The Magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban
May 2009
Invitation to Mission
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Volume 92 - Number 3 - May 2009
o n t e n t s
This Issue’s Theme: Exploring the many aspects of Columban mission and the stories of people living cross-cultural mission worldwide.
Columban Mission Published By The Columban Fathers Columban Mission (Issn 0095-4438) is published eight times a year. A minimum donation of $10 a year is required to receive a subscription. Send address and other contact information changes by calling our toll-free number, by sending the information to our mailing address or by e-mailing us at missionoffice@columban.org.
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Mailing Address: Columban Mission PO Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056-0010 Toll-Free Phone: 877/299-1920 Website: WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG Copyright 2009, The Columban Fathers (Legal Title) Publisher Fr. Arturo Aguilar, SSC directorusa@columban.org
8 What I Really Wanted 15 A newly ordained Columban priest to Know About Peru Here I Am Lord
begins his life of service to God and others
Learning about a country from its people
4 Five Things I Hope I Learned on Mission Learning to see people as God sees them
6 From Civil Engineer to Lay Missionary Divining a new path
10 To Follow Him A message of hope for the future 17 A Place at the Table Is Waiting Issuing the invitation 18 The Sum of the Parts Exceeds the Whole Four reflections on a shared trip to the U.S. – Mexico Border 21 I Want To Be Happy
Finding faith and living a vocation
Departments 3 In So Many Words 23 From The Director
The great adventure of illuminating the world with the love of Jesus Christ
Editor Sr. Jeanne Janssen, CSJ jjanssen@columban.org
Managing Editor Kate Kenny kkenny@columban.org
Editorial Assistant Connie Wacha cwacha@columban.org
Editorial Board Fr. Arturo Aguilar, SSC Jesus Manuel Vargas Gamboa Sr. Jeanne Janssen, CSJ Kate Kenny Jeff Norton Fr. Richard Steinhilber, SSC Connie Wacha
The Missionary Society of St. Columban was founded in 1918 to proclaim and witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Society seeks to establish the Catholic Church where the Gospel has not been preached, help local churches evangelize their laity, promote dialogue with other faiths, and foster among all baptized people an awareness of their missionary responsibility. Cover and Graphic Design by Kristin Ashley
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We Are All Missionaries
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few months ago a friend of mine, a former teacher in one of our Catholic schools, called from the Philippines and asked, “When are you coming home to the Philippines?” Recently I did go “home” to the Philippines as part of the celebration of my fifty years in the priesthood, and it was a wonderful homecoming. I had the opportunity and the privilege of celebrating the Eucharist in six churches where I had been pastor or founder. The churches were full with more young people than elderly in attendance, and the liturgy was heavenly. It was a most exhilarating and humbling experience to see the fruits of our labor of so many years and to feel the gratitude of the people to the missionaries and the supporters and benefactors who shared in our successes. When I went to the Philippines in 1962, the diocese of Iba had no Filipino priests, and I was one of 39 foreign missionaries. Now 22 of the 23 parishes have Filipino pastors, and the bishop is also a Filipino. There is also a great lay involvement in every aspect of parish life from a living liturgy through family life, adult religious education, care of the sick and the search for justice and peace. I think it is a time for all of us missionaries to rejoice and to thank God. Of course, we now realize that supporters and benefactors are missionaries as well as those who In So Many Words are actually in the field. We now believe that all of us are missionaries sent by Christ when we Fr. Peter Kenny first became His brothers and sisters through the sacrament of Baptism. My work in mission awareness, mission appeals, magazine promotions, Days of Recollection and meetings with Columban supporters has taken me to nearly 30 cities in the United States. In almost every parish I meet a high percentage of people from our mission countries who are actively involved as lectors at Mass, ministers of the Eucharist, deacons and committed members of parish organizations. In the large and scattered mission parishes with few priests, lay involvement has become a part of their religious practice and indeed of their understanding of the Church which they take with them wherever they live. For the missionary, “home” is among the people we serve rather than a geographic location. Many years ago, Thomas Wolfe pronounced that one can never go home again. I am happy to report that Mr. Wolfe was wrong. My home is with God’s people, wherever they are located.
My home is with God’s people,
wherever they are located.
After many years in the Philippines, Fr. Peter Kenny is living and working in Los Angeles, California. www.columban.org
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missionary you probably are not particularly wanted by the vast majority of the population. Someone summed it up this way: “A missionary is someone who goes where he is needed but not wanted and stays till he is wanted but not needed.”
A Heart Open to the Holy Spirit
Five Things I Hope I Learned on Mission Learning to See People as God Sees Them By Fr. John Burger
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ast year Father Raymond Rossignol, former Superior General of the Paris Foreign Mission Society, who spent more than 30 years in Bangalore, India, published a short article with the title “The Five Keys of Mission.” Shortly after reading Fr. Rossignol’s short but profound article, I reflected on my own years in Japan and finally deciphered the five keys that unlocked my experience of seventeen years on mission in Japan.
Humility
Others may think of the missionary life as somehow heroic, but certainly a missionary cannot think that way. He or she must have the attitude that the Lord enjoined on us in Luke 17:10, “We are poor servants; we are only doing our 4
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duty.” I am not capable of “saving” anyone else. Whoever I meet in the course of my missionary work is just like me, someone who is saved by the Lord Jesus. I will be able to be a more useful tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit if I am not trying to impose my own will or my own ideas. Of course, it is humbling to start learning a new language and new customs as an adult. There is no other way to do it, you must learn A, I, U, E, O just as the Japanese kindergartners do. Being unable to do the simplest things, like buy things in a shop or find your way around town, is humbling. In addition, I tend to be impatient, although in a new culture, it is better to be patient. On a deeper level, what teaches humility is to realize that as a
The Second Vatican Council encouraged us to discover what is true and what is holy in other religions. Being open-minded and open-hearted allows a missionary to get to know and understand the culture and the religion of the people to whom he is sent. Such openness allows the missionary to avoid being a prisoner of his own critical judgments and allows us to find Christ’s presence in unexpected places. The village of Buddhist temples at Mount Koya became one of my favorite places in Japan. The setting, on a cool mountaintop among majestic trees, was ideal. Thinking of the place calls to mind a tour there with a Buddhist priest. The day was bitterly cold, but his welcome was warm. The most enthusiastic Buddhist I met in my time in Japan was an elderly grandmother who proudly showed me her large and elaborate home altar. She was a member of Sokkagakkai, a lay organization known as aggressive promoters of a special version of the Nichiren Buddhism. I would have been more critical of the “gakkai” had I not met this woman who clearly found something in it that nourished her spirit.
