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COMBONIMISSION

COMBONIMISSION

T H E Q U A R T E R L Y M A G A Z I N E F R O M T H E C O M B O N I M I S S I O N A R I E S

Summer 2018

Lives of Faith page 6Sacred Heart page 9

Sr Tommy writes from Eritrea page 3

COMBONI MISSIONARIES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND

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2 Comboni Mission • www.comboni.org.uk

COMBONI MISSION ISBN 0962-7154 is a quarterly publication of theComboni Missionaries (also known as the Verona Fathers), aCatholic Missionary Institute for the evangelisation of peoples, issued free to their friends and supporters.

Cover Photo: Pablo Porciuncula Brune/AFP

Current issue: SpringummerComboni Missionaries are sponsored by freewill donations. Pleasesupport the Comboni Missionaries, charity registration numbers 220240(UK), 8653(IRE), (SC 039530) Scotland.

Copyright © 2018 by the Comboni Missionaries

Designed and Printed by Artworks, Dalkey, Co. Dublin.Telephone: 00 353 1 275 1707.

Our thanks to contributors whose photographs and letters we have used.

COMBONIMISSION

Summer 2018

COMBONIMISSION

From the Editor

Recently a Survey/Questionnairewas sent to several of our readers.Asking in particular about what in-

terests you and makes you want to readour magazine. Replies, mainly from ourmiddle – aged, elderly, are pleased withthe magazine. Colourful, narrating sto-ries of missionary friends, realising howwell off we are. This pleases us and topromote our magazine we encourageyou to pass on the magazine to your fam-ily and friends. We look for a wayforward. Today we are witnessing the de-mise of the written word and the takingup of online as faster and easier. Shop-ping is done online and the High Streetsuffers; written letters in ink are less fre-quent as email dominates the media; theiPod is for many the main source of com-munication. To read and write is aneffort. These are just some of the chal-lenges facing us today as the Church triesto come to terms with spreading theWord, gathering people into living com-munities. There is no simple answer orlet’s just have an iPod Mass for the young!What matters is that we don't retreat intoour comfort zones and feel satisfied. Thecall by St Daniel Comboni for the Com-boni Missionaries to go to the ‘poorestand most abandoned’ must never be al-lowed to wither and die. In supportingand showing interest in our workthrough the magazine ‘Comboni Mis-sion’, you are continuing this vocation .

We remember in our prayers and sac-rifices the struggles and challenges of ourmissionaries whom we come to know inthis our June magazine: in the Congo,Central African Republic, Eritrea, Zambia.

This edition of ‘Comboni Mission’brings with it the Novena to the SacredHeart to whom Comboni consecratedour mission. Throughout the month of

June and especially on the Feast of theSacred Heart, June 8, we offer Masses forour many intentions: the sick, weak infaith, family harmony, peace and justicethroughout the world and in our ownlives, and many more, offered in the si-lence of our hearts. We remember tooour Church in this moment of apparentweakening and most of all our families –the ‘Domestic Church’ where the Faithis to be planted and cared for.

Whilst in Dublin recently I cameacross a blessing of homes in prepara-tion for the visit of Pope Francis and the‘World meeting of Families’ 22-26 Augustthis year. I offer it to you:

‘Let us now pray that the Lordwill enter our home and bless itwith his presence. May the Lordalways be here among us,deepen our love for each other,share in our joys, and comfortus in our sorrows. May ourhome be a place of love, filledwith the goodness of the Lord.Amen’

May Godprotect ourfamiliesand help usto grow infaith.

By Fr John Downey mccj

VIEW OUR WEBSITESwww.comboni.org.uk

www.combonimissionaries.co.uk

Searching for a way forward

Comboni Mission • Summer 2018 3

Editorial - Searching for a way forward

PAGE 2

Church NewsPAGE 3

Getting to know The ComboniMissionariesPAGES 4 - 5

Living faith PAGES 6 - 8

Sacred HeartPAGE 9

Comboni in South Sudan

PAGES 10 - 11

World Social ForumPAGES 12 - 13

Miguel D’EscotoPAGES 14 - 15

An Irish Family in Rome

PAGES 16 - 17

Nightfever at Leeds

PAGES 18 - 19

Youth Summer CampPAGES 20 - 21

You WritePAGES 22 - 23

Sacred Heart NovenaPAGE 24

CONTENTSChurch News

Dekamhare (Agenzia Fides) - Strongstate of precariousness, poor ac-cess to running water, electricity,

broken down sewage system, lack of es-sential services: these are the conditions inwhich thousands of Eritreans live. Manyfamilies have broken up because they areforced to emigrate from Eritrea because ofthe situation of extreme poverty. Those leftbehind do not have a sure source of sus-tenance or work to survive. The country isparalyzed and there is no hope of futurefor the young. Many families remain with-out the head of the household becausemen are sent by the government to mili-tary service that lasts 25 years. Once a yearthey can come back to see their family.Children live on what their mothers areable to provide. In this context of absoluteneed, the Pie Madri of Nigrizia nuns (orComboni Missionaries) are carrying out aproject in four different places in the coun-try: Asmara, the most populated city in thecountry with about 600,000 inhabitants,Dekemhare, Embatkalla, and Ghinda .“Wehave qualified nursery schools in theseplaces which have the aim of promotinghuman values that defend life and pro-mote peace with the hope that thesechildren will create a better future forthe nation. Both Christian and Muslimchildren live together in the same class

to favour dialogue and friendship andovercome prejudices and fears. Thenursery schools are mostly attended bychildren and mothers who live in situa-tions of serious poverty”, says to AgenziaFides Sr Thomas Mary Johnstons.

