[6779]

On the point of leaving for Jebel Nuba, I hasten to send you a drawing showing the interior of the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Queen of Africa, a church which we built in this capital. It is the largest church in Central Africa that has been built in honour of God and of his divine Mother. It cost us enormous efforts, since the necessary material for ordinary European building cannot be found in these lands.
But what enabled us to save well on expenses to build this monument of faith and Christian civilisation, is that we did not have to pay a single local labourer; it was all built by our Missionaries, our catechists, our lay Brothers and our pupils who come from different Equatorial tribes. The architect was the parish priest, Fr Vincenzo Marzano, whom I recently ordained to the priesthood in Khartoum.

[6780]

I shall give you the details about my Missions when I return from Jebel Nuba. His Highness the Khedive of Egypt, after his promotion to the throne of the Pharaohs, seriously took to heart the important matter of the abolition of slavery and is doing his utmost and even making the greatest sacrifices to combat this age-old scourge which has destroyed three-quarters of the black population. Humanity must be grateful to him if he continues, as I hope, to proceed in this direction. As I have several times described to you the horrors of slavery which existed in this capital when I founded the Catholic Mission here, I will keep you informed of the notable decrease of this scourge.

[6781]

After H.E. Gordon Pasha, the present Governor General, Rauf Pasha dedicates all his talents to this great humanitarian undertaking, for which H.M. Leopold II, King of Belgium will have the greatest merit.

[6782]

Today I limit myself to transcribing a letter which the governor General of the Sudan, that is, of a territory five times bigger than France, wrote to me from Khartoum; it will show our benefactors of the Propagation of the Faith the extent to which Catholicism and the Catholic Missions are protected by the Turks and Muslims.

[Here follows the letter from Rauf Pasha: see N. 1069, §6731–33].

[6783]

This year we have had good rainfall; it lasted for half an hour and came a month earlier than in other years. For three days we had to buy very little water. But at the present time we are spending more than 60 francs a day for slimy, yellowish water and out of the 87 people who make up the Mission, it often happens that many by evening have not yet had anything to drink.

+ Daniel Comboni


Translated from French.

[6784]

I am exploring with the good Missionaries Fr Bonomi, Fr Henriot, Fr Marzano, and the excellent layman Giuseppe Regnotto, to examine the Nuban peoples ruined by slavery, decimated by nine out of ten over many years; idest from their former million and a half, they have been reduced to barely fifty or sixty thousand. The Arab nomads, the Baqqarah, have almost destroyed them, aided by the former governors of Kordofan. But since I explained things clearly to the Government, the Governor General Rauf Pasha, supporting the noble intentions of the present Khedive of Egypt, charged me to examine the difficulties and the horrors on the spot and to suggest the effective means for the total abolition of the slave trade in these mountains. Here all the men and women go about naked like the Kich, but they are more energetic and with time, capable of civilisation through the Gospel. After this exploration, I return to Delen Station first and we will take the route to explore Carco and Fanda, the homeland of Bakhit Miniscalchi; then through the Nyuma we will go to the Lesser Golfan.

[6785]

They are mountains like those in Tuscany, where these Africans are fortified, farm, and defend themselves from the Baqqarah. I have already formed the plan to propose to the government. I am accompanied by six guards on horseback, and I myself am riding the horse of the Pasha of Kordofan who wanted to give me this escort of honour and protection. I will give you further news at leisure, because I am now breathless: we have no salt, there isn’t any here. We eat pulmentum without salt, and to feast us, the cogiur killed a cock. In ten minutes it was plucked and put on the embers, without salt, and served up to us, and we have already polished it off. We will establish a station here.

[6786]

What I want to tell you now is that thanks to the efforts of Fr Gio. Losi (first I worked on it and Fr Bonomi even more) a Dictionary of the Nuba language has been compiled of more than three thousand words and the Church’s principal prayers. And since we know from experience how much work and effort it requires to get a language out of the tribes of the Centre of Africa, the question that arose is utrum nec ne necessarium sit, since we possess the Dinka and Bari languages, the work of our former missionaries providentially collected by you, whether to occupy and establish missions in the best positions where Dinka and Bari are spoken; and the unanimous response of all, especially of Fr Losi, was absolutely affirmative, to use your precious work in the best possible way.

[6787]

So far you are the only one to whom I have revealed our and my firm resolution, which I beg you not to make public until I write to you from Khartoum when I get there, to leave for the Dinka and Bari. That will be after the Kharif, next October or November. Today then it will be easier for me to watch over and direct the missions among the Dinka and the Bari, since at Khartoum I have the government at my disposal with its steamships. Gondokoro and Holy Cross are completely destroyed but we will choose even better positions than those Stations. Thus with the three new languages, Nuban, Dinka and Bari, we shall certainly be able to extend our apostolic action very far.

[6788]

Here I found a beautiful church built which I will dedicate to St Joseph; but that of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in El Obeid, covered with sheets of galvanised iron and zinc, is the largest and most beautiful in Central Africa. It seems that in Khartoum too, we will build a larger one. Pray, fight, assist Fr Sembianti as much as you can, and remember that you are the strongest pillar of Central Africa. The marble bust of Knoblecher which you had made in Rome has arrived in Berber. Thousands of greetings to the most distinguished Bishop and the beloved benefactors.
Tuissimus

+ Daniel
Ep.pus et Vic. Ap.

[6789]

I ask you to give my news to Fr Sembianti in Verona, Dichtl and Ohrwalder are two Überbacher and Lanz also. Deo gratias.

[6790]

The other day I received the mail and this brought me the very greatest anxiety and pain, far surpassing all the afflictions God has sent me since 1878. In fact, I had to take to my bed for a full three days and who knows when I will be able to breathe easy again. The Missionaries think that the trouble is backache, because I am in fact rather tired after the explorations I have been making on horseback. But the true cause, known only to God and to me, is a
deep and fearful affliction, which surpasses all the humiliations and afflictions I have been subjected to, and all the injustices and hurt I have had to suffer, and all my justifiable afflictions for Virginia when her brother left without her knowledge, etc., etc. All this is nothing.

