The Magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban
November 2014
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Volume 97 - Number 7 - November 2014
Columban Mission
o n t e n t s
Issue Theme – Faith, Trust and the Call to 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. Mailing Address: Columban Mission PO Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056-0010 Toll-Free Phone: 877/299-1920 Website: WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG Copyright © 2014, The Columban Fathers (Legal Title)
Walking with Hope
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Changing Faces
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4 Visit to Pakistan
Fertile Ground for Mission
6 A New Way to Breathe
Opening to a New Culture
8 Lost or Excluded
All Are Welcome at the Table
10 The Darkest Hour
Faith, Trust and the Call to Mission
11 Anniversary Celebrations of the Columban Fathers 14 Reflecting on 55 Years
Looking Back
18 Finding My Way in a Strange Place
Learning from a Difficult Experience
20 More than Just a Job
Working for the People
Departments 3 In So Many Words 23 From the Director CM NOV14 2 final.indd 2
PUBLISHER REV. TIMOTHY MULROY, SSC DIRECTORUSA@COLUMBAN.ORG EDITOR KATE KENNY KKENNY@COLUMBAN.ORG EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS CONNIE WACHA CWACHA@COLUMBAN.ORG MARCI ANDERSON MANDERSON@COLUMBAN.ORG GRAPHIC DESIGNER KRISTIN ASHLEY EDITORIAL BOARD DAN EMINGER CHRIS HOCHSTETLER KATE KENNY REV. TIMOTHY MULROY, SSC JEFF NORTON GREG SIMON FR. RICHARD STEINHILBER, SSC CONNIE WACHA SCOTT WRIGHT
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.
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Feeling the Light
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t was still dark when Mary Magdalen went to the tomb after the terrible days of the Lord’s passion and crucifixion. This was more than the darkness of the early morning. She saw that the stone had been moved and straightaway ran back to Peter and the other disciples. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb” she said, “and we do not know where they have laid him.” (John 20:2) Mary presumed that the body had been stolen. Not for a moment was there a suggestion that Jesus had risen from the dead. Her shocking message galvanized Peter and “the other disciple whom Jesus loved” and sent them racing to the empty tomb. It was as she had told them – empty. But, in that early morning darkness, that unnamed, beloved disciple “saw and believed.” Even though, as John goes on immediately to tell us, “They didn’t yet understand the Scriptures that he had to rise from the dead,” he believed that Jesus, who had been tortured, died in anguish on the cross and been buried in the very tomb in which he was now standing with Peter, was alive. He needed no evidence for his heart to say “Yes” to this greatest of all mysteries, to say “I believe the Lord is risen from the dead.” The beloved disciple’s In So Many Words faith was born out of the love he had for the Master, Sister Redempta Twomey whose life he had shared intimately for three years. We meet such followers today, men, women and children, who, though they have never seen the Lord, never walked the road with Him or seen Him smile at them, believe in Him. Belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is central to our life. It is this radical belief that enables people to live with hope and radiate something of that Light that overcomes darkness. Maybe your heart feels empty, like that tomb. Maybe you see nothing, hear nothing and scarcely believe in the story that even the disciples considered “nonsense.” (Luke 24:11) Instead of berating yourself on your lack of faith, or turning away from Jesus, stand in silence with that beloved disciple and draw on his faith and on the faith of those unnamed multitudes down the centuries who, from the depths of their heart sang out the great song of Easter – “The Lord is risen!” And, in time, you too, like the unbelieving Magdalen, will hear your name being called (John 20:16). Columban Sister Redempta Twomey lives and works in Ireland.
Belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is central to our life.
WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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November 2014
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Visit to Pakistan Fertile Ground for Mission By Beth Sabado
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or more than two decades a number of Columban Lay Missionaries (CLMs) have been assigned to the Pakistan Mission Unit (PMU) and have worked in partnership with ordained members. The 2012 Columban General Assembly recommended that priority be given to the assignment of personnel to the Pakistan Mission Unit. Given the CLM’s commitment to align its priorities with that of the Society, a visitation was conducted in February 2014 by myself, Beth Sabado, the CLM Central Coordinator, to explore the future
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of CLM in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. I began in Sindh Province where three of the five members of the PMU are currently based. Over the years many CLMs worked in this area and most people I met still remembered the names and their experiences with the CLMs. I arrived in Karachi and stayed overnight in the house of the most hospitable Daughters of the Cross convent. The following day I had a walk with Columban Fr. Tomás King around the area of the market. I survived crossing the roads with cars moving in every direction! We
then headed to Hyderabad in time for lunch with the Columban Sisters where I received my first proper rose garland. We arrived in Badin before dark. I was brought to my accommodation, the Daughters of the Cross. I was welcomed warmly by Sisters Parveen, Sha, Petra and Mariam. I stayed in Badin until noon the next day and then traveled with Fr. Tomás to catch a flight for Lahore in the evening. With not quite five days in Badin, I had the chance to experience bits and pieces of the life of the people. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Visiting the well
At the river
Cleaning dishes
I admire how the Columbans can manage to locate and reach the places without map and road signs. I had the opportunity to witness wedding ceremonies of the Parkari Kohli tribe not once but twice; the second was a wedding of three sisters to three brothers! I also had the chance to visit some of the villages, meeting Columban friends and connections, visiting families in their homes, meeting the co-workers, students and teachers and clients at the tuberculosis clinic, ate their food and drank their generously sweet tea!