“The aim of the project is to supportthe studies of the poorest children andalso to help their families. So far about450 children are direct beneficiaries.Mothers help with great spontaneity andgratitude in various ways, keepingclean the nursery environments, orsharing the fruits of their field to feedthe little ones, offering their help whenorganizing formative meetings”, the nunpoints out.

Dekamhare, 40 km from Asmara, hasabout 12,000 inhabitants. In this area mal-nutrition is widespread with seriousconsequences on children. Embatkalla is asmall rural town, populated by differentethnic groups of different religions. Mostof the population are Muslim or Orthodoxpastors. Ghinda is a city of 20,000 people,once a transit place for travelers to Mas-sawa and therefore a thriving merchantcentre. Now, because of the unstable po-litical situation, people are no longertraveling and all trade has stopped andwork has decreased. (AP) (Agenzia Fides,7/3/2018)

AFRICA/ERITREA - Defence of life, promotion ofdialogue and peace: the commitmentof the Comboni sisters

Children benefitting from the Comboni Sisters educational project


Getting to know theComboni Missionaries

Fr Conrado Franco

A Comboni missionary describes how his life became moremeaningful when he was assigned as parish priest on the outskirts

of a town in Peru, at the foot of an active volcano.

Mission work has filled my lifewith meaning, so much sothat today I feel fulfilled as a

person and as a Christian. The Com-boni mission always involves living atthe outskirts with marginalized groupswith whom we have a lot to do andmore often than not, there is the needof starting from scratch. The happiestmoments of my missionary life havebeen when I was able to share closelythe life of the simplest people who areleft at the margin of progress and wel-

fare but are still full of human and spir-itual values and are more open andavailable to accept the message of theGospel. The names and faces of thesemen, women and children fill myheart today.

Since the first moment, I have al-ways felt that Peru was the place theLord wanted for me and where I hadto stay. God has made me experiencethat it is in the geographical and exis-tential peripheries where theComboni charism demands that we

share our life and our faith, where theheart of humanity beats muchstronger and, therefore, where we feelthe presence of God with greater in-tensity.

With lay peopleThe welcoming attitude of the peoplewho always wait for the padrecitos(the priests) with open arms becausethey have a great sense of God hashelped me very much. It has also beenimportant for me to see the collabora-tion of many lay people, themeaningful and effective presence ofthe Christian communities in the dif-ferent villages, the social works of theparish, and the seeds sown by the pre-vious Comboni missionaries.

It has been three years since I set-tled at Arequipa as parish priest of theGood Shepherd Parish. I feel that thisis a Comboni land. The first Combonimissionary, Msgr. Lorenzo Unfried, ar-rived here 47 years ago. Since thenour presence has been uninterruptedwith the creation of four parishes inthe Alto Selva Alegre district.

Our parish is in the outskirts, in the

Peru – Mission at The Foot of The Volcano


highest part of the city, about 2500meters above sea level. It extends tothe Misti volcano’s western slope with35 thousand inhabitants. The parishcommunity has eleven chapels, wherethe Eucharist is celebrated regularly.

The large amount of missionarywork: the evangelization of a majoritythat up to now has not had much con-tact with the church; the creation andorganization of material, pastoral andhuman structures in the new sectorsof the parish which is in a continuousstate of growth; the close accompani-ment of the aspirations and strugglesof the people in their pursuit of amore dignified life; the formation andorientation of a great number ofyouth; the support for the more vul-nerable groups of the population –children, elderly, women victims of vi-olence; and the formation andpromotion of lay collaborators. Theseare the challenges facing us in our mis-sion work.

Our PresenceOne of the most important aspects ofdoing mission work is our presence –

showing itself in social works, accom-panying, sharing, animating, bringingthe Gospel to the lives of the peoplein their different realities. Our parishhas two nurseries with 240 childrenand a soup kitchen for the 100 littleones. Parish volunteers bring together,twice a week, a group of senior citi-zens in order to take them away fromtheir loneliness, and in some instanceseven from being forsaken, so they mayshare their faith, receive spiritual andmedical attention and also supporttheir feeding.

We are also present in the field ofhealth with two dispensaries whichoffer medical assistance to the sickwith the help of the Daughters of SaintCamillus. The miracle of the solidarityof the Catholic faithful within and out-side Peru and the collaboration ofmany volunteers make it possible tokeep up these services that have be-come a support for many people inneed. It would not have been possibleto develop so many evangelizing, pas-toral and social activities without thecollaboration of many persons whohave become aware of the life of the

community and have committedthemselves through their lay min-istries.

