The Magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban
August/September 2015
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o n t e n t s
Issue Theme – Waiting in Joyful Hope
Volume 98 - Number 5 - August/September 2015
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. Mailing Address: Columban Mission PO Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056-0010
Focusing Energies
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Toll-Free Phone: 877/299-1920 Website: WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG Copyright © 2015, The Columban Fathers (Legal Title)
Doing What I Can
PUBLISHER REV. TIMOTHY MULROY, SSC DIRECTORUSA@COLUMBAN.ORG EDITOR KATE KENNY KKENNY@COLUMBAN.ORG
5 A Funeral in Japan
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS CONNIE WACHA CWACHA@COLUMBAN.ORG
4 A Ministry of Gratitude
An Atmosphere of Peace
8 Columban, A Builder of Communities
A Trademark of Mission
15 A Man for All Seasons
Profile of Fr. John Moran
16 In the Family
Family and Personal Memories of a Life-Long Peace Acvitist
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
20 Friends in the Mountains
Assisting the Elderly in Peru
Departments 3 In So Many Words 23 From the Director
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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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The True Importance of Waiting
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aiting is rather a trial for most of us. At the very least, it becomes an exercise in patience. The strain becomes even greater when we are waiting for an operation; waiting for a hospital bed; waiting for a nursing-home place; waiting to receive the results of blood-tests,
or scans. Then, when we become officially known as “a patient,” we pass to a new phase of waiting. We gradually pass into the hands of others: what makes our life satisfactory or unsatisfactory depends hardly at all on our own actions and decisions, and more and more on what is done for us by others. And with advances in medicine, this phase of our lives may go on for quite a long time. Our natural reaction to all this is almost totally negative. In the world’s value system, happiness is associated with being free from external dependence, being able to exercise our own initiative, to create our own achievements. We congratulate elderly people on “being so active,” “being still able to manage,” “being independent.” The poet, John Milton, became totally blind at the age of 46. He had lost his independence, but being a religious man he was able somehow to come to grips with his condition. In the sonnet “On His Blindness” he wrote, “They also serve who only stand and wait.” In St. Mark’s narrative of the passion of Jesus, once Jesus is handed over by Judas in Gethsemane, there are no more active verbs used in His regard: all is in the passive voice, everything is now done to Him. Yet, Mark’s account of the crucifixion ends with the Roman centurion In So Many Words declaring, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” By Fr. Cyril Lovett What had he seen Jesus do or achieve? Nothing.
For Mark then the
His judgment was based on observing how Jesus suffered in the course of His passion and death. For Mark then the passion of Jesus was not His human misfortune, it was the decisive manifestation of His divinity. The passion, the phase of Jesus’ life when He could no longer do anything except suffer what was done to Him, became the greatest moment of all. Pope Saint John Paul II lived a life of extraordinary activity for more than 25 years as Pope: yet, it is arguable that the witness he gave during his last years, when his speech and movement were greatly impaired, spoke even more eloquently to millions of Christians and non-Christians. We need to ponder the mystery of waiting in order to give our own living of that phase of our lives its true importance.
passion of Jesus was not His human misfortune, it was the decisive manifestation of His divinity.
Ordained in 1963, Columban Fr. Cyril Lovett lives and works in Ireland where he serves as editor of the Columban magazine, The Far East. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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A Ministry of Gratitude Doing What I Can By Fr. Charles Duster
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he report from the cardiologist and his follow up letter to the Columban Superior in Fiji came as a real shock. In light of the most recent tests, he strongly recommended that I leave Fiji and be reassigned to the United States. The Columban Regional Council in Fiji decided “sooner was better” so it was just a matter of some days until I arrived at the Columban residence on the north side of Chicago. “What am I going to do now?” I asked myself after nearly 40 years of overseas appointments: Japan, Rome, Fiji. The answer wasn’t long in coming. I became a “Thank You Columban.” Since the founding of the Society in 1918, the lives and labors of Columban priests and seminarians have been made possible through the interest and generous assistance, both spiritual and financial, from our supporters who are literally our “partners in mission.” These benefactors live throughout the 50 states and have initiated and maintained contact with the Columbans through letters, this magazine and occasional personal engagement. Expressing gratitude towards our benefactors has been a key component of Columban tradition and culture since the earliest Columban went to China in 1920, so a full time
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“ministry of gratitude” is nothing new. What has changed is the manner in which our appreciation is conveyed to our mission partners. Mostly, because of the immensity of the United States, we still have to rely on the printed word. But we try when and where possible to supplement it with the “spoken word;” a telephone call of appreciation, a personal visit when possible and appropriate, or perhaps a small benefactor appreciation event. Since returning from Fiji, this has been my principal contribution to Columban mission. Most days I try to make a number of thank you phone calls to supplement the thank you letter each donor will receive. Believe me, that is a most enjoyable task: to express our appreciation when one is able to do it in a more personal manner. Then there are home thank you visits. These visits are usually done in conjunction with Chris Hochstetler, a lay staff member and our Director of Fund Development. For example, last week we visited ten families in Chicago in a three day period. Later this month it will be two weeks in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and New York. So far I have visited 27 states in this connection. The folks we visit or contact seem pleased that there is no hidden agenda in the telephone calls or personal visits,
just an expression of gratitude and appreciation for years or perhaps decades of partnership with us in taking the Good News of God’s love and concern for all people to those who have not heard it or heard it only imperfectly. Another means of contacting our extended family is through the mission appeal weekends during the summer months. If there are Columban supporters in the immediate area of the parish where we are assigned to speak at all the Masses, we try to contact them and if possible meet briefly for a chat or perhaps a cup of coffee. That way we can catch up with old friends while meeting new ones. One of my favorite topics to introduce when speaking to a donor is to inquire if he or she recalls how they first came into contact with the Columban Fathers? Many people of course do not remember anything specific, but many have fascinating accounts of their first link to the Columbans and our work. One woman in Chicago remembered that when she was a little girl she did Irish step dancing for Columban cofounder Bishop Ned Galvin when he was returning to China. Another in San Francisco recalled receiving a tiny red jewel box which she still treasures from Columban Bishop Quinlan, a friend of her Jesuit priest uncle. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Bishop Quinlan survived the infamous death march and imprisonment in North Korea during the Korean war. Some are distant relatives or friends of Columbans, many met a Columban Father when they were serving in the armed forces overseas. Every day seems to bring another fascinating account which makes me anxious to keep making phone calls and visits. One never knows when the next incredible original connection will emerge, obvious signs to me of the working of the Holy Spirit. It is discouraging to look at a map of the United States and realize the tiny percentage of Columban supporters who will be reached with a spoken word of thanks. Yet the
journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step. So along with several other Columbans and lay staff, we spend a good part of our days in this wonderful ministry of gratitude and being available to the friends we contact if they have questions or suggestions. It is a privilege to round off one’s missionary career in this way. At 80 years of age and nearly 54 years of ordained Columban life one hesitates to metaphorically buy green bananas, but while the Lord gives me the energy I want to “do what I can.” That’s the advice Bishop Galvin gave Columban Father Aedan McGrath who served in China and was arrested by the Communist government in 1951 and spent three years in prison, mostly
in solitary confinement. Some years before his arrest Bishop Galvin was assigning him to a town in the hills and said, “there isn’t a church there and there isn’t a house there and there never will be but do what you can.” I believe that is good advice for all who support the missions in whatever way. It is the best any of us can do, and we’ll leave the rest to the Lord. CM Columban Fr. Charles Duster lives and works in St. Columbans, Nebraska.