and long hair holding firearms; the eyes of others gazing at women in a manner very different from my culture; people looking tired, hungry, thirsty and many, both young and old, begging; women with covered heads and colorful clothing, carrying water jars; highly spiced food; sweet coffee and tea; frail and young women with babies tied on their backs; exhausted-looking donkeys and oxen fully loaded with head yoke carrying heavy burdens and moving with the cars on the road; overloaded but highly decorated trucks; traffic jams; garbage, flies, cockroaches, stagnant water and rodents everywhere; deserts and rivers; sunflowers and sugarcane; the chant for prayer before dawn, at noon, afternoon and before sunset; the curiosity, friendliness and welcome towards foreigners; everyone wanting to have photos taken with strangers: all these were for me indicators of the uniqueness of the life and culture in Pakistan. Some scenarios were intimidating but in general, it was all new and exciting. I can describe Pakistan as an exquisitely unique but a tough place to live. Seeing the place with my own eyes has affirmed for me the General Assembly’s recommendation to prioritize assignment of personnel to Pakistan. It is indeed a fertile ground for mission. There are plenty of
spaces that need to be patched up; empty cups waiting to be filled, hearts waiting for nourishment. There is too much to be done and the need is palpable. I will never forget my visit especially the moment when Fr. Tomás tried to beat the red light while traffic enforcers were trying to stop us. We survived uncaught but at the next traffic light met men holding firearms who got off their pick-up truck and looked at us intimidatingly. I still remember Fr. Tomás’ words, “Just pretend you haven’t seen them!” I would like to honor all our missionaries in Pakistan for their dedication and commitment. It was an inspiring journey for me to see, experience, know of the difficult work that you do and the challenging life that you live. Thank you for allowing me to step into your holy ground. CM
My Strongest Impressions Because the Western media normally focuses on the extremists and the atrocities of the country, the people of Pakistan suffer in isolation and discrimination. Pakistan is seen from the outside as a state in turmoil, destruction, and danger but the experience for me was very different. I traveled to Pakistan equipped with something that most missionaries bring to mission, the ability to treat risk as an opportunity. I arrived in Karachi well prepared – with a scarf to cover my head (!) and was overjoyed when I saw Fr. Tomás dressed in his shalwar kameez who looked like “one of the locals” waiting for me. Men seemed publicly involved in every action; some with full beard WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Beth Sabado is a Columban lay missionary.
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A New Way to Breathe Opening to a New Culture By Fr. Tony Coney
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felt totally useless with a growing sense of being lost. Depression wasn’t far away, and I didn’t know what to do to alleviate it when it did settle in on me. I was sent to Salvador in northeastern Brazil as a seminarian for overseas training for two years in 1991. I hadn’t managed to get through the first year when this gradual sense of being useless came to visit me with rare sunny breaks amidst the gloom. Perhaps the reason was that I had no role as a seminarian. I struggled with the language as my energy seemed to be invested in survival and nothing else. It wasn’t really the physical conditions that made life tough, rather the situation in which I was living. Or, was it more than that? Was it solely internal to me? These were some of the questions I was juggling with in my search for answers and didn’t know which way to turn when eventually the answers were given me in two different moments. The first answer came when I was walking through the very poor area in which I lived. I couldn’t in all honesty say, “the area in which I worked.” However, I crossed paths with a young girl around eight years old, and we started talking. We took a seat on the concrete steps leading up the verdant hillside not taking much notice any longer of the rats scurrying around the open sewers which meandered down the hill into the stagnant stream passing by below. As we talked, Rosa began to correct my pronunciation, at times breaking into lovely laughter when my stumbling words must have sounded ridiculous to her. It was a delight 6
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to see her enjoyment which I was reluctant to bring to an end, but when we did eventually part I felt a spring in my step that hadn’t been there before. Maybe I wasn’t so useless after all, since this young girl very obviously enjoyed the time we had together. This definitely was food for thought. A short time after that I was out in a boat with a large group of youth going on a trip to a nearby island, organized by Columban Fr. Colin McLean who worked close by, and who had invited me and two other seminarians from Fiji, Ioane and Ishmael. While looking into the water an unremembered dream I had the night before came back to me. “I was in the sea, below the surface and drowning. The more I struggled to get to the top in order to breathe the deeper I sank and the more frantic became my thrashing about. But still I couldn’t make it to the surface. Eventually when I could hold my breath no longer, I gave in only to discover that I could breathe underwater. It was the most exhilarating feeling, a feeling of total freedom; I could breathe in a different way which brought with it a tremendous sense of peace and joy.” As I sat on the boat savoring these long lost feelings I asked myself what the dream might mean to me. It
became quite evident that the sea was an expression of a different reality in which I was living, and in which I was drowning. I had to let go and learn a new way of living and breathing in order to once again feel at peace in my own skin. I realized that my problems were within, and I had to allow myself to be open to a new culture and way of life, to overcome my fear in not knowing who I might become if I were to let go, so that I could be converted by my experience and so become the person that God was calling me to be. This was the breakthrough that I needed. It still wasn’t that easy but at least I had the direction and knew what to do. Perhaps it was only then that my overseas training in the missionary life kicked in, and I was able to move forward with a brighter disposition on what was going on around me. This was truly a gift which all started with the peeling laughter of an eight-year-old girl. CM Columban Fr. Tony Coney is the director of the Peru region. He lives and works in Lima.
WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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In Gratitude for All You Do
A Thanksgiving Blessing to Our Columban Benefactors
Always we give thanks to God for you… For the work of your hands, For the prayers of your heart, For the strength of your spirit, For the faithfulness of your deeds, For the gift of your years, For the dedication of your service, For the commitment you have made to the mission of Jesus.
“Well done, my good and faithful servant.” ~ Matthew 25:21
Let us be of Christ and not of Ourselves. ~ St. Columban
Columban Fathers
Missionary Society of St. Columban P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056 Toll-Free: 1-877-299-1920 Email: mission@columban.org Visit us on the web or make a donation online at: www.columban.org CM NOV14 7 final.indd 7
9/26/14 10:08 PM
Launch of Vigilance Group
The World AIDS Day Team
Program participants
Lost or Excluded? All Are Welcome at the Table Fr. Cathal Gallagher
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ow many times people have commented to me about my work with those affected by HIV and AIDS, usually with words of praise about the work we do in our center, “Sí, da Vida,” and often I sense an undertone of sympathy accompanied by a certain mistrust in reference to those who use our services and assist at the activities we provide. I find myself with mixed feelings in the face of these comments as the comments come from good people, but I also feel a frustration, at times even a growing anger inside, as somehow I sense a labeling, a stigmatizing of our service users. The Gospel readings of, “The lost sheep” and “The lost son” have helped me greatly to understand my own feelings, especially that lingering indignation about the criticism of those with whom I work. I ask you to have patience with me as I attempt to explain. 8
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The context of Jesus’ parables is important: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninetynine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
