September 2004

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

Guide to the implementation of the 16th General Chapter
The Italian version of the Guide to the implementation of the 16th General Chapter and Planning of the General Council has been e-mailed to all provincials and delegates at the end of July 2004.
Very soon copies in the various languages (English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish) will be sent to provincials, delegates and to some communities. They in turn will see that each confrere and community of their province or delegation receive a copy.

Annuario Comboniano
A draft of the Annuario Comboniano, updated to 1 August 2004, has been e-mailed to the provin-cials and delegates who had requested it. Confreres who want copies may request them from their provincials and delegates. This is our first attempt to send the Annuario Comboniano by e-mail. If it is met with a positive response, other mailings will be made from time to time.
As planned, the paper edition of the Annuario 2005 will be printed at the beginning of next year. Therefore, the secretary general reminds one and all of the necessity to let him know promptly of updates and corrections to be included in the Annuario.

Pictures of houses and confreres
Pictures of our houses and confreres keep on reaching the office of the secretary general. We warmly thank those who have sent them. We also encourage those who have not done so yet, to send the pictures requested as soon as possible.


Appointments
Fr. Castrejana Fernández Felipe Andrés (E) has been appointed technical councilor for the Secre-tariat for Finance, effective 1 July 2004.
Fr. Danilo Castello (LP) has been elected president of the Missionary Institute of London (MIL).

Perpetual Vows
Sc. Sodokin Jacob (T) São Paolo (BR) 12.06.2004
Sc. Waïbena Atama Mahoba Mellon (T) São Paolo (BR) 12.06.2004

Priestly ordinations
Fr. Awuye Ruben Kwame Dodzi (T) Akatsi (GH) 10.07.2004
Fr. Kambo Paul Kithuku (KE) Machakos (KE) 17.07.2004
Fr. Paolino Tipo Deng Amayldh (KH) Malakal (SD) 25,07.2004
Fr. Djago Paul (T) Cotonou (BE) 07.08.2004
Fr. Megnihoue Codjo Bernard (T) Cotonou (BE) 07.08.2004
Fr. Ibarra Hernández Luis Enrique (M) Guadalajara (M) 14.08.2004

Holy Redeemer Guild

September 01 – 15 NAP 16 – 30 PE
October 01 – 15 P 16 – 31 RSA

Prayer intentions

September - May the charism of Saint Daniel Comboni and the example of Sr. Giuseppa Scandola, his first missionary sister one hundred years ago, spur the Comboni Missionary Sisters on and be an inspiration for those who participate in their General Chapter. LET US PRAY.

October - That the example of Saint Daniel Comboni motivate the members of our missionary fam-ily to seek, with enthusiasm and creativity, new forms of evangelisation and missionary animation in the local churches and in the world. LET US PRAY.

Publications
Camillo Ballin, The ways of the Spirit, Dar Ash-Sharqiyat, Cairo, 2004. “In monastic tradition St. Pacomius is known as the founder of community living. What was St. Pacomius’ understanding of community life? It is interesting to note that he saw in communitarian monastic life one of the ways to become Christians, so that he also accepted into the monastery pagans who were joining in view of becoming Christians. The fundamental traits of his personality were his concrete brotherly ser-vice and the daily commitment to conversion in Christ.” The book, of a popular nature, is written in Arabic and has been greatly appreciated by the Coptic-Catholic Patriarch for the depth with which the topic is explored.

Camillo Ballin, History of the Church, Dar Ash-Sharqiyat, Cairo, 2004.
It is a treatment of the history of the Church from the beginning to the 15th century. The text, meant for people at large, is written in Arabic and it is particularly aimed at explaining the life of the Church to the Arab world, with special reference to the Eastern Church.