A Funeral In Japan An Atmosphere of Peace By Fr. Barry Cairns
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ecently we celebrated the funeral of Mrs. Hanako Shibata. I use the word “celebrate” because the ceremony had a palpable atmosphere of peace. Mrs. Shibata was 93, and up to her late 80s was active in the Hodogaya church community. She was much loved by her family and our parish community. Catholic funeral rites in Japan to a certain extent follow Buddhist practice. However these rites are basically ancient Japanese cultural practices as they even preceded the entry of Buddhism into Japan from China through the Korean Peninsula in the 6th century AD (552AD). The following is the way of funerals in the parish of Hodogaya in Yokohama City. After death there is the solemn transferal of the body into the coffin. This small but important rite is done WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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in the home. The priest blesses the body which is laid out on a strong cloth then the coffin itself is blessed with Holy Water. After a prayer each of the family holds sides of the cloth and lifts the body into the coffin. We all sing a hymn and offer incense. Incense is much used during the various rites. As I put incense onto the live coals I offer a prayer based on Psalm 141:2, “O Merciful Lord, may our prayers for the deceased ascend like incense before you.” The scented smoke of the incense is a symbol of our prayer going up to God. The body is transferred to the church and met by the priest and representatives from the community. In front of the coffin is a big photograph of the deceased. Many Japanese choose their funeral photo while alive. In some parishes a photographer comes to the “Respect
for the Aged Day” meal to take a portrait. This is a service much appreciated by the elderly. The photograph and coffin are surrounded by flowers donated by well-wishers. In the church we depart from usual practice in that we do not allow a placard on each bunch of flowers indicating who sent it. This practice leads to competition which is unseemly. The liturgical wake is usually held at 6 p.m., i.e., after working hours. In the case of Mrs. Shibata, the church was packed. Present were not only her children and grandchildren but also representatives from the companies and factory where her three sons worked. Also present were people from the neighborhood, many friends and a large number of the parish community. Of the 200 present I would estimate that about one half August/September 2015
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were non-Christians, and half of those were in a church for the first time. I base these estimates on the number of phone calls we had during the day: “Where is the church?” “What do I wear to a Christian funeral?” As to what to wear we answer “Follow the usual Japanese custom.” This for women is a black dress and a single string of pearls. For men it is a dark suit and black tie. To set at ease those first-timers to the church I speak to them directly, saying something like this: “Just relax before God who loves you and gladly accepts the way you pray for the deceased. When I go to a Buddhist funeral I do not understand the monk’s sutra prayer in ancient Japanese, so I just absorb the atmosphere of prayer, which in itself becomes a prayer for the deceased. I recommend you do the same here.” The liturgical wake usually lasts one hour. We have prayer and psalms with solemn, haunting melodies. For example, Psalm 42, “Like a deer, I thirst for you my God,” and Psalm 139 “Lord, you know me through and through.” The homily, when so 6
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many non-Christians are present is a wonderful missionary opportunity to tell them of God’s unconditional love for all. The ceremony concludes with a résumé of the deceased’s life and death (with full clinical details!) usually by the oldest son. Then each person in procession places a white carnation in front of the photo as a symbol of prayer for the deceased. After the wake there is often refreshment, always Japanese sushi, laid out for people to enjoy. The next day is the funeral Mass and final farewell. The singing of the Hodogaya community is beautiful and really consoled Mrs. Shibata’s family. Then after Mass the coffin is opened and first the relatives, then all, place flowers around the body. Even Mrs. Shibata’s smallest grandchild touched her Granny’s forehead and with her flower and also gave her a hand written note and drawing. Finally each close relative puts a hand on the coffin-lid and the coffin is closed. Notice the participation of all the family. This is a very healthy custom. At the crematorium there are short prayers. The ashes are placed in a crockery urn – again by the
close relatives. Crematoriums have their own customs. Every tenth day they are closed as that day is called “Tomobiki” in the ancient Japanese calendar. “Tomobiki” means “taking someone with you” – not propitious for funerals! On the 49th day after death the urn is solemnly placed in the family grave, which is an underground space holding 8-10 urns. Graves are well tended being visited on the Equinoxes and August 15 (Buddhist day of the dead) and Catholics also on November 2. Special remembrance days are the first, third, seventh and thirteenth anniversaries. Mrs. Shibata will be well prayed for. “It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead.” 2 Machabees 12:46 CM Columban Fr. Barry Cairns lives and works in Japan.
