Columban Mission Magazine February 2017 by Columban Fathers

The Magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban

February 2017

peace

equality | rights | freedom

The Human Condition COLUMBAN MISSION FEB17 final.indd 1

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Volume 100 - Number 1 - February 2017

Columban Mission

o n t e n t s

Issue Theme –The Human Condition

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

Five Days

12 Ordinations in Chile

4 The Children’s Center of Yanaoca

A Safe Place to Realize Dreams

6 Immigrant

Culprit, Casualty or Contributor?

8 North Korean Refugees

Living in Bangkok, Thailand

9 Luis de Almeida

Doctor, Merchant, Missionary

11 Hope Experience

Value without Judgement

16 Holy Week at Emmaus

Unbridled Enthusiasm

18 A Cricket Match to Build Friendships

A Level Playing Field

19 Loving Our Neighbor

Toll-Free Phone: 877/299-1920 Website: WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG Copyright © 2016, The Columban Fathers (Legal Title) PUBLISHER REV. TIMOTHY MULROY, SSC DIRECTORUSA@COLUMBAN.ORG EDITOR KATE KENNY KKENNY@COLUMBAN.ORG EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS MARCI ANDERSON MANDERSON@COLUMBAN.ORG RHONDA FIRNHABER RFIRNHABER@COLUMBAN.ORG GRAPHIC DESIGNER KRISTIN ASHLEY EDITORIAL BOARD DAN EMINGER KATE KENNY ERNIE MAY REV. TIMOTHY MULROY, SSC JEFF NORTON FR. RICHARD STEINHILBER, SSC SCOTT WRIGHT

Sharing Lives

21 A Gift from a Beggar

A Surprise Encounter

22 A Woman in Distress

Easy Disappearance

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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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In So Many Words By Amy Woolam Echeverria

Human Rights

e all marvel at the deep and simple wisdom children hold in their hearts and on their lips. In preparing to write this reflection for this issue on Human Rights, I asked my ten year old daughter what we mean when we say, “human rights.” Her reply was effortless: the right to recess, the right be whatever you want to be, and the right to dream big. With some interpretation, my daughter’s definition mirrors much of what God’s mission as lived by Columbans is all about. For example, we might consider the “right to recess” as a nuance to our Columban commitment to non-violent peacebuilding. Of the “right to be whatever you want to be” we can see how our work for justice and the rights’ of many communities like refugees, migrants, workers, indigenous peoples and women is important to us. And of the “right to dream big,” we stand in wonder and awe of all of God’s Creation which impels us to be in solidarity not only with people who are excluded and marginalized but with the natural world that is also vulnerable and exploited. In John’s Gospel we hear the story of the Good Shepherd, when Jesus reminds His disciples, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (Jn10:10) In these words, we hear God’s desire for all of Creation to live free from that which keeps us from the fullness of life such as violence, poverty, exploitation, and exclusion. Pope Francis in his encyclical, Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home, echoes this right to the fullness of life when he invites us to hear both the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth. He writes, “In the present condition of global society, where injustices abound and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable, the principle of the common good immediately becomes, logically and inevitably, a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the poorest of our brothers and sisters.” (LS, par.158) Our Columban commitment to Justice, Peace, and Care for Creation is rooted in the Gospel, Catholic Social Teaching, and the Society’s Constitutions which describes our nature and purpose this way, “Striving to have the kingdom of God permeate the lives and cultures of all peoples, we proclaim the universal message of salvation through witness, ministry, and dialogue from the stand point of solidarity with the poor.” Columbans live in solidarity with people and the natural world that are vulnerable and marginalized. We also work to change national and global policies and structures that create and maintain systematic injustices, conflict, and environmental destruction. This month we explore Columban stories that celebrate the dignity and rights of all people, especially people who have had their rights violated by poverty, lack of access to education, discrimination and other forms of injustice. May they inspire us all to dream big and together be workers in the vineyard for a world in which all of God’s Creation rejoice in the fullness of life. Amy Woolam Echeverria is the international Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Coordinator for the Missionary Society of St. Columban.

