Writings

[1148]
I read your dear letter of 13th June during my journey from Bourg to Geneva. It expresses so vividly the tender love you have for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is only now that I can answer because as soon as I reached Verona I had to go to Vienna in Austria and then to Rome, which I reached on the eve of the feast of St Peter, and then on to Naples. In that period I had too many things to do, which prevented me from writing to you. In the first place I am extremely grateful for the kindness with which you sent me in several parcels one large and one small Cadron, the “Notizia”, some news sheets, holy pictures and a few medals of the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and above all for having granted me the diploma of Special Director of the Association.
[1149]
I must tell you the joy it gave me to find in you a worthy Sister who bestowed upon me the high honour of promoting the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the countries of Central Africa, and also the joy I feel at corresponding by letter with you regarding the interests of the glory of the Sacred Heart which is the centre of communication between us, which must be burning for the salvation of these souls. Providence seems to have chosen me for the most difficult and dangerous apostolate to the Africans. I shall try to respond to this high mission with every possible effort. I am prepared to sacrifice my life for the salvation of Africa. But what good fortune you bring me, my dear Sister, with the help of the Society of the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart! It is with ineffable joy that I admire the pious instigator of the beloved Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart whose glorious apostolate is the powerful strength which encourages me in the huge undertaking with which the great God of Israel has charged me, his unworthy servant.
[1150]
The Work I am about to found, and that I hope to start already this year with the erection of two great Apostolic Vicariates in Central Africa, which the Holy See will open following my Plan for the Regeneration of Africa, and that I will consecrate to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, links up closely with the Society of the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of which you are the fervent instigator. You see, dear Sister what an intimate union there must be between you and me. It is for this reason that I shall keep you informed of all the progress made by this great Work which must also be yours, as yours is mine. Recommend this Work to the members so as to propagate prayer for the conversion of Africa, as I shall promote the Society of the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart, not only in Africa, but in the whole world. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be with us and may we be faithful and joyful in consecrating our lives for the sake of his Glory.
[1151]
As soon as I have had my Plan for the Regeneration of Africa printed in French I shall send it to you: I want you to know it to multiply the prayer intentions. His Eminence Cardinal De Angelis, Archbishop of Fermo relegated to Turin, who at the 1846 Conclave received the most votes, after Pius IX, in the Papal election, told me: “If you have placed your Work under the protection of the Sacred Heart, fear not: you will succeed”. The ardent love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus will burn up the paganism and the fetishism of the African race and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ will be built. However, hoping to introduce the Society of the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart in the Slav countries, please send me in Rome a diploma of Special Director of the Society for the Very Reverend Fr Vicenzo Basile of the Society of Jesus, a famous missionary who has spent 25 years in the Slav countries, so that he may introduce the devotion and the Society in those vast lands.
[1152]
For the same purpose, please send me another diploma for the Very Reverend Fr Giovanni Beltrame, Superior of the vast mission of the Eastern Nile, which will become a Vicariate to be erected this month by the Holy See according to my Plan. I ask you for yet another diploma for the Superior of the Mission of the Western Nile of the Reformed Order of St Francis of Assisi, a Vicariate which will also be erected this month by the Holy See in accordance with my Plan. I shall send you precise news from Rome after my Report on these two Missions to the Congregation of Propaganda Fide.
[1153]
A thousand greetings to the holy Sisters of the Visitation in Bourg en Bresse, to Mademoiselle Eugénie Capuchet and her good friend. Write to me in Rome and place me in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, imploring him to support me in my great enterprise. I assure you I shall always remain

your humble friend and brother

Daniel Comboni
Apostolic Missionary


Translated from the French.

[1154]
Regarding the portion of the Central African Mission that the Austrian Missionaries, the Mazza Institute and the Franciscan Order have tried to evangelise, it has been agreed between Fr Ludovico da Casoria and Fr Daniel Comboni that the following divisions should be made, which are humbly submitted to the Father General.
The Apostolic Vicariate of the Eastern Nile to be entrusted to the Mazza Institute with the following borders:
The Tropic of Cancer to the North
The Vicariates of Abyssinia and Galla, and the Red Sea in the East Equator to the South
The Nile and the White Nile to the West.
The Apostolic Vicariate of the Western Nile to be entrusted to the Palma Institute
The Vicariate of Egypt to the North
The Nile and the White Nile to the East
The Equator to the South
The unknown regions lying within the 25th degree from the Paris meridian.
Although the Khartoum station belongs to the Eastern Nile, it has been agreed that it should be shared by the two above-mentioned Vicariates.
The Shellal station belongs to the Palma Institute because this was already decided by the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.