Respect for the Freedom of the Other
To respect the freedom of others even when their customs shock me www.columban.org
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is to give them the freedom God gives us. The late Holy Father John Paul II wrote that, “The Church proposes, she does not impose.” The Church and her missionaries respect both people and their cultures, and she comes to a halt before the altar of conscience. How often during my time in Japan would I meet people who would quote to me the Japanese saying, considered a truism, “There are many paths to the top of Mt. Fuji.” What they mean is that when it comes to different religions, it does not make much difference which you choose. Obviously this is not something I would agree with, but not something I would always feel a need to attack either. I found it more fruitful to try to find common ground and plant a little seed of trust.
A Quality of Being
No one can be a missionary without a spirit of good will, really paying attention to others. Again to quote Pope John Paul II, “One is a missionary because of what one is rather than what one says or does.” There is always a danger that one can focus completely on material development or charitable projects or some other thing, and forget what is most basic. Of course, I did not manage this adept listening 100 percent of the time. Like anyone, I have my tired, cranky moments, times when some important task would keep me from paying due attention to the feelings of the person in front of me. Despite cross-cultural difficulties on my part, I do genuinely like Japanese people and grew in my appreciation of their ways of looking at life. I am not sure when I came to this realization. However, if this attraction had not been present, there would not have been much www.columban.org
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Nichiren Buddhism
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren (1222–1282). Nichiren Buddhism is generally noted for its belief that all people have an innate Buddha nature and are therefore inherently capable of attaining enlightenment in their current form and present lifetime. Some Nichiren Buddhists practice shakubuku, efforts to convert others by refuting their current beliefs and convincing them of the validity of Nichiren’s teachings. Nichiren Buddhists believe that the spread of Nichiren’s teachings and their effect on practitioners’ lives will eventually bring about a peaceful, just, and prosperous society. point in spending 17 years in Japan over a 26 year period.
The Relationship with the Resurrected Lord
One of the ways that being on mission in Japan became a grace for me was that in order to preach the Gospel or teach the catechism, I had to learn to speak about these in new and simpler words. I could not just repeat the formulas I had learned in a lifetime of Masses, classes and devotions. At the beginning this was a chore, but as the years passed I started to think of it as a gift that pushed me to deeper understanding.
To nourish a relationship with Jesus Christ by regularly dedicating some time to prayer and meditation on the Scriptures is another key to mission. “Apart from me you can do nothing,” we are told in John 15:5. It is in this way that little by little I try to learn to see people more as God sees them and to love and respect them. In doing this, mission can happen. CM Fr. John Burger currently serves on the general council in Hong Kong.
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From Civil Engineer to Lay Missionary Divining a New Path By Aurora Luceno
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joined the Columban Lay Missionaries in June 1993. Prior to joining the Columbans, I worked as a civil engineer with the Department of Public Works and Highways and later trained as a community development worker with the Department of the Interior and Local Government in the Philippines. My parents worked with the Columban missionaries in our diocese of Pagadian, Philippines, and I witnessed the commitment of the Columbans in their involvement with our people. The missionary spirit was planted in my
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childhood. My dream of becoming a missionary saw its fulfillment when I met and was guided by some Columbans who became my friends and mentors. Following eleven months of preparation, orientation and waiting for my visa, I finally arrived with two other Columban lay missionaries in Lahore, Pakistan, in May 1994. While in Pakistan, I had the privilege to live and work in predominantly Christian communities of street sweepers and house cleaners. I participated in the formation of small faith communities. I accompanied groups of women doing catechesis
for children and youth formation. I worked with other Columban missionaries on pastoral teams in local parishes. Living with the people we serve allowed me to enter deeply into the Pakistani culture and way of life. I experienced the richness of the culture and arts, and the simplicity and hospitality of the people both Christians and Muslims alike. At the same time it brought me to a greater awareness of the struggles of the Christian community as a minority group. I was also actively involved with the apostolate for migrant workers in Lahore. Accompanying and facilitating the workers introduced me to the stark reality of loneliness, abuse, competition and survival in a place very alien to these migrant workers. Many times I felt very helpless and was pained by the experiences of the people I journeyed with in Pakistan. However, having loved and valued these people with whom I now share great friendships, I grew in my understanding of the Columban commitment in this part of the world. My time in Pakistan was a very meaningful journey for me personally and in my relationship with my God. It enabled me to respond appropriately and with joy to the call to discipleship. Walking the dusty streets of Shadbagh and living as a single, female lay missionary in an Islamic society was a real challenge for me. Nevertheless, I have been greatly blessed by God’s love and faithfulness. From the beginning of my life as a lay missionary, I have been very conscious of how God has worked in so many aspects of my life. As a result, I have learned to trust www.columban.org
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Who are Lay Missionaries and What Do They Do? All over the world people are calling out for life. Hidden within this call is a cry for God and for the Kingdom of justice and peace, of love and forgiveness. Columbans are aware that the laity are our partners in mission. Since 1990 we have been exchanging lay teams between Ireland, Korea, China, Chile, Peru, Britain, Fiji, Tonga, the United States and the Philippines. Whether the lay missionary’s work is in a modern city parish, encouraging Basic Christian Communities, or living among peoples of different religious traditions, the mission is the mission of Jesus. o Lay missionaries leave our families and home communities and join the Columban family in a cross-cultural setting with a local community overseas. o Lay missionaries celebrate the signs of life, accepting joyfully the hospitality of those we live with and recognizing their vital role in our growth. o Lay missionaries trust God in our struggle with another culture and in the situations and realities of the people. o Lay missionaries bring our prayers, our gifts and inner resources, to enable us to accept the loneliness and confusion, and to live the questions of how to accept or challenge the new culture, and how much to “do” or “be” in that community. o Lay missionaries draw strength from encountering these questions and recognizing God’s presence in all creation, and in the search for a greater fullness of life. We live with the Columban family in dialogue and partnership, to listen to each other’s personal stories, and to grow in understanding of mission and ourselves. o Through this, we share the Columban mission in solidarity with the poor, experiencing with them vulnerability and powerlessness. o Lay missionaries maintain our relationship with our home community, valuing the role as a source of encouragement and support. o We recognize our own role in trying to make our home communities, and our receiving communities, more missionary.
