[1476]
Despite the repeated reports Mgr Vicegerent sent the Holy Father in order to prevent the three African girls from being handed over to me, disregarding the wishes you expressed in your venerable letter to Cardinal Barnabò, today the Holy Father signed, manu propria, the order for them to be given to me. The Eminent Cardinal Barnabò who guided all my steps with a fatherly spirit, is really glad about it. I will write to you with all the details later, and you will see how the Lord blesses this poor son of his, although he really does not deserve it.
[1477]
Not being ready to leave tomorrow morning, I shall leave Rome on Thursday, for no other steamer sails to Marseilles from Civitavecchia. This delay caused by Mgr Vicegerent has cost me several hundreds; but that God who so miraculously provided for us after we were let down by Mgr Vicegerent, will provide for all our needs. After God and Your Reverend Excellency, I thank St Expeditus the martyr, who, invoked by me and others, has granted our prayers. He is the special patron for success in business matters and journeys. Today Barnabò told me that my present stay in Rome was good for me, because had I left immediately without getting to the bottom of this matter, a burden would have piled up on my back from which it would have taken me years to free myself.
[1478]
I am most grateful for your charity in covering me with your protection. It is up to me to correspond with it faithfully the better to procure God’s glory and the salvation of souls.

Yesterday I went to see the Protestant who is on retreat: she is responding wonderfully to grace, and the Superior assures me that she will be a true bride of Christ.
Give my regards to Marchese Ottavio, to Fr Dalbosco, Fr Vincenzo, and pray for

Your unworthy son,

Fr Daniel Comboni

Today I saw the Pope in perfect health at the funeral of Cardinal Roberti. Despite the efforts of the revolution, our adored Pontiff-King is winning, and the principle of justice advocated by the holy Pope-King prevails and will always prevail.

[1479]
My words will not suffice to praise and thank our good Jesus for protecting and defending with untold Providence and love his poor and most unworthy son who writes to you. After keeping me through his mercy among thorns and crosses, the Lord consoled me to the point of exuberance, by making his cause and work triumph over a powerful enemy, for whom I beg you to pray lovingly as I do, in my weakness.
[1480]
Passing over hundreds of things, it is enough for me to tell you (as the Holy Father told our true Father, Cardinal Barnabò) that the aim of the summons to the criminal court of the Vicariate was to imprison me and then to expel me from Rome. Luckily for me that in the morning on the orders of Cardinal Barnabò I went to the Cardinal Vicar, the Ordinary Judge of Rome who gave orders that I should be released immediately and that an apology should be made to me for having asked me to present myself. The judge actually sent me away, telling me that a misunderstanding had occurred.
[1481]
Then despite a report made about me to the Holy Father by the Vicegerent, despite confessors who presented themselves to the Cardinal Vicar, sent by… to say that in all conscience they could not allow the African girls to accompany me…despite letters from 9 African girls to the Cardinal Vicar, to the Pope and to Barnabò, in which they begged not to come with me, the Holy Father ordered all the African girls to be taken to the Sisters of St Joseph. At my request, all last week was spent examining the African girls, one by one. At the Pope’s orders a very spiritual man came to examine them, Fr Capello, the Barnabite, the head and parish priest of S. Carlo ai Catinari, and two distinguished Dominican fathers also took part. The result, reported to the Holy Father and the Cardinal Vicar was that not even a hair of the Missionary Comboni should be touched. Furthermore, the Holy Father issued an absolute order that all the African girls should be handed over tome. The Cardinal Vicar then said to Canon Zerlati, with whom he has been living for 40 years:
[1482]
“When they are founded and in their development, I have always seen all God’s works marked by the cross and persecution. I also see that this one (our Work) is truly a work of God”. Many other most respectable people also spoke of me in the same way. Imagine what an effect this triumph must have caused the Vicegerent. The poor man still does not understand that his acts were provoked by quite another principle than God. Cardinal Barnabò truly treated me as a real Father, because since he observes God’s guidance which defends innocence almost on its own, he was very liberal in giving me his most prudent and wise advice. In brief, the affair of the African girls is over.
[1483]
Barnabò did not want me to leave before settling the matter of the 1,500 scudi, and without my having my summons cancelled from the criminal court registers because this is always a blemish on a missionary who must deal with matters of the glory of God on such a vast scale. With regard to this matter it was the Cardinal Vicar who remonstrated on my behalf. He assured me that he had foreseen this, and had given orders to cancel etc. beforehand. However, he observed that my name was only written in the Letter of injunction which I had sent to the Pope, and that when it was returned to him, he had torn it up.
[1484]
As for the 1,500 scudi (after which, with a series of letters and the mediation of Monsignors and Prelates it was useless to try to obtain my objective of having the promissory note returned), the Cardinal Vicar suggested I should institute proceedings at the court for ecclesiastical affairs, and he himself sent me to Mgr Gasparoli. Then yesterday Barnabò said to me that the Cardinal Vicar had told him that I should have the Vicegerent cited at that court without delay. What should I do? I went to see Mgr Gasparoli, who ordered me to send him my Solicitor, Signor Nuvoli, lawyer of the Sacred Rota (chosen by me with Cardinal Barnabò’s agreement) to see and understand everything. Then Cardinal Barnabò ordered me to write the Vicegerent a letter declaring that if within 24 hours he does not return my promissory note, I shall bring legal proceedings. I will do so this evening. But in the meantime, having chosen a legal representative, I can leave.
[1485]
You can imagine the efforts and expenses it cost me to waste a month in Rome, as well as the sum of two paoli a day for each of the African girls in the Convent of St Joseph, which brings the sum to 52 scudi 80 boi. Well, my most venerable Monsignor Father, see what our beloved Jesus did, and what a man of honour he is. Prince D. Alessandro Torlonia, on reading our Programme alone gave me 30 scudi, and yesterday, the Comte de Sartiges, Ambassador in Rome, offered me a free passage from Civitavecchia to Marseilles for me, two Sisters, and 12 African girls. This crossing in 2nd class costs 96 francs a head; so when he granted me this favour on the Messaggerie Imperiali lines (which only a week ago have been re-established on the Italian coast), the French Ambassador was giving me 1,440 francs.
[1486]
Isn’t Our Lord a gentleman? And aren’t these signs that God is protecting the Work? Let us thank the Lord who is so good.
[1487]
Yesterday I visited Vimercati, who after telling me he is convinced that God is protecting the work with grace and that he will protect it with means, told me that the work was very dear to him. He then asked me whether the Viperesche Sisters had given the African girls the linen and sheets, etc. which he bought for them. I had to tell the truth, that is, not even a scrap. Whereupon he was deeply surprised and what with buying underclothes and bed linen spent more than 400 scudi. “Patience! says the poor old man! The Lord is punishing me because that act of charity gave me too much pleasure” Fiat voluntas Dei. Enough on this subject: let’s draw a curtain over it. I thank the Lord because the storm unleashed by the Vicegerent has served to make the Work appreciated, and to give me that credit and esteem in Rome which I absolutely do not deserve. See how good our good Lord is.
[1488]
What shall I say of the letter that Your Excellency wrote to Cardinal Barnabò, in which you thanked him for having given me so much help? It did great good, the Cardinal was deeply grateful for it and extremely pleased to see all Your Excellency’s zeal for the good of Africa. Then I have no words to thank you for the precious letter you wrote to me and which His Eminence gave me yesterday. It is a monument to me of your outstanding goodness, a rule of conduct for Africa, a clear and valuable expression of the divine will through the legitimate authority established by heaven. I assure you that with God’s grace we shall, and I the first, seek to observe your holy precepts ad litteram. But I shall keep the answer to that letter for another day, because I have been too lengthy already. I only recommend to you that the Canossian sisters hurry up, because Barnabò would be really pleased to assign them to our work; and I shall arrange things in Cairo on this basis. You as the Head of the Work, Barnabò as Prefect of Propaganda and the Pope, Vicar of Christ, look kindly on the Canossian Sisters. It is appropriate that St Joseph should settle his Daughters where the great Patriarch stayed for seven years. Enough. I hope that you will soon be able to send two or three.
[1489]
Since the Vicegerent might have written to the Vicar Apostolic of Egypt against the new expedition, do write him a good letter of recommendation for us all, at your leisure. Here is the address:

To H.R.E. Mgr Luigi Ciurcia, Archbishop of Irenopolis,

Vicar and Delegate Apostolic of Egypt

Alexandria, Egypt


[1490]
Tomorrow I will send you the rescripts for the Camillians, Zerlini, Parozzi, Benigni and Motter. I paid the Holy Congregation 28 francs and 80 centimes for them. Make sure you are given this sum, that is, 7.20 francs for each. I, or rather those at the Congregation, have looked for the petition of Fr Giovanni Battista Carcereri: but it has not been found. It would be good if the said good Father were to repeat it, sending it directly to Mgr Svegliati. I also thank you with all the love and veneration of a son for thanking Cardinal Barnabò who was really a father to me, and for increasing his protection of the work. You will see how Cardinal De Pietro will also do good for the Work. I applaud the instinct of Fr Vincenzo who was so well able to size up Mgr Vicegerent. A thousand regards to Marchese Ottavio etc. Praised be Jesus and Mary forever and so be it. With all my affection I kiss your sacred hands and I declare myself

Your humble unworthy son

Fr Daniel Comboni

On Sunday I am leaving with 14 people from Civitavecchia: Monday evening in Marseilles; on Friday we leave for Alexandria.
Best wishes to Fr Dalbosco.

[1491]
I left Rome on the 24th with 12 African girls and 2 Sisters of St Joseph. Since that good soul Mgr Ferrari and Marchesa Brigida, his sister, at the pious M. Assunta’s request had recommended me to her cousin, Mgr Bisleti, the Bishop of Civitavecchia, when I arrived at the station I found the Secretary and two Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, and the former took me to the episcopal residence where I spent the night. The latter took the 14 to their convent. We were welcomed and treated as members of the family. In the morning we left on the Posilippe, and on the evening of the 26th we reached Marseilles safe and sound.
[1492]
Here I have accepted a new African girl who is 23 years old, devout, good, with a reasonable education and who is worth two Sisters. Our worthy Fr Zanoni who had known her for a month since our three good Missionaries lead a very secluded life communicating only with the Church, their house, and the Institute of S. Giuseppe to which I had recommended them, assures me that she is a jewel. So we have 16 African girls. We were able to obtain three Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition to accompany and care for the African girls in Cairo, where the said sisters have a house. Therefore our expedition consists of 23 individuals, we have everything organised and arranged, and in two hours’ time (2.00 p.m.) we shall weigh anchor from Marseilles, happy and contented, because we have seen the hand of God and his adorable Providence, in many things, which through lack of time I cannot explain at length now. So say many prayers for a good journey too: when you receive this page we will be on the high seas between Greece and Africa.
[1493]
I have read your two precious letters to our three Camillians. Oh! How comforting to us is the voice and even a single word of yours, our venerable father. We will only live and breathe for Jesus and to win souls for him: I have with me all that you recommended to us and the letters of St Francis Xavier, and we shall do everything with God’s grace. We four have one mind. In the three days I have lived with them I am convinced that they have eminent virtues and a great apostolic spirit.
[1494]
Oh! How inadequate I feel in front of them! The Lord is giving me this new grace. I have a school where I can really learn. Pray to the Lord that I make the most of it, because I am so far from being able to imitate their virtues. We are going to Egypt prepared for great suffering, although we see the most beautiful horizons before us. But if God’s work is to make any headway, tribulations and crosses are necessary. Your letters in which you prepare us for them give us the strength to bear them all.
[1495]
Here is one of them: Pietro Bertoli, the layman who came to Marseilles with the Fathers, has been a bother to them. He lacks spirit: this was the impression he made on me in Rome, as Your Excellency saw. I enclose a letter he wrote to me. After fervent prayers to Jesus and serious consideration, we decided to send him back; and I have provided him with money for this as far as Verona; where he will naturally not return. It is a great sacrifice to our self esteem: but on the mission he would be an obstacle to our peace, and we are of one mind. Fiat! I hope that our venerable Father will approve of our decision. Now Bertoli in tears is pleading to come with us: he has touched my heart, but my conscience will never agree.
[1496]
The second and most painful cross. I have learned (so I believe) that Fr Guardi is plotting and intriguing to get the Rescript from the Holy Father himself cancelled; Barnabò does not at all like what your Excellency wrote with regard to Fr Artini and Fr Guardi: I fear that the Cardinal and Fr Guardi (who are friends) have been confabulating and that before speaking to the Holy Father they had agreed to adopt the sweet and gentle approach, to persuade the Bishop of Verona to have the three who have already set off withdraw also. So I fear that the Cardinal’s answer to Your Excellency on this point will be vigorous and unyielding. When I became aware of the plot I hastened to Mgr Svegliati to sound him out. I found him of excellent sentiments, and he promises me he will leave no stone unturned in order to induce the General to give his blessing to Tezza too; I explained our intentions to him and told him how pleased we are that they should all remain true Camillians etc. He deeply approved. So, take heart, Monsignor, do not fear anything from the letter Barnabò will be writing to you. He is on the other hand extremely favourable to the mission and was my shield in my recent troubles.
[1497]
I would be of the humble opinion that with regard to the three the theory of faits accomplis should be followed: these three are the most blissful and the happiest in the world with the decision taken, and they would be martyrs were they to be recalled. As for Tezza, I would think that we should let Svegliati deal with him, and stop insisting. Indeed, given the opportunity we should take the gentle approach with Fr Artini too. Barnabò did not take it well that you spoke badly of this Father. In Rome all the Cardinals and Prelates are most sensitive in respecting their own assignments, and in never interfering in the jurisdiction of others. The General, the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars and the Pope command Fr Artini. No one except these will be concerned about any claim. The weapon Fr Guardi and the Camillian Order are using is terrible, well thought-out and extremely clever. It consists in this: “The Bishop of Verona and Fr Comboni have suborned and seduced the four Camillians into leaving their Order. They have stolen them from the Order”. You know that this is a lie. Nonetheless it is positive that this weapon is being used. Courage: do not be dismayed. Do not stir from the resolution you made. You used the most exquisite delicacy with the four, and showed the respect that is due the Church: truth and justice must triumph. Take heart.
[1498]
In Marseilles 800 Masses materialised from Austria with the stipend of 350 florins in banknotes; and from Cologne 300, with a donation of 300 francs in gold. I am making all this available to you. You have the right to reduce this to a svanzig and a half. Give us whatever you wish; keep whatever you want for the priests of the diocese. So please give a kindly answer to this matter. To write to Egypt you can send any letters to Fr Dalbosco who will forward them to us.
[1499]
I have managed with a distinguished writer, my lawyer friend in Marseilles, to get the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart and Africa into a new monthly paper. God is preparing beautiful ways.