[6791]

The cause is the colossal imprudence of the Mother Superior of Verona (to whom I will never drop a hint so as not to upset her) who foolishly got it into her head (and I already imagine what she was aiming at) to write a letter to my father (which I will send you, dear Father, from El Obeid), in which she describes to my father the motherly ways with which she treats Virginia, that she does everything for her (Virginia always said and wrote to me very well of the Superior etc.,) and asks him advice as to what she should do, etc.; moreover the Superior advised Virginia to ask my father his advice as to what she should do etc.; and that silly Virginia wrote in this sense to my father.

[6792]

My father is a saintly man, upright and everything you want. In the 19 days that I stayed at home in Limone when I went to consecrate the church, he was still living with Virginia and said that she was a saint, and my cousin Teresa said the same: I can swear it.
But when my father came to Verona and that slow-witted gossip Giacomo, put up to it by Grieff or by own his pea-brain, secretly told my father the solemn lie that Virginia was the cause of all my troubles in Africa, and that the superior fell seriously ill (sic) because of her huge displeasure that it was always Virginia I summoned when I had a meal in the convent etc., etc., etc., and these things being judged by appearances etc., my father felt immense sadness and cried like a little boy, and in secret confided to me what the stupid Giacomo had told him in secret, and he did well because he is a truly Christian father (and I tell it to you not in secret, but so that, if you see fit, you may tell Giacomo straight, because the truth is the truth).

[6793]

The fact is that after he had been told this by Giacomo and had seen Virginia complaining about her tremendous and abnormal position in the little house at Verona, and especially after he saw her frequently talking to Alessandro in Sestri, who reached the folly of threatening to fling himself into the sea if she did not marry him, and Virginia continued to refuse him despite the foolish advice of my father who wanted to persuade her to marry him, etc., after all this my father lost his respect for Virginia, and always repeated to me the lie that Giacomo had told him, which is untrue, etc. Giacomo who accompanied Virginia from Khartoum to Cairo, wrote to me in Khartoum (I swear it), and told me in Cairo that he was edified by Virginia, and instead was scandalised by another Maltese sister who always insulted Virginia, etc., etc.

[6794]

The fact is that my father is deeply distressed, and will certainly write to Virginia and give her the immoral advice (he is 78 next 6th December) to marry someone who now hates her for repeated refusal, because she never dreamed of marrying; for which reason, and also because of Giorgio and his mad heretical relatives, I will never allow Virginia to see Syria, etc.

[6795]

But I am altogether too unhappy. Jesus will certainly help me, the Immaculate Virgin and St. Joseph will help me. I thank Jesus for the crosses, but my life is an ocean of anxieties brought on me by good people who love me.

[6796]

My God! ‘Dear Heaven!’, Sister Victoria says – and she is right. But my very heart is petrified. However, Africa will be converted, long live Noah, and Jesus will help me to carry the cross. Then God will bless Virginia, who for her patient sufferings for Africa and for the cause of justice will be set by God on the path to fulfilling her true vocation as a nun and a missionary etc. and I, through the duty of conscience, will help her and support her until death. But we are ready for crosses. My greatest worry of all is my father, who was always a comfort to me, and will perhaps end his holy life with a broken heart and fear for his son, which is a sort of madness because of the position and situation in which I am wholly consecrated to the glory of God and to die for Christ. In brief, please pray for me, who am the most afflicted of men and disheartened with the world, and also pray for my father. Long live Jesus.

[6797]

However, I can take no rest; and I have some small comfort in seeing my dear Fr Losi who prays and I find him in church at three or at five in the morning, and who, although somewhat stubborn , but… he is a saint and a true missionary, zealous for souls, he compiled a dictionary (he began with Fr Luigi, and begged me to leave Fr Luigi here as superior to give the mission development and dynamism, and assured me that in the three years that he was with him he was edified by his sensitivity and conduct, etc.). But enough. It is 4 in the morning and the inspector’s camel is saddled for the mail. I commend my father and Virginia to you in the heart of Jesus; give my regards to the Cardinal, Fr Vignola, Tabarelli, Luciano, etc. Do not suffer and do not be sorry and do not be afflicted for me: these are things disposed by God.

+ Daniel Bishop

[6798]

I received your most venerable letter of 20th April last, from which I learned all that in your profound prudence and wisdom you have decided regarding Fr Bonaventura of Khartoum. I cannot but approve with full conviction of your outstanding determination which truly shows great kindness to this poor African Father: and I am persuaded that given his past vicissitudes, it is above all his present condition which does not yet give certain and sure proof of firm and sound wisdom; your refusal, Most Reverend Father, is most prudent and providential.

[6799]

Then to set his mind at ease and ensure that he submit gladly to your charitable and very wise refusal, I will write to him from Khartoum that we will do all we can to be of spiritual help to his father, brother and sister who are heretical Copts. I will also make sure that I help his Muslim mother spiritually and also with alms for she is very poor (she has always been separated from his father, of whom she was only a concubine since he had a legitimate wife from his own sect). In the meantime, let Fr Bonaventura see to it that he is a good religious in his friary, through obedience to and observance of the holy Seraphic Rule.

[6800]

I heard that the excellent Editor of Libertà Cattolica, where I saw Fr Bonaventura in 1879, wrote to excellent effect to the Eminent Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda, perhaps requested by the petitioner. Trained by experience, it is my general maxim always to go straight through the narrow channel in dealing with business in this world. I never made anyone responsible nor suggested to anyone to have recourse to Propaganda in this matter, which must depend solely upon your will and your prudence, Most Reverend Father.