CONGO

International Missiology Congress (Kinshasa, 11-17 July)
The congress was based on the teaching of the Holy Father in his apostolic letter, Novo Millenio Ineunte, and was organized under the sponsorship of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and with the blessing of the Symposium of the Bishops Conferences of Africa and Mada-gascar and of the Congolese Bishops Conference.
The purpose of the congress was to assess the condition of Mission and of the Church and to sug-gest new ways of carrying out missionary activity.
Many interesting proposals were presented that were eventually incorporated into the final docu-ment of the congress. First of all, all the participants expressed the desire to give an ever-increasing role to the youth in the Churches of Africa, Latin America and Asia.
It was also strongly felt that relations between individual Churches should be promoted, such as contacts between those of the North and those of the South of the world (Europe and North America on the one side, Africa, Latin America and Asia on the other), but also within the same continent.
It was also proposed that there should be regular contacts between theologians of different conti-nents so as to establish a fruitful relation between North and South also at the theological and doc-trinal level.
On the practical level it was suggested that in Africa there be a yearly weeklong meeting on mis-siology and mission promotion in cooperation with the Pontifical Mission Societies. These meetings should take place the week prior to World Mission Sunday.
And finally, a proposal was made to set up in Africa a centre of formation and of studies on the challenges and problems of Mission dedicated to St. Daniel Comboni who, well over 100 years ago, had the original idea of forming his missionaries directly in Africa.

CURIA

Castel Gandolfo (25 July 2004)
During the praying of the Angelus at Castel Gandolfo the Holy Father John Paul II said: “For more than 18 years the North of Uganda has been devastated by an inhuman war that has touched the lives of millions of people, especially children. Many of them, locked in the jaws of fear and deprived of their future, feel compelled to “be soldiers.” I turn to the international community and to the national leaders asking them to put an end to this tragic conflict and to take practical steps that will bring peace to the entire nation of Uganda.”
The Holy Father also showed concern for the same worrisome situation of the people in Darfur, the western region of the Sudan, bordering with Chad. “War, which has gotten worse in recent months, always brings along ever increasing poverty, hopelessness and death. In the Sudan twenty years of strife have caused a large number of casualties, of displaced people and refugees. How could we remain indifferent? I send a heartfelt appeal to the political leaders and international or-ganizations that they may not forget these brothers and sisters so greatly afflicted.”
In conclusion, the Pope said: “The Christian community is pledged to face these emergencies… In Uganda, the bishops, with the help of other dioceses around the world and volunteer organizations, work selflessly for national reconciliation and to bring relief to people in need. In these very days I have sent to Darfur the president of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum,” Mgr. Paul Josef Cordes, to show to those suffering people the spiritual and material solidarity of this Holy See and of the uni-versal Church.”


DSP

Jubilee of the Lay Comboni Missionaries (MaZ)
It was during the last weekend of July that a crowd of people assembled at our house of Josefstal in order to celebrate a jubilee, namely, the 20 years since the DSP has been preparing "Missionare auf Zeit” (MaZ). It has been sending them out to the missions to be lay missionaries and collaborate with us in the spirit of our Founder for a period that lasts from one to three years (and even more). The shape of the project itself had originally been developed by a number of other German mission-ary religious Institutes that have made people interested in missionary work to cooperate through the MaZ. In these 20 years, our lay missionaries have served at different times and in various coun-tries.
Some of those present at the celebration had not seen one another for a long time, so it became an opportunity for a lot of sharing. Present were also Fr. Bernhard Riegel and Bro. Hans Eigner, the first two Comboni Missionaries to have been put in charge of the MaZ. The celebration of a colour-ful Mass together with the faithful of Josefstal became an important moment for reflecting on a deeper vision and on the new challenges of the MaZ.
The number of men and women who have taken up the commitment to collaborate with the Com-boni Missionaries in the course of these 20 years is about 90. By the end of this year there could be 100 lay missionaries. In the course of all these years, structures and discernment of the MaZ have being modified. Yet, all these people do signify a lot of experience, a lot of exchange of faith and a lot of ongoing commitment for the cause of the poorest.