As a maxim to follow in the future, according to Barnabò’s wise advice, it would be better never to accept religious without the formal agreement of their respective Orders. For our four however, the Lord will help us to keep them in the apostolate for Africa.
[1500]
Fr Zanoni and all of us pray that you will be good enough to give us your blessing every evening. It will be a great comfort to us. I had prepared you a letter in Civitavecchia and I enclosed the four rescripts: then in the confusion of embarkation I forgot to post it.
[1501]
I am sending you the four rescripts: but for heaven’s sake make sure that no one realises that it was I who withdrew them, because it would be a hateful role for me as regards Fr Artini. Having calculated the postage they cost 30 francs which I paid. I beg you kindly to see that you receive it and save it for Masses that you will have said by priests who need it. You will be receiving 6 large photographs of the African girls from Rome. Fr Dalbosco will send two of them to Cologne, one is for you and please send the others with the two for Cologne to Fr Dalbosco.
[1502]
Vimercati is all for us. He authorised me to claim from the Vicegerent the linen and everything he donated for the African girls, that is about 500 scudi. Barnabò ordered me to give orders about it to my legal representative, writing an appropriate letter to the Vicegerent to claim it. The graces the Lord bestowed on me in Rome are immense: the triumph and profit are enormous. God is good, because instead of losing I have benefited; innocence and truth have triumphed. I must end because it is necessary to board the steamer the Peluse, which is taking us to Alexandria.
[1503]
Very many regards to Marchese Ottavio, to the Marchesa, to Fr Vincenzo, Mgr. the V. G., Perbellini, etc. Your sons kneel to ask your Holy Blessing. We commit ourselves to sacrificing everything for love of God and to make his work progress.

Your humble and unworthy son,

Fr Daniel Comboni.

A thousand thanks for everything, and especially for the letter in Rome which sustained me powerfully and caused […] Barnabò to support me.

[At the foot of the fourth page in pencil]: On the point of departure, I received your letter of 26th August. How dear it is!!! Thank you.

[1504]
I have rarely made such a good journey as this one. We are on one of the largest and safest steam ships: not one of the 23 individuals of which our most interesting caravan is composed has been ill. I hope the journey will be good as far as Alexandria. Aboard the steamer I read your most precious apostolic letter of the 25th of this month to our three worthy missionaries. In it Your Excellency described ad litteram what really happened, and the joy we felt at seeing one another again and telling each other of our battles and our crosses and joys. But when they heard those sublime expressions filled with the spirit of God, and that sound advice and encouragement, etc. Ah! I cannot describe how moved the three of them were, unaccustomed as they are to receiving such comfort. They wept abundant tears, and the eldest, Fr Zanoni, exclaimed “Oh! How good is the Lord who can console us on this earth and make our crosses loveable! This is the sweetest medicine; it is the blessing of God who communicates to us through the instrument of our venerable Bishop and most beloved Father". We thank you with all our heart for your goodness and love. Oh, there is nothing now to equal the pleasure of such joy.
[1505]
I must tell you that I feel increasingly satisfied and pleased that I made the firm decision to send home the lay man, Pietro Bertoli. He is well-intentioned and has an excellent heart, and is knowledgeable in the field of medicine and phlebotomy etc. and he has sound judgement; but he has too large a dose of pride and self-esteem to be compatible with the humility and meekness necessary on a demanding Mission. Good Fr Zanoni frequently told me: “If I am a Jonah, throw me into the sea”. He was inflexible in his desire to have him sent back. On Thursday evening and in the night Bertoli threw himself at my feet and at the feet of the others, he wept and asked our forgiveness; all night long he was knocking at my door, he aroused fear and compassion, because he absolutely longed to come.
[1506]
God knows how my heart suffered as I persistently refused him. But the duty of conscience and the glory of God must be greater than all the heart’s demands. We are going to found a mission and a house in countries where virtue itself will be criticised and attacked: Heaven help us if the poison of discord creeps into our midst: for the first impressions of the new mission in Egypt to be good, honour and respect must prevail, the concerns of the glory of God must be treated with full decorum and in the holiness of the ministry. From the beginning, everything depends on an enterprise that is happy and sound. I closed my heart to compassion and firmly sent Bertoli away, giving him the necessary money for him to reach Verona.
[1507]
We four are of one heart and one mind. We vie to please one another: I know and am convinced that I am not even worthy to kiss my companions’ feet; but they are so good and charitable that not only do they suffer with me, but they surround me with the respect and love that a superior is due. They are fully aware of the loftiness of the divine mission they are going to accomplish, and I believe they will do honour to the Veronese priesthood in Egypt and to that venerable Successor of the Apostles who presides over the great Work. I recommend that Your Excellency be courageous and firm in resisting the efforts of those who want to take them away from us. With these subjects it is certain that the Work will have a magnificent beginning. I am sure you will easily be able to resist and to justify to Rome that we have done no more than support the vocation of these worthy religious, who would be unhappy in their Province, in view of the critical political conditions of the revolutionary “mal-government”.
[1508]
The Pope did not grant permission to Fr Giovanni Battista Carcereri, who is now in Verona, because the consent of the Procurator General of the Camillian Order was missing, whereas it was among the papers of the other four.
[1509]
For many years I have had a correspondence with Signorina Marie Deluil Martiny of Marseilles. She is the foundress and champion of the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a work which since the day of its foundation, 18thMarch 1863, has won thousands of souls over to the faith and to piety. Mademoiselle Martiny (who is only 24 years old, and persuaded thousands of soldiers in Lyons to come and adore the Blessed Sacrament every evening at the time of their guard of honour) has founded the work in all five parts of the world, a work which has more than a million members. She longs for Your Excellency to establish it in Verona, and in the religious communities. It is easy to do: there is nothing to pay, and it is only necessary to establish a time when the intention is made to offer in atonement for the sins of the world the merits of the spear-thrust which pierced the heart of Jesus Christ. Mademoiselle Martiny will be sending you the medals (which are really beautiful) with the cards.
[1510]
It is a work of supreme honour to God: it is sufficient to intend to consecrate one’s actions at a fixed time to the Sacred Heart whether one is eating or drinking or working, etc. The father of this great soul planned with me to found a monthly journal that will develop the glory and dignity of Jesus Christ contemplated in his teaching and examples. In this way it will become the journal to inform the public about the Work for the Regeneration of Africa and the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart.
[1511]
I gave Mlle. Martiny Your Excellency’s address so that she can send you the medallions and the Quadrants and write to you. Fr Dalbosco could be of great help to her; she will also be in touch with Fr Dalbosco. The editor of the newspaper is the father of Martiny, a great lawyer in Marseilles and very rich. I presented our missionaries to this most devout young girl and they were amazed at such piety and theological knowledge in her discussion of the Sacred Heart. She is directed by a Jesuit father who has been her confessor for 10 years. She already has prayers said for our work every day.
[1512]
Fr Zanoni and the others say that our Work is a work of God, and that they have seen and are seeing miracles. May it be God’s will, but I in turn shall say to Your Reverend Excellency, as head and father: “if I am a Jonah, throw me into the sea”.

We respectfully kiss your hands, and we entreat you to help us with your precious letters which for us are an expression of God’s will, and our consolation.