(Fr D. Comboni)

[1155]
Two sorrows afflict me deeply. One is the death of my dear Superior Fr Nicola Mazza, which happened on the second of this month of August. The desolation that reigns in Verona is great, especially in my Institutes, although everyone is inspired by the same spirit to do everything for the glory of God. The holy old man would have been happy if he had been able to speak to you: may God’s will be done; it is hard, but fiat.
[1156]
My other sorrow is due to the failure of our agreements established in Naples and Rome concerning the division of Africa. I am too grieved to describe the impression I have at seeing that the result of all this does not conform to our agreements. I will always bless the Lord in everything; and in the name of the Lord, before taking steps in Vienna and Rome, I ask you kindly to write to me clearly what you have decided to do. Carefully examine the agreement we made, the hopes you gave me before I left for Rome, and tell what was agreed, because I am confused. I warn you that without the assurance that a mission in Africa will be entrusted to my Institute, nothing will be done and my Missionary companions will not leave Verona.
[1157]
Weigh up the loss of so many souls that will result from this shameful delay, because the missionaries are already prepared to work in the arid African vineyard. For my part I shall always bless Providence, because I know in conscience that I have tried every way for the improvement of the mission and I shall go on trying until I die. You know my views; give me a clear explanation by writing to me what has been agreed because I understand little here in Rome.
[1158]
I shall not leave Rome without having understood everything and taken the steps I judge appropriate for the good of our Africa. In any case I shall wait for you in Verona to make the trip to Vienna. Similarly, I am still prepared to satisfy your wish that I accompany you to Egypt, Shellal, Khartoum and wherever you like, as we agreed. I would like you to write to Cardinal Barnabò about this wish of yours because it would then make it easier for me to obtain permission in Verona. If my Superior were still alive, the thing would have been certain; but now I do not know. Moreover, I believe that it will be good for us to go to Africa together and to return to Europe together.
[1159]
I write no more because my heart is too afflicted for the two reasons I have mentioned. Pray for me, dear father, and console me with a long letter. Give my greetings to all those at La Palma, as in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary I ask for your holy blessing and declare myself in all veneration

Your faithful and affectionate son

Fr Daniel

I have written to the Cologne Committee to send money to Naples so that when the Missionaries going via Messina depart, there should be no worries.

