Writings

[979]
As I am sending Scarabello an important document on the scientific research of which he is the illustrious forerunner, I enclose a couple of lines for you to tell you I am very well and that I have found much better terrain in Paris than in Lyons. Write to me.
[980]
Just one anecdote for now, and that will be all. I went to Aug. Nicolas to discuss my Plan with him and seek his advice, as one who knows the great Institutions. I told him: “Before I go and talk to the members of the Paris Council, I would like you to advise me and examine those articles which might harm me and might displease the Council; and then I shall go and introduce myself”. He received me very well and is kindly doing what I asked: I have already been to him twice, and he is very helpful. Guess what?… Today at a luncheon at which I was a guest, there were 8 Bishops, including Massaia, the Archbishop of Smyrna, two from China and one from Australia, etc. I gathered that Nicolas is one of the 8 members of the Council of Paris. This evening the Provincial of the Capuchins himself confirmed this. I am and will be pretending not to have realised and continue to go to him.
[981]
Every morning I say Mass with Fr Ventura’s chalice. I cannot describe to you how happy I am to be in Paris now to deal with the African affairs. Here I am in constant contact with the greatest Catholics who know the Missions or have been there. The government, where I was introduced by Mgr Massaia, also receives me well. On the whole my position in Paris is interesting and everyone views me with enthusiasm, and I realise that the Central African Mission is the most interesting mission in the world. Therefore I am trying not to make a bad impression. The great and the rich show me respect.
[982]
If they only knew that I am a member of the poorest Institute in the world (they do not believe that our Institute is extremely poor), that in Verona I live on a little polenta, that I was born in Teseul and that now as I write from Paris I possess only 37 francs and 45 centimes and one banknote of one florin, and that I am in deep trouble if Providence does not help me, if they knew that, I say, there would not be so much enthusiasm over me, to the point that I have visits from Bishops, Ambassadors and Rear-Admirals. My greetings to the Superior, our dear brother priests, clerics, young people, Hans, the Protestants; and write to me at length.

Fr Daniel Comboni

[983]
Although my heart is troubled by the uncertainty I have about Maria’s health, I do find comfort in writing to you too, my dear Guido, for it is so long since I have written to you and seen you. I live in the joyful thought of seeing you when I come to Rome, which will be around Easter, in quite a different mood from the one in which I last saw you. That is, I hope that a peaceful calm will shine on your brow due to the beneficial effects that victory in the Falconieri case will have brought to your domestic situation, and to the peace within your family. No one wishes your happiness more than your African friend, my dear Guiduccio.
[984]
Now that the bulk of family affairs has been settled, you must think of finding yourself a gracious young girl who can make you and your family happy. Now let your African friend give you advice and implore you to choose a young demoiselle who has all the good qualities in the world, which can be summed up in the four Bs, as we say in Venice, that is you must take a damsel with the following qualities buona, bella, brava, bezzi (good, beautiful, able, money). The three first prerogatives require no explanation: whereas you should have the 4th prerogative explained by our dear and venerable Count Beppi, Prince Giovanelli, because it is a Venetian expression. These four titles arouse, increase and perfect love, which is the essence of marital bliss. Remember to let me know when you have laid eyes on her, so that without having seen her I may begin to love her too as if she were my own wife, since she is becoming your wife. In the meantime I will pray to the Lord for him to direct you at every step and help you to make the right choice: this should guarantee your supreme happiness and be of a beneficial influence on the Carpegna family.
[985]
God has put you to the test with great rigour in the past, almost to the extent of making you pay il-khatáia abúk; it is now time he gave you great consolation: the tempest is followed by calm, night by day; such are God’s plans. I yearn for it with all my heart.
[986]
Let me tell you, my dear Guiduccio, that I am happy to have met your aunt Annetta. I find the woman edifying: she is a good, kind woman, and there are few like her. I shall always have special esteem and veneration for her. However, I must confess that I am fonder of Pélagie, and even fonder still of Maman. In those two women, moreover, I find my inspiration and I just like them more. By Jove, perhaps it is just reverence to age that prevents me from confiding in your aunt Annetta: but the fact is, I like the other two more than her.
[987]
I have now been 17 days in Paris, or rather in both Paris and Versailles. Here I am consulting and studying the great Institutions to give balance to the Work that I have conceived for Africa. As you see the work is arduous and awe-inspiring; but if God lends a hand it will be done; if God does not lend a hand, neither Napoleon III, nor the most powerful monarchs, nor the wisest philosophers in the world will ever be able to do anything. So may God do his part; then I, the last child of humanity, will succeed. You and I, we are rich, St Francis Xavier and I, we are saints, Napoleon III and I, we are powerful, mister Lord-God and I, we are all. So let us be joyful! I must tell you that in Lyons, where I stayed 20 days, I encountered great obstacles in the person of a most influential, most able, most powerful character de communi Confessorum Pontificum, who might very well faire écouler l’Oeuvre. I hurriedly improvised in his presence another aspect of my trip to France, and rushed to Paris, where I am finding better terrain to set up the work. However, it is a tremendous and difficult affair. But I am not afraid; I already feel I am the master of Africa.
[988]
Of the Plan I had printed in Turin, I sent Maman a few copies to be given also to Prince Giovanelli and Mgr Nardi. You will have read it by now, and at times you will have exclaimed that Fr Daniel is raving mad. Listen, my Guido! I have extraordinary faith in God, and I put into practice the most wise saying audaces fortuna iuvat, which in the Christian language means Providence. Please give my regards to Prince Beppi and Maria Giovanelli, Fr Mario and the Princess wife, and all your friends that I know. Pray for me and love me as I do you

Your affectionate Fr Daniel

Please give my warmest greetings to papà whose hand I kiss, and tell him that I love you all very much. I will also write him a few words.

