In his inspired Plan for Africa, St. Comboni proposed a methodology of regeneration. In order to "save Africa through Africa", we must count on the cooperation, the involvement and the protagonist of the local communities. We know that for St. Comboni, this cry was never an empty slogan or a distant ideal. From the very beginning he was forming African coworkers, as with programs to educate African women to become teachers, Fr. Daniel Sorur ~ was the first Sudanese priest in St. Comboni's time, Sr. Fortuna Quasce was the first Comboni Sister.
The methodological intuition of regeneration, which was and still is undeniably the motivation for our choices, is not to be applied only to the recipients of our missionary service, but can be applied also to the Comboni Missionaries themselves, for the continued renewal of the Institute. We must continue to aim for the involvement of all, the sick and elderly as much as the new recruits coming from various continents ~ from confreres who are involved as "hidden stones".
Regeneration flows not in one direction but in circles of grace—those who serve are themselves renewed, those who teach continue to learn, and in lifting others we discover our own strength multiplied through communion.