Reflection Groups
Comboni Missionaries and Comboni Missionary Sisters met in Bamberg for a theological reflec-tion. In this critical moment for humankind they have reflected on how to proclaim the God of life in today’s context of violence and death. In such a perspective, they would like to bring to everyone’s attention an event that touches all of us and will certainly have serious consequences especially for the poor of our world.
If the proposed timetable goes ahead, the World Trade Organization will approve next January the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which will privatise more than one hundred and sixty public services, including schooling, heath, public transport and water. If this should happen, it would be yet another disaster for the poor of the Northern and Southern hemispheres of our world.
The members of the reflection group ask us to show our concern by joining the initiatives that are taking place in various countries against the approval of this agreement on Trade in Services.


ECUADOR

Young Mission Volunteers
Once again, this year we repeated the experience of the “Young Mission Volunteers” with five young people from various areas of Ecuador. This time four of them came from our missions – a sign that we are paying serious attention to vocation promotion.
After a two month period of formation held at the youth centre of Carcelén, they were sent for an-other two months to two of our communities for a mission experience that included work, mentor-ing and reflection.
At the end of the experience they got together again for an evaluation of their experience and for a few days of recollection to help them discern on their vocation. All of them have decided to enter the postulancy. It means that this is not a passing enthusiasm, but the first step towards a radical and definite commitment to God for Mission.

Gathering on Justice and Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
On 26 and 27 July we gathered as a province at the provincial house in Quito for a meeting of on-going formation on JPIC. All the communities of the province were represented.
During the opening session the provincial reminded us of the directives of the General Chapter on this topic. Fr. Claudio Zendron shared the information he had gathered at the continental assembly and at the general assembly on evangelisation held in Rome on 17-29 May in preparation for the Ratio Missionis.
The following day, Bro. Alberto Degan spoke on the spirituality and biblical foundation for the struggle of justice and peace, reminding us that the Gospel of peace is the missionary priority of God.
Later in the morning, Bro. Joel Reyes Cruz spoke on the need to clarify the concept of “human promotion” which should be understood as a humanizing process rather than just technological de-velopment. Is the human element accidental to mission or is it central?
We then formed three groups to answer the following questions: 1) From among the challenges we have discussed, which ones do we feel are closer to us as Comboni Missionaries? 2) How can we influence the local Church and society towards this way of thinking?
In conclusion, the assembly was asked what should be requested of the provincial committee on JPIC, made up of the brothers of Guayaquil and the secretary of evangelisation, in order to continue the reflection and to prepare a program of ongoing formation on JPIC.

Missionary send-off in Patane
On Sunday, 8 August, the parish of Patane solemnly sent off to the scholasticate of São Paulo the newly professed and their first missionary, Carlos Iván Cagpata Aponte.
At the end of the celebration a parish mission was announced. It will begin on 10 October in all the farms and rural areas of the parish and will come to an end in November with a procession and the inauguration and blessing of the monument to St. Daniel Comboni, which will be placed in the shrine of Our Lord of the Earthquake.

Inauguration of the new headquarters of “Antorcha”
The inauguration and blessing of the new headquarters of the savings and loans cooperative “An-torcha” took place in Quinindé on Saturday, 14 August, in the presence of the provincial, various local authorities and the cooperative’s leaders. The cooperative was started by Fr. Alberto Buffoni (using some of the mission’s classrooms) and then developed by Fr. Modesto Llorente Pacheco and Fr. Enea Mauri.
The foundation dates back to 4 August 1968, with 41 members and a capital of 2,500 “escudos”, the local currency. Today it has 3200 members and a capital of one million USD.
At the end of the Eucharist, whose presider was the provincial Fr. Enea Mauri, the centre was blessed and remembrance was made of Fr. Alberto, the pioneer of the cooperative system in the province of Esmeraldas and, in particular, in Quinindé, where at that time there was not even a bank. It is one of the few surviving cooperatives and it was able to increase its capital and offer much needed financial help that enabled many humble and poor farmers to build their own homes, open a business and have a decent way of life.