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The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center of Yanaoca A Safe Place to Realize Dreams By Kim Balkovec

he Columban missionaries began their work in Peru in 1951 and continue working throughout the country today. While Peru is a beautiful country, rich in culture and history and was once the center of the Incan empire, over 44% of the population currently lives below the poverty line. Many of those living in dire poverty are children. The parish of Santiago Apostol in Yanaoca has been staffed by Columban Fr. Paul Prendergast since the late 1980s. The present pastor is Columban Fr. Young-In Kim from Korea who is fluent in Spanish, as well

While Peru is a beautiful country, rich in culture and history and was once the center of the Incan empire, over 44% of the population currently lives below the poverty line. 4

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as in Quechua, the language of the indigenous people of the area. The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center of Yanaoca began with the initiative of a few Columban benefactors and their concern for the survival of children during a couple of years of intense cold. This unusual weather phenomenon put the lives of children, elderly, farm animals and pets at risk. The area of Yanaoca is very impoverished. It is a town of farmers and shepherds of goats and sheep. The average family live off what the land produces and raise chickens, guinea pigs and pigeons for their own consumption. By selling some of their products, a family may earn $40 to $60 dollars a month. With the assistance of generous benefactors, Fr. Kim was able to adapt an existing building owned by the parish that had been vacant for five years into the new Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center. Fortunately, the building was well constructed and structurally sound. There are two floors with various rooms that have been remodeled complete with appropriate decorations and furnishings. These are used as a library, computer room, arts and crafts room, meeting room, and play area. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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There are other rooms available that will accommodate future program growth. However, these rooms have not been remodeled or furnished. While much improvement has been done in a short period of time, (the project began in 2015), the Center is not finished yet. It has large back and side yards that need to be levelled and repaired, and very old structures that need to be demolished. Land must be cleared for a playground including areas for soccer, volleyball,

With the assistance of generous benefactors, Fr. Kim was able to adapt an existing building owned by the parish that had been vacant for five years into the new Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center. and basketball. There is even a space where children can plant their own vegetable gardens and learn how to improve their mostly starchy, nutrition poor, diets. The program serves about fifty children. They are divided into three groups, according to their ages: five and six-year-olds, seven to nine-year-

olds, as well as ten and eleven-yearolds. Due to limits of space and of personnel available to care for the children and provide instruction, not all children can attend the center at the same time. The children must come in shifts. There is a waiting list for children that want to be in the program. The Center is not just a place for children to play; it is a learning space where they can attain valuable skills for their future life. Children learn handcrafts, painting and music. They develop communication skills, learn more about family farming, and improve their dance repertoire. Like parents the world over, the parents in Yanaoca want their children to be well-fed, well-educated and able to carry on the important traditions of the area. Unfortunately, because they are subsistence workers, they are unable to help fund the project. It is with our deepest gratitude that we thank everyone who has helped the children of Yanaoca by providing them a safe place to realize their dreams. CM Kim Balkovec is a development officer for the Society and works in the St. Columbans, Nebraska office.

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Immigrant Culprit, Casualty or Contributor? By Fr. Bobby Gilmore

n the not-too-distant past it was almost impossible to get governments and institutions to discuss immigration and immigrant issues. It wasn’t as if immigration wasn’t happening. Nations that were losing the energy band in their societies were silent rather than admit their failure to offer citizens access to their economies. Receiving nations were also silent as they were getting an asset for free— young, healthy, idealistic, educated and skilled people. They needed both skilled and unskilled immigrants to do the dirty, dangerous and difficult jobs that indigenous populations shunned. Indeed, western nations criticized communist nations that were denying their citizens the right to migrate. However, when the walls came down and a new global order began to emerge, sections of the media headlined and politicians began to raise fears using alarmist language describing immigrants as “swamp and swarms.” The new global order promoted policies of free trade and the free movement of capital. The architects of this new economic order ignored the need of immigration policies to address the free movement of people. Demographic deficits in the new trading unions of the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA), the European Union and the Asian Basin were by and large ignored. Demographic surpluses in places like North and Central Africa, South Asia, Central America and Eastern Europe were also ignored. Large, young, unemployed populations in these areas 6