Your humble and obedient son, Fr Daniel




[1513]
P.S. To show Your Excellency how God protects us I will tell you that we have received money from many sources. Having calculated our expenses from Rome to Marseilles (12 Africans, 2 sisters and myself) and from Marseilles to Alexandria (16Africans, 3 sisters, 4 missionaries) calculating all that I would have had to spend had Minister Moustier not granted me a free passage and Monsieur de Sartiges, etc., it turns out that the French government has given me help from Civitavecchia, Marseilles, and Alexandria with the splendid sum of 542 gold napoleons; without France’s aid I should have had to spend 542 marenghi more. Do you see, Monsignor, how God helps us? So, courage. No obstacle frightens us. A great many napoleons and pounds sterling are hidden in St Joseph’s beard; he will give them to us when we need them.
[1514]
In Marseilles, my good Mother Sr Emilie Julien, Superior General of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition (so called after a vision seen by their foundress Madame De Vaillar who wished to honour St Joseph when the Angel appeared to him and said: surge, accipe puerum… et fuge in Egyptum), was not only a mother and helped our Missionaries in Egypt, but does not want any money for the African girls to whom she gave hospitality. She, who founded 12 Institutes in Asia and Africa, was the first Sister to settle in Jerusalem after the Crusades. She gave me three sisters to accompany the African girls to Egypt, one French, one from St. Afrique who knows four languages and the other an Armenian from Erzerum who also knows four languages. I hope we will found a lovely mission. Mère Emilie is the President of the Apostolic Work of Women of the Gospel in Rome which will supply us with sacred vestments for Cairo. I would really like you to write her a letter of thanks for all the good she has done us. She is totally on the side of the Pope, Barnabò and Antonelli; it was she who obtained 200 scudi for me three years ago from Cardinal Reisach.

[1515]
All 23 of us have arrived safely in Cairo. A telegram I sent to Cairo obtained, through the intercession of St Just and St Expeditus, a free passage from Alexandria to Cairo as well as for the trunks, that is, an absolute saving of 533 gold napoleons. It is the first time that black girls, so despised by the Turks, have travelled at the expense of the Pasha in the first class carriages: see how the Holy Family protects us. In Alexandria, we had a very warm welcome from Mgr Ciurcia. Here in Cairo we are regarded with suspicion by the nuns, both the Poor Clares and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, and by the friars (inter nos): they even managed to create some problems for us; but since we have already set foot in Cairo, it will take a great deal to create serious difficulties for us. Since the Work belongs to God, it will win through. God inspires complete trust in me. Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos?
[1516]
A am expecting money from Cologne, because I am left with only 80 gold napoleons. Oh! St Joseph was too poor to provide the rest. I would consider it a good thing were Your Excellency to mention our work in the Unità Cattolica, and if you think it appropriate, in the Veneto Cattolico; this will encourage favour with the Bishops and with the good faithful, and the Work of the Good Shepherd will be accepted by more people. In this case, you can order Fr Dalbosco to send the Plan, Programme and the leaflet of Indulgences to the editorial offices. Also at your leisure, you can do what you wrote to me about concerning Cardinal De Pietro.
[1517]
Remember that in the Grotto of the Blessed Virgin and here in the ancient Memphis we pray fervently for Verona every day, and for its venerable Angel who is our father. Do the same for us in the Memento, and have the Canossians (for whom we are preparing the ground) and the good souls pray for us. I will write no more to you by this post, because I am excessively tired. Remember me to the most venerable Marchese Ottavio and all the family, as well as to Mgr. the V. G., Perbellini, Fr Vincenzo, to the Superior of St Joseph, etc.
Our three good Camillian Missionaries are very happy and full of zeal to dedicate themselves to the salvation of souls, they kiss Your Excellency’s hands with the filial affection of deep veneration. I too offer you all the expressions of my gratitude and respect. As one, the three good Nuns, 16 African girls and two African boys, all together kiss your hands. Every evening, before going to bed, may you give all of us your holy pastoral and paternal blessing

Your most humble and unworthy son,

Fr Daniel Comboni

[1518]
All of us, your sons, send you our good wishes for a very happy Christmas and New Year. I cannot yet tell you everything about our settling in, because I am too busy. I only tell you that I have rented their convent in old Cairo from the Maronite Brothers for 7 gold napoleons a month. It has a church that is more beautiful than S. Carlo in the Mazza Institute, and two houses annexed to the church but separate. The Sisters will live in one of them with the African girls, and we in the other. Amidst the secret storms that are unleashed against us, but which were not able to escape our attention, we are settling down very well and will form two fine Institutes for Central Africa. In the beginning here in Cairo where in general everything goes badly, I glimpse a most propitious horizon for our work. The explanations will come later.
[1519]
Neither the furniture nor the money (I believe there are about 10 gold napoleons) given to you by the nuns are to be returned until the proceedings are over. Within the bounds of strict justice, as has been realised in Rome, I am the creditor of Mgr Vicegerent. This is the opinion of the Cardinals, Monsignors, Lawyers and Canon Lawyers whom I consulted in Rome as well as of my own conscience. As I wrote to you, I hope that the affair will be amicably dealt with by Mgr Gasparoli.
By the Sacred Grotto of the Holy Family we pray for you and for your diocese, which are affairs of ours. May you pray and bless us every evening.

[1520]
After the Holy Feasts we are expecting Mgr Ciurcia, the Apostolic Delegate. Poor thing! Many thorns await him here, many troubles; and it will be a great grace if he manages to overcome them! Most respectful greetings from all of us who kiss your Sacred Vestments. Please give special regards, ours and mine, to Mgr. the V. G., Perbellini, the Rector of the Seminary and Fr Vincenzo; remember me to Fr Alessandro Aldegheri and all his family, and give them my regards. Prostrate, I implore your holy blessing

Your humble, devoted and respectful son,

Fr Daniel Comboni

[1521]
Yesterday evening we were all installed in our vast dwelling. I sent our three good Missionaries, two nuns and six of the oldest African girls there a week ago. They have arranged the house rather well. Since Fr Zanoni is made precisely for these things, I place all my trust in him, and in the meantime, I have provided him with all that our small purse allows. It seems that the Lord is giving us great blessings.
[1522]
Yesterday morning, while I was at the Convent of the Franciscans, it was announced to me that there was a letter for me at the post-office. Since I am anxiously expecting money from Cologne, I left everything and ran to the post-office. I prayed to the Lord on the way that it would be a letter from Cologne; and I was already having a foretaste of the joy it would bring. Would you believe it? When I received and opened and read your most precious letter, my heart was consoled more than twice a thousand times in reading its content and learning of Fr Artini’s willingness. I immediately sent one of our African boys to take the letter to old Cairo; and in fact all three were out of their minds for joy.
[1523]
So far we are 25, because we have accepted two Africans: one is Ambar, a pharmacist, who was in Verona for eight years; I then took him to Naples in 1860. The other is Giovanni whom last year I presented to Empress Caroline of Salzburg, and he came with me to Africa. He is an organist, a carpenter, etc. Both are good young men. Another two Africans are hanging around the house, but we are not yet considering accepting them. Thank you for the sound advice you offer me: I assure you that it is precious to me. And in my weakness I will see that I put it into practice. Continue to comfort us with your most precious letters. Oh! You cannot imagine what good they do us!
[1524]
We will write a detailed report of our journey and of how we have settled in. I will do all you tell me to do in your letter. As for Tezza, as soon as he can leave, send him to Marseilles, where he should present himself at Cappelletta to the Superior General of St Joseph of the Apparition and will be given all the instructions. I shall send you a letter by the next steamship for the Administration of the Messaggerie Imperiali, to obtain the free passage to Alexandria, where I or one of us will meet him. I have the right to a free place to complete the 24 places I was assigned by the Minister. We are expecting, via Tezza, 4 calendars and a copy of the part with the Veronese Saints.
[1525]
Today Mgr Ciurcia arrived in Cairo. He told me he had had a long letter from Your Reverend Excellency. We thank you with all our heart; and one day, converted Africa will be indebted to you for your part in the Work: digitus Dei est hic. Oh! How many souls do I see every day, who will go to hell! This is something which is too distressing.
[1526]
In a few days I shall write to Minister Moustier to obtain the 50% discount on the items I have ordered and will order in France in the future. The matter of our European protection in Egypt is a rather sensitive point, especially in our two Institutes’ position. Austria has a right to it, since she is the protector of the Nile Valley. France has a right to it because of the protection she granted me for the crossings and because of what she will do. Italy has a right since we are Italians. All three Consuls of these Nations treat me kindly. However until now and for some time to come, I have been keeping myself and will keep myself in a position of respectful and friendly independence. As I implore a special blessing (in addition to the one you give us every evening), I kiss your hand.

