“It was the mission that made me a missionary. I came to understand the true nature of the mission and the charism of St Daniel Comboni.” Fr. Tesfaye Erbelo Anulo from Ethiopia, talks about his vocation journey and his missionary experience.
I was born on 15 March 1978 in Borchosha, Kambata, southern Ethiopia. My parents are devout Catholics. I was actively involved in my home parish, serving as an altar boy and choir member. One day, I met a Comboni missionary in my parish, and from that moment, I began to consider becoming a Comboni missionary myself. I was attracted to and impressed by St Daniel Comboni’s love for Africa.
Following a period of vocational accompaniment, I was admitted to the Postulancy in Addis Ababa in 2000. This period saw significant growth in the areas of human development, spirituality, and Comboni missionary formation.
After finishing my postulancy, I joined the novitiate in Lusaka, Zambia, in August 2003. Life in the novitiate was a time of blessings, during which I learnt more about our founder and his missionaries. It was a challenging time that helped me learn more about myself, God, and consecrated life.
The novitiate helped me connect with God through daily prayer and gain insight into myself and the spirituality of St Comboni. During my time there, I received holistic and solid training, and I took my first religious vows on 1 May 2005.
In August 2005, I was sent to the Scholasticate in São Paulo, Brazil. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in my vocational journey, and it was a challenging time. I was compelled to adapt to the new environment and way of life. I felt like a fish out of water, from the language and culture to the religious and social values. It took time to embrace it all. However, I managed to learn the language and some of the religious values. It was a moment of grace.
Moving from Conservative Theology to Latin American Liberation Theology helped me learn more about the history and gospel values of our Mother Church. Jesus Christ’s mandate was to liberate the oppressed.
After completing my theological studies in December 2009, I returned to my home province in Ethiopia to undertake missionary work. I carried out my missionary service in the Dongora and Fullassa parishes, which belong to the Vicariate of Hawassa, in preparation for perpetual vows and Holy Orders.
This service enabled me to develop and embrace the values I had acquired during my novitiate and scholasticate training. I served in our Fullassa community, where I was responsible for the school and parish youth.
This experience deepened my understanding of the local church and helped me embrace the missionary dimension and charism of Comboni. On 7 April 2011, I took my perpetual vows. On 14 May, I was ordained as a deacon, and finally, on 5 November 2011, I was ordained as a priest.
My first appointment as a Comboni missionary priest was in Mozambique, where I arrived on 3 February 2012. I was delighted to receive my first assignment there. I did not request my superiors to send me there; I accepted the assignment as a gift from God. I felt deeply grateful to God for the beauty of my vocation as an evangeliser.
From 2012 to 2021, I worked in the missions of Maputo and Lalaua (Nampula). The people of God taught me how to become a missionary. I endeavoured to embrace the gospel and the cultural values of the community. It was the mission that made me a missionary, allowing me to understand the true nature of the mission and the charism of St. Daniel Comboni.
I completed an Ongoing Formation course in Rome, Italy from June 2021 to June 2022. I wish to thank God and those responsible for it for the graces I received during the course. Since 6 December 2022, I have been assigned to the community of Postulancy as a Co-Formator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I believe that giving my life to the mission will become a source of joy.