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began to recognize that international investment was moving to destinations of speculative profit while their nations became destinations of low paid industries turning out cheap products for the more affluent regions. International debt to finance centers and banking institutions drained developing nations of resources needed to develop indigenous industry and infrastructure. Trade deals between the rich trading areas and the undeveloped resembled the imbalance of the colonial area. Nations with long coastal areas were invaded by trawlers that scooped the sea bed taking away the indigenous fishing industry. Local people in the fishing industry began to use their fishing boats to ferry immigrants to coasts and off-shore islands of the European Union. They headed for those areas of the EU that they had an affinity with in colonial times. Many of these undocumented immigrants ended up in agricultural industries producing and processing goods much of which ended up in indigenous markets in Central and Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Central America. Central to this new global arrangement was a new communication system that informed excluded populations of their abandoned plight. Seeing the inequality, people were made to feel poor. University graduates pounded streets of their home cities seeking any kind of employment. Formal and anecdotal information told of a better life abroad and plenty of employment opportunities. The choice was

destitution at home or the possibility of an opportunity to a better life abroad. In seeking to move these abandoned young people, like millions in the past, found the legal arteries of migration blocked. Unfazed, they sought informal means of leaving home and arriving in new destinations where they, as others in the past, hoped a new life awaited them. All communication coming back from those already abroad told of streets paved with gold. Failure is not a word in the emigrant dictionary. Into this scenario a new enterprise emerged. Human trafficking that always existed in many forms began to develop from a cottage industry to a major enterprise. The framework of this illegal enterprise was already active in the smuggling of illegal drugs to affluent markets. What in previous decades was sporadic movement of people began to take on a corporate-type enterprise managed and run by ruthless cartels in many instances operated in the connivance of local authorities and corrupt government officials. Failed states offered many of these cartels unexpected opportunities both at source and in transition to ply their trade. The best example of this uncontrolled illegal opportunity arose with the collapse of organised government in Libya. Now Libya is a transition route to Europe. It is run by gangs that are out of reach global governance. The European Union coastline is the destination of modern destitution emerging out of long term WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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Photography courtesy of Kristin Ashley

indifference to the many predictions and warnings over the years. Economic migration tells that the movement of people indicates the movement of wealth and investment. The effects of debt in developing nations were and are a stranglehold on development. But, while debt was a major obstacle to progress, the flow of wealth out of these nations to centers of finance and dispersed to tax havens is a greater scandal. However, seldom is the connection being made between that and economic migration. The destinations of wealth are the destinations of immigrants. The antiimmigrant voices seldom make the connection between their standards of affluence due to investment from poor countries and the destitution that pushes people to migrate. Few anti-immigrant voices make the connection of endemic corruption, common violence, lack of law and order, extremism and immigration. Hope drives desperate people to seek desperate solutions. Aid agencies, both government and non-government, seldom confront the WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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corrupt practices of recipients of aid. Imagine, those immigrants who have lost their lives in the Mediterranean do not emerge from nowhere. They are the citizens of states that have failed them and whose inept leaders are members of the political and institutional directorate. It is cowardly of some European politicians to make the destitute immigrants the scapegoats of their political ambitions. But, what disturbs many is the rise of racism, anti-semitism and Islamophobia facilitated by a right to use offensive language in the guise of freedom of speech. Added to this great economic exodus out of underdeveloped and failed debt-ridden states is the present tide of humanitarian migration from war zones of Iraq, Syria, Libya and Somalia. It has become obvious that the conventions set in place after WWII and the Holocaust have not been taken to heart by many countries. The ambivalence in dealing with the present refugee exodus from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia is reminiscent of the failure of the

Evian Conference in 1939 to deal with the plight of the Jews and other vulnerable minorities in the face of Nazism. Refugees do not cause their own displacement. It is no surprise that immigrants have become convenient culprits in a bankrupt political culture more concerned about protecting its deference than in the service it is called to render. The problems of our lives cannot be solved by making convenient culprits, building fences or new wars like the wars on drugs, terror, misinformation and confusion. If there is no shared reality can there be shared solutions? Shock treatment dealt in dismissal of alternative opinions makes prisons that confine us to repeat mistakes of the past. In this era markets and migrations need each other demanding migration legislation that complements cohesion preventing calamity. CM Columban Fr. Bobby Gilmore lives and works in Ireland.