Reaching OutPope Francis urges the Church to goout in order to reach all, and this is im-possible without the committed workof hundreds of lay people who give lifeto their Christian communities, reachthe families, shape the faith of the chil-dren and youth, direct and animatethe social enterprises of the parish.However, I can see that the number ofcommitted lay people is not enoughand less still is the quality of the com-mitment of some of them. They needtrue faith motivations and a deep en-counter with Jesus Christ in order tofeel that they are sent to share theirmission and overcome the mentalitythat the Church is just the priests’ af-fair.

Still, I must distinguish and begrateful for the presence in our parishof lay missionaries who are living outthe Comboni charism. For many yearswe have relied on the witness of theirlife and the help of their professionalwork. At present, we have two Com-boni lay persons from Peru, anorth-American family of doctors withtwo daughters, and a young Germanwoman. I know that I have conse-crated my life to God, with all itsvalues and capabilities, in order toserve the mission, and I haven’t theslightest doubt that it has been worththe cost. I think that in no other voca-tional or professional path would Ihave been given so much scope formyself and for others.

If you, my reader, feel the missionaryvocation, don’t doubt that this is the greatopportunity of your life. Take the risk bycommitting your whole life to Jesus andHis missionary dream.

Lives of faith

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piness of the missionary”.However, we must not forget that

Comboni could never think of this Sa-cred Heart, his home, without thinkingalso, of the Cross, that is, the sublimeeffusion of His burning love, as Jesus,pierced on the Cross, poured himselfout in love embracing within his arms,within his heart, the whole of human-ity.

So, we who have consecrated ourlives to God and to the mission, in thefootsteps of Saint Daniel Comboni, andall of us who feel inspired by the waythat Comboni embraced His call to be-come that universal embrace of thelove of Jesus, in whatever context wefind ourselves, might like to ask our-selves that question: Where am Irooted? Where am I making my home?Can I say with Comboni, “We are wellin the hands of God and hidden in theheart of Jesus”.

The feast of the Sacred Heart is notjust another liturgical celebration.Rather, it is a renewed call to each of us

to enter into that heart, to come hometo Him, to live in His heart and allowHim to dwell in ours. This, so that ourown wounds may be healed in Him andwe may receive that fullness of life thatHe desires to give us, so that we, inturn, touched, healed, transformed byHis compassionate love, may be betterable to become who we are called tobe: Sons and Daughters of Saint DanielComboni, Brothers and Sisters, to eachother, and to the whole of humanity, asign in the world of the love of God,which is love without exclusions orpreferences.”

May the forthcoming feast of the Sa-cred Heart be an invitation to all of usto check our inner compass and to setout once again, as pilgrims, homeward,together with humanity, towards theHeart of God.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, our home lies deep in thee.

The Comboni Sisters,Glasgow

Every morning, when I walk intomy parish for morning Mass, I amgreeted by an invitation which

seems to me, as a daughter of SaintDaniel Comboni, very apt. The wordswhich greet me, from above the altar ofthe Sacred Heart are:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, our home lies deep in thee.‘Home’ for a missionary of Comboni

can be quite an elusive concept. Some-times, in the quite recent past, when Ihave been asked, Where are you based,where do you live?, I have felt like an-swering ‘... in the airport!’

Going beyond the superficial, it is aquestion which challenges us deeply:Where am I making my home? Wheream I rooted? Where is home for me? Iguess we could ask 1,000 Comboni mis-sionary men and women and we mightget 1,000 answers.

But in the contexts of our world, ofthe crisis in religious life and the everchanging and challenging realities ofour Missionary Family, more than ever,we need to be rooted, as our Fatherand Founder, Daniel Comboni wasrooted. We need mobility of mind, sta-bility of heart.

Now is the time for us to ask thequestion, to reset the compass and toset off on a journey of return .. fromwherever far we may have wandered.Who better to lead us than Daniel Com-boni himself?

Daniel Comboni’s inner compass di-rected him towards True North:Comboni had no home except in theSacred Heart of Jesus: “We are well inthe hands of God and hidden in theheart of Jesus” that heart, that homewhich he described as “rich in mercy...an inexhaustible source of consola-tion... the most sublime treasure wepossess... the joy, the hope and the hap-

Feast of the Sacred Heart(a pause for thought)

Homeward bound

By Sr Anne Quigg/Comboni Sister

Fr. Yacob Solomon is a ComboniMissionary who has been evan-gelizing, together with other

missionaries, in a far remote area ofSouth Sudan. Every day, they welcomedozens of displaced people who arefleeing conflict in other areas of theirparish. They are men, women andchildren who have lost their familymembers, cattle and other belongingsand have been forced by recent vio-lence to flee their homes taking onlythe clothes they had on. They lookdesperately for safety, food and shel-ter and have become a hugepopulation of traumatised people.Providing relief to them at this stage iscrucial to help them move forward.

Psycho-social and spiritual supportto war-affected communities is part ofthe church ministry, and Fr. YacobSolomon has been engaged in trauma-healing activities in recent years,especially among young people.


Students undergoing counselling for trauma-stress

www.southworld

SOUTH SUDAN:HOW COMBONI MISSIONARIES

HELP VICTIMS OF WAR

The current four-year-old conflict in South Sudan has forced more than 2.3 millionpeople to flee their homes. These war-affected populations also need psycho-socialand spiritual help to mitigate the effects of war traumas and to enable them to move

on with their lives.