[989]
I have already received your dearest letter of the 20th of last month, from which I gather that the Superior’s feelings about me are still the same. I see that what I am suffering and what I have suffered so far in this matter are only the prelude to a fiercer storm, to more terrible afflictions. For me to start an open battle with a holy old man would do nothing but increase bitterness and provoke greater evils, because I will always lose any negative feelings I might harbour against Fr Mazza. On the other hand, if I examine my conscience carefully, although I am full of faults and shortcomings, I feel that there is no case whatsoever for me to be expelled from the Institute. I can understand that my having been involved in serious and delicate business although I was not very old, my having travelled extensively, my having lived frequently in total freedom in foreign lands with God alone as my witness, could provide those who wish me ill with arguments or suspicions for my deserving such a severe punishment from the Superior, leaving me with no arguments in my defence. I am therefore aware of my position with regard to our good old man.
[990]
Well, God himself who is the witness of my actions, my feelings, my heart’s desires, this dearly beloved Jesus will either defend me or give me the strength to carry the burden of my affliction.
[991]
I therefore welcome your advice and that of our dear and venerable Fr Calza, models of great and true friends, and will say nothing. I abandon myself in the arms of Providence, who will always lead me down his beloved paths. I offer myself to Jesus Crucified and the Queen of Martyrs; and in those two Most Sacred Hearts, I find my hope and my comfort.
[992]
Let the good old man say that I no longer belong to the Institute far and wide, in the town square, in Canterane, to the Bishop, to the Pope; let Caio,Tizio e Sempronio (Tom, Dick and Harry) think and say what they will about me, it does not matter. Jesus and Mary, who suffered for the just and for sinners, will have pity on me and care for me: and even if the good old man has abandoned me, I will never ever be abandoned by Jesus and Mary. I will always be immensely grateful to the Superior and to the Institute, and also to those who have persecuted me, and I will always pray to the Lord for everyone.
[993]
It is already a good sign when God strikes in this world; the more suffering there is here, the less suffering there will be there. Storms are necessary to make the heart stronger in battle.
[994]
Perhaps the Lord wants me to suffer in my African affairs, so that I may put up a better fight against the difficulties that will appear in the implementation of my projects; and should none of this be wanted by the Lord, the affliction and humiliation will always be embraced by me with God’s grace, because I will take it as a discount on my faults, and because Jesus suffered, Mary suffered, St Paul suffered, St Francis Xavier suffered and the converted sinners suffered. May everything God wants be done, I will always bless the Lord and exclaim with St Augustine: hic ure, hic seca… etc. (you know, I do not remember)…
[995]
I will tell you nothing of my affairs. As the work for Africa becomes gradually operational, the Propagation of the Faith, the Holy Childhood, the Association for Schools in the East, within the limits of their resources will help each individual action undertaken in the different Missions. Propaganda never undertakes a work of its own initiative, because it always shuns any responsibility. My trip to France is extremely useful because it will foster a great interest in Africa, and in time will bear fruit.
[996]
Among other things, I have thought of asking the Pope to give an Address to the Cardinals in Consistory, urging all the Catholics of the world to act in favour of Africa. I have already written to the Cardinal. I hope to persuade Mgr Massaia and the Holy Ghost Fathers who are in Senegambia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal and Zanzibar to do the same. The difficult thing about putting my general plan into action is to persuade the various Heads of all the African Missions to keep a representative in Rome to allow for the mutual exchange of practical experience. Little by little I will push for the formation of a Committee; then, if God wills, and even if Cardinal Barnabò is against it, I will try to get the Pope to set up a special Congregation for Africa, to be presided over by a Cardinal and dependent on the Prefect General, who is now Barnabò, constituted in the same way as the Congregation for the Oriental Rites is now.
[997]
To me it seems necessary and most useful to have at Rome a greater concentration of interest in Africa. One can define Africa, as I wrote to Rome from Paris, as the black race invaded or threatened by an Islamist invasion, a most deplorable situation, which exists in no other part of the world. It therefore seems to me useful, and I would say almost necessary, for me to direct my efforts step by step to this end: it will take many years. In the meantime I shall apply myself to starting and promoting the little I can, pressing especially for the centre of the action to be in the eastern half of Africa. For the moment the western part, from the Equator to Gibraltar, is quite unsuitable for the Centre. The crimes of the Catholic nations in the last century, having extracted with all kinds of violence 14,000,000 slaves from that part to work in the American mines, have left such hatred against the whites that if, not only whites but also the blacks of Senegambia, Sierra Leone, Dahomey and Guinea venture 50 leagues inland, they are promptly killed. The Portuguese colonies in West and East Africa are without agents of evangelisation due to the antagonism which exists between Rome and Portugal on the election of Bishops. The Apostolic Nuncio in Lisbon charged with this reconciliation has achieved nothing, and will perhaps achieve nothing, because the Society is now overrun by Freemasonry.
[998]
My efforts will therefore be concentrated on promoting operations in the East, in which I hope the Institute will play a large part, if God wills. On the day of St John Chrysostom, the protector of the Association for the Schools of the East, we went to a great feast at Notre Dame des Victoires. Mgr Massaia was the celebrant, I the assistant and the Archbishop of Smyrna the preacher. The church, where the Arch-Confraternity of the Heart of Mary was founded, was brimful of people, mostly from high society. After the Archbishop’s homily, Mgr Soubiranne, the Director of the Association, stood up and pointing to the Apostle of the Gallas and the missionary of Central Africa, made a moving speech for 3/4 of an hour, which impressed the audience especially as regards the disasters of Central Africa. In the evening we had visits from all parts, and were convinced of the great interest there is for Africa. I said Mass on that day for Marchese Ottavio di Canossa.
[999]
I have made great friends with Aug. Nicolas, and with his 9 children and his wife. He is a great Catholic who has a feeling for religion and for the Church, the likes of which I have never seen. He gave me his latest work against Renan and wants me to go and see him frequently. He examined my Plan and told me that in his opinion, in order to achieve the best results it should be based on a Congregation founded for that purpose. On Thursday Nicolas was very moved and he told me: “the Church has always had those who with dévouement complet s’immolent et se sacrifient (complete devotion immolate and sacrifice themselves) to spread the faith. You have made this Plan which reveals your dévouement to the Church, and you will succeed in winning many children for the Church from among the Africans. But even if all your efforts were to prove fruitless, the mere fact of having proposed such a Plan makes you worthy of the appreciation of the Church and of the civilised world”.
[1000]
This is a great consolation for me, though my heart would not be satisfied at all if I did not succeed. Of course the opinion of this notable Catholic encourages me greatly to proceed with the work I have undertaken. Nicolas showed me a photograph of the parish priest of Santi Apostoli di Caprara, and said: “I greatly respect this worthy priest: though our correspondence is intermittent, and he writes to me in Italian and I write to him in French, nevertheless I can see that he must have a very beautiful soul and must be tout dévoué à son ministère”. I tell you that my friendship with Nicolas is very dear to me and goes to my heart; and his sons have the same heart as he does: the little priest has already been a Dominican for 5 years; a fine conquest for Lacordaire, says Nicolas. Versailles, 5/2 1865
[1001]
The Capuchins of both Paris and Versailles are very fond of me. I am still Mgr Massaia’s inseparable companion, I have now been with him for 25 days, and I see and understand that he is a holy man. His apostolate among the Gallas is one of the most interesting in the Church. He has been imprisoned eight times, condemned to death twice, exiled twice: so for me he is a portent of zeal and wisdom. I have persuaded him to come to Verona, and he will come to meet the Superior and all of us in the Institute. To the Superior and Fr Beltrame, he will be most enlightening on the African mission. I am certain that our good old man, Fr Beltrame and everyone in the Institute will benefit from this. He has great esteem for our Institute; he will support it greatly with Propaganda, and after having spoken with the Superior he will, as the Superior sees fit, be able to publicise the Superior’s plan. I have agreed with him, that since he has already left Rome, I will have him called by the Cardinal.
[1002]
I implore you to promote the Association for the Schools of the East in Verona. Its Director cares greatly for Africa and has undertaken to promote a great interest for it in the annals. He is writing to his correspondent in Milan ordering him to send you some copies. Read them, and you will see that it is a highly Catholic association. I would like it to have about a hundred members in Verona and the diocese. I will then see to its promotion in the whole of the Venetia region. It is an Association which in time will assume the same proportions as the Lyons and Paris Association. I have joined this Association. The Director, who is like a brother to me, told me: “from now on Africa will be the target of my efforts”. You will understand that in due course there will be great material support for Africa from the Association for the Schools of the East.
[1003]
I am delighted to have made friends with Théodore Ratisbonne, the author of the life of St Bernard. He often comes to see me. At the end of the month Alphonse will also be arriving from Jerusalem, and I will be glad to embrace him again, not having seen him for 14 months. I saw him last year in Frankfurt. I say nothing of the consolation God is granting me in Paris. I have very close ties with the Father General of the Holy Ghost Fathers and with Fr Etienne, the General of the Vincentians. I twice went with Mgr Massaia to see the Archbishop of Paris: but he is Gallican to the marrow. It gave me great pleasure to receive a little letter from the good De La Pierre woman. I see that she still has good sentiments and is full of gratitude. It is not so with the German woman who, since my departure from Verona, has never written to me, and has not even sent greetings.
[1004]
One should always do good for the sole glory of God and for the good of souls: and anyway expect a battering from one’s benefactors. But it does not matter. The Bishop of Geneva has not yet sent me his report on the De La Pierre woman’s sister. However, he has written that he has taken the matter to heart.
[1005]
Give my respects to the Bishop, and tell him that the Bishop of Bayeux has had an attack; but he is now out of danger and is recovering. Canon Dò will help me find your venerable ancestor’s documents.
[1006]
I am extremely grieved to hear of our dear Fr Beltrame’s recent misfortune. I am so sorry not to be in Verona to bring him a moment’s relief in his sorrow. I remember with tenderness and gratitude the compassionate way he brought me consolation in Central Africa when I received the news of my mother’s death. During those days Fr Giovanni was my consolation: give him my heartfelt greetings and tell him that I will celebrate Mass and two more for his father at Notre Dame des Victoires. Also greet dear Fr Girolamo, whom I love so well.
[1007]
As for Farinato, I believe that my having said that we shall do the accounts was not an insult to him. Tell him to be patient: when I get back to Verona he will have lost nothing. He will pull out his receipt book, and I mine; once we have reached an agreement, he will be refunded for everything. I am sorry about this sourness, especially for his wife who is so good to us, and who was so good to me.
[1008]
It grieves me to hear that the Institute’s affairs are going badly, and if I could I would come to the rescue: but what can I do, since I have not a single penny left in my pocket? Providence will take care of this! Let us trust in God.