Your humble and most fortunate son,

Fr Daniel

Mgr Ciurcia sends you his warmest greetings. The three wrote to Fr Artini.

[1527]
DAILY TIMETABLE

For the Educational Institute of Africans in Old Cairo

---------

5 a.m. from March to November and at 5.15 from November to March
– get up and clean rooms and self in silence –
After half an hour Morning prayers and meditation for half an hour
– then Mass and private devotion.
7 a.m. Breakfast and free time.
8 a.m. Instruction – religious or regarding work – specific tasks
11.45 a.m. Spiritual reading in Arabic and Italian separately.
12.00 noon Lunch followed by community recreation, work in the garden for relaxation.
2.00 p.m. Rosary
– followed by Devotions and Instruction, including reading and writing –
6.00 p.m. Recreation in the garden -
6.45 p.m. Visit church.
7.00 p.m. Dinner and recreation with choir or music practice.
8.00 p.m. Evening prayers followed by examination of conscience.
9.00 p.m. Bedtime.

--------

1. N.B. Prayers that require reading are done separately in two sections, one for Italian and one for Arabic.
2. N.B. Catechumens are instructed by the best qualified Africans under the direction of the Priest assigned or the Superior.
3. N.B. On Sundays and feast days the Superior arranges the day in accord with Father Director, so that time is occupied especially by catechetical instruction and by a walk or other useful entertainment.