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North Korean Refugees Living in Bangkok, Thailand By Fr. Thomas Seungwon Nam

n May 2016 I went to Bangkok, Thailand, with other priests and a brother in order to visit the Korean Embassy and the Korean Catholic Community there. We were looking at how we might help North Korean refugees with the help of the embassy and Catholic community. Among the high number of refugees from North Korea, 90% of them stop briefly in Thailand. The vast majority of North Korean refugee/migrants living in South Korea call themselves Christians. Surveys taken in the early 2000s showed that almost 75% of them were converted predominantly to Protestantism. As a way of seeking solace, living morally and building new social networks within South Korea—and even receiving cash subsidies from the state—most of those who settle south of the demilitarized zone continue to depend on churches in their daily lives. It is interesting to ask the question: why do most defectors

Fr. Thomas Nam, second from left

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choose to be Protestant over other denominations and faiths? The origins of the recent wave of North Korean converting to Protestantism dates back more than twenty years to the devastating famine that killed an estimated half a million people, perhaps more. North Koreans call this period the “Arduous March.” Fleeing across the border to China, the first Chinese word tens of thousands of North Koreans learned was jiaohui, meaning church. Many headed towards the brightly lit crosses that dot the skyline, particularly in China’s ethnic Korean prefecture of Yanbian, which lies just across the Tumen River—the most popular and shortest crossing point between the two countries. Among those that stay in China, some remain for years working and studying, particularly in Yanji, the main city in Yanbian. Others move on to some bigger cities or else travel towards Mongolia or Southeast Asia so as

to later defect via the various South Korean embassies. Thailand is one of the major countries where many North Korean refugees stay before entering South Korea. The percentage of North Koreans who convert to Christianity once they flee has dropped sharply since the famine, from about 85% in the late 1990s to less than 75% in the early 2000s, and to even lower rates today. Upon arrival in South Korea, North Koreans are sent to the Central Joint Interrogation Center, where authorities verify they are not Korean or Chinese spies. Each defector must then pass through Hanawon resettlement center, where they receive instruction on how to live in the bustling, capitalist south. In this center, Protestant, Catholic and Buddhist religious services are offered. In fact, one of my new ministries is to offer religious service in the Hanawon center. Some observers and North Korean refugees often note (with cynicism) that newcomers in Hanawon typically prefer Protestants to other religious groups because of the quality of snacks and gifts distributed at the end of each Sunday service. Protestants have invested more time and money compared to other religious groups in a bid to reach these new arrivals. Unfortunately, much the same thing occurs with religious services in the South Korean military. After three months in Hanawon, defectors receive South Korean identity cards and are then resettled in low-income housing. From that point forward, they are expected to WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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adjust to the South Korean way of life, including its hypercompetitive school system and job market. After the state, it is the Protestant Church which offers the greatest number of benefits to these newcomers. For some, troubling similarities exist between forms of church worship and the adulation enforced inside North Korea in the name of the ruling Kim dynasty. Instead of the Bible, North Koreans must study Kim Il-sung’s “Juche” philosophy and religious testimony and confession can seem like the self-criticism sessions every North Korean faces at home. Some converts become disappointed when they encounter discrimination by “superficial believers,” those who are just in it for the benefits, or when they begin to believe that regular prayer makes little impact on the

deprivation and persecution inside North Korea. Many of the refugees later claim leadership roles within the church, evangelizing other North Koreans and thus moving beyond their secondclass status as beneficiaries of welfare in the south. The Protestant Church, much less centrally organized than the Catholic Church, has always been far better positioned for such a task. Catholicism is much less visible among North Koreans once they reach the south. Recent surveys have shown that just 1% of defectors regularly attend a Catholic church even if they seem to be more satisfied with the less aggressive approach to evangelism. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea runs the Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People, which offers nationwide support

for defectors. The church should, I think, recruit North Korean laypeople to lead regional committees with support from South Korean clergy, catechists and other laypeople. In short, understanding North Koreans as human beings offers a better solution than wooing them with gifts. Like anyone, North Koreans tend to observe and follow what people do in practice rather than trust what they say. This is also an approach that helps create what most Koreans dream of: a cultural contact zone creating a small-scale reunification between north and south. Author’s Note: I am heavily indebted to Jung Jin-Heon and his article “Exploring Why Most North Korean Migrants Choose to Be Protestant.” CM Columban Fr. Thomas Seungwon Nam lives and works in Seoul, South Korea.