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Waiting in Joyful Hope “Do not cast me aside in my old age; As my strength fails, do not forsake me.” Psalm 71 Since 1918, Columban Missionaries have responded to the challenge of building God’s Kingdom here on earth. They have led a life of sacrifice and service…
YOUNG…they gave what they had OLD…They need our care. We will use your gift wisely to provide for the growing number of Columban Missionaries now returned home and in need of our care and compassion. Your gift will help provide essential medical care for these beloved servants of God. Consider making your tax-deductible contribution to support retired Columban missionaries today. Missionary Society of St. Columban P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056 www.columban.org Tel.: 402/291-1920 Toll-free: 877/299-1920
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Columban, a Builder of Communities A Trademark of Mission
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he French drama screened in 2010, Des hommes et des dieux (Of Gods and Men) depicts the last days of the life of a Trappist monastery in Tibhirine, Algeria, where seven of the nine monks were kidnapped and assassinated in 1966 during the Algerian Civil War. The monks lived in a Christian and Muslim environment, and while living a life of contemplative prayer, they also worked to provide medical and other services to the peaceful neighboring village. The movie depicts a dialogue and discernment among the members of the monastic community on whether they should stay or leave when they realized that their lives were in danger by an Islamic fundamentalist group that operated in the area. They decided to stay and place their lives on the line together with the local Christian and Muslim communities. The movie gives us an insight into the atmosphere that the Columban monastery in Luxeuil experienced when it entered into conflict with the local Frankish kings that resulted in the expulsion of Columban and his Irish monks from the territory. Columban did not want to leave nor did he want to abandon his monastery and community. He had lived there for more than twenty years, and the monastery had become part of the 8
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fabric of life in the region. Columban was taken from the monastery and led by the King’s soldiers to Nantes to board a ship to return to his former place of exile. However, after a storm broke out and the captain feared that something might happen to the ship, he refused to leave Columban on board. Columban once again faced continental Europe and returned by another route. Luxeuil was one of of the monasteries that Columban founded. It was situated in the shadows of the Vogues mountains some four hundred kilometers south east of Paris near the French border with Switzerland and not far from the city of Basel. It was his second foundation, the first being Annegray, sixteen kilometers from Luxeuil. Jonas his biographer tells us that when he arrived in the region with his band of twelve companions that: “In a wild desolate region called Vosagus, was an old dilapidated fort called Anagrates. When Columban saw the place, he settled down there, though it was dreary and desolate and overrun with brushwood. The fare was of the scantiest, for he remembered that not on bread alone doth man live, but on the word of life; he was content to partake in that feast that endures forever.� When Annegray became overcrowded, he built another monastery in Fontaines some eight
kilometers from Luxeuil. Jonas, his biographer reports that the community of Fontaines numbered at one stage some sixty monks, while the three houses together counted two hundred and twenty monks. However, tradition has it that there were as many as eight hundred monks in region at one period. Columban himself ruled all three monasteries as Abbot and Father. Columban remained a wanderer for some years after his expulsion from the region of Burgundy, until he eventually settled in Bobbio on the Banks of the Trebbia River, one hundred and twenty kilometers south of Milan in northern Italy. Here he founded his third and last monastery that was to be his final resting place. The word monastery is the old word for village or people. Columban monasteries were a village in themselves and had an impact on the communities around them. For many inhabitants, they brought new life and activity to the region. They were known for their austerity and severe rule, which was the rule of Bangor, where Columban was a monk under Saint Comgall. The rule was a means of putting order and discipline in human living. A 7th century scribe described the Rule is in these words: The good Rule of Bangor, Upright, divine, WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Diligent, holy and strict, Wonderful, just and sublime The monasteries were built on the Rule; obeying the Rule was seen as obedience to the will of God. It was based on the cardinal virtues of faith, hope and charity and the virtues of poverty, chastity, obedience, self- discipline, humility, silence, mortification, generosity and hospitality. We can image the atmosphere and the spirit of these monastic communities from the Rule. Here is an extract from the section that deals with the meals and food of the monks: “The food of the monks should be poor and confined to the evening; let it be such to avoid gorging and becoming fat, and their drink should as to avoid drunkenness, so that it may sustain them, but do them no harm: vegetables, beans, along with a small loaf of bread, lest the stomach be strained and the mind stifled.” The Rule, which included a section on penitentials, did not confine itself just to the various ways monks could commit sin, but also laypeople. This is what it has to say about the use of food and drink: “If any layman becomes drunk, or eats or drink to the point of vomiting, let him do penance for a week on bread and water.” Living in the 21st century, we might look at Columban’s Rule and Penitential as over demanding and excessive, but for the 6th century it was far from the truth in a tradition where excommunication and oftenvindictive penalties were part of church practice. Columban’s Rule and Penitential were quite radical as they were based on a person’s honor and integrity and not on being accused and condemned. They also set the foundation for the later milder Rule of St. Benedict. The Rule provided for a safe place, safe space and time to enter WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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into the inner journey of the soul. It sought to confront the distractions of this transient world in order to enter into the pilgrimage of life towards the Kingdom of God. The penitenials offered an opportunity for repentance and reparation for the damage done due to sin. They guaranteed the penitent a new hope, and readmittance to his or her former state of full communion in the Church. Life in Columban monasteries was centerd round keeping a balance between manual work, prayer and study. Columban had a wishbone, a back bone and a funny bone, and while life was tough, there was also fun and enjoyment and challenges. Jonas of Susa, Columban’s biographer, who joined the monastery in Bobbio three years after Columban’s death, said this: “The monks went joyfully down to the valley of the Moselle and found a trap that was once used by shepherds. In it they found five large fish, of which they took three that were still alive, and brought them back. ‘Why did you not bring five’, asked Columban. ‘Because two were dead’ they replied. ‘Do not eat of these,’ said Columban, until you bring back the others.’ He chided them for not gathering the manna that they had found and ordered them to prepare the meal.” Another story by Jonas tells us: “One day as meal-time came, the monk who was serving at table was getting the beer. He brought the vessel called a ‘tiprum’ to the cellarer, who placed it at the vessel containing the beer and took out the stopper to allow the beer flow into the ‘tiprum.’ He was suddenly called away by a message from Columban, and in the fervor of his obedience, rushed off, forgetting to replace the stopper, they call it ‘duciclum’, and carried it away in his hand. When he attended to the message he had received, he remembered his mistake and rushed
back to the cellar expecting to find all the beer gone. When he looked, he saw that the beer had continued to flow, above the brim of the ‘tiprum’, but not a drop had been spilled. It looked just as if the vessel had increased in height, keeping the same shape. Great was the merit of Columban commanding obedience of the cellarer, that God reverted the sadness from both of them, lest, if the either had diminished the substance of the brethren and would forgo their share.” Community gatherings were centered around two tables, the refectory table and the Eucharistic table. Columban looked at every monastic community and Christian community as centered around the Eucharist and the sharing of the meal. He even shared his food with the birds and wild animals when alone in his place of prayer. The Eucharist for Columban was an anticipation of the great banquet of the Kingdom of God. Columban missionaries today in various parts of the world have to face up to life threatening situations similar to those experienced by the Trappist community in Tibhirine, Algeria: to stay or to leave. We have a history of staying with the people in times of difficulty. This is our Columban charism, and we owe it to Columban and those who have gone before us. Columban did not relent in times of difficulty. His monasteries were a sign of God’s presence in the midst of a people reaching out to God and who searched for a pathway to a deeper and lasting peace. Columban built monasteries around people. We as Columbans continue this tradition of forming Christian communities wherever we go, and this is our trademark for mission. CM Fr. Derry Healy lives and works in Ireland.