Afro Mass on CD
In line with our commitment to serve the Afro-Ecuadorian people in their quest to recover their values and to grow in their life of faith, the community of the “Opera Comboniana” for Human Promotion (OCHP) of Guayaquil has produced a new CD containing the Afro Mass. The CD has 14 songs and is dedicated to the Afro-Ecuadorian missionaries.


KHARTOUM

Visit to the Nuba Mountains
Since January 2001 the Nuba Mountains have enjoyed a state of relative peace thanks to the cease fire agreement in the area and the presence of international observers. Usually I was able to visit Dilling and Kadugli once a year. Last year I was also able to visit also two centres in the area under SPLA control. In May this year, with the permission of the competent authorities in El Obeid and of the SPLA, I visited the territory under SPLA control on a fact finding tour. I was able to visit sev-eral centres. Bishop Max Gassis Macram has opened three parishes there with the help of four Su-danese diocesan priests and one deacon, three priests and a brother from the Apostles of Jesus and a community of Comboni Missionary Sisters.
Throughout the territory I saw new huts, a sign that once again people are confident. Some people have returned from the North, others have come down from the mountains where they had sought refuge from air raids and the war, while others, who had moved to bigger and better protected vil-lages, have returned to their old homesteads. Life is returning to normal. There are many problems still to be solved: health care, education, lack of water and food, due to the lack of a harvest last year. The Church has opened some grade schools and has provided hand pumps for the water. Now, with the peace treaty, things should improve.
It is of great interest to note that in many places where, before the war, the Catholic Church did not exist or was barely beginning, today there are very active centres with their catechists. This has happened thanks to some well formed catechists who remained in the area during the war and who, before the priests came, were going from village to village to assist the other catechists, to examine and to baptize the catechumens.
We hope for a good future for the Church in the Nuba Mountains, even though the Moslems are not sleeping and in some villages they try to slow down the activities of the Christian community. (Bishop Antonio Menegazzo)

Visit of Mgr. Paul Josef Cordes to Sudan
From 22 to 25 July Mgr. Paul Josef Cordes, President of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum,” was in Khartoum, Sudan, sent by the Pope to show his fatherly concern for the Church in the Sudan, and especially to the displaced and refugees of Darfur.
Beside visiting the shantytowns on the outskirts of Khartoum, where the displaced people from the South have been living for over ten years, Mgr. Cordes also visited the camp of Kalma, near Nyala in Darfur. There he was able to meet the representatives of several Catholic relief agencies that are preparing - together with other Christian agencies - an aid program worth 17 million dol-lars. In Kalma alone there are 10,000 displaced people who are camping in the desert under straw and plastic roofs.
The trip drew the attention of the local Arab media that gave great importance to the visit. The Church in Sudan and government representatives have repeatedly expressed their gratitude to the Holy Father who is close to the African continent and to all those who suffer.
On Sunday morning, 25 July, Mgr. Cordes, together with the Cardinal Archbishop of Khartoum and the Apostolic Nuncio to the Sudan, celebrated the Eucharist in the cathedral of Khartoum.
At the end of the visit, the envoy of the Holy Father reiterated the need that “The Sudanese au-thorities, in cooperation with the international community, ensure assistance and a safe return to their villages to all those who have become totally helpless. They were forced to flee and live in subhuman conditions. The Catholic Church, through the local Bishops Conference, Caritas and other Christian agencies, gives its specific contribution to all those who during 20 years of war have had to abandon their homes. We also express our confidence that, with the cooperation of all the people of this country, it will be possible to build a better future for the Sudan.”