God more fully as a friend and a companion in the journey. During my time in Pakistan I was greatly blessed with a community of Columbans who made serious efforts to value and support one another as we lived with each one’s uniqueness and gifts. I also had the love and the support of my Pakistani friends in the communities who accepted me as one of their own. I left Pakistan for the Philippines in December 2005. The education and the appreciation for the richness of Pakistani people that I gained helped prepare me for my new role on the Central Leadership Team of the Columban Lay Missionaries. www.columban.org
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My first long term agreement was marked with many transitions, challenges and a significant learning curve regarding language, culture and international politics. Meeting these different roles, places and situations with openness, patience and deep trust allowed me to fully engage with our mission in Pakistan. I feel privileged to have been a member of the Columban Lay Missionary Central Coordinating Committee then later the Central Coordinator. The challenges presented to me in living out these roles brought me to deep prayer and reflection and provided me great opportunities to learn more about my faith and myself.
The stories and experiences of Columban lay missionaries, priests and Sisters continue to inspire me and strengthen my resolve to always give my best to contribute to the mission of God. As I enter into another long term agreement with the Missionary Society of St. Columban, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for the past years, for the people and experiences that made the journey more meaningful and life-giving. CM Aurora Luceno currently is discerning a new mission placement.
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Here I Am Lord
Beginning My Life of Service to God and Others by Fr. willie lee
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s a child growing up in Fiji, I came to know many Columban priests who served in my church in Holy Family parish in Labasa. They frequently visited my home, and several priests became close friends of my family. Their enthusiasm, simplicity of life and genuine care for the Fijian people inspired me to enter the Columban seminary. Even though I had a strong desire to become a Columban missionary priest, I had fears and concerns. During the five years that I had worked on the family farm I did not have any formal education, and I knew that seminary life would require years of college-level study. I also wondered about living most of my life outside of Fiji, far away from family and friends,
learning new languages and adapting to different ways of living. I realized that if God truly wanted me to become a Columban missionary priest, then I had to follow my heart’s desire and trust in His goodness and help. I spent the first three years of my seminary training in Fiji. Then I had my first taste of missionary life: I was sent to the Philippines for one year to continue my studies. While in the Philippines, I felt lost. I couldn’t speak the local language and knew only a handful of people. I realized that being a missionary is more than helping other people. It is also about being helped by others and learning from them.When I returned to Fiji, all the simple things that I had taken for granted seemed different. I www.columban.org
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appreciated them much more than before I went overseas. My time home was short as I was soon asked to go on mission to Peru for two years. After six months of studying Spanish in Bolivia, I worked in Columban parishes and projects in Lima, the capital city of Peru. It was in Lima that I sharpened my language skills and made many new friends. I came to a deeper realization that the core of missionary life is love of both God and His people. After two years of living and working in Peru, I was sad to leave. However, I recognized that being on the move is a major part of missionary life. From Peru I went to Chicago to study theology at Catholic Theological Union (CTU). While www.columban.org
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in Chicago, I concluded that I had only seen a small part of the world. I met students from around the world at CTU and lived with priests and seminarians from such countries as Ireland, Korea, Peru, Chile and the Philippines. These experiences broadened my worldview in ways that I could never have imagined ten years ago. I appreciate more the mystery of God, who shapes us all in wondrously different ways. Living daily amid such diversity, I discovered that a missionary must be a bridge-builder. After completing my seminary education and returning home to Fiji, I was ordained a priest on August 2, 2008. I am truly grateful for the support and encouragement of
so many people. I continually thank God for their kindness and generosity and feel so blessed. As one chapter of my life’s journey closes, another is about to begin. I look forward to my assignment in Chile as a missionary priest, beginning my life of service to God and His people. CM Fr. Willie Lee was ordained on August 2 in Labasa, Fiji. His first missionary appointment as priest is to Chile.
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To Follow Him A Message of Hope for the Future By Fr. Charles O’Rourke
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n the world today, the younger generation is reaching out to those who have less, to those who suffer and to those who are deprived of basic human rights. These young people are not stopped by borders and are going forth to serve the forgotten and the ignored of the world. I believe this is God’s way of calling people to live the beatitudes and show that God is still present in our world. The Missionary Society of St. Columban was founded for this very reason, to answer Jesus’ call to come and follow Him. Everyone, in his own way, receives this call to live out what he feels God is calling him to be even though conventional thinking may say otherwise. Our founder, Bishop Galvin, is an example of a man who lived out God’s plan. He generously and without hesitation set out from his parish assignment in Brooklyn, New York, to work with the Chinese people. There was risk involved which is part and parcel of life in the missions. However, Bishop Galvin welcomed the challenge of learning a different culture and immersed himself in
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Fr. Charles O’Rourke celebrating with the Korean community in Los Angeles, California.
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Chinese life. I am sure that the decision to leave his home and family was not an easy one. Once in China, he did not attempt to convert the people, but to witness God’s love for them. In other words, he went to live the Gospel message. His focus was on the spiritual as well as the material. From my own observation this attitude prevailed amongst our men in Korea, where we have worked since 1933. The generosity of our priests trying to reach out and be with the people in their surroundings was astounding to me.