We who are engaged in the promotion of the rights to universal access to medical care in the context of the epidemic of HIV and AIDS know this murmuring all too well. The community spaces, like the Sí, da Vida Center, where we offer unconditional inclusiveness also produce gossip and scandal. The common tables at which we want to sit on condition of equity and equality cause and will cause all kinds of suspicion among those who still oppose the proclamation of the good news to the oppressed, stigmatized and excluded of our time and place. Sharing time and space with drug users, sex workers, men who have sex with men, people with a transgender identity and with all people and groups vulnerable to the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV diagnosis, still causes the same gossip among some people considered to be WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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New group of Master Trainers
Mothers helping mothers
The Sí, da Vida team with Columban Fr. Cathal Gallagher pictured in the red shirt
right-thinking and theologically sound in our communities. When this gossip happens it is confirmation that we are on the right track because we cannot pretend that the disciple will be better treated than He who we acknowledge as our Master and Model. The focus of this parable is not the tax collectors and sinners but rather the Pharisees and Scribes, the theological and pastoral pillars of the faith community, it is these who murmur, these who see themselves as above all suspicion and every stain and so feel able to mutter regarding the inclusion of sinners in the meals of Jesus of Nazareth. Having been raised in the country I know a little about sheep. In general, sheep tend to stay together based on a strong herd instinct. They rarely stray from the herd, and if they do it is because something happened that temporarily changed their natural behavior. We cannot make the reason that this sheep was lost as having something to do with its nature but rather to something that happened in its environment. The role of the shepherd is to care for the sheep, the entire herd, and to avoid any loss. In the parable something happened that prevented the complete fulfillment of that role, and the focus changes to the behavior of the shepherd. We need to consider the fact that the shepherd goes out to search for the lost sheep because it is part of his obligation. This shepherd has done or neglected to do something
that caused the loss of the sheep. What is in question is not the fault or responsibility of the sheep, or by inference of the publicans and sinners, but the neglect or omission of the pastor. This search for the lost sheep is reparation of that oversight that allowed the sheep to be lost. Now keep in mind the gesture of this pastor on finding the lost sheep; he does not yell or scold it, just with much love he puts it on his shoulders to take it back to the fold to which it belongs. Any such action is consistent with the parable of the Prodigal Son which follows on from this parable. The search is reparation, the meeting is unconditional, and the joy is transforming for the entire community. Before putting the lost sheep lovingly on his shoulders the pastor does not impose any condition but just shows his unconditional and transforming love. That’s it. So also does the Merciful Father of the Prodigal Son, to the scandal of the faithful son who refuses to share the joy for the return of him who was lost. So what is our attitude and thinking about people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS? People may be lost, pushed aside or excluded through our lack of pastoral care. If we remember that those who opposed the inclusivity of Jesus of Nazareth were the religious leaders of the communities and that this parable is directed at them and that the joy and bliss in heaven is not for
the lost and found but rather for the conversion of these intellectuals and academics who, when they change their wrong understanding of the Scriptures, will also change their behavior to go out to seek and meet those people and groups estranged from the community; to understand that the love of God makes us all equal. The lost and found for who the heavens rejoice are not the publicans and sinners but rather those who are scandalized by the inclusive message of Jesus of Nazareth and their conversion. I believe this is what Pope Francis is encouraging us to do when he speaks of “Pastors with the smell of the sheep” rather than administrators. NGOs (nongovernment organizations) can promote the Christian message based on the dignity of the human person and not just on a strict sense of rights. All rights flow from our dignity as persons, sons and daughters of the same loving God and brothers and sisters on the road of the kingdom. The Sí, da Vida Center as a place of inclusion, of unconditional acceptance tries to seek out and welcome those who are stigmatized to the table of the Kingdom as equals, as family, as brothers and sisters. We thank you for supporting us and making our work possible. CM
WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Columban Fr. Cathal Gallagher lives and works in Peru. He is the director of the Sí, da Vida center.
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The Darkest Hour Faith, Trust and the Call to Mission By Fr. Barry Cairns
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t was 47 years ago. I was 36, in full flight as a very active missionary, or so I thought! This dark period of my life is still vivid in detail, but it took me five years to face it. Here is my story. I was pastor of Sakitsu on the island of Amakusa in southern Japan. My parishioners were men who went every dawn in their small boats and their wives who not only cared for the family but also met the boats on return to sort the fish for sale. They were desperately poor. Their ancestors had been Christians for 400 years, having gone through a long, cruel persecution. I loved these people and got on well with them. I hoped to be with them for a long time. After three years I began to feel listless, so I went to the doctor in the next village. After many tests he told me to close my eyes. Unseen he pricked my legs with a needle. I felt nothing! He then showed me my legs with a needle still sticking into one; my legs were very swollen. “Kakke da,” that is “You have beri-beri” adding that the motor nerve was affected. A week later while I was at a hospital on the mainland to collect medicine, I collapsed at the entrance. I was a patient in that hospital for nine months. I prayed hard for a cure the first month, but my enthusiasm for prayer was waning, culminating in this scene which is still vivid in my memory. The hospital chaplain came to my bedside, dressed in black soutane and lace surplice, telling me “Your sickness is the will of God.” In my desolation I erupted “Get 10
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out of this room, I don’t want your religion or your God.” I had another eight months of dark, deep emptiness in that hospital. Only the daily visits of my Columban brothers and the kindness of Daughters of Charity nursing staff kept me going. The latter gave me a small Japanese standing doll when I left them to return to New Zealand; I still cherish it. So I sadly returned home, very mixed up indeed. If I couldn’t believe in God, how could I possibly continue as a priest – let alone a missionary? Note that at this age of 36-37, I still regarded being a missionary-priest as activity! Taking advice that before I made a decision to give up, at least give active priesthood a chance, I accepted an offer to be half a patient, half a chaplain at a Daughters of Charity hospital for Senior Citizens in Newcastle, Australia. A couple of months later a flu epidemic hit the hospital. I was anointing 5-7 people a day. I couldn’t face being a rigid functionary just painting oil on foreheads, so I borrowed some books on the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of the Sick. I was struck by how wonderful it was that Jesus shows such gentle kindness and care today. Through this and by deeply experiencing the faith of others, faith was given back to me. Priesthood and mission took on a deeper meaning. Looking back, this is what my darkest hour taught me. Faith, trust and the call to mission is pure gift; I can’t earn it. Missionary activity flows from this
gift. My sickness and the darkness it brought matured me as a human, as a Christian, as a priest and as a missionary. In short, I grew up. There is a Japanese proverb that says “Suffering makes a jewel of you.” How true! For me the support of the believing community and especially my fellow Columbans was so important. After these many years I can say thank you to God for the experience. After three years at that hospital, I joined the staff of the Australian Columban seminary where I spent 13 years. Then, 31 years ago I returned to mission in Japan, where at 82 I still plod along! I feel that my darkest hour has given me a certain empathy with others going through a similar experience. I do not use many words, rather I just hold a hand. If it is opportune I might tell the Gospel story of Peter’s weak faith and his dark hour. Jesus accepted Peter totally as he was. Jesus does the same for us today. The Scriptures have an eternal present tense. Out of the mist, in the storm of the heart, Jesus calls, “Courage! Be not afraid! I am with you.” A song of those years still rings in my heart, “Put your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee.” Today in Japan, my hand is still in His. CM Columban Fr. Barry Cairns lives and works in Japan.
WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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The Missionary Society of St. Columban congratulates our 2014 Jubilarians
75 Years
60 Years
50 Years
Fr. Daniel Fitzgerald
Fr. Dan Baragry
Fr. Noel Daly
Fr. Frederick Hanson
Fr. Sean Brazil
Fr. Don Hornsey
Fr. Patrick Clarke
Fr. Michael McCarthy
Fr. Jeremiah Cotter
Fr. Vincent McCarthy
Fr. Peter Cronin
Fr. Tony McCarthy
Fr. Paul Kenny
Fr. Sean O’Connor
Fr. Sean McGrath Fr. Colm Murphy Fr. Martin Murphy Fr. Michael Sully Fr. Michael Sinnott Fr. Desmond Quinn
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Walking with Hope Lessons Learned from Accompanying a Woman with HIV/AIDS I first met Hope in the hospital where she had been admitted with pneumonia and was first diagnosed with HIV. While waiting for her sister to arrive I went in to see Hope. It was two weeks since her sister had visited, and Hope had refused to eat during that time. When I entered her room she sat up in bed for the first time in a long time and smiled. She was a woman with severe mental retardation. 12
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But she was very good-looking and had no external signs of retardation. Right now she was very angry with her sister for not coming to see her, and so when her sister did arrive she would not even look at her. She had lived with her sister and family on and off, but in recent years they got a room for her in another house. As it happened it was near an army base, and Hope was used for prostitution.
I accepted her at the shelter against the advice of some wise people who said she would make community life very difficult and require full time care. However in my ignorance I accepted her, but only because her sister said she would leave her on the street if I did not take her. If she took Hope back home her husband said he would divorce her, even though he did not know about the HIV. We had tried every other possible avenue but no one would accept her. She was 54 years old with full blown AIDS. Her sister stayed with us at the shelter for a few days, but she had to get back to her family. At this stage we had only one staff member and myself working at the shelter. She was a nurse who worked 9~4, five days a week. I had to cover the rest of the time. At first Hope cooperated, but as time went on she became more and more difficult. Stubborn is the word. Only people who have experienced this will understand. There were eating problems when, sometimes she would stuff her mouth with food but refuse to swallow it. If she coughed, the rice or whatever was in her mouth was catapulted to the plates of other people who sat at table with her. Eventually we had to make sure no one was sitting opposite Hope. At other times she refused to eat. Bedwetting was the norm. When a child wets the bed it is usually not an enormous amount. Hope seemed to pass so much during the night that no amount of adult diapers would suffice, and so we had to get her up during the night, encourage her to pass water and change her diapers. It was when she began to refuse to move that life for me became unbearable. If she sat down she would not get up. If she went into WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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the bathroom, it could take up to an hour to get her out. Then she began refusing to walk. At times I had to life one leg after the other to get her to walk. If she sat down on the floor she could not be moved. Once I had to call for help from another shelter to get her up from her sitting position on the floor. Eventually I learned how to get her up on my own. I had told the Sisters at the Holy Family Charity Hospital about the problem. I really thought either Hope would be admitted somewhere, or I would be admitted to a mental hospital. Then when I really thought I could take no more, the Sisters called to say that if I wanted they had a bed and would admit Hope for a while. This was indeed an answer to my pleading with God. At the hospital she began to receive treatment for manic depression. When she was discharged, she was much better, but she was still a child in adult clothing. She lived with us for over six years. We added more staff, and they were very good to Hope. We learned that she had to be given “royal treatment” at all times. If anyone had a birthday Hope had to be included and receive a gift. We decided to have her Baptized. In this way she did not feel left out when we had Mass in the Shelter, she too could receive Communion. Also we brought her to Mass on Sunday. Since we could not leave her at home without leaving someone to care for her, she received Communion in the parish church too. Each time I used to whisper to her that God the Father had come to her and was in her heart. Because when she saw the crucifix she never spoke of Jesus but addressed her prayer to God the Father. In the six years Hope was with us I learned a lot about mental retardation WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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and how difficult it can be for families. We could not leave Hope alone even for one minute. If there was no one to look after her while we had our staff meetings, she had to be brought in. Taking her for walks, keeping her occupied was a full time job. Because we gave her the AIDS medication as ordered by the doctor, her AIDS improved, her immune system returned to almost normal, and she had very few problems in that area. In 2009 I could see that Hope was failing. Again at this time I had staff problems. She was admitted to the Charity Hospital again, but as she needed no special treatment they discharged her. I was afraid to leave her alone at night, and so I asked her elder sister to come and stay at the shelter. I would pay her a full salary, but I just wanted her to sleep in the room with Hope as she had begun to wander at night. I gave her sister another room next to Hope so that she could rest during the day. In spite of all this Hope fell and broke her hip. Her sister did not tell us she had fallen, but Hope refused to get out of bed. Because Hope was severely retarded she could not tell us when or where she was sick. Eventually she said her knee hurt. I brought her to the hospital, and they X-rayed the knee and said there was nothing wrong. So we came home again. The next morning I noticed that her hip was swollen, so back to the hospital and another X-ray showed a fractured hip. This was at the Charity hospital which was close to the shelter. But the doctor said she could not be treated there, I had to take her to another hospital. I took her there, but they said she would have to have an operation and her physical state
was not good and being retarded she would not follow the post-operative procedures and so they said to take her home. I went back to the Charity hospital and begged the doctor with tears in running down my face to take her in. I was suffering from frustration, fatigue and worry about how we could cope. He again refused. I took her back to the bigger hospital, and this time they decided to admit her and put her on traction. This is what they should have done when they could not operate. But Hope did not recover. She died in the hospital about a week later. Her sister was present. I arrived just minutes after she died. Hope had a great funeral. Because she was with us for so long many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) knew her, and they came for the funeral. Also many volunteers and staff from other HIV centers came. Preparing the body for encoffening is a very special ceremony in Korea. When a person dies who was HIV, the regular undertakers often do not want to be involved. I and others working with PLWHA have learned to do this work also and so for Hope I was very happy to be able to render her this last service. At that time I was 68 years old. I am now 73 and could tell other very difficult stories. But I too have hope to continue to share my live with PLWHA as long as my health permits. Even though I have lived with PLWHA for some 17 years now I do not think AIDS will ever be a problem for me, but some other disease will surely take me, too. CM This article was written by a Columban Sister who wishes to remain anonymous to protect those in her care. The author’s ministry cares for people living with HIV/AIDS.