Most affectionately Fr Daniel


[1009]
[In the margin] I do not feel like detaching myself from the Institute. Those four from S. Giorgio have dishonoured themselves. The Lord will take care of it: fiat.

[1010]
The venerable letter Your Eminence deigned to send me in Lyons contains three points. 1. My Plan for the regeneration of Africa presents many difficulties as regards its implementation. 2. It is necessary for the Superiors of the various Missions to the African Coasts to unite and make the Plan for Central Africa. 3. Anew Committee does not appear to be necessary or useful. On the basic premise that I accept Your Most Reverend Eminence’s judgement with sincere veneration and absolute submission, I take advantage of your supreme bounty, which inspires courage and true confidence, and make so bold as to express a few brief observations.
[1011]
First of all, I am quite convinced that the Plan presents many difficulties. The problem I dare to discuss is of itself extremely difficult: eighteen centuries have not solved it. Yet since this great problem is of the greatest importance it is worthy of all the dévouement of a Catholic priest. Hence, precisely because of the difficulties, I feel stimulated to redouble my efforts to meditate upon it, to awaken the liveliest interest in it, to seek the most fervent prayers of good people, to obtain from God the grace of seeing some light and of succeeding in preparing the way towards some solution. The pitiful wretchedness of the poor Africans is an immense burden to me and there is no sacrifice that I would not be ready to accept for their sake. If Your Eminence does not approve my Plan, I will make another: and if you do not approve that one, I will prepare a third, and so on until I die.
[1012]
Your Eminence, whose heart more than any other in the world burns for the good of the Missions and especially for Africa (and the African Missions Your Eminence has founded in the last decade illustrate this eloquently), will no doubt sympathise with my insistence on this. Perhaps one day I will be able to abandon the vast sphere of ideas to come down to the positive area of practical experience. I do not ever hope to see a Plan for the Conversion of Central Africa which does not present great difficulties. If every project for great Works, as history proves, is always accompanied by a certain utopia, can I ever hope to see a project for Africa, which is such a difficult problem, without utopia? It seems to me that it would not be inappropriate to try to do something for a work of such importance, even in the midst of great difficulties.
[1013]
To succeed in these difficult aims, I was proposing, among other things, the more or less active co-operation of the Apostolic Vicariates and Prefectures already existing on the coasts of Africa, where Africans are living already, because, apart from a thousand other advantages, some neighbouring areas inland could thus be found for the establishment of new Missions, where more energetic forces could be concentrated to form a sound Christianity. I understand that in order to make this form of co-operation effective, in your wisdom Your Eminence considers that, since it concerns the Africans, in this work where there must be agreement between all the African coastal Missions entrusted to various religious Corporations and served by priests from different nations, it is right that there should be agreement between the Superiors and that they should formulate the Plan.
[1014]
There could be nothing better in the world if the Superiors of the African Missions could agree and unite spontaneously, and draft a Plan. But I fear that these Superiors, who have enough problems with their own Missions, to the development of which they concentrate their generous thoughts, will never unite spontaneously, unless they are invited to do so by Your Most Reverend Eminence and Propaganda. If a private individual were to urge them to make a Plan and agree among themselves to undertake a very difficult Work for the inland Missions, over which they have no jurisdiction, these Superiors, with good reason, would refuse. Your Eminence alone can inspire such an agreement and such a union or confederation, an absolutely essential condition for the achievement of anything positive for Central Africa. In such conditions, I believe they would lend their valid co-operation.
[1015]
In my humble opinion, I am convinced that it would be more appropriate for someone who has toiled a few years in Central Africa and has more secure knowledge of the true conditions in those remote lands to present a Plan for the Regeneration of Africa. In such a case, before Propaganda decides anything, I see no objection to the various Superiors of the African coastal Missions being invited to examine the Plan for the regeneration of the Central African people. It is certain that by contributing their insights and observations which are the fruit of a long experience of the African race, they will throw great light on such a difficult problem and perhaps provide the safest method for an effective implementation. I am certain that Your Eminence will be so kind as to put up with this open expression of my opinion.
[1016]
Moreover, as I express my feeling that the health of Africa depends on the development of the Faith on the coasts of Africa and on the unity of the system applied to every point suitable for the organisation of preparatory work for Missions inland, I dare to remember that Your Most Reverend Eminence led me to believe in Rome that a Circular letter was to be sent for this purpose to the Heads of the African Missions (and should this be the case, it would be best to send the Circular only to the Missions on the African mainland, and not to those on the islands, such as the Seychelles, Madagascar, Mayotte and Fernando Po); and that this would be done after Your Eminence was assured of the existence of financial and material means. It seems to me at this point that Your Eminence could issue the Circular planned for this purpose. I am sure of the availability of financial means for the foundation of quite a number of Institutes in the Missions which could now be allocated to the great Work, because the interest which is developing for the whole of Africa is great and admirable, especially as it involves the Association for the Propagation of the Faith in Lyons and Paris. I have irrefutable proof of this. Furthermore, I have every hope of support from the Holy Childhood, which already helps several African Missions. The Association for the Schools of the East has assured me of its special contribution.
[1017]
The Society of Cologne, a Church-approved association for the education of Africans, in a letter dated the 6th of this month, without my requesting it, having just heard of my ideas through others, has spontaneously offered me its full co-operation. The Society of Mary in Vienna, which always insists on helping the Austrians and Austrian-African Catholic works, would be quite amenable and by promoting greater activity in the Austrian Empire and the Venice region, would become very useful for the plan. I do not dare, and I do not think it is correct for me to spur these Pious Associations to give you special documentation to assure Your Eminence of all this. It is your prerogative to obtain clarifications, should their collaboration be of interest. All I can do is send Your Eminence the document from the Cologne Society.
[1018]
In the meantime, I am convinced that it will never be possible to organise any stable and sustainable Work for the Conversion of Central Africa without targeting the whole African race in general and forming a sort of confederation among the various African Coastal Missions to provide mutual assistance and establish a unified system applicable in various places to inspire missionary activity inland; a unity that only Propaganda can inspire and promote. It seems to me that the deplorable moral condition of Central Africa may be defined as follows: “The black race bent under the yoke of fetishism, which in part is occupied and in part is threatened by the invasion of Islam”. Through experience, Propaganda knows the difficulty of winning over an African who is already a victim of the infamous law of the Koran. I add further that Muslim propaganda is spreading its empire daily in Central Africa, and whatever it is losing in Europe, it is gaining with the Africans. Therefore, the longer we delay the propagation of the true faith in Central Africa, the greater and more insurmountable will our future difficulties be in planting Catholicism there.
[1019]
Therefore, in the light of this special and critical situation in Africa, the most wretched and certainly the most neglected part of the world, and the most difficult to evangelise due to the particular circumstances which are opposed to its conversion, it seems to me necessary that it should receive the most serious and special consideration and become the focus of the Catholic world’s attention: it seems to me that a special Association should be created for Africa.
[1020]
It seems tome that it would be not only opportune but most useful to set up a new Committee composed of zealous and active members, with the following aims: to concentrate on preparing all kinds of projects to help the Faith to develop in Africa in a thousand ways, to promote the interests and spirit of this work in Europe, and to create new means and forces to the same end in a unified way. This Committee would respect the integrity of jurisdiction of each individual mission and the total and exclusive influence of the Societies which already exist to help the missions in pagan lands. Perhaps the Sacred Congregation would be better able to ensure success than a Committee extra urbem. An inexperienced little priest like myself would be presumptuous indeed to make a suggestion to such an elevated and illuminated authority and one which is ruled by supernatural wisdom and charity. I can only repeat that the Committee I dared to propose, apart from promoting interest in Africa among Catholics, procuring additional subsidies for Africa, forming good missionaries and craftsmen for those lands, would deploy great energy in the most appropriate areas, and especially in the inland counties of east Africa lying between Nubia and Zanzibar, which due to the land’s considerable altitude above sea level have some of the most important features of a temperate climate where good harvests can be grown and apostles can be formed for Central Africa.
[1021]
It is certain that, with good reasons, I see the need to modify the attributes of the Committee I proposed, especially
1. Article 3, which must be limited to providing financial and material means for preparatory operations in Europe, such as the foundation of small seminaries and small workshops to supply the African missions and Institutes with missionaries and good craftsmen; leaving it to the Pious Associations for the Propagation of the Faith (which will therefore experience greater development in the Catholic world) to help the missions that will be founded in Africa and the Institutes that will be founded in the existing missions (having reliable information that the Propagation of the Faith and the other Societies will provide special ad hoc aid).
2. Article 5, which is not necessary.
3. Article 7, which is useless; since an attempt is now being made in Paris to set up a Society to publish a Revue des Missions étrangères, to make up for the scarcity of news in the Annals of the Propagation of the Faith (at the moment the Society is being viewed favourably by the Central Council in Lyons and Paris, with which negotiations are proceeding).

