In Pace Christi

Bro. Andrea Luigi Morganti’s obituary is provided by Fr. Claudio Crimi.

Dear Andrea, finally you have reached the place where you always wanted to go. You have met Jesus whom punctually you greeted every morning in the community chapel. This might have been a very small one, like the chapel in Songo that the visiting Superior General described as the smallest community chapel he had ever seen.

In spite of your small height, 1,57 meters in all, you were not exempted from being drafted during World War Two.

You were born on 22 April 1920 in Lesmo, a small hamlet in Brianza where people were tenant farmers. This little cluster of houses later turned into a small industrial town, to the extent that many of your friends, who had by now become business people, were able to help you in assisting the poor. The over 40 years you spent in Africa shaped your will to carry out all the tasks you had been asked to, though, as a boy in your village, you did not have the chance to study much. You entered the noviciate in Venegono, took your first vows in 1946 and, after five years in Italy, you were sent to Portugal, but for a short time only, as you were soon assigned to Mozambique.

You were among the first Comboni Missionaries to arrive in Mozambique, in the area of Nampula, in the year 1951, and there you stayed until 1997. In those days lions and leopards were a menace to the population of some villages. You even succeeded to trap a leopard. He was bigger than you. You used to tell me these stories when we were spending nights chatting away in the mission of Estima from 1981 to 1986. In 1966 you went to Estima, Tete province, to open the new mission with Fr. Giorgio Ferrero and Fr. Renato Rosanelli. You built everything by working hard and training your workers, using the experience you had gained in Nampula-Carapira while building a large church there.

You were one of the pioneers in Nampula, where you worked for 15 years. You used to tell me that those were hard times. You had arrived in the missions without any specific training and were faced by several difficulties, but the support of the other Brothers in Carapira had helped you overcome them to the point that you became an expert carpenter and builder. I can truly say that you have been one of the last Brothers of the old style: “ora et labora”, at the service of the mission and of the confreres. You had clear ideas about saving Africa with Africa. Beside leaving behind buildings, in particular the churches of Carapira and the mission of Estima, you have also left behind countless young people who have learned from you how to work, how to respect a schedule, be effective, start a trade. Even to the youngsters you always gave little jobs to do so they could earn some money and learn at the same time.

You intimately lived the tragedy of the war in Mozambique, first the colonial struggle and then the Frelimo/Renamo conflict. During all these years you always cared for the poor and the afflicted. With your nephew Ernesto, who constantly supported you, you helped the lepers, the blind and the poor of your mission. Your empathy with other people’s sufferings led you to become a dentist in areas where there were no hospitals, doctors, nurses. Something in a Far West style perhaps, but only God knows how many teeth you have pulled for people who could no longer stand the pain. All this happened because you had lots of courage.

When we were together, whenever I returned from the bush after three or four days of a rather Spartan living, you were always waiting for me and would say: “Father, you have worked hard. Now sit down and rest while I prepare a good cup of tea, but first drink this nice glass of cold water.”

Dear Bro. Andrea, you were always a true friend and together we shared many good days, even in the midst of war situations. You used to tell me the story of how the mission of Estima had been nationalised and how you remained on the premises by yourself, enduring moments of great humiliation and sufferings at the hand of Frelimo. You lived through that time bearing everything with patience.

You were faithful to prayer, like a soldier who is ever ready to answer his general’s call, generous in following God’s will, no matter the cost. At times, I presume, you also had doubts as to whether the superiors’ will was truly God’s will, but we all have our doubts. You distinguished yourself by your perseverance, constancy, faithfulness to the Lord and your love for the poor. I believe that as soon as you met St. Peter you heard those words: “Come, you blessed, into my Father’s house. I was hungry and you gave me food, I was naked and you gave me clothing…”

After more than 40 years in Africa, offering your missionary service, you got sick and the doctors suggested that you returned to Italy. They sent you to Rebbio where, with the faithfulness of a stop-watch, you continued to pray for Africa and to offer your life to the Lord.

Thank you, Andrea, for everything and above all for your faith. You saw everything we can think of, but you always said: “We work for Him” and you continued to face difficulties, including those coming from your confreres, the war, diseases, many years of isolation in the missions when we all had to work far apart and could only meet twice a week. Faithfully, you were always at your post.

“I would like to talk to Bro. Andrea,” someone would say, but if it was prayer time, the answer was: “Do not disturb Bro. Andrea, because at this moment he is not receiving anyone. He is talking to his Chief.”

You have now finally arrived in front of your Chief. You can now speak to Him face to face. Do it also on our behalf, as we remember you. Your people, also, remember you and pray for you. Ciao, Andrea. See you in heaven.