Fr Comboni

[1528]
The work for the spiritual renewal of Africa was to have its first consecration on the tomb of the Princes of the Apostles at the solemn moment of the Church’s triumph, when Catholic Bishops from all parts of the world hastened to the Eternal City to celebrate the commemoration of the 18th centenary of the glorious martyrdom of the Princes of the Apostles. Most appropriately, divine Providence arranged that the first expedition of indigenous preachers formed in the apostolate among the Africans in the heart of Catholicism should receive strength and enthusiasm at the feet of the sacred representative of the One who, by preaching the Gospel, called all the nations of the earth to the way of eternal life: “Euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae”.
[1529]
The various reasons and circumstances which determined the journey to Rome of the first African girls ready for the mission, I can appropriately omit here. On Wednesday in Holy Week 1867, I left the Mazza Institute with 9 African girls, accompanied by a devout school mistress and Signorina Maria De La Pièrre. The latter, born in Aubonne on the Lake of Geneva, who was brought up in the faith of Calvin, was 17 years old when I met her (when she was still a Protestant) in Venetia, at the house of a senior Austrian Army official. I made a pious lady responsible for talking to her about Catholicism, but right from the first endeavour she had declared that she had a deep aversion to a faith that was not older than her own. Of course, from the start the hope of converting her to a religion that prohibited her from giving herself without respite to the vanities of the world was slight; although so young, she had nevertheless abandoned herself to indulging in thousands of amusements and pleasures of the worldly life. But grace, which has already triumphed over so many rebellious souls, knows no difficulties; in its infinite power, it was also waiting for this young girl until the time fixed by Providence, to win her soul too. I had already decided more than once to take Signorina De La Pièrre to the most beautiful churches, to enable her to attend solemn and impressive ceremonies. In fact the majesty of our external worship speaks to the heart with a wonderful power, and has already made great conquests to Catholicism. It was Good Friday in 1864, when Signorina De La Pièrre entered a Catholic church.
[1530]
During the moving ceremonies of Our Saviour’s Passion, she was deeply moved, tears streamed down her cheeks and, through her weeping and sobbing, she saw very little of all the other ceremonies. In brief, immediately afterwards in Verona she was received by my venerable Superior, Fr Nicola Mazza, at his Institute, and 17 months later, on 8th September 1865, she made her solemn profession of faith into the hands of the Most Reverend Monsignor Bishop of Verona, Marchese di Canossa, in Verona Cathedral. Maria De La Pièrre came to Rome with the African girls, and there was entrusted to the care of the superior of the sisters of S. Dorotea. In the convent-school of Providence, to examine and to test her vocation to the religious life, I had her examined by the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, and when she entered the Convent of the Ursulines as a postulant, I was asked to give my approval before she joined the noviciate. May God make this woman, who has placed herself in the shadow of the holy altar, a saint.
[1531]
In Padua my caravan was increased by three Africans, whom I gladly accepted on the recommendation of His Eminence the Patriarch Trevisanto, and the request of the Sisters of S. Dorotea in Venice, to include them in my expedition. On Good Friday they arrived in Rome, and the 14 girls were accommodated in the Convent of the Immaculate Conception near S. Maria Maggiore. I made the most of the opportunity of our stay in the city of the Popes to present the African girls to Cardinal Barnabò, who welcomed them with special kindness and who several times asked to be able to present them to several other cardinals and to various prelates, princes and princesses of Rome; and they were all enthusiastic about them. After visiting the interesting African colony, Baron von Gmainer, my distinguished and dear friend, Colonel and General Aide of the great patron, King Ludwig I of Bavaria who had spent the winter at his palace, Villa Malta, was courteous enough to present them to His Majesty.
[1532]
The day before his departure for Germany, the illustrious old man welcomed us to his palace with great kindness. He even deigned to talk at length with the African girls, to ask each several questions, to show them the famous date palm which towers so majestically in his garden, and to tell them about his trip to Algeria. Good Caterina Zenab, the daughter of a chieftain, that is, a small African king, had the honour to be asked by this distinguished celebrity about her background. But the poor girl, overcome by shyness because of the old monarch’s dignity and nobility, did not answer several of his questions. This was a beautiful day for the poor African creatures, who one day when they have returned to their peaceful, modest huts, will still talk at length of the majestic impressions of the lovely days they spent in the Eternal City. In Rome lives a noble person whose name is blessed by the poor and by a great number of religious Institutes.
[1533]
Many convents, asylums, homes, hospitals and other charitable Institutes are eloquent witnesses of the excellent Christian charity of this holy old man, Conte Vimercati, the widower of a Bourbon princess. Mgr Pacifici said one day of this distinguished benefactor of humanity, “If Conte Vimercati were to die, it would be a misfortune for Rome. I know of no layman in this world who has received such truly sound piety from God, and who has managed to live with such Christian perfection as this virtuous lord”. The power of the grace of Jesus Christ has worked miracles in this docile soul by means of the help of the enlightened suggestions of the reverend Jesuit Fathers, who for many years have been in charge of the direction of his soul, and who pay him back a hundredfold for their means of living received from him, that is, with the heroic sentiments of piety, dedication and charity, deeply inculcated in his heart, drawn from their teaching and through which they ensure for him the ineffable riches of eternal life.
[1534]
As protector of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, which was to give the African girls hospitality, Conte Vimercati hastened to the Holy Father (who loves and esteems him according to his merits) to tell him that a new African colony was about to arrive in Rome, which was to form the basis of an Institute which was actually planning to put the “Plan for the Regeneration of Africa” into practice. His Holiness, after assuring the Count that the proposed system for the conversion of the blacks in Central Africa seemed to him the soundest, the one that most corresponded to its aim and the most practical, expressed his great pleasure at the African girls’ visit to Rome. Furthermore, he wished to have the whole African colony brought to him on its arrival in the Eternal City. But, given that in Holy Week and also during the Easter celebrations, the Holy Father was busy with his solemn pontifical functions which attract so many Christians from all parts of the world to Rome, he decided to have us introduced at an audience in the Vatican immediately after the Octave of Easter.
[1535]
It was the Monday after Low Sunday when the Holy Father deigned to grant us the whole time of his evening walk, to receive the new African colony in the magnificent Vatican gardens. They hastened to the feet of the Vicar of Jesus Christ to be imbued with the true spirit of their noble work of conversion among the African tribes, and to receive from him the regular mandate of the Church. It was 4.30 p.m. when I, His Excellency Mgr Castellacci, Archbishop of Petra, Vicegerent of Rome and Superior of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, with his entourage, arrived in the papal gardens. We found our 12 African girls there, with their chaperones, two sisters from the Convent. A few minutes later Conte Vimercati arrived with his worthy butler, Signor Lorenzo Pardini. We arranged the African girls in a row on the lovely avenue reaching along the Vatican library, while we, the count, Mgr Castellaci and I, stood at the foot of the library steps to await His Holiness. Our hearts were beating, excited at the thought of the happiness which divine bounty was enabling us to share.
[1536]
We were there then to let ourselves be imbued with fervour from the holy lips of Pius IX, the Pope of Providence, humanity’s true friend, the enlightened saviour of modern society, the great protector of all civilisation, the valiant warrior and the most burdened man of the 1800s whom the present generation will venerate as a saint on their altars, the immortal hero, the glory and decorum of the Chair of Peter, whose power, wisdom, courage, faith, pity and firmness appear so radiant in his fight against the furious attacks of hell, he who by ably steering the bark of Peter entrusted to him, assists, saves and glorifies the Catholic Church and thus helps to fulfil the Gospel promise: “Portae inferi non praevalebunt”. At 5 o’clock on the dot, the Holy Father descended the steps accompanied by Mgr Negrotti and another domestic prelate. We knelt on the ground before him to kiss his feet that like those of the divine Saviour walk only to do good and to save. But in his extraordinary kindness, he raised us, gave us his hand to kiss and blessed us. After giving Conte Vimercati a friendly greeting, he turned his gaze to the black caravan, who awaited him, kneeling, and asked us: “But is this the interesting caravan?… I am most pleased to see it… Are these the African girls educated in Verona?… Well, well! Have all responded successfully to the education that was offered to them?” “Yes, Holy Father”, Mgr Castellacci replied. “I put all my hope in them”, the Holy Father continued, “I am exceedingly pleased that with these girls it was not all a waste of time, because generally the more good that is done for an African, the more ungrateful he becomes… In my youth in America we once came across three Africans; we were well supplied with provisions, we lacked nothing and treated our black servants well. But for gratitude they would always rob us, they were ungrateful, they lied, they were capable of telling us that green is white and red, black, so that for a long time we could never be too careful with them, despite all the good we had always done them; but this, as the saying goes, is ‘washing the donkey’s head’. They were very ungrateful. In Central Africa, are the Africans thieves, liars and as ungrateful as they are in America?”
[1537]
“Holy Father”, I replied, “we are all human. Not only Africans have faults, white men would be ungrateful, thieves, liars and wicked if they found themselves in the sad condition of slavery, like the latter, who seem to exist only to serve the thousand pretexts and often the cruel and bizarre whims of their wicked masters. If Africans were to receive from childhood the education given to white people, they might perhaps profit even more; only with great patience, love and a sound Catholic education can one obtain what one desires from these children”. “In fact, Holy Father”, said Vimercati, overcome with emotion, “these African girls have made great progress in piety and in learning; they have only been at the Convent for 14 days, and yet the Superior tells me that they seem already like novices”. As we talked we reached the place were the African girls were waiting on their knees. With deep interest he turned his gaze, full of kindness and grace, on these black creatures whose souls with Holy Baptism have become whiter than snow. “Welcome, my dear daughters”, he said, “I am happy to see you; how many are you?” “Twelve”, they all replied in chorus. “Come near me”, he continued.