Fr. Solomon said that

“some of the youth, whoused to be social andfriendly, prefer to be ontheir own. They reactbadly to anyone whodares to disturb theirlonely state. Some havechosen to engage inuntimed marriage andjust a few months laterasked for divorce. Theyseem to have no sense of

direction.”

All this indicates the deep level oftrauma people are enduring.

Working as a young missionaryamong a war-traumatised community,with a massive presence of youth, in-spired Fr. Solomon to help them byoffering some psycho-social and spiri-tual support. He organised sometrauma-healing activities, including thetraining of grassroots church leadersto help their communities.

Recently, Fr. Solomon conducted athree-day trauma-healing trainingwhich involved directly over 200 peo-ple. The aim was to empowergrassroots church leaders to help theircommunities deal with the effects oftraumas by applying a simple and ho-listic approach.

Trauma-healing sessions comprisedtrauma-release exercises intertwinedwith moments of prayers and teachingabout the gospel values of compassionand mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation,peace, unity and healing.

“These activities arehelping people to learnhow to deal with their

traumas and toovercome their

traumatic situations. It is also a uniqueopportunity to learnhow to let go of the

painful past and make anew beginning”,

added the missionary priest.

The three-day trauma-healing pro-gram began with the formation of ateam which is comprised of ten mem-bers. They made plans to reach out tomore people in different communi-ties, including trauma-healingactivities for children.

“We gathered 124children and had a

one-day trauma-healingprogram for them.

We used drama and alsoinvolved some of theteachers. It was

concluded with a song,composed by one of the

facilitators, which calls for unity andforgiveness,”

Fr. Solomon said.

Besides this, a four-day trauma heal-ing program was organised for 68young people. They have learnedwhat trauma is, its causes, symptoms,consequences and how to deal withpost-traumatic stress disorders. Theydrew insights from the healing min-istry of Jesus and used a healing andrecovery holistic process that involvesintegration of body, mind, spirit andemotions.

The groups also made use of someBible quotations with a message ofhope to give more support to thosewho are feeling hopeless and unableto deal with their traumatic situation.

Children learning to overcome war-trauma effects.

Fr. Yacob Solomon is one of themany missionaries, men and women,spread across South Sudan who haveset home among war-displacedcommunities and remain close tothem despite the harsh and insecureenvironment. Such braveevangelizers become a sign of hopefor the tens of thousands of oftenforgotten victims of war andconflicts in the world’s youngestnation.

12 Comboni Mission • www.comboni.org.uk12 Comboni Mission • www.comboni.org.uk

We, the Comboni missionarylay people, sisters, brothersand priests who took part in

the WSF and the CF, greet you fromSalvador, the land of black resistanceand of Afro-descendant cultures, withhearts full of gratitude and hope. Fromthe 10th to the 19th of March 2018 welived together a strong and unique ex-perience by attending the WSF, thathad as a theme “To resist is to create– to resist is to transform” and the8th CF on the theme of “Ministerialmethods and networking/coopera-tion within the Comboni Familyand with other organizations.” Wethank in particular our general coun-

cils that together sent us a message ofencouragement for our commitmentto JPIC and for our participation in theWSF as an experience of how we liveour charism in the challenges oftoday’s world.

Our participation was relevant andnumerous: 53 members from Africa,Europe and America. We experiencedthe great richness of our charism inthe variety of our commitments. Forthe first-time representatives of ouryoung people in formation at thescholasticate and at the CF with theirformator attended. We are also grate-ful for the answers we received fromfour scholasticates to the question-

naire sent by the central committeewith the objective of understandinghow much the JPIC themes are pres-ent in their formation. We also confirmour commitment to involve alwaysmore the people in formation andtheir educators in the themes of JPICand in the dynamics of the WSF and ofthe CF.

In the WSF we, as Comboni Net-work presented four workshops: Landgrabbing, Mineral extraction, Socio-political situation of the DRC and ofSouth Sudan, and the Elimination ofviolence and gender discrimination.This allowed us to share our commit-ment as missionaries for the possibilityof an alternative world within themethodology of the WSC. A stand,which we set up, allowed us to do mis-sion promotion, to meet and dialoguewith many people and be known.From among the many workshops of-fered by the WSF we followed withgreat interest the New Paradigms,Theology and Liberation, Youth, theResistance of indigenous people andof Afro-descendants, Migrations. Inthe course of the Forum we also at-tended the women’s world assembly.The WSF took place in a festive cli-mate, only interrupted by the killingof two human rights activists, MarielleFranco in Rio de Janeiro and SergioPaulo Almeida do Nascimiento in Bar-carena, Pará.

The CF took place under the signof continuity with prior encounters.

Concluding messageof the ComboniFamily in the WSFConcluding message of the members of the Comboni Family Takingpart in the World Social Forum and the Comboni Forum TO RESISTIS TO CREATE – TO RESIST IS TO TRANSFORM Ministerialmethods and networking/cooperation within the Comboni Familyand with other organizations Salvador de Bahia, March 10-19, 2018

Comboni Participants gathered in Salvador, Bahia


The days were marked by times of en-culturated spirituality when wecelebrated life, sufferings and hopes intune with the situations of the coun-tries we came from or encountered atthe Forum. We reflected on the needto deepen our reflection on the newparadigms of mission, of consolidatingthis experience as a Comboni Familyand give wider space for lay people toparticipate. In this reflection we wereaccompanied and animated by Marce-los Barros, who shared with us thecurrent state of theology and libera-tion, and by Moema Miranda, who

after an analysis of the world’s situa-tion, proposed some sources of lightfor the journey as proposed byLaudato Si. Faced by a neoliberalismwithout limits, the invitation consistedto introduce the poor to dialogue andto strengthen the faith in the presenceof the Spirit of God who walks with usthrough history.

