Message of the General Council on the occasion of the meeting with the Comboni Survivors’ Group

“Grateful for the Journey”

Taking to heart the words of our late beloved Pope Francis who reminded us that “true encounter means not only speaking, but also listening with the heart”, we are very grateful for the journey undertaken, through a series of meetings over a number of years, between the Comboni Survivors’ Group (CSG) in the British Isles and the Leadership of the Comboni Missionaries with the last encounter held at Archbishop’s House in Westminster on 2^nd October 2025.

This journey has witnessed on one hand, the great courage displayed by Members of the CSG in sharing their difficult experiences of the past and, on the other hand, the dedication of the Leadership of the Comboni Missionaries in listening, responding and committing to meaningful change, step by step, over these years. Significant in this latter regard is the official and independent Audit of the Comboni Missionaries in England and Wales by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) in July 2025; and the newly-published Safeguarding Policy for Comboni Missionaries throughout the world.

All those participating, it must be said, have continued to work together with openness, honesty and respect while painfully aware of the lasting impact of childhood abuse and the life-long burden it creates for survivors and their families. Last but not least we owe a profound debt of gratitude to H. E. Cardinal Vincent Nichols for his wisdom, guidance and encouragement in chairing our Meetings.

Noteworthy in relation to the last Meeting was the degree of personal satisfaction at the point now reached with the acceptance of a past which cannot be changed, yet understanding that it is possible to move forward toward inner peace. Again, there was recognition of the spiritual depth of this work of healing which is both demanding and yet rewarding – a pathway of solidarity and compassion shared by those involved in this process.

On the part of the Comboni Missionaries, the Leadership remains committed to on-going dialogue with, and pastoral care for, Members of the CSG although going forward this will be focused in Britain, building on the well-established pattern of communication developed between the local Provincial Superior and the Co-ordinator of the Comboni Survivors’ Group.

Friday, 3^rd October 2025

[Published in Familia Comboniana 846 – December 2025]