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Reflecting on 55 Years Looking Back By Fr. Maurice Foley
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ooking back over a period of 55 years on the missions could betray the whole experience for which you dedicated your life if the central message of all your striving is lost. As the years rolled by, busy in the mechanics of pastoral care, there was another dynamic happening leading on to a spiritual conclusion which was never foreseen, but was more powerful and penetrating than St. Paul’s two-edged sword. Somewhat like the quasi-miraculous composition of an ordinary flower with its beauty, intricate formation, active insertion in its environment, highly sensitive reproductive system and its active contribution to the insects, bees and birds hovering around hungry for its pollen. At first sight the common flower doesn’t impress until seen under the microscope and then all is revealed and all is fascinating clothed in wonder, if not indeed in mystery. In somewhat similar way the passing years for the missionary brings the whole life of faith into another personal theology which accuses no one nor challenges accepted revelation, but the story of God imposes its dominance in terms to which the missionary can give his total affirmation. Make no doubt about it, when the missionary dedicates his time and energy to the pastoral life of the Church it isn’t an overblown ego he is responding to. He knows that the Church, no matter how humble and imperfect it may appear, is indeed the body of Christ and Christ’s body was crucified. The missionary has no illusions. Some are very successful, some are not but that is not the point. 14
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The point is that Christ’s presence on earth is being represented. Who goes to Sunday Mass is important, likewise who is sick, dying or in trouble is also reason for deep concern and pastoral care is built around these important factors. The dynamic is somewhat like feeding an engine with the proper fuel. This dynamic is not just captivating, it produces the evidence that God goes with the pastoral programs. The response from the faithful sanctifies, challenges or rejects. There is only one solid guarantee: the presence of God. This presence is not apparent immediately and if it is it is a wonderful blessing, but this is not always observable. If it is observable on reflection, it is a precious stimulus to pastoral work. As in the case of China recently the observable presence is not of the risen Lord, but the crucified Lord, and the blessing remains to comfort, to heal and to move forward with confidence. Ice-skating may not be an auspicious start in ministry. It certainly did not appear to me 55 years ago, but recently the revelation is taking place. In 1959 in the depth of a January winter a 25-year-old lad had to join the exercise on the skating rink. Whether he knew how to skate or not was irrelevant, with a newly purchased pair of speed skates there seemed no reason why the exhilaration of flying around the vast open-air rink couldn’t be his. So with the skates well laced he stood up to join the fun, but he fell and fell again and again. This was too much for his pagan companions of the ice. They recognized a beginner and without hesitation they became masters of the
situation. There was an art. We had to start from the beginning. ONE, TWO – ONE, TWO. “Watch me and follow me” – as my instructors skated backwards facing me. It took a while, but the message sank in to the joy and cheering of my 20-odd teachers. At last I was initiated in the art of skating. For years, that was all it meant to me, but years and years later under the microscope of mature reflection came the true message of evangelization. God was evangelizing me through my pagan companions; through the instrumentality of my ignorance of skating. I didn’t bring the knowledge of God to Korea; God was always there. He knew the depth of compassion and good humor of His pagan prodigies of the ice, and He used them for my evangelization. Right now it strikes me as a revelation. It makes my faith. God has spoken. Maybe all this could have passed me by, but this revelation makes life so much more complete. The sentiments of betrayal invaded my life after I left Korea to take up a missionary challenge in Peru. There was a question of loyalty. You stay with your people through thick and through thin like our predecessors in China. However, the evidence in the year 1977 was convincing, and I sought an official change which came through in 1978 and the pastoral challenge of Peru absorbed my life to the exclusion of other considerations. However, when the mention of Korea came up I used to reflect with a certain amount of guilt. The arrival of Korean missionaries later on in Peru was persuasive and backed up my original decision. I went back to Korea much WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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At first sight the common flower doesn’t impress until seen under the microscope and then all is revealed and all is fascinating clothed in wonder, if not indeed in mystery. later for another final farewell look and now the evidence was complete. Korea didn’t need me. Mature analysis had proved me true all along. The missionary has to read “the signs of the times,” and in 1978 Peru was Catholic, but there weren’t enough priests to serve the faithful. What can’t be evaluated is the capacity of a missionary to overcome natural hazards of a country. Oxygen is available in a normal supply up to six or seven thousand feet above sea level. While the native Peruvians found no difficulty at that altitude, I was excluded. Back in Lima there was an immense challenge waiting, and there was no lack of oxygen. A new language and a new culture made progress very slow for the foreign missionary. With a minimum of competence to attend to the more urgent pastoral needs of the people, a lot of time and effort went into accomplishing care that could have more easily been done by a native priest or a priest more practiced in the language and culture as most of my colleagues were. If the spiritual WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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message is not clear the content of your pastoral endeavors down the years makes very little sense, and there is no comfort forthcoming. The microscopic filter of the years has yielded an immense fruit of a strong and humble people who witnessed the power and love of God from the underside of history. Their theology was well documented but most of them never read it; they just lived it. Moreso than Thomas Aquinas, their witness was inspired by a devastating earthquake in 1746 and the fresco of Christ crucified that survived it while the rest of Lima lay in ruins. Today the devotion of Our Lord of the Miracles defies government, commerce and transport convenience leaving one stark message: OUR GOD REIGNS. The image of Christ crucified is carried through the streets of Lima for three days in the month of October. From this defiance comes the Theology of Liberation. From their smoking censors and burning candles with their unorganized and
peremptory hymns they send an unerring message as a consecrated people. Yes indeed! Our God reigns. With this manifestation you know where you stand as a missionary in Peru. And the years leave the message that you are the evangelized. The body of Christ represented by the Church offers an amazing service to the people of God, and the people of God reply in their simple theology of Christ crucified for the whole of October in Lima. To have ministered at the feet of the Lord for 36 years to a people who love the Lord makes everything in Christian life new. God has no more convincing manifestation, no more convincing theology. CM Columban Fr. Maurice Foley lives in Navan, Ireland.
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Changing Faces A Shared Story By Susan Gunn
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n 1912, near Kiev, in the Ukraine, the parents of a 16-year-old girl name Anastasia decided to send her away. Life in their poor village was grim. Anastasia spent hours each day carrying water and fire wood. Food was scarce, schooling and job prospects were limited, and crime was rampant. Anastasia’s older half-sister Sophie was already living in Rhode Island. Their father had children from three marriages. His first two wives died in childbirth. Anastasia’s mother was still living at this time. Anastasia’s parents decided that immigrating to the United States was the safest, most promising thing Anastasia could do for herself and her family.