Stimulated by what we have experi-enced we propose to:

• Publish a book that will gatherthe history and the experiencesof these 11 years of CF, showingdirections for the future;

• Enlarge the coordination of theComboni Network for a betterservice of animation and forma-tion on JPIC themes;

• Organize a continental ComboniSocial Forum to involve the vari-ous realities wherein we work;

• Create a fund to support the ac-tivities tied to our commitmentto JPIC;

• Consolidate an on-line platformwhere to gather and share expe-riences and material on JPIC.

After this experience, we realize allthe more the importance of meetingagain for a greater cooperation withinourselves, to face one another as Com-boni Family and as people busy indifferent fields but united in our com-mitment to JPIC to look for new waysto minister and new paradigms of mis-sion.

Salvador March 19, 2018

Feast of St. Joseph

Comboni exhibition at the Forum

Commemorating InternationalWomen’s Day


Assembly of the United Nations, hewas one of several Nicaraguan priestswho served in the Sandinista govern-ment – in his case, as foreignminister – and as a result was deprivedby the Vatican of his priestly faculties.

In 1987 I came to serve as editor-in-chief of Orbis Books, the houseMiguel built. I invited him to our of-fice, where he reflected on the originsof Orbis Books when he was the Mary-knoll Society’s director of socialcommunications.

It was 1970, he recalled, two yearsafter the historic meeting of the LatinAmerican bishops at Medellín, anevent that realigned the mission of theChurch from the perspective of thepoor. Miguel saw an opportunity toevangelize the rich of North Americathrough the voices of the poor.

With the go-ahead from Maryknoll,Miguel set off for Latin America to col-lect manuscripts from the best of theemerging figures in liberation theol-ogy. Soon Orbis was recognized as anessential conduit for Third World the-ology.

Miguel told me one of his proudestaccomplishments was the founding ofOrbis Books. “Everything I have ac-complished,” he said, “has come frombeing able to dream big dreams, andthen finding people who would sharethose dreams.”

Miguel’s dream of Orbis was justone step in his prophetic journey. Hestaked that mission and his priestly vo-cation on the cause of the poor.

“Like the Good Samaritan,” he said,“I was on the way to Jericho. My lifehad a specific agenda, but there wasmy fellow countryman bleeding by theroadside, and I had to forget, for the

Miguel d’Escoto was not only apriest, a missioner andpeacemaker, but also a revo-

lutionary, a statesman, a diplomat – abeloved son of Maryknoll. Before serv-ing as president of the General

Remembering

MIGUELD’ESCOTO

By Robert Ellsberg/Maryknoll magazine

Father Maryknoll Miguel d’Escoto smiles with two children during his missionaryservice in Chile.

Maryknoll Father Miguel d’Escoto.


his thoughts and prayers. He asked foran icon of Our Lady of the Apocalypsethat we had published.

The missionary d’Escoto seated infront of a banner that reads: Justiceand Peace People in Washington D.C.in 1992.

It inspired him to write this prayerto Mary:

Miguel spent his life struggling togive birth to a better world. May he in-spire us to follow more faithfully thepath God has set before us, alwaysready to step off the beaten path, toaccept the surprises that confront us,especially in the needs of our neigh-bors.

Excerpted from the reflection RobertEllsberg gave at the memorial Mass forMaryknoll Father Miguel d’Escoto, whodied June 8, 2017.

time being, going to Jericho.”Putting his priesthood at the service

of his people led him into politics, apath that was deemed inconsistentwith his priestly vocation.

Returning to the Good Samaritanstory, he noted, “The will of God ismanifested not only in the will of su-periors. Many times it leaps out ontoour path just when we’re on our wayto carry out our scheduled work. I hadto leave the beaten path of my usualmissionary activity out of fidelity toChrist and love for my people—whicharen’t different things.”

When asked whether he looked for-ward to resuming his sacramentalpriesthood, which occurred, thanks toPope Francis, three years before hedied, he said:

“Yes, but I am perhaps living thatMass now, with the pain, even morethan if I did not have this difficulty. Tolive the Mass is to have that inner dis-position of availability to God,including the giving of your life for theservice of the people, and to ask to bestrengthened in your love for thecross and the acceptance of the crossin whatever shape or form God de-cides you should carry it.”

Miguel often sent requests for bookswe had published. Recently he askedfor photographs of the founders ofMaryknoll, saying they were much in

The missionaryMiguel d’Escoto inWashington D.C.

in 1992.

“You labour to givebirth to the Princeof Peace in what is

an ongoing process of birthing him, first in your own soul andin the world throughyou, and now in eachof us, till, with Paul,we’ll all be able to

say: I live no longer I,but it is Jesus who now lives in me.”