[1022]
Moreover, I thank Your Most Reverend Eminence for wisely suggesting that I come to France, where the studies I have undertaken and the observations I am making of the various activities for Africa and the Catholic institutions are giving me a clearer understanding of what may be done to succeed in achieving something positive for the good of Africa.
[1023]
Forgive me, Your Eminence, if I too burn to make the same plea as Mgr Massaia sent up to you a few days ago concerning the idea of convincing the Holy Father to give an Address in favour of Africa during the Consistory. What an admirable spectacle has just occurred to us! The High Priest of the New Covenant, threatened on all sides and oppressed by fierce enemies, at the most dramatic moment in which he seems annihilated and vanquished by the fury of the powers of hell, calmly and imperturbably, almost mocking the threats of Satan’s children, yet I would say, with compassion, raises his apostolic voice which is heard all over the world, and with his famous Encyclical comforts his brothers in the faith, teaches his children in the purity of sound doctrine, and condemns the errors of the modern society of the powerful, who, with sacrilegious assaults, try to rend the seamless garment of that majestic Queen, who, as she conquers nations and Kings, watches the astonished centuries pass before her, her voice resounding from the beginning to the end of time, her mantle covering the nations, as the dome of heaven covers the world!…
[1024]
What impression would it make in the hearts of all the faithful if the voice of the immortal Pontiff himself, who liberates and teaches his children, were to intone words of compassion and peace in favour of the so many millions more of his wretched sons who lie shrouded in the shadows of death, and to deliver a stirring speech in favour of Africa? Ah It would certainly stimulate great interest in the poor Africans; new light would shine forth, new ideas would be stimulated and new works would be undertaken! At the same time the Catholic world in admiration would have another reason to be convinced that at the tiller of St Peter’s great ship, buffeted by the malignant gusts of infernal spirits, and tossed on the waves of the stormy ocean of human passions, stands the most expert helmsman to steer, all in one piece, into the haven of salvation the precious inheritance of Christ’s Church: all the nations of the world – dabo tibi gentes ereditatem.
In complete respect and total submission to your ideas,
I kiss the sacred Purple, and sign myself

Your Most Reverend Eminence’s
humble and unworthy son

Fr Daniel Comboni


[1025]
The Holy Father, who has spoken in favour of Poland and other lesser causes, would certainly accept this request from Your Most Reverend Eminence, who speaks on behalf of his African children.

[1026]
Just a greeting for now. I enclose a letter in the Galla language, written by Mgr Massaia to the four young Africans, in which he sends his blessing as Father of the Gallas. Make sure that it is read by the one in Zevio, the one in the Hospital, as well as the two in Venice, and that the Gallas send a note to Mgr Massaia. I have already begun saying the Masses which I am delighted you have asked me to say. So far, I have been saying my Masses for the Pope. Keep a record of all this because we will settle the accounts in Verona.
[1027]
I have many things to tell you but no time. I am extremely well. I have done a lot of work, preached in Paris, and I foresee a stormy but beautiful future for Africa. Remind the priests, clerics and young men of the Institute to pray for me. Thank you so much for the news you gave me in your last letter. Write to me at length. Tell my doorman to buy me two canvas umbrellas costing three zwanzigs each in Piazza Navona. On 15th February as I was returning from the Tuilleries, where I attended the opening of Parliament and heard the emperor make his speech, I lost my silk umbrella! No more silk umbrellas!! Pray to St Joseph for

Your affectionate

Fr Daniel Com.

