comboni life

Daniel Comboni, from whom the Comboni Missionaries take their name, had a life marked by a passion for Africa. He was born at Limone, on Lake Garda in northern Italy on 15 March 1831 and died at Khartoum, Sudan on 10 October 1881. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1996 and canonised on 5 October 2003.

At a time when Africa was the place of great expeditions and explorations, St. Daniel developed a love for Africa and Africans that would last all his life. In 1857 from Verona, where he had trained for priesthood, he went as a young missionary to Sudan. He returned to Europe several times, for health reasons, on vocation recruitment and for fund raising. He was entrusted with a vast mission that included the whole of Central Africa and in 1877 was named the first Bishop of Khartoum where he died just four years later.

Comboni's missionary spirituality was centred on devotion to the Sacred Heart. He had been present in Rome at the beatification of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque who had received private revelations from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and promoted that devotion to the whole Church.
The Heart of Jesus was pierced for love of humanity and Comboni saw in that love the source of zeal for the salvation of souls and strength in bearing trials and crosses for the sake of the Gospel.

St. Comboni soon realised that to ensure continuity to his mission to the vast African continent, he needed to form a group of priests, lay brothers and sisters. He started in 1867 in Verona by putting together a group of men - missionary priests and lay brothers - to whom he gave a rule for missionary life. Later, in 1872, he founded the Comboni Sisters of Verona. He wrote, 'I only have one life to consecrate for the salvation of those souls: I wish I had a thousand lives to spend to such a purpose.' His wish is fulfilled in the 4,000 Comboni missionaries of many nationalities who now work in over 40 countries world-wide.

Follow the links to learn something about the most important dates in the life of Saint Daniel Comboni and the spiritual driving force that motivated him to spend his all life for the cause of Africa and of the African people:

"Africa was the first love of my youth"