Luis de Almeida Doctor, Merchant, Missionary By Fr. Barry Jude Cairns

he Columban missionaries staffed the three parishes on Amakusa Island in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, from 1950 through 1997. The three parishes were in three different communities, each with its own history and personality. But all three, Hondo Oe and Sakitsu, like to trace their parish’s heritage back to 1566. So on the first weekend of June, the three parishes came together as one to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the first Jesuit missionary to work in Amakusa. He was Luis de Almeida. Luis was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1525. His family were considered “new Christians” since their ancestors were of the Jewish faith. Almeida WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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studied medicine, and in 1546, Master Gil, Surgeon Major of Portugal declared him fit to practice medicine and surgery. He set out for the Portuguese colonies of Goa and Macau. But on arrival in Macau, he decided to try his hand at becoming a merchant, trading Portuguese goods in China and Japan. After eight years of business he was a rich man. Then in 1555 he met Fr. Casme de Torres, of the Society of Jesus, in Japan to discuss his future. Almeida’s life changed course again, and he decided

to become a Jesuit Brother, giving his considerable fortune to the Society. Japan in those days was a country wracked by civil war, disease and poverty. Local lords, or daimyo, led one clan against another. Almeida was shocked at the prevalence of war wounds, leprosy and syphilis. He witnessed a woman trying to drown her baby in an inlet of the Oita River because her family could not feed another child. With the Jesuit Society’s backing, he used part of his funds to open a hospital and orphanage at February 2017

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Luis Almeida studied medicine, and in 1546, Master Gil, Surgeon Major of Portugal declared him fit to practice medicine and surgery.

Funai (modern-day Oita). Almeida worked there full time, training other Jesuit brothers and lay staff in medicine, surgery and the use of drugs imported from Portugal and China. Surgery was always done in the open air for a couple of reasons: first, for good light and second to put an end to the rumor that these Europeans or “Southern Barbarians” as they were commonly called, drank human blood. By 1561, Almeida handed over an expanded hospital to a well-trained staff. A present day, the hospital in Oita City is named “Almeida Hospital.” The late Columban Father Sean Ryle, when he was parish priest at Hondo in Amakusa, led a drive to get long-delayed recognition for Luis de Almeida. The Japan Medical Society erected a memorial plaque in the Hondo Martyrs Park honoring Almeida as the first to introduce Western medicine to Japan. Almeida began a new career as an active evangelizer in Western Japan traveling to Kyoto, Hirado, Nagasaki, Oita and the Goto Islands. He was skilled in the Japanese language and this skill served him well in negotiations between the mission and various daimyo. 10

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It should not be surprising that Almeida was a keen observer of Japanese customs and culture. For example, he wrote, “The Japanese are very fond of an herb agreeable to the taste which they call ‘cha’ which is a delicious drink once one becomes used to it.” Influenced by this, the Fr. Valignano, the Jesuit superior, instructed the Jesuits in Japan to observe every aspect of the tea

Almeida worked there full time, training other Jesuit brothers and lay staff in medicine, surgery and the use of drugs imported from Portugal and China. ceremony, or cha no yu, as a gesture of welcome and friendship. In 1566, Brother Luis Almeida was the first missionary to work on Amakusa. The daimyo of Shiki received baptism. Although Almeida was hesitant, 500 of his followers also were baptized. But to Almeida’s disappointment the daimyo reverted to Buddhism, though he did allow a certain freedom to evangelize the