It was exciting to see people coming for advice and help of any sort, knowing that we as missionaries were there to listen and do what we could to help them. After the war in Korea people were starving. It was a struggle to stay alive from day to day. We had people coming daily for food in order to feed their children. We clothed them with what people in the United States collected and sent through Catholic Relief Services. Food—corn meal and flour—was distributed through our parishes. Through the help of
I saw God reaching out to the people of Korea. Trying to help the Korean people better their lives in a material way as well as a spiritual one was very appealing to me as a young priest. Being available to give hope to the whole person is what Christ was all about when He tried to nourish and heal peoples’ minds and hearts at the same time. When working and living in a country suffering from the devastation of war as well as unparalleled poverty, to try to do one without the other has very little appeal. So, showing interest in the lives of the Korean people with a loving heart, like our founder Bishop Galvin did in China, was the key to our success. www.columban.org
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supporters back home, I was able to supply mothers in the parish with sewing machines, and with their sewing skills they were able to put food on the table and send their children to school. We were able to help build homes for the north Korean refugees. On Cheju Island, a pig farm was started to supply the farmers with another source of income. Eventually, sheep were brought in and a wool factory was built to make it possible for the young people to stay on the island and earn an income. At the same time, my pastor and I were busily occupied with the spiritual
side; namely, administering the sacraments, saying Masses in the parish as well as six mission stations and preparing great numbers of people for Baptism. House visitation was also part of the daily routine. Needless to say, this life was exciting as well as challenging. I had the good fortune to work in three communities where we had to start from scratch. To see the welcome and appreciation of the people was truly gratifying. I am grateful to God that I was part of that history in Korea. In Korea, the material needs are not as great now, but there is still a need for support. Many people are searching for God, for meaning in their lives. I saw God reaching out to the people of Korea. We merely acted in the words of Mother Teresa, “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” What took place while I was in Korea is happening in other mission countries where we serve as well, especially in China. China is now a country which draws many of our young people answering the call to go and be a sign of God in a troubled world. The opportunities and needs are great, but if we listen and respond in faith and trust in God, the rewards are immeasurable. CM Fr. Charles O’Rourke lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska.
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Operation Helping Hands Aiding Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ By John Chang
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t has been almost four years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall along the gulf coast of the United States and the levees broke in New Orleans, Louisiana. In August 2005, one of the largest natural disasters in the United States forever changed the landscape of New Orleans and the Mississippi gulf. December 2008 marked my third volunteer trip to the city known colloquially as “The Big Easy,” “The Crescent City,” or simply “N’awlins,” to work with Catholic Charities of New Orleans and their Hurricane Katrina relief program, Operation Helping Hands.
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Top Row, Left to Right: Andrew Tokko, Peter Yun, Mike Lee, Michael Lee, Steve Oak. Bottom Row, Left to Right: Eugene Kim, Alice Chon, Anna Nam, Ashley Christensen, Liz Nam, Alice O, Mina Chung and John Chang
Until Father Tony Mortell of the Missionary Society of St. Columban invited me to a meeting for potential volunteers to go on a mission trip to Louisiana, I had all but forgotten about Hurricane Katrina and its devastating impact on New Orleans. I assumed that since over two years had passed, most of the rebuilding was probably done already. I was certain there wouldn’t be that much work left to do. However, my assumptions quickly were proven wrong as our volunteer group drove through entire neighborhoods that were deserted and overgrown with weeds and grass. Some of these neighborhoods were no longer recognizable as areas that were once filled with families enjoying one another’s company or children playing in the street. The concrete foundations upon which homes once stood were all that remained
in these empty neighborhoods echoing with memories of happier times. During my first trip to New Orleans in the winter of 2007 I heard from several people, including a civil engineer who joined our group for dinner at a local church, that at the current rate of reconstruction the city needed five to ten more years of work to return to a pre-Katrina state. These words, along with the reality that many Americans already had forgotten about the battered condition of New Orleans, helped me to confirm that I would use any and all opportunities to raise awareness about the people and the city of New Orleans. Furthermore, I planned to continue to work towards the rebuilding of a city that has welcomed me so warmly. Although there was extensive media coverage in the aftermath of the storm, pictures or video cannot www.columban.org
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Hope for the future rises with each home restored.