[6801]

I now come to ask you a grace, which through pure negligence on my part I did not ask you in Europe, although it is so necessary to me.
In the Vicariate of Central Africa, I have set up four houses of sisters, whom I have called Devout Mothers of Africa, that is, one in Khartoum, one in El Obeid, the capital of Kordofan, one in Malbes, and one here in Jebel Delen; and I will shortly establish another among these Africans, where the fashion of Adam and Eve before their fall prevails, and where we hope for an abundant harvest. In Cairo, I have another house of these Sisters; and I established their Mother House myself in Verona with my own rule at S. M. in Organis, where I purchased the old convent of the Olivetans in 1872, which was owned by the Astori Benedictines. This work succeeded with God’s blessings, and almost all these Sisters in Africa are from the Veneto.

[6802]

Now, before coming to Central Africa they were always acclimatised for a year in my house in Cairo, where they have the most devout Franciscan confessors who, to my supreme pleasure and the Sisters’ great comfort, enrolled them in the Third Order of St Francis.

[6803]

At the present time I have nine sisters, seven of whom are from Verona, who have been received by the Franciscans as Novices of the Third Order. Now, and they have been insistently begging me, they are to make their profession. In addition, I have a little African nun of the same Congregation of Devout Mothers of Africa and several others, together with some of my lay brothers who would like to belong to the Third Order. I therefore humbly beg you in your outstanding charity, Most Reverend Father, to grant me the faculty both to receive the Novices of both sexes, and to receive their profession immediately after the Novitiate, in accordance with the Rule of the Third Order.

[6804]

I also have the honour and consolation of being a long-standing member of the Third Order of St Francis. Fr Venanzio of S. Venanzio received me as a Novice in Cairo when he was acting Prefect or substantive Prefect of Upper Egypt; and the Most Reverend Fr Angelo of S. Agata received my Profession in 1872 in Negade in Upper Egypt, when this level existed in the Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Egypt. I hope that this will help me to obtain the grace I am asking of you.

[6805]

If so, I ask you kindly to send the implored faculty to me in Khartoum, my customary residence.
I am infinitely grateful to you for the precious best wishes you express to me about my arduous and very difficult apostolate. I say very precious, because they were given by an important figure I have revered for years, because of the great numbers, Father, that Your Reverence has received from God which make you one of the soundest pillars of God’s Church, not only as General of the largest Order in the world, but further, as a man of great counsel and prudent; as such you would deserve to be raised to the rank of Cardinal, as should have happened in 1877 and as I hope will happen shortly, to take an active and direct part in the most important affairs of the Church in the most important Roman Congregations. The great Leo XIII is too wise and sublime not to come to this.

[6806]

Forgive me, my most Reverend Father; I send you a holy image to keep in your Breviary, and one for the most Reverend Father Maurizio of Venice; and as I kiss your holy hands, I commend myself to your effective prayers and will always be, in Jesus Christ
Your most devoted and respectful son and true servant

+ Daniel Comboni, Bishop of Claudiopolis
and Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa

[6807]

Here, among these peoples who, with regard to clothing still follow the fashion of our first Parents Adam and Eve, but with regard to morality are perhaps more praiseworthy and reserved than certain countries of modern civilisation, I came across a photograph of you. It gave me a sharp pang of reproach for not having written you a line for ages, particularly after all the good you did for me and my African Institutes in Verona, especially when I found myself without a Rector in 1879, etc. But you will excuse me, well knowing that my silence is not culpable; without a Secretary I have had and have to preside over the arduous and difficult work that God has entrusted to me for the redemption of Africa. You know that I have never forgotten you and will never forget you in my prayers.

[6808]

During the important exploration that I have just made of this interesting tribe, which will bow its head before the Cross and which no European has ever visited as I have now with your incomparable Superior, Fr Luigi Bonomi, and Fr Losi (who is a true saint from Piacenza), Fr Vincenzo and Fr Leone, we remembered you and much enjoyed talking about you. But I would also like you to send me your photograph and to include one of the holy and venerable angel of the Parma Diocese, Mgr Villa, to whom you will present my most respectful and affectionate greetings; I have carried him in my heart since the years when he was spreading such a good fragrance of holiness, wisdom and charity in his beloved Bassano, where he completed a praiseworthy and full Novitiate of his Episcopal life. Please also give him the enclosed holy card of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Patron of Central Africa.

[6809]

Please send the photographs to me in Khartoum, my principal residence, where I expect to be for the Assumption. Give me your news, and have prayers said for me – humilis et inutilis servus Afrorum – for Africa, for my Missionaries, and for my admirable Sisters who face death for their ministry with great simplicity. Give my respects to the Ursuline Sister, a correspondent of the Most Eminent di Canossa, who told me that given his nobility, etc., he would become a Cardinal, etc. I then bless the Brothers of the Christian Schools, whom I love madly for their great religious spirit, miraculous growth, the exactness of their observance, etc., and who have always been and are my best friends. My dear Bursar Beppe, always continues to behave properly; he is a good administrator and has a good head and a good heart and an upright conscience. Recently I have taxed him 100,000 francs, and he would make a sorry figure if he were not to send them to me; it would be the first time that he failed.

[6810]

But he will never fail: otherwise I would call him to order, turning to his wife, who made him great and respected in earth and in heaven. Recently I taxed him, St Joseph, 60,000 francs (I am telling you this confidentially) for 31st August this year; they have already been undersigned by 4 Missionaries, a Venetian shop keeper in Khartoum, and the Italian consul Callisto Legnani. At this point, I have already exceeded the sum. But Africa swallows up everything. Problems with transport, so many establishments, etc. and this sum is not sufficient. I am and will always be
Your most affectionate

+ Bishop Daniel Vicar Apostolic

[6811]

Yesterday I arrived back from Jebel Nuba after a day of intense heat and being caught in very heavy rain. I had two fevers during the final days of my stay at Delen. At present I am anything but well and I am oppressed by fearful crosses, not the least of which is a letter from the Most Eminent Cardinal Bishop of Verona, in which he says things that cannot be applied to me: that I made important contracts without a hint to him, such as that for the house of Sestri (I have not a syllable of a contract with Tagliaferro, apart from the one I signed with you after you had examined and re-written it. If this has no value as the lawyers say, neither does the article which says that those who retract must pay 20,000 francs), that this must be done with, and that he and I should be rescued from this false position, that he will see to his Diocese and I should see to mine, that I may do whatever mischief I please (sic), that from now on he will concern himself with his own affairs of which he has more than enough, and that he does not want to be involved in undertakings that will later be criticised, condemned or disapproved of etc., that Tagliaferro is not happy with the current position, etc. etc.

