Writings

[2622]
In thanking you warmly for the precious letter which Your Most Reverend Eminence deigned to send me in Cologne on 7th September, I am in a position to inform you that I hope, by next Christmas, to be able present you with the Rules and Decree of Establishment of the Institute for the Missions of Africa in Verona. The good priest who is proposed to direct this new cenacle of African apostles, the Reverend Fr Antonio Squaranti of Verona, is equipped with sagacity, prudence, sound judgement, exemplary piety and all the qualities required for forming, under the auspices of the Bishop of Verona, good candidates for the arduous and laborious mission of Central Africa. I hope the Sacred Congregation will very shortly have good reasons to be satisfied.
[2623]
Since the time is not far that we shall be beseeching Your Most Reverend Eminence to grant us a Mission in the African Interior, in the absence of our most venerable Vicar Apostolic, your worthy Representative in Cairo, I allowed two experienced priests and two excellent lay brothers to take advantage of the fact that the Austro-Hungarian Consul was travelling to Khartoum to undertake, very quietly, a small exploratory mission in Nubia and Kordofan to obtain reliable and exact information on the current state of the Africans and the present conditions of the more important towns in Africa, so that our respectful and humble request for a mission in Central Africa may be accompanied and annotated by all these exact and carefully gathered topical notions and clarifications that will enable the Sacred Congregation, in the best possible light, to pronounce its venerable and always wise deliberations on the matter. We are only seeking, in the best way possible, to achieve the pure glory of God and the salvation of those poor souls.
[2624]
Prayer being the surest and most infallible way to ensure the success of God’s most difficult and arduous Works, I have warmly requested from a great number of Bishops and the most highly regarded Institutes all over the world to pray daily and most fervently to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and the illustrious Patron of the Universal Church for the conversion of Africa. Since in this important matter we are dealing with a true gentleman, God, who always keeps his word and fulfils it in eternity; since to the petite and the quaerite of the most righteous souls in the world, the response must always be the assured and infallible accipietis ed invenietis of our loving Lord, who died just like poor Africans do, I am sure and happy about the success of our holy Work, about God’s special help in view of my weakness and about all the humble Gospel workers God has given me and will give me in the arduous and important African mission.
[2625]
Steadfast in my intention to follow all the maxims and instructions that Your Eminence has deigned, with so much wisdom and charity, to give me personally and in writing, and wishing to submit all the points regarding the way to proceed in carrying out the Work to your wisdom, in the hope of soon greeting you personally, I kiss the sacred purple and have the honour of remaining in all respect and submission

Your Most Reverend Eminence’s most humble, devoted and respectful son

Fr Daniel Comboni

[2626]
On my return from Chiesanuova and Erbezzo yesterday evening I found your letter of the 4th. Please give my warmest greetings to Bernardi, whom I know personally and tell him or write to him that I accept the African girl from Kordofan and that my purse is poor and that he should arrange for me to receive help for the girl’s journey when she comes with me to Egypt in January or thereabouts, and then with me from Cairo to Kordofan, when I have news from the four explorers (who are still in the desert if they have not died), and that I will be going to those parts myself. At the Convent in Pinerolo there are other African girls half-way to being nuns whom I would like to have. But I do not want to ask them. So study a way of implementing my purpose without it appearing to be my request. Write to them that I am currently setting up in Kordofan, but that I will soon be spreading out over a large part of central Africa, Shilluk, Tagala, Darfur as far as the sources of the Nile.
[2627]
Tell Mgr Bernardi that the African postulant from Kordofan should write me a long letter at the Verona Seminary giving me precise information about herself and opening her heart to me. The Bishop sends you his greetings. Mgr Pelami was asked by the Bishop to go to Erbezzo with the commission to judge on the authenticity of the supposed apparition (there is certainly something as I saw it). In the valley of the eel below Erbezza he slipped and hurt himself: he spent ten days in bed at Chiesanuova. I brought him from there to Verona and he is now in bed with a sprained ankle, and he sends his greetings. Many greetings to the good priests, to Fr Primo (I have a stupendous collar of his, and await the other I left), and pray to the Holy Virgin for

Your most affectionate in precordiis

Fr Daniel

[2628]
Although in the act of sale stipulated today in the Ravignani Acts nothing more was said than that the parties had separately reached an agreement on the rents and taxes for the building in Verona sold tome by you in accordance with the aforesaid instrument; nonetheless for your tranquillity I declare to you that the dues for the house located at n. 5088 and 5089, or new 49, Via S. Nazzaro, after deduction of taxes and other costs remain as per our common accord fixed at two (2) Italian lire per day, which are to be paid by me or my heirs to you throughout your lifetime, and after that to Signora Isabella Zadrich, spouse of the late Giuseppe, throughout her lifetime too. I remain at your disposal to stipulate a legal and regular act of agreement to this effect. I send my respects and remain

