SAINT DANIEL COMBONI

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Daniel Comboni was born on 15th March 1831 at Limone (Brescia). Still a boy, he studied in an institute founded by the servant of God Fr. Nicola Mazza. It was there that his call to missionary life became manifest. He was later to consecrate his life to the evangelization of Africa. In 1864, confident that Africans would become active agents in the process of their own salvation, he elaborated a plan to “save Africa with Africa”. In 1867, in spite of the many difficulties, he was faithful to his motto “Either Africa or death” and went ahead to found in Verona the Institute for African Missions known today as the Comboni Missionaries. In 1872, he founded the Pious Mothers of Africa known today as the Comboni Sisters. For the Africans, he spent most of his energy and struggled hard for the abolition of the slave trade. He was consecrated Bishop of Central Africa in 1877 and died of malaria in Khartoum on October 10th 1881. Pope John Paul II canonized him on 5th October 2003 in Rome.