[6812]

But…, continues our dear Cardinal… is it true that by dissolving the work and withdrawing the Sisters from Sestri, in this case you (meaning me) are obliged to
give them 20,000 francs?… Good heavens, what kind of contract is that?… No, I am not going to have any part in wasting (sic) or squandering money donated to the mission etc. (I have never squandered a penny, and although I am a Bishop, I live like other missionaries and with them, just like any religious; instead, I work night and day to help the mission and when everyone else is sleeping peacefully, I am awake at my desk for love of Jesus Christ etc. and of the poor Africans, while I could be living comfortably in Europe, had I wished to accept splendid diplomatic posts in the service of the Church etc.).

[6813]

But this is nothing. What most hurts me is what follows: these are the very words of our dear Cardinal: “Who urged you to enter for ulterior motives into this unhappy business at Sestri? Allow me to say: Virginia (sic), etc., etc., etc." and here he describes this poor unfortunate woman in tones that are indeed far from any shadow of truth, completely different from the information about her which the Mother Superior gives me, etc., etc.!

[6814]

I just don’t know what kind of a world we are living in today. Here I am exposed to death so as to serve Jesus in the midst of suffering and crosses, happy to die to save the poor Africans and in fidelity to my arduous, difficult and holy vocation and then I am supposed to allow myself to be guided by ulterior considerations unworthy of an apostle of Africa, etc. just to obtain a convent at Sestri? I have neither the breath nor the energy to write any more. I am simply amazed at being treated like this and to hear how I am thought of at Verona by my greatest benefactor. No, it is not Jesus Christ who has led His Eminence to feel this way about me; His Eminence is not now the person he has always been.

[6815]

Although I am certain that I will soon succumb to so many crosses, which in conscience I feel I do not deserve, still may my Jesus be ever blessed, the true vindicator of innocence and protector of the afflicted. Africa will be converted; and if I am not to have consolation on earth, I will have it in heaven. Jesus, Mary and Joseph are always with us, and if we are abandoned by men, God will not fail us, and will see to it that Africa is saved, as well as poor Virginia, who is a soul redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Long live Jesus.
Your most affectionate

+ Bishop Daniel

[6816]

I have not had a moment’s sleep since my return from Nuba, because of the deep hurts and crosses that the Lord himself sends me, even though my conscience assures me that I myself have not been the cause of these things. I think especially of the last letter received from His Eminence, our Cardinal Bishop of Verona, moved solely as he is by the purest charity and love for me and for the holy Work which, without his help, would never even have seen the light. Today it is passing through incredible difficulties which are totally unknown in Europe and also at Propaganda, as we and especially Sister Teresa Grigolini understand. (She has received great lights and graces from God for this work that is the most demanding and, perhaps, the most important in Africa, as after my death and perhaps before, will be tangibly perceived by Propaganda, as well as by those in Europe who are seriously concerned with Africa, because it is impossible at present for them to have even the faintest idea of it). So it is that I continue to feel very grateful indeed to His Eminence, not only for the great good he has done for Africa, but also for the way he has reproved me, because he is a typical gentleman.

[6817]

However on this occasion I am convinced that I do not deserve his reproofs, and were I to say nothing and not defend myself this would damage the work, since if the esteem and trust in which the Head is held decrease, the work also suffers. Thus I shall perhaps decide to write to him, to defend myself and give explanations; and not be silent, like the many times in the past when I was silent and did not defend myself, entrusting everything to God, who is the protector of innocence and the champion of righteousness. His Eminence has every reason to be loath to be involved in what are claimed to be my blunders and madness, to want to look after his Diocese of Verona and to want me, as the only one responsible, to see to my own Diocese in Africa; and the Holy See has always demanded that I be solely responsible for the Vicariate of Central Africa although, through measures dictated by its lofty prudence, it has at times called upon the valuable and powerful judgement of the Bishop of Verona, as necessarily being the most informed about Africa by the Veronese missionaries.

[6818]

But since there are two African Institutes in Verona, the Canons of the Church not only give the Ordinary the right to stick his nose into them, keep an eye on them and direct them to good, but impose upon him the duty, since they come under his jurisdiction and especially since the Cardinal has had such a part in their existence, as well as in the wise dispositions recently taken. But ever blessed be Jesus and his most holy Cross, the mysteries and inestimable treasures of which the most Eminent Prince explained so well in his wonderful Homily about the Transfiguration. I have read it, as it was given in the Cathedral on Easter Day this year, in Verona Fedele, and I would very much like to have a separate copy (from now on send letters, dispatches and newspapers for me no longer to El Obeid, but to Khartoum, for which I will be setting out in a few weeks).

[6819]

Blessed be the holy Cross! “We are here to toil, grieve and suffer,” Sr Teresina Grigolini said to me yesterday, “it is impossible, no matter how much we write”, she said, “that they can have an inkling in Europe of the virtues that with God’s help are exercised by the missionaries and Sisters in the midst of so many hardships, just as it is impossible”, the Sister said, “that they can know Virginia in Verona, and all that she has suffered and merited in Africa, etc.; but we have the grace of faith, the one comfort that sustains us: courage, Monsignor”. Sr Teresina said to me, “we suffer contradictions and hardships that no mission in China, in India or in any other part of the world or even Propaganda itself could possibly imagine. Here we have to deal with barbarians; but good is done and, Monsignor”, Sister Teresina continued, “take heart; miracles are happening in Africa, without the world or even our venerable Superiors paying any attention to them; but they are known to God and to Jesus and that is enough, because it is Jesus who rewards us for them: be happy Monsignor, etc.” This is what that good soul, Sister Teresina, said to me yesterday.