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Focusing Energies Jumpstarting a Remarkable Finale As told to Columban Fr. Peter Woodruff by Columban Fr. Richard Steinhilber
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ur 1970, General Chapter was a long and turbulent affair at which I was elected to head our missionary society for the following six years. In the course of the many matters surfaced during the Chapter, the delegate from Burma [now Myanmar] made a strong plea for greater support for our missionaries working with the Kachin people in the north of the country in the diocese of Myitkyina. In response I visited Burma [Myanmar] in 1972. I was unable to head north to Kachin territory so our priests came down to Rangoon. We met for a week, and I was deeply moved by their care and concern for each other, which included gracious acceptance of the strain and pressure each was experiencing in the conditions in which they were working. I knew they
before 1949, many before WWII. Due to government regulations those who had arrived after 1949 had left Burma [Myanmar] by 1966, with our numbers peaking at 33 in 1963 and going down to 13 when I visited in 1972. When the first small band of Columbans arrived in 1936 there were four parishes in Kachin State, and at the time of my visit they had responsibility for 20 parishes and 50 mission stations. With the help of local Catholics – lay men and women, catechists, a few local sisters and priests – they had preached the Gospel effectively. But now in 1972 this small band of missionaries was aging and not in the best health, had next to no access to health care and lived isolated within a country, which had chosen to isolate itself from the rest of the
But now in 1972 this small band of missionaries was aging and not in the best health, had next to no access to health care and lived isolated within a country, which had chosen to isolate itself from the rest of the world. were working in isolated and tough conditions about which they did not complain. It was what they had done for years and, intended to continue until they could do no more. All our men working in Burma [Myanamar] at the time had arrived
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world. There was no chance of their numbers being boosted from outside Burma [Myanmar], and they were losing on average one man per year. Their only option was to use the time they realistically had left to prepare and strengthen local leaders to replace
them. Nevertheless, this would be their initiative, not mine. I spoke with each man individually and held meetings with the group. I had not come to tell them what to do, but I realized that they needed my support to do what, in their hearts, they knew they had to do. They knew their time was running out but were not ready to abandon their people. There was a very strong bond between our men and the Kachin people with whom they worked. They felt a heavy duty to remain with their people like a seriously ill father would worry about what would become of his wife and family if he could no longer provide for them. They were torn by love for the people, worry about the future of the Church and their duty to stay with their people. My report was basically my understanding of what seemed to be their deepest desire. This report I then submitted to Bishop John Howe (Bishop of Myitkyina), Fr. Jim Foley (Columban Director) and our priests, most of whom were more than happy to own it as the basis of a plan for responsible withdrawal from our mission in Burma [Myanmar]. Our meeting in Rangoon helped channel their deepest desire towards a decision that would not only be the culmination of their missionary work in the Myitkyina diocese but also the beginning of local church leaders assuming complete responsibility
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for the Church among their Kachin people. Our men were concerned about the future but seemed to be overwhelmed and daunted by the options before them. They were weary and needed a hand up. Together they found a way to move ahead in a focused way as they named both goals and a time limit for a definitive withdrawal. 1976 was set as the withdrawal date but in fact it was not until 1978 that the last of our missionaries departed. There was also flexibility regarding the obligation to leave, giving every Columban an option to stay provided he could prove his presence was useful and negotiated the matter satisfactorily with the Columban superior. The pastoral proposals for the future were built on the work they had been doing for many years, namely training lay catechists for leadership roles in the many rural communities of the diocese and promoting vocations to the diocesan priesthood. In 1972 there were 150 catechists and the plan was to double that number by 1976. There were four diocesan priests and it was projected that there might be eleven by 1976. They were at peace with the prospect of the devolution of responsibility for the Church in Kachin State to local laity, sisters and priests. Bishop Howe prepared to hand over to local priests, Fr. Paul
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There were ten Kachin diocesan priests when our missionaries finally left Burma and today there are 50, two dioceses, three local bishops and many religious priests and sisters. Yet our priests and sisters were not to know that the seed they had sown would bear such fruit. Grawng, who was consecrated bishop in 1977. There were ten Kachin diocesan priests when our missionaries finally left Burma and today there are 50, two dioceses, three local bishops and many religious priests and sisters. Yet our priests and sisters were not to know that the seed they had sown would bear such fruit. As Father Sean Conneely reports (CM, Feb 2013, p. 9) Bishop Francis, one of the three local bishops today, recalled that he was a young priest at the time our missionaries departed and he went with them to visit the graves of deceased Columbans as they drove to the airport. Broken hearted and tearful they prayed at the graves of their fellow Columbans. They felt they were leaving so much behind – all that had been their life. Financial independence of the local church was set as a major goal. However, our missionary Society would continue to support the growing diocese of Myitkyina, including translation of the
scriptures and liturgical books into Kachin and funds for ongoing education. Until his death in 2000, Bishop Howe continued from afar to support the growth of the Church in his old diocese. One very effective project he helped establish was a Kachin language radio program broadcast by Radio Veritas from Manila. In recent times, Columban Sisters, lay missionaries and priests have returned to Burma [Myanmar] in support roles to the local church, which grew to adulthood in a previous era thanks to God acting through the work of missionaries, such as the Columbans. CM Fr. Richard Steinhilber (pictured at left) lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska. Fr. Peter Woodruff lives and works in Australia.
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Waiting in Joyful Hope
age is that when tying your shoes, the distance between your hands and your shoelaces is a whole lot greater than you think! In “shoelace” moments like these we may find some comfort in St. Paul’s advice, “Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen, but to what is unseen; for what Is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) Many of us tend to spend a great deal of our time here on earth preparing for that longed for and golden moment that we envision is “retirement.” We meticulously plan our finances so that we can live a modest, but comfortable, life. A life where we can reap the rewards of
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
Missionaries Never Retire By Chris Hochstetler
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he Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said that “Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is timing, it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.” Aging and patience have a lot in common with one another and, in turn, aging has something to do with power and strength, though sometimes we may have trouble
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understanding or accepting that relationship as body and mind begin to fail us. That favorite song or psalm that used to roll off our tongue seems to evade us now, sitting merely beyond the grasping reach of our mind…we can see it, we can hear it, but we just can’t seem to touch it. Tasks that we used to complete with ease seem to suddenly get much more difficult now. A wise friend once told me that one of the most startling revelations of