[1538]
The Pope sat on a great armchair, which had been prepared for him while he was speaking to the African girls. On his left was seated Conte Vimercati, then Mgr Castellacci, then myself, Mgr Negrotti and another prelate, then Signor Pardini. It was one of those lovely spring days. Graceful trees rose toward the sky and formed as it were a splendid bower beneath which the Pope was seated, dressed all in white with a red hat on his head. He immediately gave his hand to Mgr Negrotti. On His Holiness’ right a table decorated in gold was placed, and on it, pretty bunches of flowers from the Vatican gardens and a large basket of oranges. “Stand up, dear daughters, get ready and line up. Like that; Are you all there now? One, two three, four, etc… twelve… Good! So you want to return to your villages in Africa!… But why do you want to go back to your homeland?” Two or three of the African girls answered as follows: “To teach our compatriots the faith of Jesus Christ and to show them the ways of heaven…We want to share the good things we received in Europe with our sisters”. “You want to make them white, don’t you?” the Holy Father continued. “Yes Sir”, the African girls replied. “But how will you do this if you yourselves are so black?” the Holy Father went on. Maria Zarea answered on behalf of all: “We want to make their souls white”. “Quite right, quite right”, the Holy Father said, “white in soul, as you are… You are half white… and how many of your sisters’ souls do each of you think you will gain for the Redeemer, and guide to heaven? A dozen?” “More than twelve”, I said, speaking again, “far more, Holy Father”. “Far more”, the African girls repeated all together. “Good, good”, Pius IX added. “But what will you tell your sisters over there? Will you tell them of all you have seen in Europe, of the beautiful churches and palaces, the lovely buildings and big cities?” “Yes”, answered Maria Zarea, “We will tell them everything, and we will also introduce them to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ”.
[1539]
“Who do the inhabitants there worship?” asked the Holy Father. “They are idolatrous”. While I was explaining to the Holy Father that the many black tribes had different beliefs and various superstitious customs and was briefly describing the idolatry of the peoples of the White Nile to him, an African girl interrupted me and said to the Holy Father: “We will tell the people there about the Pope and we will tell them that we have seen him and have kissed his feet”. “Good”, said the Holy Father, “how will you describe the Pope to them, my daughter?” “We will tell them”, Maria said, “that he is God’s representative, the head of the Church, that he loves even Africans very much and sends missionaries to their country to save them and to show them the way to heaven”. “Well done, well done”, said the Holy Father. At this point he opened a package Mgr Negrotti brought him which contained lovely silver medals of the Immaculate Conception; he turned to the Superior and with his usual friendliness said: “Let the most reverend Mother approach!”
[1540]
The Superior knelt before the Holy Father, kissed his feet and received a medal, a bunch of flowers, an orange and his blessing and returned to her place. Likewise another religious also received the same gift. Then His Holiness turned to the African girls and made the eldest approach him.
[1541]
Elisabetta Caltuma knelt at the Holy Father’s feet, while he asked her: “Will you also be a mother to the little African girls?” “Yes, Holy Father, we shall try to treat those little ones as our teachers treated us”. At this point, noticing the scars on various parts of her face, the Holy Father asked her, “What do those scars mean?” Elisabetta replied that some African girls have these marks made to enhance their beauty. “Pooh!” the Holy Father exclaimed and laughed with great delight. Instead these marks are made by slave traders to be able to distinguish their slaves, or to indicate the various tribes to which they belong. “So what was the cause of the scars you have on your face, my daughter?” the Holy Father asked again. “I got these scars from an illness”, the African girl answered. Then I explained to the Holy Father how the Africans traditionally make a wound in the spot where they feel pain, and to let blood. “With all those wounds, my dear daughter, you will go to heaven and there they will make the beauty of your soul much more radiant than the beauty of your body, won’t they?” the Holy Father said, and smiled.
[1542]
Then he also gave her the medal, a bunch of flowers and an orange, and kissing his feet she withdrew. Next came forward Domitilla, who has the blackest face of them all. She is also likeable because of her two protruding overlapping teeth, whiter than ivory; the upper one shows even when her mouth is closed. “Ah! Ah! What have you there, my daughter, how can your tooth stick out so much?” “I think it is a quirk of nature”, I answered. Domitilla lowered her eyes and smiled, which revealed the two superimposed teeth. The Pope stared at her and said smiling, “You are very black, my daughter, but I hope your soul is far whiter than your teeth… Here you are!” And he gave her the same present as he had given the others. Then the third African girl who is called Fortunata approached him, and the Holy Father asked her, “What did you learn in Verona? Do you know how to sew, knit and embroider?” “Yes, Holy Father,” she answered. Then Conte Vimercati reminded the Holy Father that it was precisely these African girls who had prepared all the gold embroidery on the priestly vestments which were presented to His Holiness by Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Maria Anna of Austria. Here the Pope confessed that he had never seen such beautiful or precious vestments as the ones that were awarded the first class medal at the world exhibition in Paris. The count also explained to the Pope that the girls knew how to do every sort of needlework and especially that they were marvellous at gold and silk embroidery. Astonished at this, the Pope turned again to Fortunata and asked her: “But in your country you will not do this embroidery any more, there it will be enough for you to knit, to do the mending, to spin, and sew. You are a clever girl, my daughter, well done!”. With these words he gave her gifts and called the fourth African girl, who is called Luisa and who, although she is the smallest, is nonetheless the best educated of them all.
[1543]
“Oh, you are a little mother”, he said. “What do you know how to do my daughter? Do you know how to read and write?” “Yes, Holy Father, in Arabic and in Italian”, Luisa answered. “Good, so you will teach your African sisters to read and write”. “Yes Holy Father”, she replied. I answered the Holy Father’s question about the Africans’ graphic symbols saying that the Africans who live in the heart of Africa have no graphic symbols and indeed, that they do not even possess words to express the concepts of reading and writing. I told him that missionaries had therefore adopted approximate graphic symbols and later the Latin alphabet as the easiest for missionaries and students… Here the Holy Father called all the other African girls to him in line, asked each one questions and making remarks which openly showed the interest he was taking in them and the joy their presence was giving him, he gave his gifts to each one. When the last one approached, (who is also the youngest), Mgr Castellacci told the Pope that her name was Pia and that she had chosen this most venerable name in memory of His Holiness. The Pope took the little black girl by the hand and asked her: “What is your name?” “I am called Pia”, she answered. “But do you know what this name means?” the Pope continued. “Pius IX”, she answered. The Pope laughed with delight and so did we… then he asked her “Do you know who Pius IX is?” “It is you”, she replied with great candour. “But what is Pius IX?” he answered. “The Pope”, she said. “But what is the Pope?” he went on. She answered, “He is the representative of Jesus Christ”. “Well done, well done!” We all exclaimed together. “If you but knew, my daughter”, the Pope said, turning to us with a serious tone, “if you just knew what people want to do today to Pius IX and the Pope!!! Goodbye, my little one, you will say lots of prayers for Pius IX, won’t you?” “Always, Holy Father”, was the reply, and when she had received her gifts from him she returned to her place. The Holy Father then also gave each one of us a medal. Since on the sheet of paper three still remained, he turned to me with these words: “Take another one, because you are a missionary”. As I received the medal from his hand, I warmly thanked him and said to him, “Since Your Holiness has another two medals left, might I be permitted to ask you to deign to give me these two as well, for I will know how to make good use of them”. “Oh my son” was his answer, “and Pius IX is left with nothing but the paper… Take them, take them!” And as he gave them to me he dropped the paper on the ground. But I picked it up saying: “If Your Holiness would allow, I will also take the paper as another precious souvenir of Pius IX”. “Take it, take it to wrap up the medals”, he replied.
[1544]
I prostrated myself at his feet and thanked him for this precious souvenir of his bounty. The Holy Father then made the African girls kneel to receive his blessing. We also knelt. Then the Holy Father made a moving speech to the African girls in which he invited them to give thanks for the favour granted them in comparison to many other African girls, who were still languishing in the shadows of paganism. He pronounced the following words among others: “God bless you, my dear daughters, may he accompany you as you grow, because you have a difficult task to accomplish. If you always respond to the grace that you have been granted, you will always be happy; you will the be able to achieve things which until now so many missionaries have been unable to achieve. Yes, you will win souls, if each one of you is careful. Remember the principles and teaching you have received from your good Superiors, always show gratitude to them. Pray for those who have done you good; also pray for me, who am old now and who accompany you in spirit. I bless you with all my heart, mydaughters. Dominius vos benedicat et ab omni malo defendat et vos omnes perducat ad vitam aeternam, Amen”.
[1545]
After the Pope had blessed the African girls, we stood to express our gratitude to him, and to take our leave. But with great kindness he invited us to walk with him a little longer in the Vatican gardens. Turning to the African girls he said to them: “Come, you come too, my daughters; I want to show you other beautiful things of all kinds which you have not yet seen in your country”. So saying he stood up. Mgr Negrotti gave him his hat which he put on his head; Conte Vimercati accompanied him on the right and Mgr Castellacci who was on the latter’s right, had the kindness to leave me on the Pope’s left; immediately behind us were the two prelates and Signore Pardini. Six steps behind us the African girls followed two by two. As I walked next to the Pope holding my hat, he said to me very kindly, “Put your hat on, my son, otherwise you will catch a cold”. I put my hat on my head and deeply touched, walked on beside Pope IX who asked me if the African girls had looked at Rome’s sights, the churches, the basilicas and St Peter’s. When I had answered his question in the affirmative, he added: “How much longer are you staying in Rome?” I answered that we could easily be in Rome until the end of September, because it would take me between three and four months for the definitive establishment of the African Seminary in Verona and for the consolidation of the Association of the Good Shepherd for the conversion of Africa.