[6820]

This is also more or less what she said to comfort me when she saw me oppressed in 1875 by the weight of the afflictions caused by the Camillians and their supporters and by Virginia Mansur, whom I have always respected and admired. Despite her shortcomings, created by the burden of persecution, she has steadfast faith and unwavering firmness (if you had but seen her on the battlefield) (although Arabs are all fickle), in working as a catechist, as a missionary in every kind of exhausting task, docile and obedient to her Superiors and more able than all our Sisters of Africa, with the exception of the three Sisters, Sr. Grigolini, Sr Vittoria and Sr M. Gius. Scandola, a true saint.

[6821]

Virginia’s virtues and talent, as the Lord wills for his own ends, are not known in Verona which is not her true milieu. However, in the order of Providence, I believe that what she suffered in spirit in Verona and in Sestri was good for her soul. She too is advancing in years, and one day when she is firmly and permanently in the place that God will assign to her, she will understand all the treasures of God’s love for her, and will tell you and our Superior in Verona what she certainly feels in her heart: that is, high esteem for you and for your true charity, because you, Rector, have done, and always wanted to do good for Virginia; and would of course be very happy if little by little she were to become a saint; and Virginia is such that she can be helped by God’s grace and can respond to it, provided that she is put in the right place, which is not Verona, given the precedents permitted by God. Long live the Cross! It will always be the precious companion of the men and women who are Africa’s apostles, and of all those who want to save souls. I boast of what I have done for Virginia; and I hope that God will generously reward me for it.

[6822]

Just a couple of words about what His Eminence our Father deigned to write to me about Sestri and that is all.
The Most Eminent Prince writes that I have committed the error of Sestri (sic) urged by Virginia, etc. If at this moment I were about to die, I would swear on the Gospel that Virginia had absolutely nothing to do with the Sestri business; indeed she did not even have it in mind. Moreover, in the Sestri affair I used all the prudence and careful consideration worthy of a Bishop, with God’s help. When Fr Properzi wrote to me from Sestri, I asked him to have Tagliaferro himself write to me, and he wrote on 19th August 1879, when Virginia was in Syria.

[6823]

I went to Sestri three times to examine everything, and took advice on those three occasions (before proposing the matter to the Cardinal) from Marchese Negrotto of Genoa, from Mgr Negrotto’s brother (whom His Eminence knows because he was at Pius IX’s side for 14 years); he is an engineer and knows the premises in Sestri. As well as these two Marquises who have holiday houses in Sestri, I consulted the Mayor of Sestri, the Archpriest of Sestri and a rich landowner of Sestri who is a relative of the Superior of the Presentation in Sestri; they all said it was a magnificent deal but did not believe that Tagliaferro was generous enough to put it into practice.

[6824]

Not content with all this, before disturbing His Eminence with castles in the air, I wanted to see if it really were possible to establish an Institute of Sisters in Sestri; and what decided me on it was the very grave motive of the health of Sr Meltide, who would have been unable to live in Verona, as Dr Baschera said, but would survive in Cairo. But I who know Cairo better than Dr Baschera, judged it right to prepare her to bear Cairo gradually by sending her to Sestri, thus killing two birds with one stone; in other words, to try out the possibility of an Institute in Sestri, and to care for Sister Metilde’s health. In fact, Providence provided me with three birds for one stone. That is, by also taking Virginia and her sister there, to distance her from little house where she had suffered agony. This was not only due to the isolation which she found burdensome since she had always been in a convent since the age of 5, but rather to distance her from her cousin Alessandro, whom she could not stand because of her highly sensitive honesty; for at the little house Alessandro made her proposals of marriage which she always rejected, also in Syria. And Alessandro’s presence was Virginia’s chief torment in that unhappy little house.

[6825]

You, my dear Rector, will point out to me what happened subsequently in Sestri with Alessandro; but I can swear with full knowledge of the facts (these are always delicate matters) that what occurred in Sestri in the final analysis, when, requested by Virginia, I withdrew Alessandro to Rome to send him to the Orient, did nothing but commend Virginia’s great virtues. Although urged by my father to marry Alessandro, she would hear nothing of it; for she had vowed her virginity to God, and in this she stood and stands firmer than the cedars of Lebanon.

[6826]

After satisfactorily testing the possibility of having an Institute in Sestri, I did not want to throw myself off course in anything before having had you and the Superior General of the Devout Mothers of Africa examine it all thoroughly. I therefore asked you and the Superior to go to Sestri, after submitting to you the written proposals of Tagliaferro in Verona. You know the rest of the story: you and the Superior came with me to Sestri, where we examined, discussed and fought over everything and took counsel, etc., etc. At last we reached the point of signing that Agreement which you had copied several times, examined, taken to pieces again and again, etc. That document is the only deed I signed; that’s all I did. Fr Tagliaferro said and wrote bombastic words and letters to me; and I spoke and wrote in a similar vein; that is, if he will really do it, I will really do it; but these things do not entail obligations, either in law or in conscience.

[6827]

Now, the document I signed in your presence, my dear Rector, is either valid, as Fr Angelo says, or is not valid, as our very wise Count Teod. Ravignani says. If it really is valid it is a brilliant affair, as you thought too; nor can the law oblige us to do more than what has been done so far, that is, three sisters, some catechism lessons, a bit of school and nothing more until we are able to do something more. Or if the document is invalid, we are free to withdraw the sisters, break everything up and send Tagliaferro packing.

[6828]

Here I see no bad error on my part, on the contrary it was a most wise act, an effort to be useful to the Mission, especially for more vocations, and for the prospect of having great resources during my visits to Genoa, because in Genoa there are people with unlimited wealth, who are charitable, etc., etc. I had the holiest of aims, and it has yet to be proven that this affair will not bring very good results in the future. There is also my purpose for the health of the Superior of Verona and of all our sick in Europe and Africa. And have you nothing to say about Sr Metilde’s health? If she had gone to Cairo last year she would have died.