Two Irish families will present theofficial World Meeting of Fami-lies 2018 ‘Icon of the Holy

Family’ (see page 17) to Pope Francisin Rome during his weekly General Au-dience with the faithful in Rometomorrow, Wednesday 21 March 2018.The Tobin family are from Co Kildareand the Tumelty Family are resident inRome.

The World Meeting of Families del-egation will be led by ArchbishopDiarmuid Martin, President ofWMOF2018 and includes Father TimBartlett, Secretary General ofWMOF2018 and the iconographer Mr.Mihai Cucu.

The Tobin family comprises Mumand Dad, Brenda and Bryan and theirtwo children Emma (20) and Cathal(13) and Grandmother Maureen Tobinfrom Cobh Co Cork. The Tumelty fam-ily comprises Mary and Michael andtheir two children Olivia (7) and Molly(5). The family moved to Rome in2016.

The official icon for the World Meet-

Irish Families To PresentSpecial Icon To Pope Francis

In Rome

Tobin Family on their way to Rome

ICN/Independent Catholic News

ing of Families was anointed by Arch-bishop Diarmuid Martin at Mass tomark the one-year countdown toWMOF2018 which was held in Knock,Co Mayo on 21 August 2017. Sincethen the icon has been brought fromparish to parish across Ireland as partof a pilgrimage to help parishes pre-

pare for WMOF2018.The Tumelty Family moved to Rome

in 2016. Mum Mary is from a smallparish in Tang, Co Westmeath andMichael is from Knocklyon in Dublin.Michael and Mary are married for thepast 10 years and have two childrenOlivia (7) and Molly (5). Michael is cur-


rently on leave from AnGarda Síochána to takeup a position with theUnited Nations (WorldFood Programme).Mary is a nurse manager who workedfor over 17 years in Temple Street Chil-dren’s Hospital, Dublin, and iscurrently on leave from Tallaght Chil-dren's Hospital. Molly and Olivia areattending an English-speaking schoolin Rome but are also on leave fromSaint Colmcilles National School inKnocklyon, Co Dublin. Olivia is cur-rently preparing for her First HolyCommunion at the Pontifical Irish Col-lege in Rome.

The Tobin Family is from Newbridgein Co Kildare. Mum, Brenda is origi-nally from Belturbet, Co Cavan andDad, Bryan is from Cobh in CountyCork. Brenda and Bryan have beenmarried for 22 years and have two chil-dren: Emma (20) and Cathal (13).Bryan is a former member of the IrishDefence Forces and is currently work-ing with Storyful in Dublin. Brenda hasbeen working as Communications Of-ficer with the CatholicCommunications Office for the past 17years and is currently on secondmentto the World Meeting of Families 2018.Emma is a final year student of English

multaneously in thetwenty-six dioceses on theisland of Ireland on 21 Au-gust;

Secondly, from 22 to24 August, a three-day Pastoral Con-gress will take place in the RDS, Dublinand will include a joyful and reflectiveprogramme of workshops, talks anddiscussions centered on the theme:“The Gospel of the Family: Joy for theWorld”. The Congress will also offer anengaging programmed for young peo-ple to include faith and fun activitiesfor children;

Thirdly, a Festival of Families will beheld on Saturday 25 August 2018. Thiswill involve a cultural concert within aprayerful and joyful atmosphere, dur-ing which personal stories of faith willbe shared by families, each represent-ing the five continents; and,

Fourthly, Holy Mass for WMOF2018.A solemn Eucharistic Celebration onSunday 26 August will involve thou-sands of pilgrims from Ireland andaround the world.

This Icon of the Holy Family, com-missioned for the 2018 World Meetingof Families, was written by iconogra-pher Mihai Cucu, who comes fromRomania. Mihai was assisted by the Re-demptoristine

and Philosophy in University CollegeDublin. Cathal is in his first year of sec-ond level education at the PatricianSecondary School in Newbridge, CoKildare. Grandmother Maureen Tobinis from Cobh in Co Cork. She has sixchildren; sixteen grandchildren andeight great-grandchildren. She hasbeen a widow for the past eight years.

Dublin, Ireland, has been chosen byPope Francis to host the next WorldMeeting of Families from 21-26 August2018, guided by the theme “TheGospel of the Family: Joy for theWorld”. Held every three years, thismajor international event brings to-gether families from across the worldto celebrate, pray and reflect upon thecentral importance of marriage andthe family as the cornerstone of ourlives, of society and of the Church.Whilst WMOF2018 will include exhibi-tions, cultural events and musicalperformances, events around the city,gestures of solidarity, it has at its heartthe following key moments: 3)

Firstly, a National Opening of WorldMeeting of Families will take place si-

The Icon of the Holy Family


atSt. Anne’s Cathedral, Leeds

the church. Then next to the chairsthere is a lamp and written wordswhich say that a priest will be availablefor conversation or confession. I havebeen attending these services for sometime. On all of these occasions, I havebeen sitting on a chair for two or threehours listening to people’sconversation or confession. Sincerelyspeaking, I have enjoyed it and I lookforward too many more events. At thesame time, I have found it is a spiritualenrichment for me.

