BY appointment from Bishop Francis Xavier Geyer, the then most senior of the Comboni missionaries, Fr. Albino Colombaroli accepted to led the community of Omach, as superior. For his and the other missionaries’ better work, he sought to visit Hoima, to see how other fathers there were fairing in their assignment. (In the picture: Angal Church, Nebbi District as it looks now)

The Missionaries of Africa, or White Fathers as the early people used to refer to them, had preceded the Combonis into Uganda. They had since February 17, 1879 entrenched missions in different regions south of the country. In 1901, they had reached Hoima, establishing a mission there, right close to northern Uganda.

Two years (1912) after the penetration of the Comboni group into the country, the White Fathers set up a mission at Nyarambe, their northernmost station [now in Congo]. They had with them, seven Ugandan catechists, who were purposely asked to learn Alur.

Bishop Geyer left for Hoima with Brother Augustus Cagol on a steamer, to see the White Fathers. The latter promised their visitors a few catechists to help at the Combonis’ intended new mission of Koba. (Left: Bishop Geyer)

Happy about the pledge, the two continued south to Kampala. There, they were struck with awe by strides the Church had made among the people of Buganda. The two then left the country for Europe through Mombasa, to whip up further support for their newfound land of northern Uganda.

White Fathers’ Catechists
Meanwhile, back at Omach, the rest of the missionaries were in a drive to make contacts among the local population. Frs. Colombaroli and Pasquale Crazzolara went on donkeys to Koba, the government outpost, where they met the postmaster, the Goan clerk and the British Commissioner, Paul Hannington, and an Indian doctor.

These helped gather some people for the missionaries. The priests gave catecheses and led prayers, at which also Chief Okello was present. “It was all very impressive and promising,” Crazzolara would later write in some of his memoirs.

Impressed, the superior related to his confreres: “I am sure if we could open a mission station across the Nile, we would gather an abundant harvest of souls.” In October 1910,
Colombaroli went to Hoima to learn a few things from the experience of the White Fathers, whose mission extended even to neighbouring [Democratic Republic of] Congo.

But, his call on them was shortened, due to a sudden bout of illness. He had to return to Omach. Fortunately for him, the White Fathers made good their promise, as they sent some catechists form Bunyoro to Omach. Among the young catechists was one David Bikomi, who led the friends in establishing a regular catechumenate in Nebbi, West Nile.

Catechists in general, were very instrumental in instructing people on the faith. The work of these zealous young men and some neophytes, had proved more than precious in evangelization in the West Nile region, the Combonis came to know.

Gulu Task.
About the end of January 1911, another Comboni priest, Fr. Giovanni Fornasa, from a journey that took him across Kenya, Lake Victoria, Buganda and Bunyoro, arrived at Omach. Within three weeks, he was yet on another trek with the superior, to Gulu.

By then, Gulu was being built as the central town for Acholiland. It would also become the new government post for the north of the country. Hannington arrived there, after folding up the post at Koba.

When the missionaries reached Gulu, it was however, not any better than Omach had been. It was a start from scratch. On February 19, 1911, they began from extreme poverty, the first mission among the Acholi.

But, soon the superior was taken ill and had to travel back home in Italy, for treatment and rest. Fornasa remained at the new station, single handedly juggling the demands of setting it up. At Omach, Crazzolara took over as superior of the community.

In March that year, the congregation sent some more missionaries to Uganda, Fathers Giuseppe Beduschi and Pietro Audisio, who eased work between the missions at Omach and Gulu. While it was evident that the population at Omach was dwindling, work at the mission was thriving.

At the time, there were schools, which the missionaries built and in which were heavily involved. The best children, most of who were sons of chiefs, were taken up to teach catechism. A Brother, Poloniato, would go into the villages to visit the sick and also encourage boys and girls to attend catechism classes.

Hard Conditions
In 1912, the missionaries had to rebuild Omach, transferring it from its first spot to another, on a small hill extending to the River Nile. Bro. Poloniato and his hired workers spent long hours of labour on this task. They would cut wood in Bunyoro and transport it to the new site, taking risks over the Nile.

The beginnings had not been so easy. But, this was not going to be better, either. The missionaries had no water to drink, except that of the Nile, but only after boiling it. There was malaria, yet little medicine. Wild animals would roar and at times scar many workers away, but the missionaries stayed on.