mission. Almeida founded a mission in 1569 at a place called Kawachiura, now called Kawaura. It is situated between the modern towns of Hondo and Sakitsu. It was at Kawachiura that the Jesuits established their Collegio (a school for boys), set up a printing press, and started an art school. Pages printed on that printing press still exist in the Jesuit archives in Rome. The village of Kawaura now has a replica of the Guttenberg press that was state of the art in the sixteenth century! Again despite hesitation, he baptized the local lord and his followers. These, however, remained faithful till their deaths in the dramatic climax of the Shimabara revolt when they were killed by canon fire from Dutch warships. The 16th century Jesuit mission custom was to give the people who were candidates for baptism 30 or 40 intensive lessons, three each day, over a period of 15 or 20 days. After baptism there were five more talks on confession and another five on Holy Communion. As a brother, Almeida founded missions that continued in existence with only occasional visits by a priest. That ability to be self-reliant served them well when they remained faithful for 280 years of persecution despite being cut off from any priests. After so many years in Japan, finally in 1580 he returned to Macau and was ordained a priest, returning then to the Amakusa mission. He only lived on for another three years dying at 58 in 1583 having spent nearly half his days—28 years—in Japan. CM Columban Fr. Barry Cairns lives and works in Japan.

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Hope Experience Value without Judgement By Rosalia Basada

t’s been nearly six years since I arrived in Birmingham, England, as a Columban lay missionary. When I first came to this country, I honestly thought that I was going to give more and that people would learn more from me. The reality is that I receive and learn more from them. Through the years I have made amazing friends, and I have been involved in many organizations, one of which is the Ujamaa women’s group which is a part of the Hope Projects organization. The Hope Projects works to support and empower destitute asylum-seekers and provides emergency short-term accommodation for destitute and homeless refugees. When I started volunteering at Hope Projects, the group was doing sewing and knitting. It has since developed and become more a place of information, support, campaigns, training and helping the women to know the rules and integrate in the British environment. The women’s group is also a multifaith place for socializing, friendship and sisterhood, which lifts the burden of stress and homesickness. It is also

a place to share the difficulties and struggles of the asylum process. As for me, it has been a real blessing and a privilege to have been able to volunteer in this project, as I have interacted with women from different cultural backgrounds and religions. It has been a humbling experienced. Some of my favorite moments were experiencing eating inter-cultural dishes which happens every last Tuesday of the month. It is during this day that we eat together, and we greet and sing birthday songs to the celebrants. It gave me the impression that these women I’ve been journeying with are strong and hopeful women. Despite what they’ve been going through in their lives, they are still hopeful. And when one of them would receive permission to stay and would announce the news to the whole group, I could see how everybody was happy about the news as we congratulate and cheer the person. I love celebrating with them, especially when we all agree to wear our traditional dress, cook our traditional food and have

a meal together. I feel I am with a multinational family. There is beauty in diversity, indeed. Just recently we had our first inter-cultural day, and it turned out fantastic as everybody wore traditional dress and shared traditional food. We danced and sang to entertain ourselves and the Hope Projects supporters. It was also a moment to say farewell as they know I’m leaving soon. My heart felt so warm upon hearing kind words from them and receiving a gift from the group as they contributed for a gift for me. I know how little they get, but they managed to give something to me which I didn’t expect at all. They are generous despite their situation. My experience has deepened my spirituality as a missionary. Because I feel their faith in God, my faith is deeper. I find it so touching that when they are waiting for their papers or feeling depressed or ill many of them would still ask for prayers. They would ask me to pray for them to have good results. Their faith has shown me to be more thankful of the small things I have in life and more grateful for being called to participate in God’s mission, through Columban mission in Britain. To have been able to hold hands with someone who was thankful for having been allowed to remain in Britain, or to have a temporary accommodation, has changed my outlook on life and allowed me to become a more selfless person, a better version of myself. The greatest lesson of journeying with the Hope Projects women has taught me to value to each person without judgement and show them love as they are no different than me. I thank God for giving this wonderful opportunity to be part of this project. As I conclude I also pray for God’s blessing for all women who suffer any forms of violence or struggles and whatever hardship women are going through in life. CM Columban lay missionary Rosalia Basada lives and works in Britain.

