Visit of the Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries to the Missionary Center "Laudato Si" on the protection of the environment and ecological citizen

Published on March 03, 2019

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The LAUDATO SI Center was honoured by the visit of the Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries, on the occasion of his visit to Kinshasa. This event was attended by the Reverend Father Provincial of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, President of the Orientation Council ; members of the Executive Coordination and some lay people.
 
In his presentation, the Director of the Center, Mrs NKOY MPUTU BOOTO Odile, presented the mission and identity of the LAUDATO SI Center. The content of the presentation focused on the motivations linked to this commitment as well as the response of the Comboni Missionaries and the Laity to the problem of the environment and the safeguarding of creation, our Common House, as raised in the Encyclical "Laudato Si" of Pope Francis. The purpose, objectives and mode of operation of the Center were explained to Father General. It was indicated that the Center is working on three areas of intervention related to environmental issues:
 

• Animation and Formation,

• Research and Documentation,

• Support for micro-projects.

 
The Director of the Center also presented the Center's vision summarized in the Center's slogan "Together for the Safeguarding of our Common House" and in its methodology which consists in being "at the School of Small Gestures". Mrs. Director also developed for Father General the strategy of animation, formation and change of mentalities deployed at the center to impress upon our population a new way of life and relationship with the environment, starting from the principle of integral ecology which makes us understand that everything is connected. This strategy is also the guiding principle of the Center's actions, which gives priority to the educational role it is called upon to gradually bring our population to an ecological conversion and our Catholic parishes to acquire an ecological pastoral care.

The exchanges between the Superior General and the Center's team continued around the priority activities for the first half of 2019 "on ecological animation and formation", targeting parishes, schools, communes, factories, hospitals, etc.

The Superior General and his delegation were attentive to this innovative experience which brings together missionaries and lay people engaged in collaborative work to bring about ecological pastoral care in the light of the encyclical Laudato Si. Such an initiative will be supported, monitored and shared.

Kinshasa 3rd March 2019
Mrs NKOY MPUTU BOOTO Odile
Director