Your most devoted servant

Fr Daniel Comboni

[2629]
Allow me to send you, also on behalf of the Bishop of Verona, our most fervent wishes for a happy Christmas and the new year, and to wish that God’s bounty may deign to give Your Eminence a long life in the development of the missions in the whole world and especially that you may be granted the supreme consolation of seeing many missions founded in Central Africa, and of seeing some of their fruits.
[2630]
Infra Octavam Epiphaniae, I hope to be in Rome with the Rules and the Decree of establishment of the new Institute for the Missions of Africa. Apart from having bought and entirely paid for the palazzetto of the new Seminary in Verona, I have also purchased and entirely paid for two vast houses in Verona, the income from which now provides annual maintenance for several candidates for central Africa; so that, should I die tomorrow, the College will survive in perpetuo.
[2631]
As regards the members of the College, bound to it in perpetuo, apart from many laymen and craftsmen of proven good conduct (without counting the two Camillians about whom we shall hear from their General) there are the following secular priests, who live as religious:
1. Fr Daniel Comboni, Superior
2. Canon Pasquale Fiore, Deputy Superior of the Institutes in Egypt
3. Fr Bortolo Rolleri
4. Fr Giuseppe Ravignani
5. Fr Elia Calis, cleric in theology
6. Fr Vincenzo Jeramolinski
The above are in Old Cairo.

7. Fr Pietro Perinelli, my secretary
8. Fr Giovanni Losi from Piacenza
The above are coming with me to Cairo in a month.

9. Fr Pietro Rossi (presently studying at the Verona College)
10. Fr Ilario Zanon (presently studying at the Verona College)
And the Rector of the College Fr Antonio Squaranti.

[2632]
We are eight missionaries operating in Africa.
To the two who will stay in the College, we shall be adding others chosen among the many postulants. But first we want to be certain that the Sacred Congregation will deign to entrust a mission in Central Africa to us. But we will speak of all this in Rome, where I will hear Your Most Reverend Eminence’s venerable dispositions. I hope that God who has so far helped us in the midst of so many obstacles, will always help us.

[2633]
As regards the two Camillians who are with me and who were kindly granted for the full five years by the Most Reverend Fr Guardi to the Bishop of Verona, I hope that between Your Eminence and Fr Guardi decisions will be made that are useful for Africa and suited to the decorum of that Order. I commend the cause of poor Africa to Your Most Reverend Eminence’s paternal heart, I kiss the Sacred purple and remain with deep respect and gratitude

Your Most Reverend Eminence’s
most humble, obedient and unworthy son

Fr Daniel Comboni

[2634]
Your Eminence’s esteemed letter of the 21st, far from discouraging me, has rather given me the greatest courage because in it I can clearly see the lively interest Your Eminence’s apostolic heart nurtures for unfortunate Africa.
[2635]
I have sold my will, my life and my whole self to the Holy See, that is to the Vicar of Christ, to His Eminence the Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda and to their representatives. I intend to work solely, and I would even say, blindly under their guidance and authority. Even if, by the grace of God I could convert the whole world, I would refuse to do so, except by the command and authority of the Holy See and of its representatives, the only source of blessing and life. For me, divine Providence is only the authority of the Holy See to which it was said: qui vos audit, me audit.
[2636]
Regarding the explorers in Kordofan, which is a matter of very little significance, for it is only a question of gaining a clearer understanding of the present conditions of the Africans, without which I cannot give Your Most Reverend Eminence an exact and full report concerning my request for a mission in Central Africa, I will be pleased to provide you shortly with the document signed by the Representative of my venerable Vicar Apostolic concerning myself and my Institutes. The four explorers have arrived safely and full of vigorous health in the desert. I am fully aware of the reasons for which the attempts made in Central Africa since 1847 have failed. Learning from the mistakes of our predecessors, from our long experience and from the thorough studies that have been made, by the grace of God, if the Holy See wishes, we will succeed in our arduous undertaking.
[2637]
Since, even if what Your Eminence and Propaganda had to say to me were the harshest reproofs, they would be dearer to me than all the praises in the world, so I warmly implore you, in the words of the Apostle argue et increpa. This will ensure that both myself and my co-workers always act according to the will of God, with the greatest prudence, and under the constant direction of God’s representatives.
[2638]
By the spirit of the Rules of the Verona Institute, which I drafted after prolonged studies, authoritative consultations and considerable experience and knowledge of the arduous Work I have undertaken and is the object of my sleepless nights and deep sighs, Your Eminence will be convinced that we are not taking the matter lightly, that there is constant reflection and that we are proceeding with the utmost care.
[2639]
Argue, increpa et benedic this poor and useless, but faithful usque ad mortem servant, who has the honour of signing in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Your Most Reverend Eminence’s most humble and unworthy son

Fr Daniel Comboni