[1546]
“Good”, he added, addressing Conte Vimercati, “So we shall see the little African girls again shan’t we?” “If Your Holiness so wishes”, he answered, “I will be an honour for me to bring them to you again”. The Count said that he was intending to have the group of African girls photographed by the nephew of an old Tuscan Bishop, at which the Pope expressed the wish to have a copy. And in fact in July the Count had a large photograph taken of all our company and sent a copy of it to His Holiness and the Pope received it with joy and deigned to hang it above the table next to the ambassadors hall. Only the African girl Elisabetta Caltuma is missing from this photo, for she was ill at the time. As he strolled, the Pope had the goodness to talk to us about several subjects. Among other things we spoke of Africa, of today’s politics, of Tonello’s mission. On this occasion he said to me: “I had started to make recommendations to the bishops about the sees of unfortunate Italy, but having reached a certain point I held back, because I saw too much fog”. I could not refrain from asking him if he hoped that we would shortly see the Church triumph and the Papacy regain the provinces lost to the depredations of its enemies, as the whole Catholic world so ardently desires. “The Catholic Church will certainly win”, he answered me, “but for the time being I do not see the slightest glimmer of hope, humanly speaking; for the present the horizon is revealing only causes that are against us: but my hope rests in God alone”. “Ah! Holy Father”, I interrupted him, “You do not see a spark of hope under the sun, and yet I am convinced that Your Holiness is also certain to see the Church’s triumph, and perhaps this moment so ardently awaited is not far off”. “If that were so certain”, the Holy Father replied, “my son, where would faith be?… Let us pray, let us pray and then God will be with us”.
[1547]
The Pope interrupted our conversation two or three times to call our attention to various marvels in the Vatican gardens and to show us many famous sights which were revealed to our eyes. In fact we had then reached a place where a beautiful view unfolded before our eyes, on one side the range of mountains of Sabina and Lazio, and on the other, the lifeless plains in which the great Rome stands, like a desert town. From there it can be seen with almost all its ruins and innumerable churches, with their bell towers and domes soaring to the sky, so enchantingly that the false prophets who come to mock us are forced to wonder and to bless. There, very close rises the Vatican Palace, the residence of the Popes. This is the mysterious refuge where in the revered shadows of the dome of St Peter’s, the supreme Pastor holds the governance of the Church in his hands, and where, as head of the people of believers, he assumes in himself the history of the world. Here the man disappears beneath the sublimeness of his vocation. The august solitude of this palace induces a feeling of deep respect; the Christian cannot avoid having a lofty sense of veneration before the majesty of this priest whom Christ names his Vicar, before whom the universe bends its knee. The amazement inspired by the sight of Rome’s antiquities is automatically transferred to the Pope and the magnificent impression made by the Vatican is the same as that felt at his feet. We were in front of the belvedere. In the midst of the field which extends to the surrounding walls is a lake, bordered by stones, and whose central point is marked by a graceful bronze fountain in the form of an elegant warship, whose bronze cannons fire jets of water if a hidden mechanism three steps from the lake is set in motion. This work of art dates to the beginning of this century. The Pope showed and explained the device, then he ordered us to stand back and the African girls to step closer. But as I hesitated an instant longer to see the thing better, the Pope clapped me on the shoulder and said with an affable smile: “Come away, my son, step back and let the African girls get closer”. I retreated and the African girls stepped forward. “Look at the lovely fish”, he told them, “swimming here in the water.” And while the girls looked into it with great curiosity and chattering among themselves, the Pope made a sign to the gardener and as he was saying, “Look, look!” the cannons all at once sprayed their jets of water and drenched the African girls who ran off squealing, their veils floating in the air, and they only stopped about ten steps away, in silence. The Pope attentively observed the African girls running off, then he laughed and said with evident mirth: “These African girls resemble twelve souls in purgatory…, but those who have not already completed their punishment… you understand”, and here he smiled, “those who must still suffer in purgatory a good while longer”. I cannot manage to describe Pius IX’s hilarity at this moment, nor the pleasure we all felt with him. When the girls had calmed down again, we continued as far as a beautiful garden with about 20 flower beds and clumps of evergreen shrubs.
[1548]
We strolled along narrow paths between the beds and were amused by the hydraulic devices which were turned on, and sprayed water everywhere, even reaching us. The Pope laughed with pleasure and teased Conte Vimercati who had been sprayed. We walked slowly round the garden a couple of times and until we reached the Vatican library steps. The Pope was ever so gay and told us of his deep joy and pleasure at spending his afternoon leisure time in the company of the African girls; and he thanked Conte Vimercati in particular.
[1549]
Suddenly two of the African girls, Elisabetta Caltuma and Maria Zarea went up to the Pope, knelt before him and said to him: “Holy Father we recommend to your loving heart our unhappy black brothers and sisters in the heart of Africa; they do not yet know the true God and perhaps they will all be lost”. At the last words they began to cry. The Pope, visibly moved accepted this plea, and recommended that they pray to the Blessed Virgin conceived without sin, that they love and venerate her as Mother. Then he blessed us all again, said a few friendly words to Conte Vimercati and Castellacci, and as he told us he would be pleased to see us visit him again, accompanied by the two prelates, he ascended the steps and retired to his apartments. We had the fortune to be with Pius IX for more than an hour and a half. For the African girls, that day will be the happiest of their life, and will also remain indelibly written on my spirit. I will consider it a very special favour granted to me by divine Providence, as a grace, whose memory will be like a spiritual protection, a strength and consolation in all the difficult situations of my stormy pilgrimage on earth.
[1550]
I would be making my account too long were I to tell you the role our black company had in the solemnity of the 18th Jubilee of the martyrdom of Peter. It will suffice to remember that on 29th June, precisely the day of the feast so glorious for the Church, at the impressive ceremonies which took place in the Vatican Basilica, our 12 African girls had a place in front which Mgr Borromeo, master of the palace of His Holiness, had procured for them. Thus the first black colony of Central Africa took part in the most solemn celebrations which the external worship of the Church presented to the eyes of the world on the 18th centenary of her existence. I end my account asking your pardon for having reported the Pope’s words, our conversations, the most insignificant circumstances of our audience with the Holy Father in too great detail. The eloquence of the truth is such that it only displays simplicity. Here are my reasons. In our lengthy conversation with Pius IX we had the opportunity on the one hand to admire the most distinguished personage in the world, the one to whom the most powerful and greatest monarchs humbly offer their respects, whose divine vocation raises him above the sphere of the noblest and most impressive human initiatives, and on the other hand, the opportunity to present human beings of the humblest and most wretched category, the poor little African girls, on whose life story civilisation should meditate with horror.
[1551]
But this image: Pius IX with the African girls at his feet, raises our spirit above earth. He symbolises for us two of the principal moments in the life of the Divine Redeemer, which reveal to us two sublime aspects of his character: Jesus Christ who makes himself little with the littlest and invites them to come to him: “Sinite parvulos venire ad me”, and Jesus Christ who gives his first apostles the mission to preach the Gospel to the world: “Euntes in mundum universum praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae”. Pius IX also makes himself little with the Africans, he calls them to his feet, deigns to speak to them, has them teach him about their tribes, about their countries, their way of life, their lost sisters and brothers; he finds joy in doing precisely this; showering his graces upon them, his benefits, his goodness; he consoles them, encourages them, points out to them the way of true life; he gives them the wonderful Gospel example perfectly: “Sinite parvulos venire ad me”. By these girls’ scars, Pius IX recognises the plight of many tribes and great peoples who are still moaning under barbarous slavery and among the shadows of death and on whom still weighs the tremendous curse of Canaan.
[1552]
Their expression shows signs of intelligence, spirit and dedication; their conduct, respectful, modest and thoughtful, expresses the religious and civil education they have just received in the heart of the Catholic Church as well as their vocation to the apostolate for which Providence has prepared them. He sees in them the first harbingers of the faith among the black tribes, the most appropriate subjects for their country’s civilisation, the most suitable instruments for the conversion of their abandoned brothers and sisters, the first heroines of the apostolate among the Africans. This is why the great heart of Pius IX, with his immense zeal for the salvation of souls which embraces the whole world, in blessing these 12 African girls, is blessing the first 12 teachers of the Africans, and he fills their souls with courage, trust, zeal, love and dedication; he raises their sentiments above the earth, warms their hearts with his prophetic fervour, reinforces their mission, and repeats to these new apostles of Africa, so to speak, the words of the Redeemer: “Go out… proclaim the Good News to all creation”. Ponder carefully over these two focal points and think in their light of the figure of Pius IX who received the first black colony of Central Africa at his feet.
[1553]
You can be certain that it was not only interest in the great work of the regeneration of Africa which led me to put this little account together, but primarily the sentiments of gratitude, veneration and love which I wanted to express to the Vicar of Christ, as well as to shed light once again on the Pontiff’s kindness, friendliness and zeal for the salvation of the most neglected souls, which the future centuries will venerate as an incarnation of Catholic love, as a perfect model and a living image of the One who said: “Sinite parvulos venire ad me” and “Euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae”.

Fr Daniel Comboni


Translation from the German.