Brother Croce was a real humanitarian

On November 12, the people of Gulu woke up to the sad news of Brother Elio Croce’s passing. The 74-year-old Comboni Missionary had succumbed to coronavirus. In 1971, Croce left the high mountain snows and the green valleys of his Trentino region in Northern Italy for Gulu in northern Uganda. His home town of Moena (1184m) and Gulu (1100m) have the same altitude above the sea level, but the landscapes, the peoples and their customs could not be more different.

Service

For almost 15 years, he was technical manager at St. Joseph hospital Kitgum. From 1985 until his passing, he was head of the technical department at Lacor Hospital. Croce has lived with and loved the people of northern Uganda for whom he built hospital pavilions, dug wells, and established technical and agricultural activities. He has shared with his people the terrible decades of conflict. He has buried their dead.

Faith

His faith in Divine Providence was strong and unshakable. Every journey would start with the sign of the cross and a Hail Mary prayer. His old Toyota Landcruiser was, according to circumstances, a technical rescue vehicle, (as when he rescued a new-born dumped in a pit latrine), an ambulance to transport the wounded or sick (during peace as during the war or during Ebola), a funeral vehicle to help families avoid the huge expense of transporting their loved one from the hospital to the village for burial, but also the means for a happy safari for the children of St. Jude, or occasionally a lift for tired travellers walking to a far destination.

Croce was a support service technician for other mission hospitals in the region , installed and serviced medical equipment (x-rays) in many hospitals in Uganda (Karamoja, Kitgum, West Nile, Lira, Gulu, Bushenyi.  

From 1992 till his death, he was also the director of St Jude’s Orphanage, where he opened a nursery and primary school, a consolation centre for the disabled, a farm and a health centre II.

 He also constructed many churches,  the latest being the St Daniel Comboni Church in Lacor. 

 His attributes

A young Croce was bright but a little naughty, often disciplined by the parents but changed after joining the Comboni missionaries. He became prayerful, courageous, hardworking, compassionate and innovative. Croce had friends from all over the world, mixed freely with the locals and many people came to seek his advice.  He was a trainer, mentor. But he is remembered mostly for his big heart and undying love for skiing.He would return every four years to Italy during winter to have a chance to ski. 

Awards

He was awarded a knighthood of the order of merit of the Italian republic by the President of the Italian Republic in 2009 (President Giorgio Napolitano). The award is given to persons who have honoured the nation in the fields of literature, arts, economy, public office, social , humanitarian activities, or long and dedicated careers in civil and military field.

Who was Croce?

A consecrated Brother in the religious family of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, the life of Croce has been marked by prayer, work and service to the poor. A hardworking person, a man of great courage, generosity and resilience, Croce has been in all places and situations where he has learnt of human beings in suffering or in need. 

During the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1993, Brother Croce played a major role in the construction of structures and other engineering works for the function at Kaunda grounds.  

He was meticulous in carrying out his work. He was also the director of St. Jude Children’s home, Bar Dege in Gulu.  He had immense love and cared for vulnerable, underprivileged children at the orphanage.  He ensured that they got a good education by paying for them to attend good schools. Some of them had been amputated. He provided them with modern wheelchairs to ease their mobility.

Eulogies

Dr Anna Lawino who worked at St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor remembers Croce as a very friendly person who served with dedication. 

“He was very friendly to both medical staff and patients too.  He would greet us and talk to us just to find out how we are doing.  A selfless man and real humanitarian. He was not working for money but serving humanity and vulnerable people,” says Dr Lawino. 

The Provincial Superior, Comboni Missionaries , North American Province, Fr Ruffino Ezama, in his eulogy said, “I cannot hide my tears for the passing on of Bro Elio Croce. He was a selfless gift of his life in the Comboni Family to serve the poor and needy. The last time I talked to you was two months ago. We talked about the pandemic and you told me that Uganda was not experiencing many deaths maybe due to the sunshine. The virus has snatched you away from affection but not from the hands of God. May you be received into God’s hands for life eternal! We will miss you here but intercede for us from God’s Kingdom.”

The Provincial Superior of Comboni Missionaries in Uganda, Fr Achilles Kiwanuka, said Croce was laid to rest at Lacor Hospital under the big tree where heroes of Lacor have been buried.