Defining Mission

Comboni Missionaries in North America
Defining Mission, offers a glimpse into the daily life and leadership styles of the members of an Italian religious institute struggling to overcome the obstacles faced in America. Patricia Durchholz provides the historical context and diplomatic negotiations involved as a foreign missionary society works and expands in the North American dioceses in Canada, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Louisville, Newark and San Diego. She begins before World War II with the diary of Father Edward Mason, a seasoned African missionary, who sought to offer his services to African American parishes to secure a safe haven for Comboni missionaries facing expulsion from Africa. Durchholz continues the story as other Comboni missionaries struggle to adapt to America and pioneer work in ethnic parishes and missions through the 1960s. The author analyzes the successes and failures of this Italian institute serving African Americans, while detailing the political and religious aspects of the community.