[1028]
The Lord has actually paid me a brief visit. I have had very bad flu, and I am not better yet, and my face bears the trace of the terrible fever I had last week and it would not let go: fiat! Everything will pass when God wills. I have the consolation of being here with a holy man who loves me as though I were his son, surrounds me with a thousand attentions and is even my infirmarian. The more I study and practise with this holy man, the more admirable he appears. If I had only written down from the start what he tells me (since all our conversations are about Africa and anything related to Africa) I would have a fine little treasure and would be able to write interesting and edifying things. He was imprisoned quite a number of times, very often kept in chains, exiled eight times and condemned to death just as many times.
[1029]
In Abyssinia, Abba Selàma, in the emperor’s name, preached a crusade against him, as the first bishop to enter Abyssinia and go to the Gallas. In 1863 he appeared in chains before the Emperor Theodore, who was prepared to condemn him to death after having desperately searched for him in vain for 8 years. Instead, after a long conversation, the emperor trembled and covered him with honour. In these circumstances he was chained up night and day in the open air for two months, frequently spending the night in the rain and mud. This Bishop, mirabile dictu, went barefoot for 15 years, without ever wearing shoes, stockings, sandals or anything.
[1030]
With my knowledge of Africa, in which there are no paved streets, only thorns and brambles, this impresses me greatly. This man, who is as simple as water, has led the holiest of lives of which I know many details. I have his rough sandals that he wore for the first three years in Abyssinia, when he went there to consecrate Bishop de Jacobis. I stole them from him, and now keep them as a relic. He is quite impressed by my ideas. He does not risk judgement on the plan in general; but says it is the same plan he presented to Rome in 1850. In any case Mgr Massaia is a man who can do me some good. Therefore, since he has asked me to help him to have his Galla catechism and grammar published, which the Imperial Press of France is printing without Monsignor spending a penny, I will stay some time with him in Paris.
[1031]
As for my affairs with the Propagation of the Faith and other Societies, I already have all the information and have negotiated everything. Concerns about money are of lesser importance. As Institutes are set up, the necessary financial aids will be made available for Africa. The difficulty lies in arranging things with the religious, both as regards the foundations in Europe and above all the personnel. This will keep me quite busy in the future. I have certainly managed to arouse great interest in France for Africa: a first start has been made. Now let the Pope speak in Consistory, when he sees fit, and you will see what an effect the Vicar of Christ’s words will produce. I am certain that in a few years there will be a greater movement for Africa. I have offered my undertaking up to Mary at Notre Dame des Victoires, which has 20,000,000 members. In that church I shall be preaching about Africa at one of the feasts during a members’ meeting. The Sacred Heart of Mary will accomplish that which we are only able to spoil.
[1032]
I beg you to go to S. Peretto, speak to the Vicar, or to Fr Francesco Zamboni and write down the precise number of members there are in the Verona Confraternity: I think there are about 200,000. Then send the number to me in Paris. The Director of Notre Dame has asked me to do this: I have also written an article in those Annals which come out twice a month about Fr Zecchini who promotes the society in Verona.
[1033]
I have had a few discussions with Montelambert, whom I met at Baron du Havelt’s: I much prefer my dear Nicolas, with whom I have now become great friends. I have a letter from the Vicar of Cardinal Wisemann (sic) in which he assured me that the Cardinal would have promoted the African Work in England. But the Cardinal is dead: requiescat in pace.
[1034]
I wrote to the Superior on 10th March, his birthday: I also transcribed an extract of a letter that Mgr Massaia wrote to Cardinal Barnabò about me. When you write to me, write at length and about many things. I am always cheerful and already consecrated to God, ready to do all the things God will ask of me. It is certain that the African work will meet obstacles of every kind. With the help of grace, I will always seek to work according to God’s inspiration to carry out his divine will in every way and co-operate, if God wills, in his merciful plans for the poor Africans.
[1035]
Ask the good people to pray for me. Give my regards to the Superior and all the priests. Write tome again about how things are going for Bettanini with the Hermanns, and give my greetings to Fr Tilino. Give my greetings to Hans, and tell him that his uncle always thinks of him. I send him an autographed portrait of Mgr Massaia: I would like to send a similar one to the Superior, having the Bishop add an analogous inscription such as: viribus unitis, we work for Africa etc., but I fear he would refuse it indignantly. In any case send me your advice; and should the Superior be prepared to receive this one, to Him, my dear Rector, I would immediately send another. Haec inter nos.
[1036]
Give my greetings to Tregnaghi, to whom I will write in a few days, Fr Brighenti, Fr Fochesato, Fr Tomba and all the priests, the clerics, the youths, Farinato and his wife, my porter, my Protestants, etc., etc. What a lot of interesting things I could tell you about Paris, and its position as regards the Church!! But I have neither the time nor the strength. Send me news of my godson, and give him my greetings.

Your most affectionate Fr Daniel

[1037]
I was anxiously awaiting a welcome letter from you: but my hopes were dashed: blessed be the Lord forever. I am certain that this silence is not due to any motive indicating a decrease in your affection for me. I am sure that I live in your memory, just as He, the Superior and all the members of the Institute (not forgetting my doorman) live and reign in my heart. I would have much to write about most interesting things: but since I have to deal with a matter that is important to me, I leave it all and will dwell on that.
[1038]
By the way, you will have received a note on the works published by the famous Abbot Migne. For the printing of sacred and ecclesiastical documents, the Migne press is the best in the world. After having established a contract with Fr Migne for the Chapter of Turin Cathedral, while visiting his huge Ateliers which are equipped with some 12,000,000 francs’ worth of trays of characters alone, I had the urge to supply our Institute with all the ecclesiastical works. I have thought over and studied the way to manage this plan: I discussed it with Fr Migne, and it seems to me that we are painlessly going to be able to acquire a beautiful and most useful library simply by the application of enough Mass intentions. Fr Migne would accept this form of payment, even if it means saying 50,000 Masses, and would give his whole library: it comes down to the fact that, for 2 thousand intentions, he would provide all the Patrology titles, which means all the Fathers: Greek, Latin, etc.
[1039]
Now the Superior has 30 applications a day which, for lack of offerings, are always for the Pope’s intentions. Could you not arrange things with the Old Man? Do not tell him you heard of this from me, because, as I am not in the Old Man’s good books, he might give an absolute no as an answer. Behave as though you had this from other sources: think, talk – and write to me.
[1040]
Now I’ll come to the point I want to deal with in this letter: it will seem strange to you, as it did tome. In all this I worship the plans of Providence, and bless Jesus who suffered innocently, while I am merely a poor sinner. His Eminence Cardinal Barnabò, writing to Mgr Massaia, Bishop of Cassia, declared that Comboni no longer belongs to Canon Mazza’s Institute in Verona. The Bishop was astonished; and so was I; since I did not think that things had got to such a point as to reach Rome, where I am currently negotiating most delicate and important business, and thus risk suffering unpleasant consequences. My dear Rector, there it is: the good old man, for reasons and purposes that are certainly good, for I shall always respect him, has let Rome know, directly or indirectly, that I no longer belong to the Mazza Institute.
[1041]
While I am always prepared to admit and confess to my unworthiness to belong to the Mazza Institute, I am most surprised by this event. According to what you, my dear Rector, have told me (since our venerable old man has never said a word to me about all this, neither face to face nor in writing), the first time I was informed that the Superior was displeased with me was last summer, when I was in Turin. In this absence of mine there were many discussions between the Rector and the Superior, and in accordance with your wise advice I wrote to the good old man, with the result that upon my return to Verona in September, when I spoke to the Superior he remained perfectly silent and his bitter annoyance with me did not show.
[1042]
At the beginning of September I went to Rome and stayed there two months. In this period the acrimony was renewed, the poor old man was displeased, there were discussions between the Rector and the Superior, I again made acts of duty and humiliation, and everything calmed down, and it seemed all settled. So when I returned to Verona, before going to Paris, I spoke several times with the Superior, I stayed with him alone; he did not demonstrate any annoyance, indeed he encouraged me in the African enterprise, and promised to pray and have prayers said for this. I leave Verona and come to France; and discord immediately flares up again; and without my being given any warning, without my being given time to defend myself, while I am far away, while I am in the midst of important business with Rome, with no legal discussion or trial, a letter is written to Rome saying that I no longer belong to the Mazza Institute. I don’t know what kind of procedure this is: passing a final sentence without letting the condemned man know anything about it! Blessed be the Lord a thousand times.
[1043]
I have noticed that I am attacked when I am far away and unable to defend myself. When I am close, it’s all peaceful smiles around me. The matter having been referred to Rome, I have many observations, my dear Rector; here is a sketch of what is going through my mind:
1. In the most critical of moments, when I need the greatest trust from Rome, with which I have most important business, Rome is written to and given to understand that I do not belong to the Institute, at the risk of demolishing my affairs and having everything aborted, jeopardising forever my reputation and my future!!!

