreres were absent due to health problems or school commitments.

Father Isaiah Nyakundi set the tone for the four days of work with the opening motivational reflection on “The province we dream of.” Father Isaiah, a Kenyan, has been working among the Gumuz for a dozen years.

Father Asfaha Yohannes, provincial superior, after welcoming the confreres who recently arrived in Ethiopia, presented his report on the state of the province under five headings: socio-political-economic situation, formation, personnel, mission, and economy.

The assembly then began to study the new Provincial Directory, chapter by chapter, discussing and approving it. The draft was prepared by the respective provincial secretariats. The confreres were involved in preparing the section on community life. Due to time constraints, the section on economics will be studied during the next ‘Comboni Day’, an annual ongoing formation event scheduled for October.

Bishop Merhakristos Gobezayehu Getachew, the new Apostolic Vicar of Hawassa, attended the assembly on the afternoon of the third day. He shared with the participants his personal journey of three months as bishop, in particular what he found in visiting all but one parish. He also shared some plans for the future of the vicariate, begun by the Comboni missionaries over sixty years ago. Today, the vicariate is home to a third of Ethiopia’s Catholics.

Bishop Merhakristos presided over the final Mass and stayed for dinner and the “social” that followed, welcoming with all the members of the assembly the announcement “habemus papam.”

The provincial secretaries for finance, mission and formation presented their reports to the assembly, which was followed by reports from the three pastoral zones: Guji, Sidama and Gumuz. After the reports, there was an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas on what the Comboni missionaries are doing and what they can do in the near future.

The Provincial Superior presided over the concluding mass, during which scholastic Asmare Gawo Gebre renewed his vows. Asmare completed his theology studies in Kenya and now begins his one-year missionary service in Gilgel Beles, among the Gumuz.

Speaking of the ‘conversion’ of St. Paul, mentioned in the first liturgical reading, Father Asfaha emphasised the need to allow God to open our eyes to see the reality around us in a new light.

Both the Provincial Assembly and the Comboni Day are two events in which the confreres, through their participation, express and strengthen their sense of belonging to the province. (Father José da Silva Vieira, mccj)

MOZAMBIQUE

Ordination to the priesthood of Sérgio Mário Vilanculo

On 17^th May, in the parish of São João Baptista, in Matacuane, in the city of Beira, the dream came true of someone who, since he was a child, had told his parents that he wanted to become a priest. Sérgio Mário Vilanculo, originally from Beira, was ordained a priest by the laying on of hands of Msgr. António Manuel Constantino Bogaio, auxiliary bishop of Beira, a Comboni missionary.

Since early in the morning, the large space in front of the parish church of Matacuane had begun to fill up with people – many also coming from nearby parishes –, all eager to participate in the celebration of Sergio and his family.

In addition to the provincial superior, Father José Joaquim Luis Pedro, and the confreres from Tete, Nampula and Maputo, numerous diocesan priests and religious, religious and Comboni missionaries also attended.

In his homily, Msgr. Constantino emphasised that “it is always the Holy Spirit who anoints and sends us to announce the Good News to the people.” He added: “The missionary priesthood of Vilanculo is a gift that comes from the heart of Christ and from the prayer of the people of God.” He then encouraged the young priest to “live his missionary vocation with joy and commitment and to recognise in the voice of his superiors the will of God, who constantly calls us and sends us to new challenges and new fields of mission.” Finally, he encouraged him to “never stop cultivating a life of regular prayer, to live in obedience and brotherhood, and to be persevering in the proclamation of the Gospel, following in the footsteps of Saint Daniel Comboni.” The provincial superior then urged Sergio to live the ministry entrusted to him in a spirit of gratitude, inspired by the phrase from Sacred Scripture that he himself chose for his ordination: “In everything, give thanks!” (1 Thess. 5,18a), explaining: “Gratitude prevents bitterness and enables the priest to serve the people of God with greater joy.”

Some Christian friends also took the opportunity to address words of appreciation, encouragement and solidarity to Father Sergio, promising to accompany him always with their prayers.

The celebration was followed by a fraternal agape, concluded with a moment of entertainment, with local cultural refinements that infected everyone, thanks to the originality and joy expressed by the various groups involved.

The next morning, Sunday 18 May, the parish enclosure was once again filled with people who had come to attend the first Eucharist of the new priest, celebrated in the parish that had seen him born and grow and that now welcomed him with great joy and emotion, thanking God for his vocation and his availability for the mission.

Father Sérgio expressed his thanks to God for the gift of the priesthood, and to his family and all his brothers and friends for accompanying him on his vocational journey.

The day ended with a meal among Sergio's closest relatives and friends in his family's home.

Father Sérgio was appointed by the General Council to the Province of Mozambique and assigned to the Catechetical Center of Anchilo, as a collaborator in the editorial staff of Vida Nova, a diocesan magazine of formation and information, which the Comboni missionaries have edited for over 65 years.

The confreres of the province wish the new priest peace and joy in his new ministry. (Father Jeremias Martins, mccj)

Four novices take temporary vows in Nampula

On May 24, four novices took their first temporary vows in the novitiate of São Francisco Xavier in Nampula, northern Mozambique. Two of them, Armindo Aurélio Penieque and Domingos Francisco Caetano, come from the Archdiocese of Nampula; the other two, Américo António Mutepa and Tomasse Domingos Rossane are from the Archdiocese of Beira.

Their first vows concluded the second stage of their formation for the priesthood: a journey guided by the following words of Jesus: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain” (Jn 15:16).

The liturgical celebration was presided over by Father José Joaquim Luís Pedro, provincial superior of Mozambique, who, addressing the newly professed, underlined the essential aspects of the missionary vocation and consecrated life: «The pastoral commitment towards the least in society, the poor and the marginalised is the heart of our mission as evangelisers and the reason for our call to missionary life, as the responsorial psalm reminded us: “The Lord hears the cry of the poor” and as we can read repeatedly in the Writings of our Founder, Saint Daniel Comboni». Celebrated in a warm and familiar atmosphere, the ceremony was attended by over a hundred guests, including confreres, priests, deacons, religious brothers and sisters, as well as the families and friends of the newly professed.

At the end, there was no shortage of messages of communion, joy and encouragement addressed to the newly professed by their families and friends, as well as by Father Mateus Albino and the scholastics Rodrigues Dioqueltino Jaime, Felizardo António and Felizardo Azevedo. The master of novices, Father António Manganhe, firstly thanked God for the gift of the missionary vocation of these four young people, then, on behalf of the formative community, he expressed his gratitude to their families and to all those who accompanied them during the formative process, supporting them with prayer, financial help and a friendly and brotherly presence. (Father Natal António Manganhe, mccj)

LET US PRAY FOR OUR BELOVED DEAD

THE FATHER: Manuel Mesias, of Father Tacuri Samaniego Pedro Secundino (EC).

THE MOTHERS: Teresina, of Father Dal Santo William (I); María Nieves Molina, of Mons. Ruiz Molina Jesús (RCA).

THE BROTHERS: Freiman Honasis, of Father Casti Sánchez Jhon Jani (U); Manuel, of Father Ricardo Andrade García (M); Dino, of Father Giuseppe Scattolin (I).

THE SISTERS: Dorotea, of Father Szpara Adam Witold (C); Helena, of Brother António Marques Martins (P†).