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Five Days A Journey of Trust and Hope

By Fr. Kurt Zion Pala

e were told that we would be spending about five days in Agoo (the Philippines). We were all excited except that we had to walk for five days from Malolos, Bulacan, to Agoo, La Union, without money for food or renting a room. We would have to beg from people without telling them the truth that we were seminarians. We were only given enough money for lunch and the return trip back to Manila. Five daysâ&#x20AC;Ślike the animals on the ark, we were sent out in twos. The first day, we walked fast and covered as much distance as possible. On the second day, my companion complained that he could not continue because of the pain and blisters. He decided to return to Manila. I was hesitant to continue but decided to go on. My first day alone, I was caught in the dark along the

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highway in Tarlac without any house or building in sight. I was worried. Finally I was able to find a house, but it turned out to be a karaoke house. I asked the owner if I could sleep on the bench. But he just told me I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t because his customers were coming

Jesus went through His own journey of 40 days. Lent is a journey. soon. An old man was listening to us. I waited. The man returned and told me after all the customers were gone I could sleep at one of the benches. The old man turned out to be the father of the owner. I left early in the morning and left them a note to thank them. On the fourth day, I was hot

with fever and so I went straight to the church. But I was bluntly turned down. Feverish, hungry and angry, I took some money from the money for transport back and bought medicines, biscuits and water instead of asking for help from people. After walking around the town, I went to the police. They asked me questions and checked my ID, curious as to why I was walking around. They gave me food and a bench to sleep on. On my fifth day, I eventually reached the church in Agoo. The doors of the church felt like welcoming arms. I knelt before the altar and thanked God. Just thanked God. It was the most humbling experience to be nothing and to beg. Jesus went through His own journey of 40 days. Lent is a journey. It is important to remember these things. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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On my fifth day, I eventually reached the church in Agoo. The doors of the church felt like welcoming arms.

Trust and Hope When I was hungry and angry at the same time, I gave into my needs because of pride and selfishness. We were told not to buy but to beg from people. I was tempted, and I gave in. For part of the journey I learned to trust and hope in God. It taught me to depend on the mercy and compassion of the people God sent me and not to depend on my own strength and power. During Lent and in any moment of our life, we can rely too much on our own will. We tend to do things “my way.” When we “fail,” we blame others because we think so highly of ourselves as being incapable of mistakes and failures. We even blame God because we think God owes us so much because we have done so much for God. God wants us to succeed in life. He wants us to be faithful to Him. If you sin and fail, stand up and walk on. God’s mercy and goodness is more than our faults and mistakes. The world demands that we become successful in life but never faithful. To prove ourselves to people. We aim to succeed in life at the expense of our relationships. Everything is about winning. Then it becomes difficult for us to accept, understand and believe that we are worth more than anything, we are special and loved by God— even when we are hungry, empty, unfulfilled and losing in the eyes of the world.

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Be Humble Unless we learn to be humble, we cannot trust others or God. On Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that the ash symbolizes our origin and destiny, our weakness and strength, our past and our future. It reminds us that we are sinners. We are broken, weak, and wounded. But we are also capable of holiness and of great things, of doing incredible things. Isn’t it beautiful that God creates wonders from ash, from dust—something we consider useless and meaningless, He created miracles that we call people!

Love If I were to ask you to draw love, what would be the shape of love? As a Christian, I believe the shape of love is the Cross. We all like love stories, but there is a far greater love story—our love story with God. From the very beginning we were

created because of love. Remember the creation story—it was love at first sight. When God saw what He created, He saw everything was good. But when sin came, that love story was broken. Both man and woman chose themselves over God and disobeyed God. Remember that for God so loved the world He gave us His only Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, His most precious one. Every day, God renews His love story with us. He rewrites the story in a different, profoundly more intimately and personal ways. Jesus said that He no longer calls us slaves but friends and that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. The shape of love is not the heart but the Cross. Remember, Lent is a journey. Trust. Be humble and love. CM Columban Fr. Kurt Zion Pala lives and works in Myanmar.

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Ordinations in Chile! The Next Generation By Frans Lang

n June 2016 I traveled with Columban Fr. Charles Duster to Santiago, Chile, for the ordination of two Columban seminarians, Rafael Salazar and Gonzalo Diaz. When I spoke with Rafael days before his ordination, he had been preparing and studying with the Columbans for 12 years. One of the most interesting aspects of a Columban seminarians experience is the FMA, or First Mission Assignment, undertaken prior to ordination. Rafael and Gonzalo both traveled to Korea for their FMA, where they first attended language school and then did mission work in Korea. Gonzalo will return to Korea for his first assignment as a Columban priest, and Rafael will travel to the newly re-opened Myanmar (formerly Burma). This movement of the Columbans around the world speaks to their truly global mission and family, a global community that was reflected on the day of the ordination. Many of the seminarians in attendance were from other mission 14