[1044]
2. In Rome, in France, in Vienna, in Venice, in Bressanone, in Prussia, in Turin, in England, wherever I have intimate friendships and wherever the Plan for Africa has arrived, in which it is printed that I belong to the Mazza Institute, I am quite rationally thought to belong to the Mazza Institute. Cardinal Barnabò and the Pope (who read my plan from cover to cover) and everybody, seeing that in Rome it is said, by others and not by me, that I do not belong to the Institute, while my own silence leads to suppose that I do belong, all these distinguished persons on whom the matters concerning Africa which I am dealing with depend, are entitled to think that I am a liar, an impostor, a double-dealer…
[1045]
In fact my dear Mgr Massaia was dumbfounded when he read the Cardinal’s letter, and everyone has the right to mistrust me.
3. What effects will this fact have on the projects which in my lowliness I am making and negotiating for the good of Africa, and how will it harm me and my future? I do indeed recognise my inadequacy in negotiating the interests of God’s glory: but I had great courage, because the shade of the venerable Institute protected me in my weakness.
4. I shall have to justify myself in Rome: my conscience, the interests of the glory of God according to my plans for the poor Africans, as well as my amour propre because I am a miserable coward, force me to do this. What praise will redound on the Institute if, to justify myself, I am forced to reveal to Propaganda, perhaps to the Pope, and to all those concerned with the matter, the weaknesses of the Institute, of which we are all aware, and certain less admirable things about our dear Superior?

[1046]
However, this does not bother me too much, because I hope God will give me the grace to win the battle with myself, and be strong enough not to touch the Institute, but ever to praise it, as I have always done in Rome.
5. What tremendous shock does a heart which is not frigid, like mine, bound to the Institute and the Superior by bonds of affection and gratitude, suffer when it is cast out?… I submit to you, my dear Rector, these five initial reflections of which you will weigh up the consequences. Later I shall submit more to you.

[1047]
Steeped as I am in such concerns, I frankly confess that I am giving these matters very serious thought. Yet, I must also confess that my heart has never felt so tied to Jesus and Mary as it does now. In the terrible uncertainty I am now experiencing about the outcome of my plans and my future, I find an immense joy at being Catholic and a priest, and I can touch with my hand how infinitely good God is and how he never abandons those who put their trust in him. Now I do not know whether this is stupidity or strength given me by God. I do not feel the sadness of my situation, and in my heart I feel happy and safe. Oh, how good Jesus and Mary are!
[1048]
Nevertheless, what dumbfounds me is the fact that, while between the Superior and the members of the fundamental Institute I perceive no link which unites and binds the duties and the rights of the aforesaid members, here I see before my eyes a member of the fundamental Institute, attached to the house these 23 years, who without ever being given a hearing, without being judged as the Rule prescribes, against the opinion of the present Rector and of nearly all the members, while he is abroad and cannot defend himself, without being given any notice and told the slightest reason, in the most delicate and important of moments on which the success of everything he can do for the glory of God depends, just as it is specified in a publication that he belongs to the Mazza Institute: in those very circumstances, he is declared expelled from the Institute, and the news is even sent to Rome!!! What is happening to me today will happen to you tomorrow, and to the others, my dear Rector! Let us all take courage, for if what bound me to them before was being all sons of the same Father, the bond which unites us in future is that we are all destined to the same fate.
[1049]
I confess that I cannot understand all this: the serenity of my conscience, and the fact that God works in man the designs of his mercy, these two things give me the strength to bless Providence with all my heart for what is happening. Although I cannot see through the darkness of the future, I still carry on calmly and confidently without bothering about what the world might think about all this. With all my soul I thank the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, who have raised me up to the honour and blessing of being allowed to drink from the bitter chalice, firm in the hope that this will help towards my salvation. I wish a thousand blessings on the people who have helped to make me bear this tribulation and shall always pray for them. I venerate and respect that holy old man who has been so good to me for 23 years, and I will love him until death, although he has mercilessly cast me into perdition, and I would indeed be lost if God in his mercy had not helped me: pater meus… dereliq… Dominus autem assumsit me. Full of trust, I throw myself into the arms of God’s Providence and I am ready for anything, always fearless and full of trust no matter what may happen. Yet I will stand firm in not declaring myself out of the Institute as long as it isn’t clear to me and as long as it isn’t certain that this is the will of God.
[1050]
Study this matter carefully, my dear Rector, and always reserve for me your precious friendship. I feel a sharp pain at the thought that our beloved Superior may have suffered and will suffer greatly on my account. It is for this reason that I deemed it appropriate to send him a letter with my act of submission, which I ask you please to examine to see if it says the right thing, and, if it is well put, seal the letter and take it to the Superior. I mean please do whatever God inspires you to console the good old man to whom I have perhaps caused so much sorrow. As for the rest, fiat! fiat!
[1051]
I am extremely sorry that so far I have kept a matter which is so important for me from our beloved Bishop of Verona. I am being really ungrateful for the great goodness he has shown me. I should not conceal a matter of this kind from him. Duty and gratitude compel me to inform him of all this. But what can I do? I thought it would displease the Superior if I revealed the matter to our beloved Pastor. In any case I still want to wait for my most beloved Rector’s opinion and advice. I shall not be writing to Rome or to Mgr Canossa for the time being. Should I decide to do so, my first act of protest will be to state that I want mercy to be set aside, and that I only want justice to hold sway in this affair. Blessed be the Lord forever.
[1052]
A thousand respects to our beloved Superior and our Lord Bishop: a thousand regards and greetings to Fr Tomba, Fr Beltrame, Fr Fochesato, Fr Brighenti, Lonardoni, etc., to all the priests, clerics, students, teachers, Protestants and Hans. Give my greetings to Tregnaghi, M. P[…] etc. Ask for prayers from all, especially the Urbani ladies, to whom you should give my greetings. Above all I need prayers for two most important matters: one of which I shall have to deal with before the fortnight of Easter and the other after the Easter octave in Amiens, where I shall go with Mgr Massaia, who helps me with his authority and with his influence over that venerable Bishop, to whom Cardinal Barnabò has written that the Work for Slaves must join Comboni, so that both may achieve the aims they have set themselves with greater ease.
[1053]
Please present my whole heart to the holy old man, who has thrust me from his heart, for I will always love him until death. Tell him that he may do what he wants, but I will always call him and think of him as my father, until death. Please keep my doorman to his duty, and tell him that the Prince has great plans for him, because there is a risk that he will hand the castle over to him forever. My greetings to Fr Dalbosco and send the enclosed to Fr Luciano and Fr Beltrame. I have had a bad flu which knocked me out for the whole of March; now I am better. Blessed be the Lord and the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, in whose name I declare myself pour à jamais