LONDON PROVINCE

Various News from the LP
Fr. Danilo Castello has been appointed president of the Missionary Institute London (MIL). Con-gratulations!
At the moment 12 of our scholastics are attending courses in “theology for ministry”, validated by the Middlesex University. Some are studying for the STB, a degree awarded by the Leuven Univer-sity to which the MIL is affiliated. Postgraduate courses in “applied theology” are also available. At the moment one of our confreres, Fr. Abraham Hailu who works in the diocese of El Obeid, is do-ing an MA in justice and peace.
For information concerning particularly short courses (one year) in Applied Theology, like Lead-ership, Mission Studies, Justice and Peace Studies, etc., please write to: The Registrar, Missionary Institute, Holcombe House, The Ridgeway, London NW7 4HY.
E-mail: mil@mdx.ac.uk. Consult also our website: www.the-mil.org.uk

NAP

First gathering of Comboni Employees
From 23 to 25 July the office employees of all the communities of the NAP gathered at the pro-vincial offices in Cincinnati for the very first time in the history of the province. They came from the Chicago and Los Angeles areas, from Montclair, NJ, and from Canada to join the local staff of Cincinnati for a time of common reflection, sharing of experiences, prayer and fun. It was a won-derful opportunity for faithful employees to see the wider picture and to appreciate the Comboni charism that binds us together. The gathering was the brainchild of Sr. Roseanne White, OSU, our finance director.
Our provincial, Fr. Dennis William Conway, welcomed the guests to provincial headquarters. The heads of the various departments each took turn in explaining their activities within the provincial offices. The participants then explained in great detail how they came to be employees of the Com-boni Missionaries and what they do in each of our parishes and centres where they work. Avenues of greater cooperation between the provincial offices and the local offices were also explored. At the closing session time was given to a reflection on how the charism of Comboni, as embodied by today’s Comboni Missionaries, has impacted on the lives of the people who work for and with us. It was a very rewarding and touching session. Dinner on the Ohio River offered a much-appreciated view of the city and an opportunity for relaxation. The gathering concluded on Sunday morning with a Eucharist celebrated by Fr. Joseph Bragotti.

Solidarity with Africa
On 13 July, Fr John Baptist Keraryo Opargiw and Fr. Paulino Mondo Twesigye were the main speakers at a panel on Africa organized by our provincial offices in cooperation with the mission office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Athenaeum of Ohio. Their presentation on how Af-rica challenges the Western world today was much appreciated and gave rise to many questions during the discussion that followed their talks. Attendance was good despite the fact that it was a stormy night. The presence and witness of some Africans who live in Cincinnati, including some Sudanese refugees, added a very realistic note to the event. The presentation was part of a five year program of “Solidarity with Africa” sponsored by the Archdiocesan Mission Office of Cincinnati in cooperation with other local entities such as the theology and political science branches of Xavier University and our own Comboni Mission Office.
Both Fr. Opargiw and Fr. Mondo spent most of the summer in the United States to help preach mission appeals for the NAP. Other Ugandan Comboni Missionaries did the same in Chicago and in Montclair. Their presence is greatly appreciated by the people they meet in parishes across the country, because they are the realization of Comboni’s dream and signs of the universality of the missionary call.


PORTUGAL

Course of Comboni Spirituality for lay people
About 70 people, mostly lay, and some members of the Comboni family, spent the weekend of 25-27 June at Fatima for a special encounter with St. Daniel Comboni, through an experience of communion with the Comboni Family in the context of the Church. Starting from the Writings of Daniel Comboni the participants reflected together on themes dealing with Africa, Europe, vocation and mission in the days of Comboni and in our days. It was a panoramic view of mission seen through the experience of the Founder and his missionaries. Comboni continues to challenge us with the same daring spirit of a century ago and the Writings are his living voice.
Fr. Manuel Augusto Lopez Ferreira opened the meeting by suggesting some ways of interpreting the texts of Daniel Comboni, beginning with the experience of God, society, Church and mission of the founder of our Comboni Institutes.
The participants agree that Comboni fascinated them in a particular way, especially because of his vision, his life dedicated to others and his passion for Christ and for Africa. They all expressed a de-sire to continue to deepen their understanding of his spirituality and faith experience.
This was the third course of Comboni spirituality for lay people organized for the entire Comboni Family: priests, brothers, sisters, secular and lay missionaries. Our mission promotion must rely more on the laity and the establishment of a climate of reflection and of deeper encounter with the mission of Jesus and of the Church.