all the hard work we have offered through the years in an effort to arrive at this point in time. In past decades the norm seemed to be to try and achieve retirement as quickly as we could, hoping to turn in the long work weeks for moments of rest and relaxation before the specter of “old age” and the accompanying ailments had a chance to rob us of relishing that moment! It wasn’t uncommon to find people enjoying those “golden years” as early as 62! Now, it seems that more and more of us are working into our 70s, some of us by choice and others because our economic circumstance prevents an earlier WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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retirement. It wasn’t until I came to know Columban missionaries that I realized my perspective of “retirement” was a very narrow one at best. I have been blessed to be able to work daily and live my life surrounded by missionary priests who have spent their lives abroad with the poor and the marginalized living their lives, very literally, in fulfillment of Christ’s commission to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) To say that it is a humbling experience to be so close to these men daily, does not give credit to the fullness and richness of the blessing that I have encountered. The Columban priests who live and work in the United States are men who have returned, by and large, from the missions in the Philippines, Fiji, Korea, Japan, Peru, Pakistan and Chile, among other places. They have returned to us here in the United States because, in many cases, their health has been challenged and compromised by age, and the care that they need to live is simply not available where they have been missioned. Many of them feel that they have left their “home” to return to the United States and would much rather still be at “home” in the Philippines, Fiji, Peru, Pakistan or elsewhere, if only their health would still permit it. After all, home is where the heart is and certainly after spending the largest majority of their lives abroad, their perspective of home is much different than my own. Most of these men are well into their 70s and many into their 80s, yet they collectively seem to spurn the golden years of retirement and instead choose WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) to remain in active ministry, many giving every waking hour of the day to that call. Fr. Charlie Duster, in fulltime active ministry at the age of 80+, has told me, “Chris, missionaries don’t retire, they just get recycled!” They approach their various new ministries with the same voracity that they tackled the challenges they faced all those many years spent abroad with the poorest and most marginalized of our brothers and sisters. Some of them work on mission promotion and awareness, others devote their time to prison ministry and homeless shelters, still others are called to offer retreats and Masses. Columban Fr. Frank Royer spent four decades in Korea, working for and witnessing the incredible growth of the Church there following the war. Up until a short few months ago, Fr. Frank continued his ministry in Chicago, celebrating three Masses near daily, volunteering at the local parish and serving as a minister to the hospitalized and infirmed. Up and out of the door at 4:30 a.m. every morning for a twelve hour day, Fr. Frank exemplifies “retired” missionary work at the vibrant age of 83! Fr. Frank has joined our “retired” community of priests in Bristol, Rhode Island, now, and he looks to continue his active ministry there. These special men rightfully say that it is all a part of their vocation. They have been called to dedicate their lives to God in this missionary way. It is the fulfillment of Christ’s call “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21) Through the decades, they haven’t shared the same thoughts that you and I have about retirement and the “golden years.” Instead, they have remained singular and steadfast in their commitment to Christ’s call. They have not laid meticulous plans for the costs of aging and the preparation required to confront those challenges, but rather they have decided to stay the course and somewhat “succumb” into retirement instead of anticipating it. These are our priests, our missionaries. They left their upbringing and their families many years ago to travel the world and grow God’s family, our family, in places where many of us would not or could not go. They served as Disciples of Christ and our emissaries, coming from our very parishes, spreading the good news of Christ and sharing His salvation and mercy with those who need it the most. As an extension of us, they, in turn, helped us to fulfill Christ’s call for all of us to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Fr. Charlie Duster is a perfect example of the fulfilment of that call. After spending a lifetime as a missionary priest in Japan and Fiji, his new ministry is that of promotion and fundraising. Traveling nearly constantly across the United States, he brings the good news of the missions to Columban friends everywhere, thanking them for their prayers and August/September 2015
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“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)
support and giving them the latest update on the happenings around the world of Columban missions. He approaches his new calling with grace and while his heart is still in Fiji, he spends long and often arduous fifteen-hour days traveling, sharing with our family and friends who are so important to us here in the United States. His work brings us closer to our extended family of faith around 14
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the world and helps to keep the bonds between us strong. Waiting in Joyful Hope has great liturgical meaning for us, but it is also the name that we have selected for our campaign to support the needs of our retired Columban missionary priests. They have spent so many years assisting those in need around the world, and now they find that they have their own needs. While they will
not ask it for themselves, I as one who has benefitted so very much from the blessing of how they have helped me to fulfill Christ’s call in my own life, will ask for them. The cost of caring for our aging, retired Columban priests is increasing. They form a powerful backbone of prayer for the Church and continue to give freely of themselves even as age and an often rapid decline in health demand a debt that they have no capacity to pay. The Missionary Society of St. Columban remains a vibrant society, spreading the Gospel of Christ through faith in action around the world, but we must not forget those who have gone before us and who now need our help. Please consider a donation to Waiting in Joyful Hope. You will be supporting the worthiest of causes and honoring those who for so many years helped all of us to fulfill our own baptismal calling. To make a donation to this very important effort, please annotate on your check or in a note that you wish your donation to support Waiting in Joyful Hope. We, as always, are deeply grateful for your support and will always remember you in our Masses and prayers. CM Chris Hochstetler is the Director of Planned Giving for the U.S. region of the Missionary Society of St. Columban.
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A Man for All Seasons Profile of Fr. John Moran By Fr. John Burger
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ou can tell something about a person by noticing which magazines he subscribes to. What type of person would subscribe to both Dog Fancier and Scientific American? And did I mention that he reads the Providence Journal every day? I think it is obvious that this is a person who has a wide range of interests. The person we are talking about is retired Columban Father John Moran. Fr. John was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1926 and graduated from LaSalle Academy there in 1943. He was only 17 when he joined the Columban Fathers that same year. After seven years in the Seminary, was ordained in 1950. By December of the following year he was on mission in the Philippines, and by age 26 was pastor of Santa Cruz in Zambales Province on the island of Luzon. Creativity has been one of the hallmarks of Fr. John’s life. In the 1950’s he discovered that the Zambal language had little in the way of literature at that time and that there were few Catholic books printed in Zambal to help the people know and practice their faith. So Father John set to work, and he produced a catechism. He also had a prayerbook printed. Fr. John spent the period from the late 1950s until the mid-1960s in the United States. He was assigned to promote Columban mission around New England, was involved in recruitment of seminarians, and eventually served as the spiritual director at Silver Creek, New York, the Columban Seminary on the shores of Lake Erie. Again, Fr. John’s creativity expressed itself. He decided that in addition to counseling the young WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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men he would introduce them to boat building and sailing. They built several small sailboats on a shoestring budget. As you know, sailing is not a cheap hobby, and when the seminary boats needed sails, Fr. John solved the problem by using government surplus nylon cloth. It was a perfect solution except that it was black nylon. So, in the early 1960s, if you saw black sails on the Lake Erie horizon, it was not pirates, just the Columban seminary fleet. After eight years in his home country, it was time for another
mission assignment in the Philippines. This time, probably because of his experience with young seminarians, Fr. John was asked to assume a different role. He became director of a new Boys’ Town at Olongapo, a city project which the Columbans had been asked to manage. Following that assignment, he spent many years in parishes in Luzon, but in 1992 was assigned to work with Columban seminary students at Cebu in the Southern Philippines. Working with young people has a way of keeping you young, but it did not prevent Fr. John’s hips from aging. He had two hip replacements before the decade was out.
In 2001 Fr. John took up residence in a Columban retirement House in Subic, Zambales, in the Northern Philippines, but eventually moved back to the Columban House in his native Rhode Island. Leaving the Philippines and the friends of many years behind was certainly difficult. Friends still telephone from the Philippines just to keep in contact. As he moved into his retirement years, Fr. John was well equipped to stay active and interested in a variety of things. He maintained his interest in sailing and for years in summer was known around Bristol harbor as the master of the “Santo Nino.” On land, Father John still likes to have a dog or two around to care for. Spring finds him reading the seed catalogs and planning his vegetable garden and the placement of fruit trees on the grounds. Fr. John has set up a ceramics workshop in a storage room in the basement. There in a typical winter afternoon, he works on producing little statues of the Blessed Mother and of St. Columban. As the years have passed, Fr. John has had to give up on some of his avocations. He now usually walks with a walker, so the deck of the Santo Nino is no longer a safe place for him. But as I look ahead to my own retirement years, I think I have learned a lot from Fr. John Moran, a man who is interested in anything and everything, a man for all seasons. CM Fr. John Burger lives and works in Bristol, Rhode Island.