Your most affectionate Fr Daniel

[1054]
Yesterday I received your precious letter of 30/3. Being extremely busy, this time I was late going to the post-office. If the good Old Man has reprimanded the Rector, because he has virtually given his skin for the Institute, and the old man has judged him as one who receives and uses offerings illegally, what will become of me who in the past from distant lands, through some special contacts I have, requested help for the Africans?? I have little hope indeed: fiat. The Lord will do what is best for me and the Institute, freeing it of a useless burden.
[1055]
My venerable Mgr Massaia sends the enclosed photograph for the Superior. It was not by chance that we were photographed together, but to indicate the intimate union which reigns in our hearts on the development of African projects between the Institute and the Vicars Apostolic. Silence for the time being, the time is not right: but when Monsignor arrives in Verona, the Superior and this great Apostle for Africa will understand each other to the very quick of their marrow. May your Easter prayers be for me, Mgr Massaia and the Superior, as well as for our Lord Bishop, for all those in the Institute, for the noble Pompei family and everyone I know. Give my greetings to Tregnagni, Fr Donato, Marchesa Elena, Fr Cesare and ask them to pray for me. My greetings also to Garbini… Please wish a joyful Easter season to Fr Aldegheri, Fr Angeleri, Fr Bianchi and Fr Ronconi: and send my greetings and wishes to Balconi, to whom you should send the visiting card. This time you gave me much interesting news. Three days ago I wrote you a long letter. I hope you have received it. Please give the photograph with the attached inscription to the Superior.

[1056]
Pray for me, my dear Rector. I will bring you some booklets on education. As I am not experienced, I will ask for instructions from Bishop Dupanloup of Orléans, with whom I am on very good terms, in order to choose the best ones. I have been away from Paris twice: once to Orléans and once to Brittany. Rest assured of the affection, gratitude and dévouement of

Your affectionate Fr Daniel


[On the back of the envelope there is the following note:]
I want the Africans to answer the letter to Galla from Mgr Massaia or at least that you, as the Rector, write something. It seems no one realises that a Bishop deigned to write first.

[1057]
You will be amazed, receiving this letter, to see that it is from me. And yet that is the way it is. I should have written from Paris, where I have just spent three months and I am going back there next week to try to do something for black Africa: but I have been delayed because it is a long business and as yet incomplete. Now that the Society, our benefactor, has charged me with writing to you on its behalf, I am combining what they want and what I must and want to write to you.
[1058]
On behalf of the Society, which particularly loves and helps the work of Fr Lodovico for the Conversion of Africa (which is so far the Church’s surest hope, as well as my own hope for the regeneration of Africa), I therefore inform you that the Lord has called the beautiful soul ofM. Kratz, a member of the Committee, to his house. He had worked with great zeal for the development of the Society. Requiescat in pace. Mr Vosen, with whom I am staying, reminds you of the promise you made to celebrate Mass for the deceased of the Society, and is happy to assure you of the Society’s pleasure at such a pious decision on your part. The Committee has replaced the deceased member with M. Closset, the apothecary whom you met last year in Naples when he came to visit the Africans. He is a man of intelligence and feeling, who will contribute greatly to the good of the Society.
[1059]
The Committee is grieved by the death of that good African brother, and is sad to see that in Naples, although it is the garden of Italy, the climate is not altogether appropriate (though it is the best in Europe). It is therefore with the greatest pleasure that I hear of your decision to open two houses in Egypt. All the members, together with the President Mr Noecker, send you their greetings and are praying for you. They will be making every effort to ensure the Society develops greatly in order to be able to be more generous in their offerings. This is one of my hopes as regards the provision of material support in Africa: as we make progress in Africa, the offerings will increase. It would not surprise me if in 20 years’ time, this Society became more flourishing than the one in Vienna or the Society for the Schools of the East in Paris. Let us pray to the Lord for this.
[1060]
In Paris I am staying with the Capuchin Fathers Rue de la Santé N.13 in the company of Mgr Massaia, Bishop of Cassia and Vicar Apostolic of the Gallas, who being quite convinced about the substance of my Plan for the part experience to begin its implementation. My Plan was printed in Turin, from where I sent a copy. In France, having seen all the works of this kind, and studied the spirit of all those who have to be involved, I find that the implementation will be extremely difficult.
[1061]
Cardinal Barnabò wrote to me in Paris telling me to make sure, before all else, that the Superiors of the African Coastal Missions entrusted to different religious Orders and served by priests of different nationalities were brought together both to see if they wished to collaborate in the work and to have them authorise the formation of the planned small Institutes. Furthermore, he gave me to understand that it was necessary to consult the pious Association for the Propagation of the Faith of Lyons and Paris to see if it intends to contribute to this special goal. I find both things difficult to achieve. In all these French associations there is truly the spirit of God, but there is to an equal extent the national spirit. If the hearts of most of these Superiors were like Fr Lodovico’s, and there reigned what we call the love and charity of Christ to a high degree, it would be easy to quickly unite them in an invincible brigade, preserving the jurisdiction and rights of each Vicar Apostolic, which in a few years would bear fruit for the African race. But God does not want this yet; may his will be done.
[1062]
If the proposed Plan does not take effect, I will make another, and a third, and a fourth and so on until I die. Of course, not having much experience, I will encounter difficulties that another might easily overcome. I do beg you, dear Father, to study my Plan, to simplify it. I would like to incite the whole world to lend a hand to Africa, and bring together all the elements that would be appropriate to this end, not only among the clergy but also among the laity. It seems to me that if we could plant a great brigade among the vast tribe of the Gallas, where the climate is better than in Naples, in a short time we could
strike inland Africa from the Eastern part.