IN PACE CHRISTI

Fr. Giuseppe Valente (27.09.1930 – 31.07.2004)
Fr. Giuseppe Valente was born at Castelgoffredo, diocese of Mantova, on 27 September 1930. He took his temporary vows on 9 September 1950 and was ordained a priest on 15 June 1957. He was a novice in England and a scholastic in Venegono. His first mission field was the Sudan, where he served in the seminary of Bussere from 1959 to 1964, the year when he was expelled together with many other missionaries. From 1964 to 1970 he was assigned to the NAP as novice master and then he moved to England where from 1971 to 1974 he held the same position. His serene, kind and pa-tient demeanour was quickly seen as a very important quality for a formator.
In 1975 he was assigned to Uganda where he did pastoral work among the Alur for some years. He also spent a few years as a formator with the Apostles of Jesus in Moroto. He spent the rest of his life in the formation of Comboni candidates in Jinja and Namugongo. There is where he re-mained until death came suddenly in the early hours of the night of 31 July 2004.
Fr. Giuseppe was a quiet and serene person, but could speak his mind when necessary. He was very organized as it is evidenced even by his tidy and neat handwriting and by the order that reigned in his room. He loved nature and took great interest in the novitiate’s garden. Fr. Monella Pierpaolo shares: “He greatly loved nature, plants and flowers in particular, and enjoyed enriching his com-munity with new species. He considered a tragedy hearing or seeing that a tree had been felled. Probably it was not a mere coincidence that the cross he usually wore was a “tau,” a symbol that brought him closer to St. Francis of Assisi.” He was buried in the novitiate’s garden that he had loved so much, in the shade of some trees he had planted.
Fr. Giuseppe loved Mission. After his experience as novice master in the United States and Eng-land, he was overjoyed to return to Africa and be available for missionary service.
Fr. Pierpaolo points out the commitment of Fr. Giuseppe in the apostolate among street children. “During the last 11 years as formator in the novitiate of Namugongo, his pastoral commitment was directed mainly towards rescuing street children and street youth. In this field he soon became an important figure in the city of Kampala.”
The news of Fr. Giuseppe’s sudden death moved many people who knew him and appreciated him, among them the street children, the students of the grade and high schools and the various houses of formation around Namugongo. The night before the funeral the basilica of the Martyrs of Namugongo was packed with students praying. The novices and formators of the Comboni Sisters held an all night vigil by the coffin. The funeral of Fr. Giuseppe took place in the basilica. The Nuncio was the main celebrant, sided by the Cardinal Archbishop of Kampala and many priests. Many Apostles of Jesus, where he had been a formator, also attended. The many testimonials that were read at the end of the Mass highlighted the availability, dedication, spirit of solidarity and simplicity of Fr. Giuseppe’s life. He must have been ready for his final encounter with the Lord. There was no panic, no noise and not too many words about his health. He was a very private per-son. Once again, in the case of Fr. Giuseppe it held true that “we die as we live.” Fr. Guido Oliana)