For more profiles of Columban missionaries, please visit www.waitinginjoyfulhope.org. August/September 2015
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In the Family Family and personal memories of a life-long peace activist By Hisako Ukita as told to Columban Fr. Peter Woodruff
Part 1: My family heritage – Christian faith and peace My paternal grandmother, who was born in the 1860s, was a Protestant. Her elder brother (my great uncle) used to run a sake brewery in Mishima, 100 kilometers west of Tokyo. One day he heard quite a commotion near one of the Shinto shrines in the town and discovered that a group of American Protestant missionaries were being ill-treated by a group of ruffians. He intervened and brought them to his home. My uncle later became a Protestant, as did my grandmother, and converted his brewery into a church and residence for the missionaries. The West had recently pressured Japan to open up to the world and this was our family’s first contact with Americans. In my grandmother’s youth there was still much prejudice against Christians. In fact, the prohibition against practicing Christianity was not lifted by the Japanese government until 1889. When I was about 18 years of age I carefully considered being baptized and my grandmother advised me to take it very seriously and be sure that I really did have faith in Jesus. Her own experience had taught her that being a faithful
Christian in Japan is not easy. I have always been grateful for her advice on this matter. My grandfather also inherited a business but failed to run it well and subsequently did not have the funds necessary to provide an education for his children. Therefore my father was given up for adoption to a well off family in Yokohama that did not have a male heir. He could not adapt so looked for work and found a job in a Methodist book store in Tokyo. There he met a Japanese Christian minister who had recently returned from America. The salary for a minister in Japan was too low for him to support a family so he was planning to return to America to find a way of making enough money to support a family. He invited my father to accompany and help him with his business venture in America. Between 1899 and 1902 they worked together and eventually found a way to make enough money for my father’s friend to return to Japan to find a wife with whom he returned to America. It was time for my father to move on so they parted company. Friends advised my father to move from New York to a small town and chance had it that one day
In my grandmother’s youth there was still much prejudice against Christians. In fact, the prohibition against practicing Christianity was not lifted by the Japanese government until 1889.
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while he was working in the shop a woman, who had been a Presbyterian missionary in Japan for 14 years, came into the shop and he ended up telling her his story and how he wanted to look for a different kind of opportunity in America. To cut a long story short, thanks to a recommendation from this good woman my father went to live and work with the McCullough family in Monmouth, Illinois. He spent the next seven years in high school and college and from there went on scholarship to take a degree at Harvard University. He was consistently at the top of his class in high school, college and university. At his graduation ceremony at Harvard he was one of the five speakers to give a speech; his was titled, “The Dawn of Peace.” It pointed to what was to be at the heart of much of his life’s work. While studying at Harvard my father met a son of the Asano Zaibatsu (company) family who was also studying there. He invited my father to work with his family company, which he did on his return to Japan in 1912, even though he also seriously considered becoming a Christian missionary or an international diplomat. Asano Zaibatsu was the first Japanese company to establish a regular freight service between Japan and San Francisco. My parents were married and a few years later our family moved to San Francisco where my father was the company representative. During World War I my father also helped broker a deal in which his company leased many of their ships to the allies. Following the war the Japanese Foreign Office drafted my father as secretary to special Japanese Ambassador, Tomosaburo Kato, for the Washington conference, which helped put the brakes on the naval arms race and so maintain peace for another decade. We returned to Japan in 1926 when I was 10 years of age. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Part 2: Japanese militarism and World War II Japanese militarism was on the rise. My father often spoke to us at home about the issue of peace. He was worried about where the growing militarism might take our Japanese nation. In 1868, the Tokugawa Shogunate restored control of the country to direct imperial rule under the Emperor. The leaders of the restoration, mostly young samurai, sought to create a modern nationstate capable of standing equal among Western powers. In 1873 the Emperor abolished the samurai’s right to be the only armed force in favor of a modern, western-style army. The late 19th century reforms abolished the samurai class, and a western-style national army was established. Many samurai volunteered as soldiers, a large number of whom went on to be officers. Much of the Imperial Army officer class was of samurai origin. They were highly motivated and exceptionally trained. Japan subsequently showed its capacity to contend with the major world powers by defeating the Chinese in the first Sino-Japanese war in 189495 and ten years later by defeating the Russians in 1904-5. In 1911 Japan annexed and occupied Korea. The Public Security Preservation Law of 1925 (Chian Iji H) gave the government carte blanche to outlaw any form of dissent. Japanese military commanders became members of our parliament (the Diet) and so were formally at the heart of national government. In 1931 rogue Japanese officers provoked the so-called Manchurian incident that triggered further conflict with China. Then, in 1937 localized military engagements developed into total war, which did not end until 1945. Throughout the first half of the 20th century Japan was firmly in the grip of a sector of the military that was bent on expansion by means of war. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Hisako Ukita and family
However, there was opposition to going to war with the U.S., even within the military. Rear Admiral Sokichi Tagaki opposed going to war and later, during the war, compiled copious evidence of Japan’s impending defeat. After the war he worked on the revision of the Japanese Constitution. Even Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto opposed war with the U.S. When given the supreme command of the Japanese fleet he warned the government that even a decisive first strike against the U.S. would only guarantee the Japanese six months before the U.S. forces would be able to strike back. He was subsequently
charged with launching such an attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941. Six months later the U.S. began to push back. In those days we had elections but one needed to be wealthy to become a member of the Diet and women did not have the right to vote. The government manipulated and controlled the populace with the much repeated message that people from the U.S. and other parts of the world were devils, but our family knew this was not true. After World War II our Constitution was changed and women were given the right to vote. Many August/September 2015
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Throughout the first half of the 20th century Japan was firmly in the grip of a sector of the military that was bent on expansion by means of war. say that our present Constitution was imposed on us by the U.S. after they had won the war. However, I know that precisely this Constitution helped many, especially women, win their just rights. Even so the present government is trying to tell us that the Constitution is humiliating and needs to be changed. They say they want to change the Constitution so that it allows Japan to go to war in defence of our nation. They may convince young people who do not understand this debate as so few have any memory of our nation being at war. But I know, from my own experience, that war changes everything for the people of a nation at war. Those who want to change the Constitution say that war is simply one form of diplomacy and not being able to go to war limits our diplomatic possibilities. However, I believe that the Constitution that we have is the best thing Japan can offer other countries. By retaining this Constitution we are saying to others that our differences can be settled without (recourse to) war. Military actions by major powers over the past 50 years seem to support my position. Terrorism cannot be defeated by wars between nations. The issue of ISIS has to be faced now and it seems that this phenomenon is in large part the result of previous wars in that part of our world. Since, the end of World War II, what major power has been able to solve international problems by going to war? Due especially to the extreme destructive power of modern weapons systems it seems that war is much less likely to be a viable, let alone a desirable, 18
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way of dealing with our international conflicts. I opposed Japan entering the World War II, but I did so from the perspective of a Christian vision of peace. At that time, the Catholic Church in Japan did not actively oppose our entry into the war but rather seemed to simply give way to the government. Many Catholic laity in Japan believed that the Church should stay out of politics. Because I joined the Peace Movement and opposed the war, some accused me of being a Communist and I was criticised for being involved in politics.