[6829]

Furthermore, there were no expenses; because what I spent for the individuals in Sestri I would have spent elsewhere for those people. So long live the Cross, long live Jesus, long live Cardinal di Canossa! It will only be in heaven that we will be completely at peace, and I hope that we will all go there together. Vale et salve.

+ Bishop Daniel

If the Most Eminent Cardinal or Bishop thinks the Sisters should be withdrawn from Sestri, do withdraw them. I will also write to Fr Angelo.

[6830]

Although I have several hundred new letters to answer, and I had a bout of fever yesterday, and I continue to lack appetite and cannot sleep (because I am now less able to bear the crosses, after so many battles fought for the glory of God and the good of Africa), yet I want to write to you (who are the true, positive and staunchest friend of Africa, without ceremony, letting facts speak for themselves. In addition, you are the most efficient promoter of the glory of God and the salvation of Central Africa; for in ten years, which will pass quickly, Central Africa will have true apostles of both sexes. You must therefore educate them and do everything in your own way to form these candidates in accordance with your ideas and the advice of the Superior of the Stigmatines and carry on, etc., etc.), to inform you about the mission and answer your letters, etc., etc.

[6831]

In Jebel Nuba I did a magnificent job with my companions, not only as concerns the Mission, but also as regards the abolition of the slave trade. The Mission will save the Nuba, and all the chiefs and cogiurs of the 40 or more mountains I visited are hopeful of this. You will see it all clearly from our Reports which I shall send for the Buon Pastore, and from the Map we have made and are sending to all the Geographic societies in the world; I have already sent it to Rauf Pasha.

[6832]

Before I say a few words about the Nuba, I thought of telling you about Domenico Polinari who, although he is devout, well-mannered and a great worker, is mad. He does not want to obey the local Superiors, he acts and works the way he wants and with little benefit for the mission. In Khartoum he created problems for Fr Luigi, because, on a whim, he dismissed all our Christian Africans from the vegetable garden, even those who had worked there for 20 years, and hired Muslims instead, paying them generously from the income of the garden, of which he never wants to give the accounts to Fr Luigi. To our kitchen he brings the worst of the produce, he spends and wastes money for the garden as the mood takes him, he cut down some colossal trees etc., etc. Then he spied for the Consul, who listened to him and put Fr Luigi in the wrong etc., etc. When I reached Khartoum, I summoned him and told him, in the presence of Fr Bortolo, either to obey the local Superior in all things and not to incur expenses without the Superior’s consent, or to leave.

[6833]

He said yes, but ended by imploring me and insisting for the hundredth time that I send him back to Europe before he went to the graveyard; and I informed him that if he intended to submit to the Superiors wherever he was sent, he should return; or otherwise, stay in Verona, Sestri, the little house or his own home. I would be of the opinion that he should return, because we would force him to abide by his duties, for he is a great worker and of proven and certain morality even in the midst of the completely naked Nuba women, in the hope that in Europe, as happens to everyone, he will come down to earth, for the best place for him is Africa.

[6834]

But Sr Teresina’s opinion is that he should not come back. The Sister tells me that he contributed to fuelling enmity between the Consul and Fr Luigi. At table, Fr Luigi who is very witty, made fun of the Austrian Consul for his use of Italian terminology (he is German): for example, to me he wrote: “Would Your Monsignorness please send me such and such etc.”; to Fr Luigi, he wrote: “Please give hospitality to these two poor Austrian subjects, and you will be showing great carestia (famine)” – he meant carità (charity) etc., etc. The Consul said “my whole heart and my whole life are for my pimpo” (bimbo, child, because he has a concubine whom, despite many efforts on my part and Fr Luigi’s, we have not succeeded in getting him to send away) etc., etc. Well, in the evenings, Domenico would go and tell it all to the Consul, so that the enmity between the Consul and Fr Luigi grew to such an extent that the Consul reported him to the Ministry in Vienna and to Propaganda, causing me serious financial and moral difficulties, so that (also because of what our Cardinal Bishop wrote to Rome) Cardinal Simeoni ordered me to find myself a Vicar General (all this is insinuated by Fr Losi), telling me that Fr Bonomi was no longer to be Vicar General. In any case, if Domenico comes to Africa, I shall put him in his place.

[6835]

To everyone’s great satisfaction Fr Bortolo has left, because he is good for nothing, he is not even fit to teach a bit of catechism, let alone to be a Superior. All he can do is sow discord and chaos: he is unworthy of all the respect I showed him. Then when he wrote to me clearly saying that he only agreed to come to Africa with me because he was convinced that he would become Vicar General and absolute master (because he had the pride to believe that he would have managed things well), and set as a condition that, in my absence, he wanted Fr Losi as his assistant etc. my eyes were opened and we realised he was mad.

[6836]

It was he, terrified by the fear of dying, who begged me, verbally and in writing, to let him return to Europe; then, seeing that he recovered, he asked me to let him stay, but only on condition that everything be put in his hands etc., and seeing that I did not reply, because he is totally incompetent and nobody has the slightest trust in him, he wrote saying that if he left, it would not be for health reasons but because he could see that the mission was going badly, whereas while he was in Khartoum, before he fell ill, he was saying that he had been deceived by the Camillians, and that it was going much better than he had believed. I could write a thousand pages on Fr Bortolo; they know him now in Khartoum. Well, may the Lord bless him and let him go where he will, but not to Cairo or the Vicariate, because he is incompetent and would not win anyone’s heart. He will never come here as long as I am Vicar Apostolic. Among the virtues he lacks are humility and charity. I pointed this out to him in a letter (but he, proud as ever, ignored my warnings), and I sent him a copy (though he would have left by then) of two passages of the life of St Angela Merici, written by Girelli in 1871.