“...my Irish immigrant greatgrandparents also experienced desperate times and showed great courage on their journey to America.” 16
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It was a long journey. On the ship was a boy from Anastasia’s village named Michael, though they both were too preoccupied with their worries to notice one another. Upon entry into the United States, Anastasia found work as a domestic in Philadelphia. She began to send remittances home to her family. As soon as possible, she moved to Rhode Island to be with Sophie and work in a factory there. Anastasia and Michael crossed paths again. Possibly drawn together by homesickness, they decided to marry. At the age of 19, Anastasia gave birth to Stephanie. I know this story because Stephanie is my grandmother. She recently celebrated her 93rd birthday, while attending her grandson’s wedding on Cape Cod. She is cherished by her 92-year-old husband, their three children, five grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. I believe this is a typical American story, shared by many. This year, thousands of women and children are streaming across the U.S.-Mexico Border in order to escape grinding poverty and terrifying violence. I dare say more terrifying than what Anastasia experienced. The U.N. Refugee Agency issued a compilation of stories from 404 of these children fleeing Central America and Mexico for asylum in the U.S. Here are some of those stories: Josefina, a 16-year-old from El Salvador, shared that the head of the gang that controlled her neighborhood wanted Josefina to be his girlfriend. He threatened to kidnap her or to kill one of her family members if she
didn’t comply. Josefina knew another girl from her community who became the girlfriend of a gang member and was forced to have sex with all the gang members. Josefina didn’t want this for herself. Once the gang started harassing her, she didn’t feel safe. She stopped going to school and stayed at home until her family was able to make arrangements for her to travel to the U.S. David, a 16-year-old from Guatemala, shared that gangs in a nearby neighborhood wanted to kill him and some other people. “They wanted me to give them money, but what money was I supposed to give them? I didn’t have any. They asked me if I knew who they were, if I could
“Despite the horrific conditions that some of the children underwent ...the majority stated they would still make the trip, even with the knowledge of how difficult the journey was.” identify them. I said no, because I knew if I said yes they would kill me. They held my cousin and me for three hours, tied up. My cousin was able to untie the rope and he helped me untie mine. We heard gun shots and we ran. They kept looking for us, but we escaped.” Kevin, a 17-year-old from Honduras, shared this: “My grandmother is the one who told me to leave. She said, “If you don’t join, the gang will shoot you. If you do, the rival gang or the cops will shoot you. But if you leave, no one will shoot you.” Josefina, David, and Kevin share their stories because they understand that this is not the way childhood should be. Children want to go to school, to play with friends, to be with family. But rather than learning to read and write, they are learning how WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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“Migration has always been the story of our faith. We are a “pilgrim people,” and migration has become “a sign of the times,” something that marks our time in a special way, and invites us into a deeper relationship with God.” to journey across dangerous lands and to protect themselves from dangerous people. Their stories sketch the map of the future because, of course, they are the future. They will be adults one day and will be making decisions for their communities. The fact that their lives were destroyed, and their bodies and minds scarred is a great concern. We should listen to the children. Some of the most compelling stories and greatest acts of courage come from them. They have taken on the responsibilities of adults and they are trying to survive. They deserve to be heard. In Luke 18:16, Jesus called the children to Himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” On July 14, 2014, the bishops of the U.S., Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras issued a joint declaration, “We bishops, your servants, reiterate the urgency of respecting the human dignity of the undocumented migrants, strengthening governmental institutions so that they may be authentically democratic, participatory, and at the service of the people, combating firmly the reprehensible activity of criminal groups and of organized crime whose inhuman action we strongly condemn, guaranteeing the security of citizens, and investing in Central America.” Migration has always been the story of our faith. We are a “pilgrim people,” and migration has become “a sign of the times,” something that marks our time in a special way, and invites WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Participants at demonstration supporting comprehensive immigration reform, in Washington, D.C., July 2014.
us into a deeper relationship with God. “When did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you?” (Matt 25:37-38) When I look at my UkrainianAmerican grandmother, and her children and grandchildren, I search for markings of Anastasia. When I look in the mirror, my gaze falls over my face, wondering if I look like her, if I would have had her courage at age 16. The truth is I look more like my Irish immigrant great-grandparents, who also experienced desperate times and showed great courage on their journey to America. The faces may change, but the story is the same. Children are fleeing poverty and violence. They seek what they know to be true in their hearts, that we all are beloved children of
God, hungry for love, peace and justice. The Women’s Refugee Commission Report states: “Despite the horrific conditions that some of the children underwent in making the journey to the United States, the majority stated they would still make the trip, even with the knowledge of how difficult the journey was. As one child explained, ‘If you stay you will die, if you leave, you might…either way it’s better to try.’” CM Susan Gunn is the Communications and Outreach Associate for the Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach in Washington, D.C.
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Finding My Way in a Strange Place Learning from a Difficult Experience By Fr. Frank Hoare
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t is an unnerving experience to arrive by train in a new city in India. Coolies hustle and bustle to and fro with cases, boxes and bags on their heads. Sellers of tea, fruit and sweets shout their wares as travelers pass. A teeming mass of people ebbs and flows all around. The ever alert taxi drivers zoom in. You are bombarded with questions and offers, “Where do you want to go?” “My taxi is just here,” “Let me take your bag.” I developed a system during my study year in India of patiently but firmly demanding my own space from them. I would then approach two or three drivers separately and ask their fare to my destination. When I found a couple agreeing on a price I would select one and jump in. Once established in the city I avoided hassle over fares by traveling by bus.
The Lesson One evening, while in Bangalore, I needed to get quickly to a meeting across the city. I had no idea what bus to take. Just then I spotted an auto rickshaw approaching and, knowing that they had meters, I hailed it. An auto rickshaw has a sheet-metal body resting on three wheels, a canvas roof with drop-down sides, a small cabin in the front of the vehicle for the driver, and seating space for up to three passengers in the rear. I got in behind the driver and announced my destination. I noticed that he hadn’t turned on the meter so I politely requested him to do so. He waved his hand as if this was of no concern. I again asked him more insistently to switch on 18
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the meter. He half-turned and with another wave of his hand said, “It’s O.K. Don’t worry about the meter!” I was really annoyed now that he refused twice to switch on the rickshaw meter. I figured that he was trying to make a killing. “Well, he will have one angry Irishman to deal with,” I thought. “I’ll give him half of what he asks for.” When we arrived at my destination I got off and strode forward to face him. “Well!” I said, aggression written all over my face and posture, “How much?” “Nothing at all,” he replied smiling, “I was coming this way anyway.” I couldn’t believe it! I was seriously deflated. Having worked myself up for a big fight because of my suspicions that he would try to cheat me, I now felt deeply ashamed of myself. It was as though an area of darkness within was suddenly revealed. I didn’t like what I saw. I had thought that I was open to people of other cultures and that I was a fair person. Now, I saw that I had seriously misjudged a person’s motives simply because he did not do what I expected. I felt depressed. I prayed about the experience. It slowly dawned on me that this revelation was a grace for me and allowed me to admit to a previously unconscious attitude. God was calling me to repentance.