[1160]
Your dear undated letter written in the Tyrol has reached me only now, after having gone through Germany and France, just because it was not stamped with 13 soldi but only with 10. If it had been properly stamped it would have reached me in four days, like Mitterrutzner’s letters. Instead, apart from the 4 franc fine (which does not matter to me), it reached me very late. Transeat.
[1161]
No one felt more sorrow than I at your momentary estrangement from the Institute and the serious hardships you suffered. Even now it seems a bad dream and I would not know how to adapt to seeing our Institute (from which they wanted to expel me too) without my dear Rector Fr Bricolo. With the Bishop I have set up a project proposed by me, as a result of which the bones of the Institute would have been pretty well mended during the autumn. The Bishop approved it with the greatest pleasure and thus the rather unpopular idea which the Bishop told me about, of taking about 15 lads as boarders, and so giving something to occupy the man who so honourably and to everybody’s satisfaction had run a great Institute, could be scrapped. In view of the old man’s death, this project needs certain modifications, which we can make the next time I return to Verona. I also have other ideas in case what I have planned does not work: but I will explain these in person. I always adore the dispositions of Providence, who from evil always draws some good. God will be with us.
[1162]
When I reached Verona from Paris, I was dumbfounded to hear that such an important man as the Rector of the Institute, whose unlimited self-denial consecrated through enormous and inestimable sacrifices and who was literally identified with the Institute itself, had left. I still cannot swallow this. I felt frozen, not knowing whom I could confide in. Only Fr Francesco had a heart to which I could unburden my thoughts, sure of being understood. I went to the old man and told him that I was not even asking him why he wanted to distance me from the Institute; I only asked him whether, in that case, if that was what he wished, he would kindly put it in writing as follows: “I, Fr Nicola Mazza, declare that the priest Fr Daniel Comboni, a member of my Institute for 23 years, no longer belongs to it”.
[1163]
After a few instants, the old man threw himself into my arms, kissing me and saying: “You are my son”. Then, I explained to him how I was about to go to Rome, as he already knew from a letter written by Mgr. Massaia who, together with the Apostolic Nuncio in Paris, Archbishop Chigi of Mira, had entrusted me with some very important business with the Pope, and that Cardinal Antonelli, after speaking to Fr Beltrame, had given me a letter for Cardinal Barnabò, in which he requested a Vicariate in Central Africa for the Institute. This is what happened, and I came to Rome as a son of the Institute, as the Superior declared to the Cardinal.
[1164]
Anyway I have no idea, O my dear Fr Francesco, how suspicions about my loyalty arose, and you did well to dismiss them as a temptation. Even had I lacked other affections, gratitude alone would have confirmed me in my long-standing affection for my Rector. When you go to Verona ask the Bishops, my friends and even my enemies, and see whether I am easily tricked.
[1165]
My friendship for the persons I love is strong, eternal and the greatest sacrifices cannot cool it. Even if the successful outcome of my Plan were to be sacrificed, I would ever refuse to lose even an iota of the affection I have for you, nor would I be able to deny my ideas even before the tribunal of Nero. If I was slow in writing, it was something thought out and thoroughly determined and always for the purpose of restoring a lost pearl to the Institute. I will explain things more clearly when I speak to you, because I have no time now, and it is pointless putting them in a letter.
[1166]
I cherish the same affection for the Institute and the same dévouement. I am speaking to one who is a witness to my constancy. I would have a thousand ways of being happy and having a great career, although I am unworthy; but my attachment and gratitude to the Institute make me trample on everything else. That is why I will do everything my weakness permits for the Institute, firm in the hope that I shall be able to do some good. I will be arriving in Verona at the end of the month, to wait for Fr Lodovico da Casoria, whom I will accompany to Vienna via Bressanone. I am deeply grieved by the fear that many good youngsters will be expelled from the Institute. But perhaps the disposition of the new Superior General and of the Foundation will perfect certain regulations which formerly depended on the judgement of a single old man. Let us pray to the Lord that he will rearrange things well.
[1167]
The second time that I was received by the Holy Father, I asked him for a special blessing for you. Je viens de recevoir à présent une lettre from my beloved and venerated Parisian friend, the celebrated French apologian Augusto Nicolas, who is councillor of the Association for the Propagation of the Faith. I rendered him some welcome services including being made responsible by him for presenting his latest work to Pius IX. I had to make a petition to the Holy Father in which, naming all his sons, I requested his Apostolic Blessing. Then going directly to the Holy Father with my usual daring, I obliged him to write in his own hand and with his own name a few lines which the Pope was well able to apply to the great man. Among the many things which the illustrious writer wrote to me is the following:
[1168]
“It is a domestic monument which must be framed and preserved in the sanctuary of the family, like a palladium of heavenly graces, all the dearer if it is united with the angelic memory of our Augusto (the work and the life of his son Augusto) who was the reason for it and who seems to consecrate it. I permit myself to add that this remembrance of your benevolent friendship to which we owe it, will always be linked to you and will highlight between you and us one of those bonds which time and space, which will probably separate us, will only be able to strengthen since it was formed in the very heart of God by the hand of his august Vicar and because it establishes between the laborious merits of your Apostolate and our trials, a society full of grace in which we are too involved ever to be unfaithful… I am infinitely grateful to you for the precious details of the Holy Father’s goodness concerning my work and also of the laudatory terms with which you composed the petition that precedes the Blessing. It is as if they increase its value because they give it greater consideration and give it a personal touch. It is true that I am far from doing them justice but it was nonetheless you, my dear and venerable friend, who was responsible for it and I accepted them as an effect and a reflection of your inestimable benevolence… I will be very grateful to you for any news you can give us of Africa; it is almost as if we have a right to it, because your good friendship has made you part of my family…
A. Nicholas”

[1169]
This great man is one of the most active members of the work of the Propagation of the Faith. For my plan I shall be receiving in him a great good because he has judged it practical and beautiful. He wrote me four of the loveliest pages, of which the above words are only a tiny échantillon.
[1170]
I have a myriad of things to tell you personally, and lovely ones: but God asks me to suffer in order to give me immense consolations. Pray to the Sacred Hearts for me. Greet my dear Fr Anatalone on my behalf. His letter, which I have not answered because I am very weak, was very precious to me; I had to go to Naples twice. This year I have bathed twice in the Atlantic Ocean at Nantes, four times in the Seine in Paris, once at Cologne on the Rhine, twice in Geneva in the lake of that name, twice in Naples, four times in Ischia, twice in the Port of Anzio, once in Tivoli, and more than half a dozen times in Rome. I shall go on until I have bathed a couple of times in Venice too. This is positive; and I am putting all this down to make you laugh at this vagabond who is writing to you. In Trento remember me to S.A. dear Mr Riccabona.
[1171]
I have been learning Portuguese for 20 days; and my teacher is Her Royal Highness Donna Maria Assunta of Braganza, daughter of the former king of Portugal, who is kind and patient enough to receive me for four and even six hours a day. This dear and precious acquaintance will lead to great benefits for Africa. This holy young woman of 32 is the enfant gatée of the Pope, Antonelli and Cardinal Patrizi. She is of a rare piety and immensely generous; and her chamberlain told me that I am this virtuous Princess’s dearest friend. In Europe, she will be as an apostle for the good of my Plan. This dear friendship gives me much consolation and in her I have a great example of detachment from the world.