Part 3: My Story On returning from San Francisco to Tokyo in 1926 I continued my education and, in due course, unsuccessfully sat the entrance examination for the Protestant run Tokyo women’s University so went to the Catholic run Sacred Heart College. Many students were from wealthy families, and I did not like the atmosphere but graduated in 1938 and was married in 1940. My husband had completed two years of obligatory military service and his family advised him to find a wife and get on with life as a civilian. Soon after we married my husband, who was working for Mitsubishi Trading, was posted to French Indo-China
(now Vietnam). I was pregnant and was planning to join him after our first child was born. But then, war began and in May 1942 a ship carrying civilians on the route between Japan and south-east Asia was attacked and sunk by a U.S. naval ship. Ironically, that ship, the Taiyo Maru, belonged to the shipping company for which my father worked and was one of their top vessels. I decided that it was too dangerous to travel and did not see my husband until he returned to Japan in 1946. During the war I went to the Katase Catholic Church near Fujisawa, and my understanding of Christianity changed. In 1946 I became a Catholic, and in that year we got a new Constitution. Things were not easy for my family once the new post war government took over. They were aware of my father’s opposition to the war and his friendship with America and hounded him in a number of ways. He stayed the course, defended himself in court, was eventually exonerated and gradually his honor was restored. He was true to his convictions throughout and even if he disagreed with his country’s decision to go to war he was never disloyal; he always did his best for his country. I continued my life as wife and mother. My husband was not a Catholic but in time he expressed an interest in knowing more about our faith. I contacted Columban Fr. Jim Norris in a neighboring parish, and he came every Saturday to talk with my husband about the Catholic faith. However, my husband decided he wanted to give priority to his golf commitments on Sundays and
During the war I went to the Katase Catholic Church near Fujisawa, and my understanding of Christianity changed. In 1946 I became a Catholic and in that year we got a new Constitution. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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so would not be able to become a Catholic for the present. Then, 25 years later, he told me that he would like to be baptized, but it had to be by Fr. Norris, who had been assigned to a parish in Kyushu, far to the south west. I urged him to contact Fr. Norris with his request, which he did, and we traveled to his church in Kyushu for my husband’s baptism. I continued in the Peace Movement, and in 1970 an Anglican friend invited me to participate in a conference in Kyoto. There was a serious misunderstanding between the Japanese Secretariat and the International Secretariat. Some Japanese considered the conference to be a waste of time but Archbishop Shirayanagi of Tokyo supported it. Also, at that time, Ecumenism was becoming an increasingly significant topic on our religious agenda. The day before the conference began I had the opportunity to help resolve what seemed to be major differences between participants. I listened to what each side had to say and realized that only misunderstanding, not disagreement, was dividing them. I was able to persuade each group that they were misunderstanding the other’s position, so the conference went ahead. Also, my involvement on the international scene began. My reconciliation role brought me to the attention of Bishop Soma, the representative of the Japanese Bishops on the Justice and Peace Secretariat, and Archbishop Shirayanagi of Tokyo. In autumn of that year what was to become the Japanese Catholic Council for Justice and Peace was established. There I met Bishop Soma and Archbishop Shirayanagi who recommended that I be the representative from North Asia on the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace, under Cardinal Gantin. And so, I traveled to Rome annually for meetings of the Pontifical Commission for the following six years. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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While I never expected this opportunity I could see that my family background and other factors came together to call me to this role. It occurred to me that it was in a way circumstantial. However, as in the case of Joan of Arc, I believe the Holy Spirit was very much involved. Other representatives to the Pontifical Commission were well educated and in comparison I was just an ordinary Christian. Yet I had the confidence to speak my mind in the Commission meetings. At that time the French government was conducting nuclear bomb tests on Muruoa Island, and the residents were looking for help to protest the harm this was doing to them and their home. I took the
a representative of a government nuclear agency came to ask me to stop campaigning, but how could I stop? I had a passion for peace, and I continue with that same passion, as did my father. matter to the Commission, but the Australian representative said that their protest was an exaggeration due to Communist influence. The other members of the Commission were persuaded, and I was painted as rather naïve. Around that time my husband was working with Mitsubishi Trading in the machinery section, and Japan started to build nuclear power plants. Our companies needed to import technology from western countries, in particular from Westinghouse. Personnel from each of the Mitsubishi group of companies were chosen to form another company and my husband was one of those chosen (the Japanese conglomerates had been
broken up after the war but were now being allowed to work as a unit once again but this was difficult to manage overnight). President Eisenhower was supporting a program titled “Atoms for Peace” which was about harnessing nuclear power to produce electricity. American and Japanese (Westinghouse and Mitsubishi) engineers were working together to develop the technology. The American engineers were still in the process of refining the technology and worked together with Japanese engineers to finalize the work. My husband was in favor of the project, but an American friend explained to him that it was dangerous. He told my husband that no U.S. insurance company would insure a nuclear powered plant, so my husband realized that if there were an accident in a nuclear plant the consequences would be major and most probably harm many people. However, my husband and his company were happy to get contracts from the government. I said little, but studied to inform myself and then Chernobyl happened. At that point, my husband had retired. Following Chernobyl we promoted a campaign to take out an advertisement in a national newspaper. Without expecting it we raised enough money to take out three one page advertisements that explained the problems related to nuclear power plants. My husband’s old company approached him to see if he might stop his wife protesting. Also, a representative of a government nuclear agency came to ask me to stop campaigning, but how could I stop? I had a passion for peace, and I continue with that same passion, as did my father. And so, I sit here speaking with you now with my “no nuke” badge and my crucifix. CM August/September 2015
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Friends in the Mountains Assisting the Elderly in Peru By Sr. Sabina Choi
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here are elderly people living in isolated villages spread across the mountains. Most of them live alone in very poor conditions. Their sons and daughters left for the city to find work – often never to return – and leaving these elderly parents completely abandoned. Recently the government started giving a little money each month to the elderly. Many cannot avail of it, because they have no documentation. To all intents and purposes they do not exist. Others are not able to make the long journey to collect the money, and there is also the added danger of getting robbed on the way. While some benefit, most do not. We decided to try to do something to help them. Three times a month I go out to the mountains with two companions. We bring food and other things they may need. Fortunately, we have the use of a car without which we could not do it. It would take days to walk and how could we manage the supplies? Children in those areas walk two to three hours back and forth to school each day. First, I visit Mario. He lives alone since his wife died. He is about 70 years old. He has just one leg and is
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confined to bed. Sometimes he has no food. He just waits for one of his children to come and help him. It is very sad. He seems to have diabetes. People like him in the mountains just have to live with their illness without any medical treatment. Next I visit Juan who is over 100 years old. His wife died, and they had no children. His room is like an outhouse. He can hardly walk. His food is mostly dried potatoes cooked over a little fire in the yard. We bring him powdered milk and oatmeal along with a few simple medicines to help with his pains and aches. Most of all we try to bring him love and the assurance that he is not alone. Next is Clara. She had three daughters who are now widows and one son who died. She needs surgery, and her breathing is very poor. How is this poor woman hidden away in the mountains going to get the medical help she needs? I could go on and on about these friends who are very precious to me. Once a month we have a gathering in the parish for those who are able to attend. We serve them oatmeal with milk. Then we have a short sharing on some story about Jesus from the Bible. Volunteers from
the youth group offer their services to cut their hair or nails or other personal necessities. That brings us to lunch time. Soup, rice, potatoes and a little chicken is served. Then it is good-bye and back to the mountains with the assurance that “you are not alone. God is with you and so are we.” My companion, Sr. Young Mi, also from Korea, mentioned that at Christmas the children in our little school expect to get gifts. Last year something changed. They decided to make gifts and present them to the elderly. They prepared rice, sugar and powdered milk and presented the gifts themselves along with a little entertainment. It was an enjoyable moment for all present. Through your prayers and financial support you are present with Srs. Sabina and Young Mi in Peru, with the elderly in the mountains and the children in the school. The impact of their presence and their services on the lives of those young and old is sustained by your continuous generosity – for which we and they are always grateful. CM Columban Srs. Sabina and Young Mi live and work in Peru.