fully capture the emptiness that I felt while standing in a residential neighborhood that seemed to have been wiped away like a drawing erased from a chalkboard. Visiting areas like the Lower Ninth Ward provided a point of reference for the extent of devastation of the floods resulting from Katrina. Our volunteer groups were assigned to work primarily in homes that were extensively damaged by the floods. Helping to restore these homes was at times exhausting and tedious work as we painted walls and laid tile. Meeting the homeowners helped us to connect the home’s past to its future, to the human stories housed within the walls. We could see their attachment to their homes went beyond the physical structure of the houses. These homes held their hopes and dreams. They grew up, got married and raised their families in these houses. While the wood and plaster www.columban.org
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were washed away in the storm surge, the memories of what was remain. Hope for the future rises with each home restored. The intangible benefits of the sweat-based educations that were obtained by members of our group, most whom had never been in this type of work environment before, were simply immeasurable. All of us learned many lessons through our volunteer trip to New Orleans, ranging from humility towards work that may never be noticed by anyone, to thankfulness for what each of us is blessed with in our own lives, to the value of truly knowing the meaning of a 14
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hard day’s labor. We learned far more than how to paint walls and lay tile. We learned the spirit of a community cannot be washed away in flood waters.The priority of rebuilding New Orleans may have been overshadowed by many other headlines in the United States, but the people of that beautiful city are grateful to the individuals who continue to offer help in any way they can. Although there is still a lot of work to do, progress certainly is being made. It can be seen not so much in the number of walls painted or tiles laid down but in how much of the city has come back alive. In any big disaster
like Hurricane Katrina, the people affected have a choice to make: they can choose to give up, or they can dust themselves off and rebuild their lives. The people of New Orleans have chosen to rebuild. Anyone’s life can be disrupted at any time due to natural disaster, economic difficulties, illness or any other curve ball thrown our way. We need to remember that it is easier to get back up with the aid of a helping hand. CM John Chang submitted this article at the invitation of Columban Father Tony Mortell. Mr. Chang is a recent graduate of Cal State Northridge. He is a college group coordinator and high school confirmation teacher at the Valley Catholic Korean Apostolate, a parish founded by the Columban Fathers. Fr. Tony Mortell lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
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What I Really Wanted To Know About Peru Learning About a Country from Its People by carmencita Enriquez, Sr. colleen nolan, oP, and Pete Tulipana
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or generations of scholars and travelers, researching a foreign country involved a trip to the library and significant time spent with the encyclopedia. Now, numerous information sources are available via the internet, and one can easily find a wealth of information about any given topic. Do you need to know the average rainfall in Tasmania? According to tchange.com.au, the average annual rainfall in Tasmania is 4062 millimeters with the wettest area being the west coast in the winter months. Some sources are better than others, but it only takes a few keystrokes to find out more information than necessary about almost any subject. Prior to our departure for Peru on the Columban mission exposure, we decided to do a little electronic research about the country and its people. I now know that there are almost 4,000 native varieties of Peruvian potatoes and that 54% of all Peruvians live in poverty. The annual rate of inflation is roughly 1.6% with an unemployment rate of 8.4% in a population of 27.2 million people. There is one taxi for every seven cars in Lima. On average, 1,000 people visit Machu 15
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Picchu every day. We looked at the long range weather forecast and felt confident that we would pack appropriately. However, there was one piece of information that I could not obtain from Wikipedia, Google or the CIA Factbook. All of the large search engines failed to find it. It wasn’t available online, at the library or in magazines and newspapers. It was the story of the Peruvian people. We, Columban Affiliate Carmencita Enriquez, Columban Father Yong Hoon Choi, Pete Tulipana of the Society’s U.S. Regional Office, and I, Sr. Colleen Nolan, embarked in early February 2009 on a Mission Exposure Trip to Lima, Peru. The Columban Fathers have been working in Peru since 1951. It is home to a number of Columban priests, Columban associate priests, Sisters and lay missionaries. At our orientation meeting prior to departure we were advised to listen, watch and experience what Peru and its people had to teach us. Fr. Diego Cabrera Rojas was our enthusiastic guide during the early stages of our journey. He presided at Sunday Mass at the Perez
Aranibal Orphanage. Fr. Diego spent his childhood in the Perez Aranibal Orphanage and therefore could understand the pain and struggle of the children who live there. He stands with them as a witness to their former lives and as a proponent of their future. Fr. Diego encouraged these children to be prophets in their time, persons who remind us of ways to bring goodness to our world and to one another. The children living in the orphanage have experienced loneliness and abandonment, but they live together with love and acceptance. Each child is unique, but they navigate childhood together. Their story is only partially written. They will shape their country through their educations, their trades and their future families. Later in the trip, we attended the Jubilee Mass in honor of Columban Fr. Maurice Foley’s 50th anniversary of ordination. Fr. Foley accompanied the Christian communities in Korea for 20 years and the people of Peru for 30 years. During his homily, Fr. Foley told stories of his journey, of hardship and of commitment. The mutuality of love and respect between this www.columban.org
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Columban priest and the people was evident on the faces of the people who attended the Mass in celebration of this humble man. The beautiful worship space was alive and vibrant in rhythms of song and story as we celebrated at the Eucharistic table that evening. We visited many of the Columbans and associate priests in the areas of Lima where they minister to and with people living in poverty. We were welcomed by adults, young people and children everywhere we went. It was humbling and gratifying to be welcomed with open arms by strangers eager to share their pride in their culture, home and faith with us.
Fr. Yong Hoon Choi holds a bag of fertilizer produced by the compost project.
At one of the sites we visited, the Columbans have started a small recycling effort. Neighborhood residents collect garbage from the street. They load it in a pushcart and take it to the sorting center. Compost is created from what can not be recycled. The compost supports a worm farm that produces fertilizer which is bagged and sold. The ecologic project is under the stewardship of Columban lay missionaries John Din and Anamaria Nieto who are currently assigned to Cantogrande, Lima. In addition to cleaning up www.columban.org
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Tie rods lead to the second story.
the environment by recycling trash and turning it into useable fertilizer, the final product is sold to others which provides monetary compensation for the Peruvians involved in the project. Since the Peruvian government is unable to provide much assistance to those living in poverty, the communities take it upon themselves to provide for one another. Communal kitchens are gathering places for the women who come with their pots to collect food for their families. Those who are able to cook or provide food do so for the good of the community. Others use their homes as makeshift schools for the local children during the summers. Success in school ensures long-term success and sustainability for the community. The Columbans assist where they can, provide spiritual guidance, and live, work and
struggle with the Peruvian people. One thing we noticed about the homes we visited were the tie rods sticking up from the roofs. It was explained that the tie rods are in place to create more space if and when it is needed. Although the next generation may be the one to use it, the foundation is there, waiting. We see those tie rods as a sign of hope. In the middle of all of the poverty and struggle where so many make do with so little, the tie rods popping up all over the mountains are signs of the resilience and character of a people that will never be found in website research. They are a foundation on which to build, to continue the story. CM Carmencita Enriquez is a Columban Affiliate in Los Angeles, California. Sr. Colleen Nolan, OP, is a Columban Associate ministering in the U.S., and Pete Tulipana works in the general mission office in St. Columbans, Nebraska.
Left to right: Carmencita Enriquez, Sr. Colleen Nolan, OP, and Pete Tulipana.
