About
The Comboni Missionaries (Verona Fathers) are an international religious and missionary Order founded by Bishop Daniel Comboni in Verona (Italy) in 1867, specifically to serve the missionary endeavour of the Roman Catholic Church.
Our Members live in Community and practice the Religious Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. Our activities consist of visiting Catholic Parishes to appeal for funds to support some of the most unfortunate and disadvantaged.
Worldwide, we are a group of more than 4,000 priests, brothers, sisters and lay people from forty-four nationalities who have dedicated our lives to following Christ’s example and St. Daniel Comboni’s missionary ideal of evangelisation.
The aims of the Comboni Missionaries are:
- To proclaim the Gospel to those who have not heard it
- To foster – according to Gospel values – peace, justice and the integrity of the creation worldwide
- To collect and distribute funds for the relief of famine and dire poverty
- To promote the missionary spirit of the Roman Catholic Church in Uganda
St. Daniel devised a Plan not just to bring the Gospel to people who never heard it but also to prepare Africans to evangelize their own people — a revolutionary idea for his time. His motto, “Save Africa with Africa,” captures the essence of the trust he had in the African peoples.
Named the first Bishop of Central Africa in 1877, St. Daniel continued his faithful ministry until, at the age of 50, worn out and plagued by fever, he died, but not before founding the Comboni Missionaries and Missionary Sisters who today carry out their founder’s charism across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. St. Daniel Comboni was canonized in 2003 and remains an inspiration to all who have a heart for the mission. We celebrate his feast day every October 10.
St. Daniel’s Timeline
1831 — Daniel Comboni is born March 15th at Limone on Lake Garda in Italy
1849 — Consecrates his life to Africa
1854 — Ordained a priest by Blessed John N. Tschiderer, Bishop of Trento on December 31st
1857 — Makes his first trip to Africa but returns to Italy because of extreme challenges from climate and disease
1864 — Launches a project designed to “Save Africa through Africa,” with full confidence that Africans will become the leading agents of their own evangelization
1867 — Founds the Comboni Missionary Institute
1870 — Approaches the First Vatican Council to petition the Bishops that every local Church be involved in the conversion of Africa
1872 — Founds the Comboni Missionary Sisters and has no qualms about bringing them to Africa to work shoulder-to-shoulder and heart-to-heart with him
1877 — Is consecrated bishop and named Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa
1881 — Dies in Khartoum (Sudan, Africa) in the late hours of October 10th, worn out from sickness and never-ending ministry
1995 — Is recognized for the miraculous cure of an Afro-Brazilian girl, Maria José de Oliveira Paixão that came about through his intercession
1996 — Beatified by John Paul II in St. Peter’s on March 17th
2003 — Is recognized for the cure of a Muslim mother from Sudan, Lubna Abdel Aziz, a miracle worked through his intercession.
2003 — Is canonized by John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica on October 5th