The Learning
enjoyed having my shower before breakfast every morning. One morning as I was behind schedule and was heading for the shower I heard splashing coming from inside. “That is surely some woman washing clothes,” I thought, “and she hasn’t even bothered to ask my permission!” But then the memory of the rickshaw incident in Bangalore came to my mind. So I said to myself, “Take it easy; have patience. Let’s see what is happening.” A few minutes later a man emerged from the shower holding up a scrubbing brush in his hand. “Father, I’ve just cleaned your shower for you,” he announced, with a smile. Was I ever thankful that I had held my peace! Crossing over to another culture leaves us vulnerable. New situations have to be negotiated. Our own routine patterns are disturbed. Expectations go awry. Implicit meanings and understandings are no longer shared. Efforts at communication fail. And so, deeply hidden fears and reactions emerge which don’t sit easily with our selfimage. We come face to face with our shadow side. But the good news is that we can sometimes learn from these difficult experiences. CM Fr. Frank Hoare lives and works in Fiji.
About a year later, now back in Fiji, I spent Christmas in a Fijian village. A house was provided for visiting priests and an outside shower surrounded by a concrete wall. I WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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We are all missionaries! In an address to the Lay Movements on Pentecost Vigil on May 18, 2013, Pope Francis implored us, “The Church must step outside herself. To go where? To the outskirts of existence, whatever they may be, but she must step out.” Our baptism calls us to proclaim the Gospel of Christ the Lord. “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) As you continue your baptismal calling to spread the Gospel, remember the journey that you have traveled with the Columban Fathers. Together we have brought Christ’s message of love and hope to places like China, the Philippines, Korea, Fiji, Japan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Peru, Chile and Mexico. In many places that used to be void of God’s message, there are now thriving communities of faith and joy. Thanks to you and your Columban missionary family, the Word grows and spreads. That commitment to your calling can continue after your passing. It can be your legacy to the world. A Legacy Society gift to the Columban Fathers ensures that the work of the missions continues, unfettered into the future. Please consider remembering the Columban Fathers in your estate plans. For more information about the Legacy Society, please contact us here at St. Columbans at 1-877-299-1920. We remain grateful to you and will always remember you in our Masses and prayers. For information regarding gift annuities, membership in our Legacy Society, obtaining our legal title or for a handy booklet on how to prepare a will, contact Chris Hochstetler at: Columban Fathers P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056 Phone: 402/291-1920 Fax: 402/291-4984 Toll-free 877/299-1920 www.columban.org plannedgiving@columban.org
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More than Just a Job Working for the People By Assunta Scarpino
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s a student studying public relations at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), I discovered that my future career would entail working for people in the not-for-profit sector of business. Through my studies I was fortunate enough to have completed my work experience at Baptcare, a not-for-profit organization working to respond to human need by providing care to older people, children, families, people with a disability, financially disadvantaged people and asylum seekers. After completing my studies I looked for permanent employment in public relations; however, the employment rate for this area of business at the time was at a low and as a result I had no choice but to look for employment in administration. Therefore, I decided to change careers and complete a course in makeup. This course would mean that I would be a qualified makeup artist and I was extremely lucky in finding employment with famous international DJs who had come to
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perform in Melbourne. It seemed that my luck was turning around and as a result of leaving my name with an employment agency, I was alerted to a three month “maternity leave” position at the Columban Mission Center. The role required me to divide my time between marketing and website administration. I decided to look further into the position available and investigate who the Columbans were. My interest in the job grew after discovering that the Columbans were a Catholic organization of priests who worked closely with the poor. I was brought up as a Catholic and had a strong belief in my faith as that was very much part of being Italian. My grandparents were born in Italy, but my parents were born in Australia. Having attended a Catholic primary and secondary school, I was inclined to apply for the position. It gave me great hope to know that if I was to get the job I would be working for a good cause. However, it was my initiative to keep two irons in the fire at the one time, as my career
in makeup was on the rise and once again my career in PR and marketing seemed to be coming to an end. I was quite nervous when I went for my interview with the Columbans. I felt out of touch with the marketing scene and knew so little about the Columbans. Greeted by Fr. Gary Walker, the editor of The Far East at the time and Janette Mentha, Programs Director, I sat the interview with an open mind and was extremely honest with my answers. A couple of days later I received a call from Janette stating I had been given the job. I was over the moon and thankful for the opportunity to work with the Columbans. Working in the Columban office gave me a chance to meet Columban missionaries, and I realized that their concern went beyond the Church as such. In a variety of ways, according to what circumstances permit, the missionaries seek to respond to the needs of people, especially the poor, in the countries in which they work. As my “maternity leave position” was coming to an end, I was offered a WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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position in the finance department in the office, as a full time employee. My passion for the mission had escalated at this point, and I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to further my career with the Columbans. While working with the Columbans I was also offered a casual position at MAC cosmetics where I would work after hours and on weekends in the area of makeup. I felt like a princess who had been given a crown, as not only was I fortunate enough to have found full time employment, but also casual employment, fulfilling two careers at the one time and having a bit of extra pocket money to travel. After a year I had decided to terminate my position at MAC as the work I was pursuing with the Columbans was more rewarding. My position here had changed, and I was now working part time marketing once again and part time finance. My passion for makeup is ongoing, and I now have my own freelance business. Working in the Columban office allows me to appreciate both the generosity and life struggles of our benefactors. It has helped me be much more aware of the goodness of so many people. I presume that, for the most part, they are like most of us who go about our daily business without any fanfare. I feel it’s a privilege to have this insight into the generosity of ordinary people like myself. I became fascinated by the very fact of a group of priests going off to live in various countries and working with the locals to set up a variety of social projects. First, I met missionaries, heard and read their stories, saw photos and generally absorbed lots of information about who are the Columbans and what they do. Then, all this came alive for me when I was granted the opportunity to travel to Chile and Peru to watch the mission exposure trip that Fr. Dan WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Harding, Janette Mentha and I had been working on come to life. I met Columbans and the local people, in particularly the youth, with whom they work. The very