On 6th October, 2017 there was anannual Lightnight in Leeds. The citybecame more alive with an excitingprogramme of spectacular projections.This annual event draws many peopletogether to the city centre, includingthose from neighbouring towns, andhas been quite popular for some years.On the same night on Friday evening6th October, 2017, the prayer servicetook place in the heart of Leeds at St.

In Leeds Cathedral there is aNightfever programme which takesplace once a month on a Friday

evening. It begins with the HolyEucharist at 5.30 pm then continuesfrom 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm, concludingwith Compline and Benediction.Nightfever is an evening of gentleprayer, during which volunteers will goout onto the streets to invite peopleinto the Cathedral to light a candle.Actually, the prayer event is surroundedby a profound silence which empowerseveryone to encounter God.Therefore, as they enter the church,each person is given a small candle tolight in front of the main altar wherethe Blessed Sacrament is exposed.While the people are proceeding to thealtar with their candles, inspiringspiritual songs are played and this goeson throughout the encounter.

The organisers place two chairsfacing each other in different parts of

Fr Melaku is engaged in Youth Ministryat our house in Leeds

By Melaku Tafesse Amente mccj

An inspiring encounterwith two teenagers


Anne’s Cathedral Church. This was thenight when St. Anne’s Church hostedmore than seven thousand people whocame into the church and lit theircandles in front of the BlessedSacrament.

On this magnificent night, as soon asI entered St. Anne’s Church, a priest incharge took me to a chair where I hadto sit down and listen to the people’sconversation/confession. Immediatelysome people began coming forconversation or confession. There werethree people who were looking at mewhile I was holding a conversation witha person. Afterwards I saw them goingto the altar holding candles in theirhands. They were two teenage girls,most probably 14 and 16 years old, withtheir father. After ten minutes, theirfather came back and took a chair. Hesaid, “I’m here for confession”. I gavehim a warm welcome and then startedwith the sign of the cross in order tocommence the sacrament ofreconciliation. I noticed that he was notmaking the sign of the cross, so I askedhim if he were a Catholic. He answered,“No”, so I said, “What can I do for you?”“I’m here for confession”. I asked, “Whydo you want to make a confession sinceyou are not a Catholic?” “Because my

thing? Youdidn’t help him;instead, you encouraged him to golooking for drugs with this smallamount of money. He might have usedthe money for drugs or for alcohol. It ishighly possible that after taking a drugor drinking alcohol he might go back tostealing from a shop again or burgling ahouse. Eventually, this man will put hislife at risk.” Finally, these girls told theirfather, “You didn’t feel responsible forthis man or for the community.” In thisway, he was told that he was guilty.

I was amazed to hear such sincereconversation from this man and Iadmired him for his courage. Actuallyhe asked me for a prayer and blessings,which I gave with uplifted heart.

I was moved by these girls who werefull of integrity, which enabled them tonotice the needs of the vulnerablepeople within society. These are thepeople who deserve our attention withlove and fairness. Imagine - these girlsaren’t churchgoers but their concept ofGod’s compassion and the love theyexpressed for their neighbours isbeyond our understanding. On theother hand they inspired their father,who was touched by his daughters’hidden spiritual life. I am convincedthat this example is a remarkable lessonfor young adults and for other people.This sort of opportunity allows us toshine and to witness the uprightness ofour lives and, where there is darkness,to bring light. Therefore this is aninvitation to live our moral life and actjustly with fairness towards allhumanity. The Nightfever prayer is amoment that you stay with God andexperience the presence of God in yourlife.

daughtersinsisted thatI go forconfession.” Irealised therewas somethinggoing on here.Hence, I acceptedhis request andshowed him myreadiness to listen to him.

He told me that while hewas walking in the city with histwo daughters that afternoon, hesaw a man selling a beautiful leatherjacket on a street. It was extremelyattractive so he couldn’t resist it.Therefore, he immediately bought thisleather jacket for twenty pounds,without any hesitation in front of hisdaughters, knowing it was worth onehundred and eighty pounds. At thisjuncture his two daughters were notcontent with their father’s behaviour;they became furious. They told him,“You have no idea where this man hasgot such a brand new jacket. Mostprobably he has stolen it from one ofthe shops. Furthermore, you saw howwretched the man was - he didn’t lookgood. He was so squalid and was stillhung-over. How dare you do such a


23rd-31st

JULY2018

Come

See

Share

…Jesus turned around, saw themfollowing and said, ‘What do youwant? They answered, Master, wheredo you live?’

He replied, ‘come and see’; so theywent and saw where he lived, andstayed with him that day. (John 1:38-39)


Human Trafficking

Homelessness

SoupKitchen

The summer camp is a time to accept the invitation of Jesus to stay with him, to teach us see with his eyes the humansuffering and deprivation of forgottenbrothers and sisters in our society andshow them compassion and care.Open your hearts and minds to

recognise him through people’s facesand life situations:

People cry forfreedom andJustice

People cry forbasic humanrights

People cryfor an equal

share ofresources

Arrival:23rd July 2018,at St Joseph’s Catholic Church,218 Roehampton Lane,SW15 4LE, LONDON

Departure:31st July 2018

Cost:Commitment and good will.

Age:18-30, Male and Female

Bring:Sportswear, your Country’s flag,traditional music, Costumes oranything useful for ouramusement.