[6837]

Please read it, dear Rector, because it is good for me, for you and for all the missionaries. I also gave a copy to the Sisters here. Ask the Mother Superior to give you the Life of St Angela, 1871, and read on page 41:12 about meekness and mercy: “It is said with good reason that to gain great influence over hearts, holiness alone is not enough, but that in accordance with the wise teaching of the Apostle, one must be full of mercy, goodness, humility, modesty and patience… but St Angela took pains to imbue her Virgins with it and wanted to make them like heavenly magnets to win souls for God… Let us distance ourselves from this trait of severity and contempt (Fr Bortolo), which cannot bear with the weaknesses of others and elevates itself as the censor even of its own virtues. Let us distance ourselves from that indiscreet zeal which never sees the work of others as perfect enough, and seeks good with pride and anger. Let us honour all these… and when we actually have to exhort and correct… let us do it with that holy love of which St Angela was an example, throughout her life”.

[6838]

Read also (in Nuba I copied many parts of it) this other passage, 15 on page 48. I was amazed by this too, and recognise that I am zero in charity. Here it is: “When Jesus Christ lives spiritually in a heart, he breathes into it a love that is similar to his own; and as St Francis de Sales gracefully expresses it, this heart becomes a public fountain to which all can come for help and consolation. The poor, children, the afflicted and sinners came to Angela, some seeking help and some… and she, in the treasure of her charity, always found something to satisfy everyone… With her motherly love” writes Cozzano, “she embraced
all creatures; and those who were the most sinful were the most caressed; if she could not convert them (think about this, dear Rector, the idea had not occurred to me) she tried with loving words to induce them at least to do some good, or to commit less evil; so that for this little bit of good, they might be given some refreshment on their deathbed, and less torments in hell”, etc., etc., etc.

[6839]

This should be read by certain short-sighted and mean-spirited priests in Verona who are good for nothing and criticise others… because they lack charity and humility. You know Fr Squaranti’s judgement of Fr Bortolo. He wrote he sees everything darker than in hell, has something to say about everything and everybody, he dreams of catastrophes, and he concludes that Fr Bortolo is the one who did the most harm to the mission and who was so stubborn that not even the Holy Spirit could make him change his mind. Therefore, I wish him only the best, but he had better not see Africa again. I had the purest and holiest intentions for him, but everyone here thinks it would be a blessing if he were never to return to Africa, until he changes. The Peio waters he can take at home, but for those of Recoaro, he had better go to the source.

[6840]

Despite its immense difficulties, the mission is doing quite well. I spent some happy days with Fr Losi; he is stubborn like Fr Bortolo, but he knows he does not have the ability to keep up. However, as a missionary in action, he is worth his weight in gold, and he is the best man we have. Everyone thinks that if he stayed 10 days alone with Fr Bortolo, they would break up immediately. He implored and begged me every day to make Fr Luigi Bonomi Superior of the Nuba, because he is the only one capable of giving a great impetus to that mission, of which he even has some knowledge of the language. He repeated to me several times that in the three years that he was under him and with him at Nuba he was edified by his self-denial, his spirit and, above all, his purity and delicacy with regard to honesty, as well as his behaviour in this region, where men and women are completely naked.

[6841]

And Fr Bortolo wrote to me several times in 1878 that I should dismiss him because he was womanising and scandalous (as he did for others and Fr Gennaro, etc.). I did not dare tell Fr Luigi to stay in the Nuba, because I had an agreement with Fr Luigi that I would take him as my companion on all my explorations of the White Nile, etc. and in eastern Nubia, etc. Without my knowing anything about it, it was Fr Losi himself who asked him to stay in the Nuba. Then Fr Luigi came to me and said: “do not worry at all, I will stay in the Nuba or go with you, as you wish; I know no voice but that of obedience, and this is my only duty. I will even quite willingly stay here under Fr Losi, etc., etc.” I made him Superior of the Nuba, to Fr Losi’s great pleasure and to Fr Rosignoli’s little satisfaction, though the latter is not doing badly.

[6842]

A wonderful thing! Fr Losi lives only for God and the souls of others: his zeal for winning souls is touching. He is always fresh and young when it comes to praying, speaking to God, adoring the Blessed Sacrament and spending whole nights kneeling in church. I ordered him to look after the Blessed Sacrament (it is a beautiful and large church that I have dedicated to St Joseph), because until now they had no oil. His delight was to be in front of the altar, and I (who sleep little or not at all) spied on him, and apart from one or two hours of sleep, he spent the whole night (and day) in church. When he says the Holy Office alone, he is always on his knees, his face beaming with a kind of joy, in the church that he loves: I spoke to him of Jesus, of what I have seen, of the miracles I saw in so many very prayerful and charitable souls; he was delighted.

[6843]

He has no physical needs, neither to eat nor to drink. For him the horrendous food of the Africans and a good plate of macaroni are just the same. He never or seldom eats meat; instead, he eats soup, milk and vegetables when there are any, but even with a fever and on the point of death, he never skips fasting on Fridays, and would never drink a meat broth on a Friday, even if there was nothing else. He always used to sleep on the floor, but after my repeated threats some years ago, he now sleeps on a bare angareb, or at most on a simple reed mat, which he is always prepared to relinquish, however, when a young African needs it. When I visited him like this, lying fully clothed and with a high fever, I implored him in Christ’s name to take one of my pillows, because he had none and wanted nothing under his head, which was then lower than his feet. I used threats and ordered him in the name of Holy Obedience, but smiling and with his teeth chattering from the fever, he answered that such things are useless and that we are missionaries etc. But in the morning, fever or no fever, he is the first to say Mass, and is always ready to pray: such is his love of prayer. He wants to write to my father whom he loves very much, because they would go and pray together in Verona.

[6844]

Fr Losi has the zeal of the most perfect coenobite doing his novitiate; just mention God, the Heart of Jesus, the saints, the Jesuits, prayer, and he is always young and happy. He has compiled a dictionary of 3,000 or more Nuban words and is currently revising this work with Fr Luigi so as to be able to send it to me, as I want to publish it to help the Missionaries. When I ordered him to buy boys and girls who are ill and considered incurable (they can sometimes be bought for two, three or five thalers), he was overjoyed, especially since I authorised him to spend hundreds of thalers, all of which I would pay. Fr Losi is able to stay in the intimacy of completely naked women, even alone with just one, and to behave with them as you would with one of your students, for one or even two hours, urging them to become Christian, to wear clothes and not to sin. And this he does with the same indifference as Fr Vignola, when he receives you for a confidential conversation in his drawing room; and many women here are anything but disgusting. But this is how men and women Missionaries in Central Africa should be, and by the grace of God, they are. The men are more disgusting than the women.