May 2009
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A Place at the Table Is Waiting Issuing the Invitation By Fr. Yong Hoon Choi
“Here I Am, Lord,” is one of my favorite hymns. When I left my home country for the first time as a missionary, many of my friends and companions sang “Here I Am, Lord,” during a sending Mass. The hymn reminds me of the prophet Isaiah and the difficult and turbulent living conditions of that time. One day, Isaiah heard the voice of God asking “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah replied, “Here I am. Send me!” As I look around, review the newspaper and watch the television news programs, the world today appears even more troubled and turbulent than that of Isaiah. We are still plagued by wars, poverty and disease. Society continues to develop at such a fast pace that many people feel changes occur without our capacity to keep up with them. In light of our rapidly changing world, God wants us to invite others to His mission, to go out into the world with the Holy Trinity. Many people have responded with enthusiasm to God’s call. Many more need to hear the invitation. While working on my computer, I often receive messages alerting me to a new email or invitations to chat online from a friend or colleague. My first reaction is to check the title on the email and the sender’s name to see if it is from a friend, colleague or someone I do not know. Unfortunately, I almost always delete email from people I don’t know, or I ignore it so long that a response is no www.columban.org
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longer necessary. I am sure that I have missed invitations from good friends and colleagues in my zeal to clean out my inbox. When I am away from home for a few days or weeks spreading the news about Columban mission, my regular mail really piles up. Bills, personal correspondence and junk mail mingle together. In my haste to go through the large volume of mail, I often and unwittingly throw out very important mail, or worse yet, bills. How many invitations have I ignored in my haste to clean up? How many people have missed the chance to say “Yes” to God? How many people miss the invitation from Him due to an overload of work or other important tasks? How many people have missed the invitation because they haven’t realized that God invites us all? All of us are invited to be God’s children. Response to the
invitation varies and depends on individuals, cultures and religion. Some of us, like me, become missionary priests. Others become lay missionaries working in foreign lands. A great number of people answer God’s call with their prayers and financial support of their churches, missionaries, national and international mission projects and other charitable associations serving those in need. As those who have responded to God’s invitation, we must warmly and compassionately invite others who have not yet responded. Just as Jesus invited everyone, both friend and foe, to the table, we need to invite others to share in the Good News. A one time invitation will not suffice. We need to invite again and again, until people truly see their places at the table. Fr. Yong Hoon Choi pursues vocation ministry in the U.S.
Fr. Yong Hoon Choi, Sr. Colleen Nolan and Pete Tulipana on the exposure trip in Peru. May 2009
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The Sum of the Parts Exceeds the Whole Four Reflections on a Shared Trip to the U.S. – Mexico Border by Kate Kenny, Toni lenagh, Sally rodgers and Pam Serbst
The Right of Expectation
Fr. Kevin Mullins and Elizabeth in church
I
n mid-March, four Columban employees, Kate Kenny, Toni Lenagh, Sally Rodgers and Pam Serbst, participated in an exposure trip to the U.S. – Mexico border. Although the participants have a combined forty years of work for the Society in the U.S., none of them had been to any of the Columban missions. Although the women traveled, ate and stayed together, their individual experiences were unique. In reviewing their trip, it became obvious to all that the sum of the parts exceeded the whole of the experience.
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Kate Kenny As managing editor of Columban Mission magazine, I am privileged to spend my days reading and editing the contributions of Columban priests, Sisters and lay missionaries. It is my task to make the missions real and tangible to our benefactors through the stories and photos of those working in the missions. With my reporter’s notebook and digital camera in hand, I set off for the border. The 26,000 residents of Anapra live in a very congested area, squeezed side by side in cardboard and cement block homes. Many of them have electricity although none of them have clean water. Anyone with eyes to see will realize that the residents of Anapra face chronic nutritional food shortages, high rates of birth trauma and defects, crippling under- and unemployment rates, devastating educational deficits and the near constant threat of violence from narcotics traffickers.
The only clinic in the area serving special needs children and their parents is jointly run by the Sisters of Charity and the Columban Fathers. The only after school program is funded by the Columban Fathers and run by an Anapra resident, Christina. Why are the two social programs designed to help the residents of Anapra administered by foreign missionaries? Why is the local government not assisting its people? Poverty is not a crime. There is nothing shameful in being poor and seeking assistance. Every person has the basic human right to live in safety, to have their daily nutritional needs met and the opportunity to learn and work in their birth country. People have the right to expect their government to behave in ethical and moral ways, to provide social programs including health care. They should rightfully expect to live without fear no matter their location on the earth. The residents of Anapra are welcoming and warm. They certainly invited the stranger to the table at Mass. They have the intelligence and work ethic to change their situations, but they need the support of their government in addition to the support from foreign missionaries.
The welcoming library in Anapra www.columban.org
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A Grandmother’s Viewpoint
Toni Lenagh
As a mother of four sons and a soon-to-be-grandmother, I found myself drawn to the children in Anapra. In listening to the Columban priests and the Sisters of Charity who serve at the mission, it was clear to me that the children suffer tremendously from the economic poverty in the area. One severely mentally handicapped fifteen year old named Miriam had been locked up like a dog in a shed until just a few years ago. She did not speak and lived naked in a cell, eating off the floor when her mother would throw food in to her. Her mother was a prostitute and prostituted Miriam to feed her drug habit. Eventually, the mother died and Miriam became a ward of the Sisters of Charity. Now, Miriam receives physical therapy at the clinic, lives with a loving foster family and speaks a few words. Unfortunately, there are many developmentally, physically and neurologically impaired children in Anapra.The clinic provides services to more than fifty children on a weekly basis. Some mothers take the bus from Juarez with their children in order to utilize the services of the clinic. In addition to medical and psychological services, the clinic also provides nutrition support. The volunteers who help staff the clinic take turns making lunch for those who come to utilize its services. They feed the body and the soul in a building that provides visible and tangible proof of God’s love for all.