Fr. Pietro Foletto (01.11.1915 – 15.08.2004)
Fr. Pietro Foletto lived his life in the footsteps of Comboni. We may underline three expects: the cross, the regeneration of Africa and his devotion to Mary.
The Cross. It marked the beginning and the end of Fr. Pietro. He was born in 1915 in Santo Ste-fano di Zimella, Verona, together with a twin sister who died almost immediately. His father, Anto-nio, a strong farmer, was called to war (1915-1918) and died during the conflict.
The mother, Elisa, sister of our late confrere Fr. Luigi Molinaro, was a woman of great faith and courage. By herself she took over the farming and educated her son in the fear of the Lord.
In 1928, at age 13, we find Pietro in Brescia, at the Comboni Institute. There he studied for five years.
Speaking of suffering in Fr. Pietro’s life we must mention his illness. In 1996 he left Africa for the last time and went to Gordola. Fr. David Kinnear Glenday, then Superior General, wrote to him: “I do not doubt that you will continue to carry Uganda in your heart, especially when you pray and when you suffer. May this letter of mine reach you as we wait in deep spiritual communion the be-atification of our Daniel Comboni.”
He eventually moved to Verona at the Centro Ammalati where he was confined to a wheelchair and was nourished with a tube. Looking at him, one felt like saying: “How is it possible that a per-son could suffer so much!” And yet, there was never a complaint. Mission was the source of strength that gave him the energy to face another day.
The regeneration of Africa. In 1933 Pietro started the novitiate in Venegono, under the guide of Fr. Giocondo Bombieri. In 1935 he took his first vows and then went to Venegono for philosophy and theology. On 29 June 1940, he was ordained a priest.
At this juncture, it is sufficient to follow his curriculum that he himself wrote before dying. After serving in our minor seminaries in Trento, Carraia and Brescia as a teacher, in 1948 he was sent to England to study English. He learned very fast. In 1949 he was in Khartoum, the land of Comboni and in 1954, after a short visit to Italy, he went to Uganda.
By then, his mission was teaching: first with the Marian Brothers (a Ugandan teaching Institute) in Lodonga, then at the seminary of Pokea, Arua. In 1969 we find him in Warr, at the girls’ senior secondary, then in Moroto (Karamoja), with the Apostles of Jesus. In 1973 he went to Aboke, the seminary of Lira, and in 1978 to Moroto, at the diocesan seminary. In 1986 he moved to Aduku as teacher in the girls’ senior secondary.
Fr. Pietro saw his teaching as true mission. He did not do it unwillingly or “under obedience,” as it often happens. He understood that through the school he could bring about the regeneration of Af-rica that Comboni had dreamed about.
In his free time and during the holidays he visited the elderly and the sick in the villages. He brought them blankets, salt, tobacco and medicines. Above all, he spent time with people without hurry. In this he was helped by his character that was cordial, welcoming, marked by love for all. He was gifted with a strong willpower and great internal fortitude in a weak body. The war in Uganda caused him much suffering and for it he offered his pains.
Devotion to Mary. Fr. Pietro had absorbed from his own mother the devotion to Mary, especially under the title of Monte Berico. In Uganda he lived close to Fr. Bernardo Sartori, in the shadow of the shrine to the Mediatrix and it is easy to see how his devotion was refined. When he was on holi-days he gathered holy cards of the Blessed Mother that he would take to Africa and give to the peo-ple. In his letters we find frequent expressions such as: “I often pray to Mary as my mother taught me.”
On Monday, 9 August, he was sent home from the hospital “to die with his own people.” He lasted another week, until 5:00 in the morning of the Feast of the Assumption, when the Blessed Mother came to fetch him and take him to paradise.
On Tuesday, 17 August, the community of Verona, swelled by many confreres from other com-munities, entrusted this brother of ours into the merciful hands of the Lord.
After the funeral at our mother house, the body was taken to the cemetery of Santo Stefano di Zimella where he rests in the chapel reserved for the clergy. (Fr. Lorenzo Gaiga)


Let us pray for the deceased

THE FATHER: Jérome of Fr. Joseph Musanga Mumbere (CN); Nicolás of Bro. Martín Ramirez Falcón (SS).

THE MOTHER: Esther of Fr. Norbert Lucaz Erasmo Bautista (M); Denisse of the Sc. Ghislain Comlan Amoussou (TG).

THE BROTHER: Fr. Costantino (ex-Comboni) of Fr. Rocco Maliardi (†); Elias of the Sc. Tadesse Siyume Natnael (ET); Luigi of Fr. Venanzio Milani (I).

THE SISTER: Maria Sabina of Fr. Giovanni Battista Zanardi (I).

THE COMBONI MISSIONARY SISTERS: Sr. Pier Teresa Gallarotti; Sr. Elisa Ischia; Sr. M. Rita Pasqualoni; Sr. Adelma Bagattin; Sr. Alma Sista Moranduzzo; Sr. M. Monica Chini; Sr. Luisanna Cucchetti; Sr. Palma Luigia Mantovani.