[1063]
In the meantime, you must carry on (it is God’s will) with the Plan that has begun: you will see that the Vienna Association will soon come to your rescue and you will be able to set off on the Nile and among the Africans. I hope, once I get to Rome with Mgr Massaia, that we will come and see you together in Naples to discuss so many things. This holy Pontiff and Franciscan martyr was exiled several times, condemned to death, imprisoned in chains, brought before the Emperor Theodore, etc. He (what an amazing thing to say!), he spent 13 years in Africa, barefoot in places with no roads, only thorns and brambles; as a bishop he always went on foot, always fasted, etc.
[1064]
I have gathered so much information from him, without his realising it, writing it in my diary and in good time it will come to light. As far as I can see, he has done some prodigious things. There is only one word for it: admirable. As he was being persecuted by Abba Selama, he tried to penetrate the Galla territory (where he heard the definition of the Immaculate Conception only in 1863), and he reached Khartoum as a lay traveller. Only Fr Pedemonte, to whom he went to confession in Khartoum, knew the secret. Mgr Massaia has asked me to write to you asking you to see if Fr Pedemonte of the Society of Jesus is in Naples and to let me know in Paris. So, dear Father, I shall expect a letter from you in Paris where I will be returning in a few days.
[1065]
I have told the Bishop many things about you, especially about your holy institutions for Africa. That is why he now has the desire - indeed it will be necessary for this Lord Bishop - to travel to Naples, for he has a lot of things to tell you. I know many of these and they will give you great pleasure. I will tell you specifically about them in another letter. Propaganda wrote to the Bishop of Amiens that it does not object to the founding of a Society for Slaves by the Spanish priest he sent. After the Octave I shall be going to Amiens myself with the Monsignor [Massaia] to make arrangements, as Barnabò has written to that Bishop. From there Fr Lodovico and I will also obtain many resources for Africa. The Association is having difficulties in starting up, due to Lyons: but we shall make arrangements for it to be set up in Spain, where there is no Association at all. But I will also tell you about this another time. My Director has written to me about the three African boys who are going to Naples! It is two years since I begged my Superior to take them there when they were healthy, and they could have been most useful: my holy old man decides only at the last minute. Fiat!
[1066]
Anyway, pray for me to the Lord and that God may bless my efforts. It seems to me that without a sort of confederation of all the Missions in Africa, for the mutual exchange of ideas, guidelines and the fruit of practical experiences, it will never be possible to establish Catholicism in the whole of Central Africa. To all the other reasons I have for this, I add the damage and progress that Muslim propaganda is now making in all parts of Africa. If Christ’s love manages to unite all our hearts, this fosters constancy, courage, knowledge of the places and of the people, and more is achieved. Africa’s most splendid hope is in Naples. I must add that Barnabò was very much in favour of my ideas in Rome: in writing he appears harsher. I admire the prudence and constancy of Barnabò’s Propaganda. Give my greetings to the African boys, our dear Fr Francesco and the beloved brothers who are so full of God’s Spirit: and send your blessing to

Your absolute servant

Fr Daniel Comboni

[1067]
In my last letter I asked you to pray for me to the Lord and Mary for two important things; the first of which had to be done in the Easter fortnight and the second after the Easter octave, which is an agreement with the Bishop of Amiens according to Cardinal Barnabò’s orders. Well, my dear Rector, I can now tell you that your prayers for the first have been answered. On Palm Sunday, I travelled via Rheims and the Rhine to Prussia, where the Central Committee and several good people gave me ten delightful days. There were steamer trips on the Rhine, which must be the most beautiful river in the world, good company, good bottles, excellent beer and a most cordial atmosphere, etc. I have managed to establish for Africa the arrangements as per the attached.
[1068]
What do you think? It is a small thing but a solid one that bodes well for the beginnings of my Plan. It is the fruit of 100,000 francs which are high and dry, safe as houses and cannot be eroded by the taxes of greedy governments. Well, if it were required for the greater glory of God and the greater good of the Africans, consideratis considerandis, I would be prepared to make the annuities of five thousand francs available in perpetuo to the good old man my Father, our Superior, as a small token of the affection and devotion I have for the man who has done me so much good, the tiniest token and not the last, which is still nothing compared with what my heart longs to give. Five thousand francs a year safely in the hands of our dear Fr Beltrame go further than 50,000 in the clutches of the most zealous and venerable Knoblecher. It would not be a slap in the face. Inform the Old Man of this, and let me know in all confidence if it is truly in the decrees of Providence that I should have only rejection from an old man I have loved so much.
[1069]
In any case, may God’s will always be done. The consideratis considerandis might also include the pious desire that the foundation of the Institute should begin within this year and preferably by the autumn.
[1070]
From Prussia I travelled via Aachen, Liège, Louvain, Malines, Brussels, Antwerp and Ostend to get a crossing to Dover in England, and I am already in London. I have decided to change the attributes of the Committee and to make my Plan clearer because I realise that the Turin edition of the plan is not clearly expressed. That is why I shall make a French edition in Paris. But I first want to hear the opinion of Mgr Massaia and many others. I cannot describe the obstacles I’ve encountered in France. My trip to Germany has stimulated me; and now I feel so strong that as from today I will never give in.
[1071]
If the Pope, Propaganda and all the Bishops in the world were against me, I would lie low for a year and then present a new plan: but I would never, never stop thinking of Africa. I am discouraged neither by the cum quibus nor by the holy self-esteem of the Congregations to which the 21 African Missions have been entrusted. Above all, when the time comes I will certainly produce the money: querite primum, etc. and our old man with the eloquence of his example repeats the haec omnia adiicentur vobis. JesusChrist says in theGospel: petite et accipietis.
[1072]
The qualities of a good hustler and mendicant are three: prudence, patience and impudence. I lack the first, but by Jove, I compensate for it marvellously with the other two, and especially the 3rd. Let’s hope.
[1073]
On Friday I shall be returning from London to Paris. I leave with the Monsignor on Saturday for Amiens where I hope to settle everything in a week. I shall then be staying in Paris until further orders. So far I know nothing definitive about my relations with the Superior. I hope that you and the Old Man have written to me in answer to my last letters. In Paris Friday night, therefore, I will read my sentence, to life or death.
[1074]
If I am sentenced to life, and the recent scenes are over, my happiness on earth will be complete. If I am sentenced to death, fiat: but long live Noah’s Ark, I will not die, I will not fall, if God supports me in this tremendous shock. My nerves are too hard. I have seven souls, like women, and then my little spirit. I will always say wholeheartedly: blessed be the Lord: sicut placuit Domino ita factum est. Providence will guide my steps along the difficult path on which she has set me.
[1075]
His positis, I am sorry not to be at the Dante celebration: fiat! Thank the Urbani ladies for their prayers, and all those who have prayed for me: I hope they will go on.
[1076]
On the occasion of the celebration, please pay my respects to the Bishop, to whom you can say that on my return from Amiens I shall be going to Bayeux, as he wrote to sa Grandeur de Bayeux. My regards to Marchese Ottavio, Conte Pompei Miniscalchi, Martinatti, De Betta, Parisi, Tregnaghi, Tiolo, Fr Vertua and old Farina, Faccioli, Burri, the parish priest of S. Stefano, Fr Guella.All the best to Fr Toffaloni and his brother, Morelli, Dr Recchia, Festa, Cavazzocca, etc. and all my Professors, Salvaterra and friends. To the Superior, in primis, one hundred greetings, to Fr Beltrame, to the priests, clerics, boys, girls, Protestants and Hans. In the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary I remain

Your affectionate Fr Daniel

The Prussian Association’s Declaration is attached.