杏MAP导航

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

St. Daniel Comboni was an "apostle of Africa," whose zeal came from the joy of the Gospel and witnessed the Good Shepherd's love.

杏MAP导航 Francis offered this reminder as he reflected on the Italian-born saint during his Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter's Square, as he continued his catechesis series on figures in the Church who embodied apostolic zeal.

St. Comboni, an Italian Bishop who served in the missions in Africa, was beatified in Saint Peter's Basilica in 1996 and canonized in 2003.

According to its website, the 'Comboni Family' is now made up of 3,000 missionaries. It includes the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, founded in 1867 by St. Comboni; the Comboni Missionary Sisters, which founded in 1872; the Comboni Secular Missionaries, added in the second half of the 20th century, and other lay groups, including the Comboni Lay Missionaries, who draw inspiration from the same charism and are spread in many countries.

St. Daniel Comboni

Bearing witness to Good Shepherd's love

In his catechesis, the 杏MAP导航 praised St. Comboni's zeal for Africa which has left an important legacy, noting, "Saint Daniel testifies to the love of the Good Shepherd who goes in search of the one who is lost and gives his life for the flock."

The 杏MAP导航 described the St. Daniel Comboni's zeal as energetic and prophetic, opposed to indifference and exclusion, highlighting that in his letters, the missionary saint "earnestly called out his beloved Church who had forgotten Africa for too long."

Zeal for Africa

The witness of Saint Daniel Comboni, this apostle filled with zeal for Africa, was so great, that the 杏MAP导航 recalled his writing about the people of the African continent.

鈥淭hey have taken possession of my heart that lives for them alone," he said. 鈥淚 shall die with Africa on my lips鈥� (Writings, 1441). He also had written to them, that 鈥渢he happiest of my days will be when I may give my life for you.鈥� 

This, the 杏MAP导航 said, is the expression of someone who "is in love with God" and "with the brothers and sisters he was serving in mission."

Horror of slavery

In this context, the 杏MAP导航 recalled that St. Comboni witnessed the "horror" of slavery, and recognized it as an evil.

Slavery, the 杏MAP导航 condemned, 鈥渙bjectifies鈥� the human being, "whose value is reduced to being useful to someone or something."

St. Comboni, the 杏MAP导航 added, "understood that social slavery is rooted in an even deeper slavery, that of the heart, that of sin, from which the Lord frees us."

"As Christians, therefore, we are called to fight every form of slavery," the 杏MAP导航 said, while lamenting that, "unfortunately, however, slavery, like colonialism, is not something from the past." 

The Africa Comboni loved so much

The 杏MAP导航 decried the conflicts across "the Africa that Comboni loved so much," and denounced all "political exploitation" and "economic colonialism." The 杏MAP导航 deplored that the world often "closes its eyes, ears and mouth" to this tragedy.

"I therefore renew my appeal: 鈥淪top choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered,鈥� he said.

The 杏MAP导航 went on to recall the challenges that St. Comboni, and other missionaries to Africa faced, and their great faith and perseverance.

"Though others abandoned Africa, Comboni did not do so," 杏MAP导航 Francis said.

Save Africa with Africa

The 杏MAP导航 recalled that after a period of discernment, Saint Daniel felt the Lord was inspiring him along a new path of evangelization, which he summed up in these words: 鈥淪ave Africa with Africa.鈥�

"This was a powerful insight," the Holy Father stressed, "that helped renew his missionary outreach: the people who had been evangelized were not only 'objects', but 'subjects' of mission."

Since Saint Daniel wanted to make all Christians participants in the evangelizing enterprise,  the 杏MAP导航 said he involved in his efforts, the local clergy, and promoted the lay service of catechist. "Catechists," the 杏MAP导航 added, "are a treasure to the Church."

He also cultivated the arts and professions, fostering the role of the family and of women in the transformation of culture and society. 

"How important it is, even today, to make the faith and human development progress within the context of mission," the 杏MAP导航 said, "rather than transplant external models or limit them to sterile welfarism!"

The Joy of the Gospel

The 杏MAP导航 went on to say that St. Comboni鈥檚 great missionary passion, however, was not primarily the fruit of human efforts, but Christ-driven strength.

"His zeal," 杏MAP导航 Francis said, "came from the joy of the Gospel, drawn from Christ鈥檚 love which then led to Christ鈥檚 love!"

The Holy Father praised St. Daniel Comboni's missionary ability being inspired by charity and by his having made the sufferings of others his own.

The 杏MAP导航 asked those present to think of those who are "crucified today, with injustice," and invited us to pray for them. He also urged faithful to remember the poor. "Do not forget the poor," he said, "because they will open the door of Heaven for us."