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“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will
stretch our your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ~ John 21:18 Our priests have spent their lives helping all of us to fulfill our baptismal call of being missionary. They have fulfilled this calling in places and conditions where we could not go. They have brought the Gospel of Christ to the world and with them they have carried our intentions, our prayers and our support. After spending their lives abroad, they have returned home to finish their journey in a different type of ministry. They have returned to us bringing with them the intentions and prayers of our new brothers and sisters abroad, the tie that connects all of us as one. As they age, their ministry is now the strong backbone of prayer and hope that unites us across the world as one family. With age comes the reality of health and retirement concerns. When you give to Waiting in Joyful Hope, you are helping to provide the vitally needed support for our retired and aging priests. You are also supporting their new and most significant ministry of prayer and support that helps our Church remain united as one.
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Please consider supporting Waiting in Joyful Hope by making a donation using the return envelope in this magazine. Mark your offering with “Waiting in Joyful Hope” and we will ensure that your gift supports this critical need. As always, we remain eternally grateful to you and will remember you in our prayers and Masses. For information regarding the Waiting in Joyful Hope campaign, 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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The Red Lacquered Gate The early days of the Columban Fathers and the courage and faith of its founder, Fr. Edward Galvin
Fr. Edward “Ned� Galvin was born in Ireland in 1882, the oldest in a family of seven children. After he was ordained to the Catholic priesthood, he realized that there were more priests in his native land then parishes. So Ned Galvin immigrated to the United States and turned a struggling church in Brooklyn into a thriving parish. But Father Galvin had a secret desire to do missionary work. He was especially attracted to China and had read all the books on the subject his local library could provide. Finally, his wish was granted, and he set out with a group of dedicated helpers on a mission to the Far East.
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William E. Barrett created this colorful, dramatic portrait of an unusual man whose strong Catholic faith helped him survive the horrors and heartbreak of his demanding mission to China.
Order your copy today! Call 888-795-4274, visit your local bookstore or order online at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and Xlibris.com in paperback, hardback and eBook formats.
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A New Mission
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henever I recall my first encounter with Fr. Dick Pankratz the image that comes to mind is the drama and excitement of
opening a bottle of champagne! Ten years ago I had visited his parish in the city of Cagayan de Oro in the southern Philippines in order to attend the ordination ceremony of a Filipino seminarian, Darwin Bayaca. Throughout that weekend, Fr. Dick was bubbling over with excitement and joy as he and his team rushed about to ensure that the large number of out-of-town guests would experience Filipino hospitality at its best
Thanks to his infirmity he had been appointed by Jesus to share the Good News with other residents and staff of the nursing home.
for that special occasion. Back in 1974, Fr. Dick, from Marshfield, Wisconsin,
retirement home in Bristol, Rhode Island. As the
had been ordained a Columban missionary priest
possibility of returning to the Philippines grew remote,
and was then assigned to the Philippines. Over the
Fr. Dick’s spirit became downcast.
succeeding decades, Fr.
However, some months later he had a dream
Dick’s larger-than-life
in which he met Jesus, who told him to found a
personality coupled with
new congregation. Fr. Dick was puzzled as to what
his tireless dedication to
this message meant. Later in that same dream-
his ministry touched the
conversation Jesus asked him to build a church. Never a
hearts and lives of countless
procrastinator, Fr. Dick began construction work right away. However, as the walls rose and the unusual shape
From the Director By Fr. Tim Mulroy Filipinos. He had come to know and love the people so well that the Philippines had become his second home,
of the new church became clearer, Fr. Dick became even more puzzled. He continued building. Then, suddenly, amazement seized him: the new church was a replica of the nursing home where he was residing. Fr. Dick woke up with the realization that Jesus had
and he would gladly have spent the remainder of his life
given him a new place to do mission. Thanks to his
there.
infirmity he had been appointed by Jesus to share the
However, in August 2010, Fr. Dick’s world was
Good News with other residents and staff of the nursing
turned upside down when he suffered a stroke. Medical
home. His life-long vocation as a Columban missionary
attention in Manila helped to stabilize his condition,
priest would continue in this “new church” with this
but he was bought back to the U.S. some months later
“new congregation.” Then much to his own surprise,
in order to undergo intensive rehabilitation therapy.
joy and laughter began to spontaneously spill out of him
Despite Fr. Dick’s valiant efforts, his paralysis continued
again, like champagne flowing in a new mission land!
to be such a major impediment that he became a resident of a nursing home close to the Columban
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Columban Fathers PO Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056
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Transform the Lives of Others…Enrich the World…Give Hope Columban Mission magazine is published eight times each year and tells the stories of our missionaries and the people they are called to serve. Columban missionaries live in solidarity with their people and, together, they move forward to improve their social, economic and spiritual lives, always with Our Savior as their guide and their eyes on God’s Kingdom. For a $10 donation or more, you or a friend or loved one can share in our baptismal call to mission and the Columban Father’s mission work around the world through Columban Mission magazine. To begin receiving your Columban Mission magazine or to provide a gift to a loved one, simply visit our website at www.columban.org, call our toll-free number 877-299-1920 or write to us at: Columban Mission Magazine Subscription Missionary Society of St. Columban P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056
Columban Mission AugSept15 final.indd 24
“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. 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… Sr. Carmen Maldonado Columban Sisters 2500 S. Freemont Avenue, #E Alhambra, CA 91803-4300 626-458-1869 Websites: www.columbansisters.org www.columbansistersusa.com
Japan + Korea + Peru + Hong Kong + Philippines + Pakistan + Chile + Fiji + Taiwan + North America
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