I have read their stories in the magazine and heard them in person at our office. Throughout my tenure with the Columbans, I have always believed that the work we do in the office is truly important to the mission work. However, the trip to the border allowed me to experience Columban mission in an entirely new way and to renew my faith as well. The Columbans staff the Corpus Christi parish in Anapra, Mexico. The parish is one of the most economically disadvantaged parishes in Mexico. However, attendance at all services is high. In fact, the Sunday morning Mass was standing room only. Men, women, young adults and children of all
ages attend the various Masses. As a guest who did not speak or read the local language, I found it difficult to follow the Mass until the time came for sharing the sign of peace. A smile, a handshake, a kiss on the cheek all mean the same thing – welcome, thank you for coming, I am happy to share this experience with you. While many churches talk about inviting new members and being a welcoming place for those who are new to the community, the Church in Anapra truly welcomed the strangers in their midst. When I returned home and attended Mass at my home parish, I was acutely aware of what it must be like to enter a space knowing no
Typical Anapra homes
Spiritual Renewal
Sally Rodgers
As a Columban employee for many years, I have met numerous priests, lay missionaries and Sisters. www.columban.org
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The fence between El Paso, Texas, on the left and Anapra, Mexico, on the right May 2009
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Pam Serbst at the medical clinic in Anapra
one, to know the rituals but not the language, to wonder if a welcome would be offered. I looked around and wondered if the stranger would be welcomed as I was embraced in Anapra. Since language was no longer a barrier, it was easy for me to fall into the rhythm of Mass. However, when we came to the responsorial words “How can I sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land?” I was jolted from the pattern. The song is the same. Jesus’ love for all of us is the common refrain.
Headline News
Pam Serbst
Prior to my departure for the U.S.–Mexico border, it seemed as though the news ran a near constant stream of negative headlines about Juarez: “More Bodies Found in the Desert”; “Drug-Related Killings Increase”; “Juarez Morgues Filled Beyond Capacity.” My family was dismayed to read about the increasing violence at the border and concerned about my safety and well-being. However, the invisible force pulling me to take the journey overwhelmed the negative news.When people ask me to describe my trip to the border, I always start with “What an amazing experience!” As a result of the trip, I look at the world and the people in it differently. When you 20
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see in person abject poverty, poor educational opportunities and little or no access to medical care and potable water, it is life changing. Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, provides a temporary haven for migrants in the United States. The residents come from all over the world for a variety of reasons. Some are fleeing wars and religious persecution in their home countries. Others are looking for work to support their families. All of them are enduring long, and possibly permanent, separations from their friends and family. We were privileged to have one resident speak to our group about his reasons for leaving his wife, four young children and his friends and relatives to pursue a new life in the United States. Rather than become involved in drug trafficking in his home country he opted to leave and try his luck earning an honest living, painting houses and doing other carpentry work, in another country. The struggles he faces are myriad – language, education, immigration status – and will work against him. The volunteerrun and funded Annunciation House is a safe haven for all who enter its doors, although it is not a permanent residential solution.
Each migrant must find his or her own way, a stranger in a strange land. My friends and family were worried about my health and safety during this six day trip. What must it be like for mothers, wives, sisters, brothers and children to bid farewell to their relatives, possibly forever, who share the same concerns about health and safety? God works through those who truly surrender their will, their lives, to Him. Perhaps one day the story of their success and those who welcomed them will be the headline. Four women, four viewpoints, four lives intersecting on one trip resulting in one question for the future: What is asked of me now? The answer is unknown, although all four continue to search for answers and follow the call to be missionary. CM Kate Kenny is the managing editor of Columban Mission magazine. Toni Lenagh works in the accounting department at the Columban Fathers. Sally Rodgers is in the development office at the Columban Fathers. Pam Serbst is the health care coordinator for the Columban Fathers and is based in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Toni Lenagh, Sally Rodgers, Kate Kenny and Pam Serbst www.columban.org
4/7/09 5:04:31 PM
I Want to Be Happy Finding Faith and Living a Vocation By Tabitha Bark
M
y first encounter with Christianity was through my sisters who are Seventh-day Adventists. My parents were not committed to any religion which left my sisters and me without any faith or religion. When I was a primary school girl in the countryside, I sometimes went to a Buddhist temple with one of my mother’s friends. I enjoyed its serene atmosphere and delighted in the vegetarian food. I also attended a Presbyterian Church during the Christmas season and joined in Christmas caroling with the members whom I did not know very well. However, I sang with pride. At that time I was searching, for what I did not quite know. My spirit had no boundaries and did not differentiate between religions. Since all of them were so welcoming to me, a little stranger, I felt they were all good. When I was ten years old my mother died. I knew that she would not live with us anymore, but I wanted to know where she went and why she had to die. When I became a teenager, all those childhood memories and experiences of religion and death 21
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made me think: What is the truth? What do life and death mean? It was at that time my three sisters became Seventh-day Adventists. After graduation from university, I went to one of the Catholic churches in Seoul to find the answer to those questions. I was baptized in 1992 with the name “Tabitha” which my youngest sister chose from Acts 9:36: “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, who was always doing good and helping the poor.” Through my baptism I became a Christian in the Catholic Church and also professed, in front of God
and Church, that my neighbors had become my brothers and sisters, no matter who they were or where they were from. That is still my understanding of Christianity and love of God. In 1997 I visited the Columban Lay Missionary House and expressed my wish to be a lay missionary. A staff member asked me why I wanted to be a lay missionary and I said, “I want to be happy.” After several screenings and nine months of preparation, I was sent to Taiwan with two other lay missionaries. I learned one of the local languages, Taiwanese, www.columban.org
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Learn more about Columban missionaries in Taiwan!
