On St. Daniel Comboni Day, Catholic Bishop in South Sudan Recalls Saint’s “vision” for Education to Empower Africans

This theme, Bishop Hiiboro says, “calls us to reflect on the essential role education plays in shaping not only individual lives but also the future of our nation.”

“In a world often divided, education stands as a beacon of hope, guiding us towards a future rooted in faith, values, and community,” the South Sudanese Catholic Bishop says.

Born in 1831 into a poor family in a town on the shores of Lake Garda in the Catholic Diocese of Brescia in Northern Italy, Comboni found inspiration in stories he heard from missionary Priests returning from Africa, when he discovered his vocation to the Priesthood.

Three years after his Priestly ordination, in 1857, at the age of 26, Comboni joined a missionary expedition bound for the capital of Sudan, Khartoum.

After two years in Africa, three of the five other missionaries Comboni had travelled with had passed on; Comboni also became ill.

“We will have to toil, sweat, die, but the thought that we sweat and die for the love of Jesus Christ and the health of the most abandoned souls in the world is too sweet to make us give up on the great undertaking,” Comboni is quoted as writing to his parents.

Later, the Italian missionary Priest would write that the people of God in Africa “have taken possession of my heart that lives for them alone.”

Comboni was appointed Apostolic Vicar of Central Africa and Consecrated a Bishop in 1877.

He died in Sudan in 1881 following a cholera epidemic; he was 50. His legacy has been carried on by the Religious missionary Orders he founded, the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) and the Comboni Missionary Sisters (CMS), whose members seek to dedicate their lives to ministering to the world's poorest and most abandoned people in the 42 countries they serve across five continents.

Years before succumbing to the epidemic, Comboni devised a plan to prepare Africans to evangelize their own people, which was considered a revolutionary idea for the time. 

His motto, “Save Africa with Africa,” demonstrated the essence of the trust he had in the people of God in Africa.

The Italian missionary Bishop, who has continued to inspire those attracted to missionary life was canonized in 2003, with October 10 as his Feast Day.

In his message shared with ACI Africa on October 10, Bishop Hiiboro highlights what he describes as “The Importance of Practical and Values Based Education” as vitally essential in the world’s newest country that gained independence from Sudan in July 2011.

“In a rapidly changing world, above all our fragile nation of South Sudan, education must blend practical skills with strong moral foundations. As Nelson Mandela said, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ Let us instill in our students the values of hard work and respect, fostering collaboration and unity,” he says.

The South Sudanese Catholic Bishop adds, “As we move forward as a Diocese in the field of providing quality education, let us remember that education is not solely about academic achievement; it is about forming hearts and minds in the light of God’s truth.”

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“Together, may we strive to empower the future through quality education,” the Local Ordinary of CDTY since his Episcopal Consecration in June 2008 says recalling the theme of Comboni Day 2024, and calls for the building of South Sudan “grounded in faith” and nurturing a society that seeks to realize “the peace and unity that Christ desires for us all.”

He goes on to highlight the role of various education stakeholders in his Episcopal See.

To teachers, Bishop Hiiboro, says, “You are the architects of knowledge and virtue. Your dedication to nurturing both intellect and spirit is vital. You inspire resilience, responsibility, and respect, and your lessons will resonate throughout your students’ lives.”

Turning his attention to parents, he says, “You are the first educators. Your influence shapes your children's values and character. Your commitment to fostering a love for learning lays a strong foundation for their future.”

The Local Ordinary of CDTY, who doubles as the President of the Integral Human Development Commission of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC) tells learners that they are “leaders of today, now and tomorrow.”

“Embrace education not just as a means to an end, but as a powerful tool for change. Philippians 4:13 reminds us, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ Use your education to pursue excellence and uphold values of honesty, peace, and unity,” Bishop Hiiboro says in his message on Comboni Day 2024.