Comboni Missionaries

We knew them as the Verona Fathers when we were seminarians. However, they changed the ‘brand name’ at some point and are now known in English speaking countries as the Comboni Missionaries. Here is what they are known in some other languages:-

• Comboni Missionaries
• Missionari Comboniani
• Misioneros Combonianos
• Comboni-Missionare
• Missionnaires Comboniens
• Missionarios Combonianos

Missionari Comboniani

The Comboni Missionaries are in many countries in 5 continents throughout the world. They were started by Daniel Comboni and were a breakaway from the Jesuits.

West Yorkshire Police have investigated accusations of abuse by several ex-seminarians who were at the Comboni Missionaries seminary in Mirfield, Yorkshire. After their investigations, the West Yorkshire Police have come to the conclusion that ‘crimes were committed’ and would have moved to arrest Father John Pinkman and Father Enrico Valmaggia if they had been still alive.

Father Roman Nardo

They have come to the same conclusion with Father Romano Nardo and would like him to come to the UK to answer questions related to the abuse. This was declined by Missionari Comboniani on the grounds that he was not mentally fit to answer questions from UK police. However, he was fit enough to say Mass in 2008, photos of which appear on the internet.

After accusations of child abuse fired at him by Mark Murray, Missionari Comboniani ordered him home from Uganda, in 1997 and sent him to the Mother House in Verona with no possible access to children they said. A recent letter from Don Enrique Sanchez, Superior General of Missionari Comboniani (capo de tutti capi of Missionari Comboniani), said that Roman Nardo had been so badly traumatised by the trouble he saw in Uganda that he wasn’t mentally fit to travel to the UK and answer questions from UK police.

Don Enrique Sanchez

However, the troubles in Uganda were decades prior to Nardo Roman’s departure which was triggered by Mark’s accusations, If Dom Enrique Sanchez and Missionari Comboniani left a priest out in Uganda, in a position of authority, who was severly traumatised, they only brought him home after he was accused of child abuse. Surely that says that they failed in their ‘duty of care’ to him and those with whom he came into contact.

They can’t have it both ways. They could, at least, allow UK police to go to Italy to ask Fr Romano Nardo some questions. If they don’t, then some people will start to question why a man who was supposedly severly traumatised by what he saw in Uganda was left out there. Others may wonder if Don Enrique Sanchez and Missionari Comboniani are simply aiding and abetting an alleged criminal.

Missionari Comboniani Moral Authority

Jesus once said “suffer little children to come unto me”. I wonder how he would have viewed Missionari Comboniani obstructing an investigation into one of their priests for child abuse.

How can they go out to parshes and the missions and speak authorititvely on Christian morals? How can they lecture Catholics on morals when they are ‘hiding out’ a man accused of multiple child abuse? One would think that most of those that they lecture have never committed a ‘sin’ as bad as that one.

H