and worked at the Columban-run Hope Workers’ Center helping migrant workers from different countries. I was in charge of the shelter for migrant workers from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. It was not easy work due to language and cultural barriers. There were Muslims, Buddhists, Catholics and some communists living and working together, but once we opened our hearts and trusted each other, difficulties and differences melted away. My work at the Hope Workers’ Center taught me that my neighbors are my brothers and sisters. Two years ago, I moved to the mountains to live among the Atayal peoples, one of Taiwan’s aboriginal groups. There are two Columban Fathers, one lay missionary and local catechists working together as a team. The Atayal people, whose primary occupation is farming, work very hard on their own fruit farms or on farms owned by lowland Taiwanese. The Atayal have a language and culture developed over thousands of years, but now both are in danger of fading away. Commercial and social pressures work against preservation of the language and culture. Many young people and children are not able to speak their indigenous language and struggle with their www.columban.org
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identities as both aboriginal and as Taiwanese. Unfortunately, they are not able to come to church on Sunday due to their paid work which provides food for the family. The elderly look after the house or grandchildren while young people work hard under the hot tropical sun to support the family. With other missionaries, I visit parishioners’ houses or farms to meet and help them. Listening to their stories and observing their lives, especially the women, deeply moves me. Many elderly parishioners who come to church on Sunday are not able to read or understand the national language (Mandarin Chinese), biblical terms or the Church language yet their faith may be deeper than that of any other believers. They entrust their whole lives to God. I am learning a lot from them and their way of life. The last ten years of missionary work has affirmed my faith as a Christian. Once we are baptized, we not only become Christians but we are also called as missionaries to share the Good News, Christ’s love, with neighbors who are our sisters and brothers. God creates each of us with the potential to find Him in ourselves and all creation. We are responsible to continue to extend His love and trust until the time comes to move beyond our earthly life. My journey to find happiness will depend on my realization that our Creator dwells in us and all creation. At the present time, I am striving to recognize Him here among the Atayal people and their way of life. In Him, through Him and with Him – we are all connected. CM Tabitha Bark is a Columban lay missionary working with the Atayal people of Taiwan.
Explore Missionary Work with Migrants in Taiwan
Some 330,000 migrant workers from other parts of Asia have come to Taiwan to find work. The Hope Workers’ Center run by Columbans helps these workers when their rights have been violated. “Walking from the Shadows” lets you experience the ministry of the Columbans to these exploited workers, share in the celebration of their Catholic faith and be moved by their suffering and situations.
In The Shadow of Dabajjian Mountain
Columbans serve in the mountains of Taiwan with the Atayal people, working to preserve their rich culture. “In The Shadow of Dabajian Mountain” beautifully portrays the life and gifts of the people, as they work within the church to celebrate their culture and to live their faith. A feast for the eyes and soul, this video teaches the importance of respect and preservation of all cultures. “It truly captured who we are and what we are about.” —Atayal Community Please send me the following videos: p “Walking from the Shadows” p “In the Shadow of Dabajian Mountain” Enclosed is my donation of $15 for each video ordered. Name ___________________________ Address _________________________ City ____________________________ State_________ Zip _______________ p DVD
p VHS May 2009
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The Great Adventure of Illuminating the World with the Love of Jesus Christ
D
uring my years as a missionary priest in Brazil and during my missionary journeys in other countries, I have had some tremendous experiences. One of the best occurred during my ministry in Westminster, California. On the weekends I often celebrated a youth Mass at the Korean Martyrs Center in Los Angeles where Columbans have been serving the Korean Catholic community for nearly thirty years. As children and grandchildren of immigrants who came to the United States from Korea in search of a better life, many of
From the Director By Fr. Arturo Aguilar
the youths possessed a strong sense of the Korean culture. But there were also young people at the Mass whose grandparents had migrated from Korea to South America and whose parents were actually born in countries such as Brazil and Argentina. Subsequently their parents immigrated to the United States with their young children who’d been born in South America and spoke fluent Spanish and Portuguese. Since I am a missionary who can speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese, these young people could
Our response to the call will take
many different forms depending on our family responsibilities and physical capabilities.
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identify with me and we became good friends. For me, it was a fascinating experience of cross-cultural exchange and mission! God has commissioned us to proclaim the Good News and to participate in the mission of His beloved Son. That invitation continues into the present day. Our response to the call will take many different forms depending on our family responsibilities and physical capabilities. It can range from our prayerful support to financial donations to volunteer ministries to full acceptance of the calling when we assume our missionary vocation as priests, sisters, brothers or lay missionaries. During a meeting with major seminarians in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the value of the vocation to priesthood, which he described as a calling “to give light to a world that lives in darkness.” The Pope continued: “It is a very demanding adventure; and it could not be otherwise since the priest is called to imitate Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for others....Even with all the contradictions and oppositions, the thirst for God exists and we have the beautiful vocation of helping, of giving light. This is our adventure.” As a Church who by its very nature is missionary, we give thanks for all the lay people, priests and men and women religious who have responded generously to the invitation to this great missionary adventure of illuminating the world with the love of Jesus. And we ask that you join your prayers with ours that Christ will continue, today, to inspire young hearts to follow Him in the missionary way.
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Columban Fathers PO Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056
NON PROFIT ORG POSTAGE PAID COLUMBAN FATHERS
Columban Advocacy Internship Program
As a Columban Advocacy Intern, you will:
• • • • •
Attend Congressional meetings, hearings and briefings; Write articles for our newsletter, magazine and action alerts; Participate in coalition meetings, rallies and prayer vigils; Learn about the politcal process in a faith context; Live in vibrant and multicultural Washington, D.C.
What a recent Columban Advocacy Intern said about the program: Lauren (Summer 2008): “It was without a doubt, one of the most empowering, educational and exciting experiences of my college career.”
An Invitation Calls for a Response We are but clay, formed and fashioned by the hand of God.
That is to say, we are weak and vulnerable but with God’s grace we are capable of great generosity and idealism. Is God calling you to spread the good news? To a life of ministry among those who are less fortunate and more vulnerable than you are?
We invite you to join this new generation by becoming a Columban Father or Columban Sister.
For more details about the program, please contact: Amy Echeverria 1320 Fenwick Lane, Suite 405 Silver Spring, MD 20910 301.565.4547 Email: amywe@columban.org
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If you are interested in the missionary priesthood, write or call…
If you are interested in becoming a Columban Sister, write or call…
Fr. Bill Morton National Vocation Director Columban Fathers St. Columbans, NE 68056 877/299-1920 Email: vocations@columban.org
Sr. Grace De Leon National Vocation Director Columban Sisters 2500 S. Freemont Avenue #E Alhambra, CA 91803 626/458-1869
Japan + Korea + Peru + Hong Kong + Philippines + Pakistan + Chile + Fiji + Taiwan + North America
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