Spiritual retreat and assembly of the Comboni Missionaries in Congo

“Teach us to number our days”

In the recollected atmosphere of St Joseph’s House, which hosted the event, time seemed to stand still, offering a privileged space to tend wounds, revisit the journey undertaken, and allow the Word of God to bear fruit once more in their hearts. Guided by the wisdom of Fr Ntima Nkanza, SJ, the confrères were led to the heart of the psalmist’s prayer: “Teach us to number our days.”

During his preaching, Fr Ntima was able to touch this group of missionaries in their humanity with simple yet incisive words. His reflection, centred on the metaphor of song, made a deep impression. “Our life is a song,” he insisted: “a polyphonic song, in which God is the first soloist, the one who intones the melody of our existence.” We sing for ourselves. But others also sing for us, through their presence, their support, and their witness.

The Jesuit priest also offered a realistic perspective, recalling that missionary life is not always an easy path: “At times, others sing out of tune, casting discredit upon us through criticism or prejudice.” These discordant notes, far from being a failure, become a challenge to charity. Each person was invited to harmonise the song of his own life, restoring it to its proper melody. This teaching resounded like a balm upon the many accumulated burdens, reminding them that peace is not born of the absence of conflict, but of the ability to attune one’s heart to that of Christ.

Through teachings, spiritual sharing, and personal prayer, the exercises helped to rebuild a fabric of communion with God and among the confrères. The participants thus rediscovered that, amid the turmoil of the challenges facing the DR Congo Province, the song of their life remains precious.

They emerged from the six days not only with a number of “good resolutions”, but also with a deeply rooted certainty: if God is the composer of each person’s story and of the Institute, it is up to each one, with humility and perseverance, to be its most faithful interpreter.

The six days were not only a time to regain strength; they also marked a stage of preparation for the provincial assembly, during which they were joined by around twenty confrères to address the most important matters in the life of the Province.

The whole group will remain in communion with the entire Institute, also thanks to the presence of Fr Luigi Codianni, Superior General, and Fr Elias Sindjalim, Assistant General in charge of Francophone Africa.
Fr Romain Tollet, mccj

Provincial Assembly: “Facing challenges with clarity and hope”

“Your presence in the various dioceses of the DR Congo is a living page in the history of salvation within our local Church and a testimony of fidelity to the missionary insight of St Daniel Comboni: ‘To save Africa with Africa’,” said Mgr Marcel Utembi, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kisangani, on 20^th April 2026, at the opening of the Provincial Assembly of the Comboni Missionaries at St Joseph’s House in Kisangani.

In his address, on behalf of the bishops of the dioceses where we are present, Mgr Utembi expressed his gratitude to the Comboni missionaries for their dedication and commitment, especially in peripheral areas: “In many cases, you have been pioneers of evangelisation in regions that are difficult to reach… With your apostolic zeal, you have proclaimed Christ with perseverance and courage and have brought to life vibrant Christian communities, inculturating the faith within local realities.”

The Archbishop encouraged us to take pride in the richness of the Comboni charism, which urges us to be actively engaged in the formation of catechists, diocesan priests, religious men and women, and committed lay people, as well as to work in support of the Congolese people in the fields of healthcare, education, ecological pastoral ministry, and more.

Mgr Utembi urged everyone to look at present challenges with clarity and to face them with hope, in collaboration with the local clergy. He also invited us to be “artisans of synodality”, to invest in thorough formation (with particular pastoral attention to young people), to strengthen our presence in the peripheries, to promote justice, peace and the care of creation, and to bear witness to an authentic community life.

Finally, Mgr Marcel wished us a fruitful Provincial Assembly, as an “opportunity to remember together, to reread together the journey undertaken, to discern together, and to open up new perspectives for missionary action.”

During the Assembly, which will conclude on Friday 24^th April 2026, we have also benefited from the accompaniment of Fr Luigi Codianni, Superior General, and Fr Elias Sindjalim, Assistant General in charge of Francophone Africa. Their presence is a sign of unity and communion with us all, and also an encouragement in our common mission: to proclaim the Gospel to the poorest, inspired by the charism of St Daniel Comboni.

Bro. Kakule Silusawa Lwanga, MCCJ