[6845]

But I am going on too long about this mission, which offers great hopes, about the stupendous explorations we have made, the enormous influence we have exercised in this pastoral work with all the chiefs, who see me as the saviour of the Nuba because I have assured them that the slave trade will end and that the Baqqarah will be taken in hand, etc., etc. You will see this in the General Report I shall be sending to Propaganda from Khartoum in a few months.

[6846]

I will now begin to answer your letters (I do not know why I am so long-winded). We will withdraw the Sestri house in accordance with His Eminence’s wishes, and Virginia from Verona, because the His Eminence says she is a plague; of which I am not at all convinced. St Joseph, in whose hands I have placed all things, will take care of everything; Sister Teresa and I are sure of this. We are made for saving souls; whatever any one says. God will reward me because Deus charitas est.

[6847]

When it is a matter of love, I despise myself. I do not bother about opinions, which can be fabricated. When a single soul is in danger of being lost, I listen to my conscience alone. By the grace of God and in truth, I am perfect in this: ama nesciri, et pro nihilo reputari. In the world, I have seen just about everything; and in practice I have learned that above all we must have great love for God which gives birth to love of neighbour, quod universa lex est. Then I have also understood how wise is the truth preached by the Apostle: cupio anathema esse pro fratribus meis.

[6848]

This was more or less what Mgr Mermillod said in his funeral oration for the Cardinal Archbishop de Cambrai, who was created a Cardinal at the same time as our Most Eminent Bishop, whom I have always loved and venerated as a gentleman and the first benefactor of Central Africa.

[6849]

Sorry, I forgot something about Fr Losi with regard to ama nesciri et pro nihilo reputari, which I want to tell you about. Fr Losi, who is so virtuous, holy and admirable, as I have said, learned from Fr Bortolo (who has always sown chaos) the news I gave him, and in this I was a really de Comuni Confessorum non Pontificum, that Fr Fraccaro wrote to His Eminence in Verona that what Fr Losi wrote was not true, namely that I had not even sent a single piastre for three years, that is from 21st October 1877 to 21st October 1880, and that he had been assured of this by the Missionaries in El Obeid (in those three years I spent nearly 5,000 gold Napoleons in Kordofan and Nuba). So I found Fr Losi very upset; he did not speak to me, but poured out his heart to Fr Vincenzo Marzano.

[6850]

I therefore went there to comfort him, and poor Fr Losi was most crestfallen because, he said to me: “those people in El Obeid really told me that not a piastre was sent for 3 years; and now that Fr Fraccaro has denied this in a letter to His Eminence” said Fr Losi, “I have been discredited with His Eminence, and he will never believe me any more”. “My son”, I said, “even if you are discredited, why not be happy, and thus practise the ama nesciri, et pro nihilo reputari?” “No”, he answered, “that’s what they told me, but I must justify myself with His Eminence and write to him that I told the truth” etc., and he remained in this dilemma for more than a week, and wrote and rewrote the letter to His Eminence, and then submitted it to my judgement. I told him: “My dear son, either the people in El Obeid said it, or they did not; if they did say it and they believe they did not, write to His Eminence that you are convinced that they did, but that you know that you wrote something untrue about me, because during those three years you lived and were fed only with the money that I sent out. If they did not tell you this, then ask His Eminence to forgive you for having been too hasty in writing something you now know is not true, be humble, etc.”.

[6851]

But it was all to no avail. He wanted to write to His Eminence that those in El Obeid had told him this with certainty, and that he was sure of it etc., etc. In the end I said: “My son, write whatever you like against me to His Eminence; write to Rome, to Propaganda and the Pope, that I am a scoundrel, deserving the gallows, etc. But I will always forgive you and I will always love you. If you remain at the missions and convert and save my dear Nubas for me, you will always be my dear son, and I will bless you till I die”. So he replied: “Have no doubt about that. I will die in Africa and wherever you send me to work for the Africans”. Then I embraced him and said to him: “Moriamur pro Nigrizia”.

[6852]

Now, dear Father, I am confused and cannot understand a thing. How can one explain this phenomenon, I mean this weakness of self-love in Fr Losi, who is so pious, so devout, so mortified, so great and, despising the world and home comforts, so loves God, sacrifices himself for his glory and when he is united with God, feels neither fevers, physical weakness, hunger or thirst etc?… My dear Father, Cardinal Barnabò used to tell me: “as long as we eat and… we are still weak and human: when we no longer have a mouth to eat, we shall be freed from our miseries”. In any case, long live Fr Losi! He is one of my joys.

[6853]

In Delen I baptised 8 adults. The baptismal register (although due to the intrigues of my opponents, etc., etc. we were forced to abandon it for 2 years), lists over 70: but just think that we don’t yet know the language. The work will really come when we know the language etc. There are many people here to baptise, but I am going slowly.

[6854]

The time has passed, the mail must go and I am out of breath etc. I am writing no more to anyone, although here I have three letters from Propaganda to answer;
and my fever is coming on. Give my greetings to my father and drop him a line. Fr Luciano etc. A thousand regards to the Most Reverend Fr Superior and to the Cardinal, and also to Monsignor the Rector, Ravignani and Peccati etc. I bless both the Institutes and the one in Sestri, and Dr Baschera. Pay a special visit for me to the Mother Superior and Virginia, tell them that I bless them: and tell Virginia that I have not been receiving letters from her for a while (2 months). Long live Jesus! Long live Mary! Long live Beppo! Here everyone is well, the Sisters too, except for me and Fr Fraccaro. But heaven exists. Pray for
Your most affectionate

+ Bishop Daniel, in the Lord