Contacts: Fr Alberto Pelucchi at St Joseph’s Catholic Church,218 Roehampton Lane,SW15 4LE, [email protected](Tel. +44 7731695749)

Fr Carmine Curci in England at: [email protected] (Tel. +44 7585930907)

Fr Melaku Tafesse in England at:[email protected](Tel. +44 7572626887)

Fr Ruben Padilla in Ireland at:[email protected](Tel. +353 899833135)

Fr Javier Alvarado in Scotland at:[email protected](Tel. +44 7474547883)

Mailbag

Letters from readers are most welcome but we regret we cannot publish them all. Some may be shortened due to lack of space.

You can also email us at: [email protected] • leeds@[email protected]

[email protected] - Editor • [email protected]

You WriteComboni Mission8 Clontarf RoadDUBLIN 3IRELAND

Comboni MissionBrownberrie LaneHorsforthLEEDSLS18 5HEENGLAND

Comboni Mission138 Carmyle AvenueGLASGOWG32 8DLSCOTLAND

Hello John,What a nice surprise! Goodmemories of Rome and our timetogether playing pool at night andsearching for a Guinness aroundRome! Hope you are well and


cheerful as ever.All in all, I’m fine but for some

time malaria has been attacking meand it won’t let go of me. It leavesone with aches and pains but nodoubt it will get better.

I appreciate your attention and weare most grateful and happy toreceive your donation through thekindness of St. Gabriel’s 3rd. WorldGroup, Viewpark. Give our fondestwishes and thanks to them!

I have now been back in thismission for 13 months and there isso much to be done. It has notrained for a long period and it looksas if the harvest will be almost zerothis year. The people have reservesbut the future is not too bright.Despite all these setbacks thepeople have faith in their good ‘Godwho will provide’. I wish I had theirfaith!

Thanks to you and Martin for yourcare and attention towards ourmission. I keep you all andespecially your readers in myprayers as I travel these muddyroads!

God BlessUm grande abraco (a big hug)

Manuel.Fr Manuel Pinheiro,

Lusaka/Zambia

Dear Father,I am always interested to receiveyour magazine and it makes me feelhumble when I read about the workFr Manuel whilst working in Peru before going to Zambia


Fr Franco (centre) celebrates his 50th anniversary of priesthood.

you do and the conditions that existin so many parts of the world.If I win the lottery or football poolsyou will get a big cheque!!

V. Friel,Glasgow.

Dear Fr Franco,Welcome back to the Mission Officewhich you left in 2007 and havesince celebrated your 50thanniversary of ordination and 75thbirthday on 14 December, last year.Well done !

I hope you keep well and havemany more years in the mission. Ireally enjoy the Comboni magazineand thank you for printing my letterto Fr John. I have since been able toorder a copy of ‘The Opening of theNile Basin’ and find it veryinteresting.

I wish you all a very joyful Easterand ‘tanti auguri e tante belle cose’.

God bless you.Sincerely in Jesus and Mary.

Anne Marie Allen,Cheltenham.

Dear Fathers,Thank you very much for themagazine and remembering all the hard work that goes into it! My mum (deceased) was very fondof the Comboni Missionaries andkept in touch and talked of you as if you were part of our family. It isgood to be able to have first- handnews of your work thoroughreading the magazine.

My husband and I are deeplythankful for this family that you and we all belong to and hope wecan support you as you aresupporting us by your prayers.

Please pray for us Fathers as wedo for you so that we may growcloser to God and each other.

We send you all our love and prayfor you all in our evening prayers.

May God bless you.A. Dore,

Wakefield

Dear Frs. Padilla and Downey,I have just completed thequestionnaire after reading yourspring magazine. It prompted me to send a donation to Fr Donatofor his missionary work.

Thank you for your prayers. Life would be impossible withoutprayer, especially Mass.

M.Boyle,Maghera

War and suffering throughout the world

WRITE YOUR INTENTIONS FOR THE SACRED HEART MASSES ON THE LEAFLET PROVIDED AND RETURN TO YOUR NEAREST MISSION OFFICE.

JUNEMonth�of�the�Sacred�Heart

O,�how�much�upon�the�CrossDidst�thy�bowed�head,�O�Christ,

Thy�hands�flung�wide,�Thy�open�heart�Breathe�forth�love.Son�of�God�who�didst�come�to�redeem�the�lost,

Condemn�not�the�redeemedCrying�out�to�Thee�from�the�valley�of�tears.

Good�Jesu,�hear�thou�our�groaning,And�take�not�the�measure�of�our�crimes.

We�implore�thy�wounded�Heart,O�tender�God

30 MASSESwill be offered at our three mission centres in honour of

the Sacred Heart, for these and your intentions

For your spiritualand material

needs and forhealth in mind

and body

For peace andjustice in the

world, especiallywhere there iswar or conflict

For the sick andterminally illamong your

relations andfriends

For the needs ofyour family,especially forserenity, unity andthe practice of thefaith

For all ComboniMissionaries of theHeart of Jesus,particularly thosewho are ill orexposed to danger

For any specificintention(s) youmay wish to make

Visit our websites:www.comboni.org.uk

www.combonimissionaries.co.ukwww.comboniyouth.org

www.combonimissionaries.iewww.southworld.net

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