FACES OF THE MISSION
This photo collage is a representation of the body of Christ. We are all called to take part in the mission of the Church, and to be partners in evangelization. We are from different cultures and traditions, and so, invited to respect our diversity; and to be in conversation with the least and the lost. To do mission and to work in evangelization is our responsibility as a Church; therefore, we create an atmosphere of welcome for these people. In this way, we will see a flourishing of the faithful in our churches.
mission is fun
Lonely victim of the earthquake
BY Fr Nazzareno Contran | Monterrico, Lima
In the community of Monterrico, in Peru, Fr Peter—the name of our protagonist—is well known for his fine hearing and light sleep. Both qualities are most useful in this seismic zone of the Pacific.
Fr Peter, as a good Comboni missionary, takes the anti-seismic recommendations of the Civil Defence very seriously, and has long since identified four areas of refuge: under the desk, under the doorframe, outside, on the terrace. However, he invented refuge under the bed.
During the last earthquake, Fr Peter chose this as his shelter, believing it to be the safest. He jumped out of bed but, unfortunately, as it was night and the bed was very low, he bumped his nose, and he soiled the floor with blood. The next morning, he appeared with the obvious signs of his tragic night. The newspapers spoke of an earthquake of normal intensity and no victims. False. To be fair, we must rectify this misinformation, if not in Peru’s national press, at least in the international Comboni Press!
THE RAIN DANCE
FR TARCISIO Pazzaglia has always believed in the usefulness of mass media in catechesis. Over time, he brought himself up to date and, with his video camera, filmed cleverly and tastefully recreated scenes that mediated messages of belief and morality. One day he had organised the famous ‘rain dance’. To make it more real, he had asked the dancers to present themselves in the traditional way: raffia petticoats, beads, ostrich feathers, drums, etc. Weeks of preparation ensured that no detail was missing from the colourful choreography. The dance was performed superbly and the numerous spectators were granted an encore.