experience of meeting, listening and speaking to men and women left me with an understanding that all the photos and stories could not give me. I now know about the Columbans in a different and much more meaningful way. I was moved too by the religious ceremonies to which I was invited where the local Catholics joined in much more enthusiastically than I’ve seen here in Australia. They dance in church, sing a lot and follow the images of Jesus, Mary and their patron saints in procession. The churches I visited were also places of community gathering and fun. The parishioners were much more expressive; maybe it was more like the religion of my grandparents in Italy. The visit to Chile and Peru has prompted me to wonder how we might work towards ensuring that our missionary work continues. Our priest missionaries are aging, and most are not being replaced. I feel that we need to work more with the youth or our Catholic faith will have no future. But, the big question is how? The exposure trip to South America helped me, and I think it would be an effective way of engaging youth. We are searching for our way in life. We know that we don’t have the answers to so many important questions, but we don’t want to be told. Rather, we need to discover for ourselves. What better way to give ourselves the chance to reflect on our lives than in a conversation with the youth of other parts of the world? We could work out with them what solidarity might mean for us in today’s very complex world. We don’t want to spend our lives doing a “nothing job.” We want to work with a purpose. We want to keep
our faith alive, and it’s in seeing and feeling the amazing commitment of others that we too feel inspired. For example, we worked very hard here in the office to raise money to help pay for a bus to transport disabled adults and children to and from a center that Columban Fr. Chris Baker worked to develop in a poor barrio in Lima. When we visited Lima I finally saw the bus and met some of the disabled people. I met a woman who is mother of two disabled men, now aged about 30 years, and she still looks after them. They live in poverty and not once did I hear this woman complain about her life. I work in the office with Columban Fr. Dan Harding, who is presently editor of The Far East magazine. Fr. Dan would always share his stories of Chile, where he spent over 20 years as a missionary in parishes in the poor barrios of Santiago. It wasn’t until our trip to Chile that I saw how glad the people of one of his parishes were to see him and those present insisted on waiting patiently to greet him one by one. I had a sense that Fr. Dan has a good way of communicating the Catholic faith by what he does. I felt that he had made a real difference and was impressed by the way he would sit and listen to people. As a young woman finding my way in life I have found this office a fun place in which to work. My job is to work for the people and with the people in one form or another. That’s what makes me realize that what I do is more than just a job. CM Assunta Scarpino lives in Australia and works in the Columban office.
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Looking for something different to give this Christmas? If you enjoy experiencing the Columban Mission magazine, why not share that enjoyment with friends or loved ones? For a donation of only $15, you can give eight issues—one full year—of Columban Mission magazine. Your gift will bring the stories and inspiration from the missions to those you care about the most. It will also provide the support that is so very needed to our missionaries in the field. As part of the gift subscription, we will send a card personalized with a message from you, letting them know that you cared enough to share this special gift with them. Just fill out the form below and mail it along with your donation to Columban Fathers, P.O. Box 10, St. Columbans, Nebraska 68056 or go online to www.columban.org to fill out the form and donate by credit card or PayPal. You may also call us toll-free at (877) 299-1920 to order the gift. Name of Gift Giver Name of Recipient Address/City/State/Zip Phone/Email Message to Recipient (optional)
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More Talking Made a Less Effective Missionary
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s a newly ordained priest in Japan I lived in a parish with a Columban colleague who was the pastor. On weekdays I attended language school, while at weekends I helped out in small ways with various parish activities. Major limitations in listening and speaking Japanese meant that I could not celebrate Mass in public, participate in meetings, or lead catechetical programs. Indeed, I frequently experienced communication problems in everyday conversation. My evenings were usually spent, therefore, learning new vocabulary, listening to audio cassettes and practicing writing a different script. However, from time to time the pastor would knock on my bedroom door to ask me to assist with something or other that he himself could not do because of other commitments.
FROM THE DIRECTOR By Fr. Tim Mulroy On a number of occasions his request to me was to meet with someone who had walked in off the street and wanted to consult with a priest about a personal or family problem. Such persons were not Christian, but since there was no one else to whom they could unburden their heart, they came to the church in the hope of finding a listening ear and guidance about how to go forward with their life. I dreaded meeting such persons as I could not imagine how I could be of any help to them. However while we sipped green tea together, I
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Such gratitude made me feel like a fraud! tried to show interest in their story by my posture, and strained my ears in the hope that I would understand a few phrases. Despite such efforts, I was able to comprehend only a tiny fraction of their story. During moments of silence I simply nodded, or repeated a phrase that I had understood, or used a common expression, such as, ‘How terrible!’ I felt very inadequate and embarrassed. The other person, however, seemed not to notice my deficiency, but was content to simply share their story without any interruption or question. As they spoke, and sometimes cried, I noticed their posture became more relaxed and their facial expression gradually brightened. When they stood up to leave they thanked me profusely for my hospitality, for taking the time to listen, and for helping them find a way forward through their difficulties. Such gratitude made me feel like a fraud! Later, when my ability to communicate in Japanese improved I had similar encounters. I was then able to ask questions and offer advice. However, I noticed that I was no longer listening so attentively and that I talked too much. I realized that rather than allowing the person to find their own answers, I tried to provide them with my solutions. In short, I had become a lot less effective in my ministry!
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Columban Fathers PO Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056
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“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, and revealed them to the little children.” — Matthew 11:25 God makes what appears to us to be unlikely choices. He may even be calling you to mission. We would be happy to discuss it with you.
We invite you to join this new generation by becoming a Columban Father or Columban Sister.
Watch the mail for your free 2015 Columban calendar! You can order additional copies for yourself or loved ones by writing to us or sending an email to: missionoffice@columban.org.
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If you are interested in the missionary priesthood, write or call… Fr. Bill Morton National Vocation Director Columban Fathers St. Columbans, NE 68056 877-299-1920 Email: vocations@columban.org Website: www.columban.org
If you are interested in becoming a Columban Sister, write or call… Sister Virginia Mozo National Vocation Director Columban Sisters 2546 Lake Road Silver Creek, NY 14136 626-458-1869 Email: virginiamozo@yahoo.com Websites: www.columbansisters.org www.columbansistersusa.com
Japan + Korea + Peru + Hong Kong + Philippines + Pakistan + Chile + Fiji + Taiwan + North America
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