(Fr Daniel)

[1172]
It has been more than 10 days since I sent you a letter to which I am eager to receive an answer. So far I have waited in vain. I now send you this second one, imploring Fr Lodovico kindly to answer me immediately. The subject of the first letter regards the matters we discussed in Naples and in Rome. I came to Rome to deal with the division of Central Africa. It seemed that there was full agreement between yourself, the Fr General and myself. Now, if I am not mistaken, it seems to me that what was decided has not been clearly explained to me. I implore Fr Lodovico to write to me what has been decided and what I must do. In all simplicity and trust I informed you of my ideas, of the assignment my late Superior gave me and of what I intend to do for Africa. I told you how in Verona there are many missionaries ready to save souls in Africa: all educated, zealous and ardent to sacrifice their lives for our dear little Africans. Quid agere debeo? I beg you to answer this, because I trust greatly in the enlightenments and the charity of Fr Lodovico. I also entreat you to answer the things I mentioned in my last letter.
[1173]
In any case I have informed Vienna of the agreement we made, to go together and visit those good men of the Committee and we are certain to be well received. As soon as you answer me I shall go and wait for you and our good Fr Bonaventura in Verona, where I am pleased to say that you are awaited with the greatest delight, like a blessing from God.
[1174]
As soon as you left Rome I informed Cologne of what we had agreed and of the true and real position on this matter as it was then, though leaving the definitive outcome to the decision of the competent authorities. But up there they are impatiently awaiting a solution to these matters, as you and I, Fr Lodovico, have agreed. May God ever let us better know his will, which I always wish to do in all things, sacrificing my own. Pray for me, father, to St Francis that he may give me some of his spirit. As I ask for your blessing and send my greetings to Fr Bonaventura the new Apostle of Africa, Brother Bonaventura, Fr Francesco and all the little Africans, I declare myself in all veneration

Your affectionate son

Fr Daniel

[1175]
Your precious letter of the 13th did not categorically answer my two last letters I wrote to you, and did not bring me the consolation of being always understood from the way you write back. Indeed, it says that if my Congregation wishes to undertake a Mission in Africa, its Head must deal directly with Propaganda, or at least give me the authority to do so.
[1176]
It seems as though my good Fr Lodovico doubts that my Institute wishes to undertake a Mission in Africa, after so much bloodshed and 16 years of trials. Furthermore I repeat in writing what I have told you many times in person, that is:
1.My Superior gave me the authority for this purpose, that is, he gave me a letter for Cardinal Barnabò in which he asked for the Mission to the Eastern Nile, charging me with the negotiation of this matter with those concerned.
2. On the basis of this letter, Cardinal Barnabò sent me to discuss the matter with the Most Reverend Father General, who sent me with a letter to see you in Naples. There we agreed on the division and came to Rome where, in the presence of the General and Cardinal Barnabò, we had the consolation of reaching perfect accord, not to mention the sublime kindly gestures on the part of Fr Lodovico by which, more than ever, he demonstrated this intimate union and agreement he has with me.
3. Propaganda, whose task it is to form and approve the Missions, as a gesture of respect for the Seraphic Order, wisely expressed its opinion that the Central African Mission should be divided, in full agreement between the Mazza Institute and the Franciscan Order. I therefore, on behalf of the Mazza Institute and you, on behalf of the Franciscan Order, had to reach an agreement; and the agreement was that we both must go to Egypt and Shellal, and once the division is made, the treaty is to be submitted into the hands of the Father General who will then see to the proceedings he deems necessary with Propaganda so that two Apostolic decrees are issued for the establishment of the two Missions.