According to Fr. Felice Centis Teodoro, 90, conditions at Omach were very bad and becoming ever more difficult. In his brief account, ‘The Comboni Missionaries and the Making of Nebbi Diocese’, Centis states, however, that the God blessed the missionaries in those conditions.

“On June 6, 1913, at last, twelve catechumens were solemnly baptized. Other baptisms of young catechumens or sick adults were administered in the following years – a total of 183 adult neophytes,” he recounts.

According to Fr. Gino Stocchero, 68, current superior of the Comboni community at Angal, in Nebbi Diocese, what caused the missionaries to hasten the baptism of the catechumens, was the threat of an epidemic of sleeping sickness. It was spreading from Bunyoro to the north.

Also, Congo and Uganda had settled a longstanding problem of the ‘Lado enclave’, transferring the West Nile Region to Uganda. In his version, Stocchero says the Uganda government ordered all the people around the old Omach to leave the area.

“The Alur were to cross the Nile into the west bank and settle in their own homeland. The Acholi had to move eastwards, away from the river. The missionaries were very anxious to follow the Alur across the river, but they met with the persistent refusal of the authorities, to
establish a mission there.”

Fr. Colombaroli, had by the middle of 1912 returned from Italy. He was accompanied by Fr. Giuseppe Zambonardi and Bro. Luigi Savariano, who had the intention to start a third mission station at Foweria, further up the Nile. Because of the resistance and the difficulties envisaged, the missionaries decided to instead go north, where on October 19, 1912, they set up one at Palaro, in the village of the Madi Chief Rasigala.

Stocchero writes, “An attempt made by Fr. Joseph Bernabe in January 1914, to build a house and chapel at Panyango, had to be abandoned by order of the District Commissioner. The incident caused some friction between the civil authorities and the missionaries!”

Around that time, the international super powers created boundaries of countries in Africa. The southern Sudan and northern Uganda plus the West Nile, got detached from Khartoum. Under the missionary administration, the Church had to annex them to Bahr el Ghazel.

According to Stocchero, the vicar Apostolic, Bishop Antonio Stoppani came to Uganda in December 1913. He visited Omach, Gulu and Palaro, where he admired the heroic efforts of the missionaries. To boost them, he added to their number, Fathers Antonio Vignato, Umberto Cardani, Giovanni Battista Pedrana and Brother Simone Fanti.

World War I
But, the troubles of the missionaries were not yet over. One day in June 1914, two Christians approached the Combonis at Omach, with a letter from the superior of the White Fathers at Nyarambe, Fr. Laane. It stated, “I have to inform you that the authorities have definitely fixed the boundary between Uganda and Congo.

“The catechists posts of Parombo, Pagwata, Padel and Pamora are now under your jurisdiction, like Panyimur and Panyango.” But, to take over all six posts at a go, was a little difficult. Besides, internationally, a war between the powers of the day, was brewing. On August 10, 1914, Laane himself went to Omach from Nyarambe, to warn the Combonis that “the whole world is on fire.”

As he landed from the boat, he hastily added, “Germany and Austria [Austro-Hungary] have gone to war against the Allies [England, France and Russia]. I have to inform you that you are considered enemies and prisoners of war. I am not allowed to enter the house, but only give you this message and leave within ten minutes. The steamer will no longer stop at Omach to deliver or fetch mail. I will try to help you and do you this service from Nyarambe.”

The situation was a mess. Fr. Bombieri was ill with an attack of black water fever, while Bro. Poloniato’s health was just a pendulum of death.

Omach in Europe, was being referred to as ‘the Austrian Mission’. As such, the missionaries were branded enemies to the allies. Frs. Fornasa and Audisio had no courage to break the sad news of their captivity at the now lost Omach, to their sick colleagues. They just headed to the chapel for prayer.

Fr. Centis in his notes says, “two Austrian Combonis were taken away,” as their Italian counterparts struggled on with fate. In March 1916, a storm razed nearly all the mission buildings. On November 1, that year, a Brother Nicola Co, became the first victim of the congregation in Uganda, caught in the jaws of death. He died after falling sick and his remains rest at the cemetery at Angal Parish.