[1177]
After all this, how can my dear Fr Lodovico wish to send me again, or the head of my Institute, to deal with Propaganda? After your departure for Naples, I returned to see the Most Reverend Father General to collect the orders and the agreement and then to return to Verona. The Most Reverend answered: “since I have declared Fr Lodovico to be my plenipotentiary, please ask him for these”, and quite rightly, for the critical position of your great works in Naples during these troubled times could impose some modifications to what was established as regards the timing of the departure for Africa or other activities.
[1178]
I write to you to beg you to put in writing what has been established, so that I can show my Institute what has been done, and then wait for you in Verona; and you send me off again to negotiate with Propaganda, just when the needs of the African mission are so urgent and call for the ready co-operation of all the forces in existence.
[1179]
Since I have to act positively, even doubting myself that I might perhaps not have understood the result of our negotiations, I went to Cardinal Barnabò and gave him your letter to read. His Eminence read it all from beginning to end and said: “Our good Fr Lodovico shows that he has not understood what has been done, because his letter states other than what has been arranged, especially in referring your Institute to Propaganda. Answer him right away saying:
1. That I have spoken in his and your presence, and that both parties should go to the place itself, to Egypt, make these divisions and present them to me. I shall then make the necessary arrangements with Vienna and Verona before issuing the decrees.
2. That I have spoken to the Father General and we reached perfect agreement on this.
3. That I saw that the Father General, Fr Lodovico and yourself were in perfect agreement.
4. That it is necessary for both parties to agree together, that they should go to the place itself and Fr Lodovico and yourself should form the division project together”.

[1180]
His Eminence ordered me to write to you thus. I will not remind you of the story of the Mission, from Fr Ryllo up to the closure of the Mission by the Seraphic Order in 1861, which we both know by heart, having heard it several times from the Cardinal’s lips. So now I await a letter from you which tells me something of the arrangements to be made for the departure, because September is approaching. On the 25th I am leaving for to Verona. It is necessary, dear Father, that you come to Verona. Your presence will be a consolation to us all in the bitter loss of our founder. It is necessary that you come to Vienna and that those men of the Council see both parties, and especially you, whose presence will rectify many ideas. So write to me. When I have your letter, I shall set out the itinerary from Rome to Verona which I will prepare this week because I lack the time-tables right now.
[1181]
From the Fr General you will hear of a visit you must make to an important person who has asked after you and wants to speak to you, as someone in his confidence has told me. Then come to Verona and we shall go to Vienna and Africa together. I trust greatly in the assistance of Fr Lodovico for a part in the implementation of his plan; God will accept our sacrifice for the good of the Africans. My regards to our dear Fr Francesco of whom, although he did not write to me well this time, or rather not to my satisfaction as in his other letters, I am and will always be fond because he truly loves Africa. Give your fatherly blessing to this

Your most affectionate and poor son
Fr Daniel Comboni

[1182]
I am sending you the parcel from Mgr Gassner and the enclosed rescript given to me in Anima. I had that box of portraits, etc. sent off from Riva, addressed to the Rev. Gio. Stippler, honourable Chaplain in Brixen. Due to this I suffered humiliations in Nunziatella and Pontelago Scuro to the extent that they would not let me into Austria. When I was finally released I had to return to Bologna and enter the Austrian States through Milan and Limone. But what a pleasure it is to suffer persecution for being papist. It is a pleasure which compensates for any troubles.I have with me the Mezzofanti biography.
[1183]
I found an unheard-of discouragement at the Institute on account of the Bishop’s having decided to abandon the idea of the Mission and he persists. But Comboni will have none of this. In a few days I shall write: but I absolutely want to induce the Superior Fr Tomba and everyone to accept the Plan, exactly as Fr Mazza wanted it, for which he sent me to Rome to take charge of the Mission of the Eastern Nile. God appropriately disposed that no formal definition should be made in Rome before the two parties, our Institute and Fr Lodovico, had been to the place itself. I therefore stand by my original idea and I shall soon write to you that I am coming through Bressanone to Vienna with Fr Lodovico, and hence to Africa together to set up the two planned Institutes.
[1184]
I have immense faith in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Pray ardently to them and prepare the African to come with me to Cairo. I am swamped in work and cannot write more now.
[1185]
Be firmly convinced that Comboni cannot live but for Africa and for whatever has a connection with Africa: I trust in your protection, brotherliness and friendship. God’s works have to encounter difficulties. That is how they bear the beloved imprint of Providence, despite all the obstacles. I trust in you. We are not alone in the great work: there is God, the Virgin and many powerful mortals who want it. Si Deus nobiscum, quis contra nos? A thousand greetings to the Bishop, to the African’s master and to my dear friend Mitterrutzner.

Tuissimus, Fr Daniel