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countries where the Columbans live and work. There were several Fijian seminarians, seminarians from Chile and China and lay missionaries from Ireland along with several priests who came from as far away as Korea to join in the celebration. The morning of the ordinations, we rose early to board the bus that would take us to the Columban parish where the Sacrament would be celebrated. The bus stopped along the way to pick up the family and friends of Rafael and Gonzalo. Although it was early when we arrived at St. Columban Church, people had already begun to gather and soon filled the church. Many of the people attending were members of the parishes that Rafael and Gonzalo had been working in as deacons. As the Mass started, the priests were preceded by Chilean dancers who performed a native dance. The two seminarians processed in with Bishop Pedro Ossandón of Santiago, followed by 28 priests, most of whom were Columbans. As part of the

celebration, witnesses spoke about the faithfulness and readiness of these two men to commit their lives to serving others in Christ’s name. The most powerful part of the ordination for me was witnessing the laying on of hands. The faith and the love that the Bishop and each of the 28 priests had for the two seminarians was clearly visible to the congregation. No one was rushed or hurried, and you could feel the warmth and joy as each priest extended their blessing to welcome Rafael and Gonzalo as new members of the Missionary Society of St. Columban. Rafael and Gonzalo then concelebrated the Mass and distributed communion to those gathered. Before the conclusion of the Mass a small group of Mapuche approached and sang in their native tongue a song of thanksgiving and blessing for the new priests. It was wonderful to see the Catholic traditions of ordination woven together with the Chilean culture, yet another example of the Columbans’ loving, global family. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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The next day began with Rafael and Gonzalo’s first Masses, which they celebrated at the parishes in which they have worked for the past several years. Rafael celebrated his first Mass at St. Mathias, another Columban parish in the area, followed by Gonzalo’s first Mass back at St. Columban Parish. The Masses were a wonderful way to share the joy of the ordination with the people from their parishes who were unable to attend the day before. The two new priests concelebrated for each other and were joined by other Columban priests. After each Mass the newly ordained priests greeted their parishioners— many photos were taken and hugs given! I was able to really see the love and care that they had for the people of their parishes as well as the love the people had for them. The final celebration with the two new priests was the Bishop’s Mass on Monday. The Bishop came to the Columban house and celebrated Mass with a small group of the families and the visitors who had WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

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traveled to the ordination. Though this was the smallest of the Masses celebrated during the weekend, it was still a powerful welcoming by the Columbans of the newest members of the Society. What impressed me the most about the whole series of celebrations was the camaraderie that the Columbans, the seminarians and the lay missionaries have. There seem to be no barriers to relationships due to age or language, race or country of origin. Boundless love was clearly evident in the community that was gathered. I had not previously met any of the Columban seminarians and only a few of the lay missionaries; my experience with the Columbans has been at the Regional offices in Nebraska and the retirement home in Bristol. While the Columbans in those places are still actively ministering to others and part of a loving community, this environment allowed me to see the younger men of the society, and I saw a glimpse of the future of the global Columban

mission. It was so rewarding to see the next generation who will continue the work of the Society. CM Frans Lang works in the development department in St. Columbans, Nebraska.

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Holy Week at Emmaus Unbridled Enthusiasm

hile at my age being the main celebrant at the Holy Week ceremonies can be very demanding on a worn out body, it is more than compensated by experiencing first hand the fervor and the enthusiasm of our people with special needs. In fact I begin to envy them,as they appear to be much closer to Jesus than I could ever hope. On Holy Thursday, the assistants and I took our basin of water and towel and knelt before twelve of our special

friends.The cry or the roar of some of our friends as they reacted suddently to the cold water being poured on their feet was a reminder to me and the assistants of the cries of the wounded and our commitment to answer their cry. On Good Friday, our special friends enacted the Passion Play,and at the Veneration of the Cross they came forward to kiss the crucifix. They who are carrying the cross of being slow learners and the wounds of rejection and abandonment

were able to empathize with the suffering Jesus more than I or you. You noticed it as they kissed the crucifix with passion and with tears in the eyes. Wounded people know each other. Then on Holy Saturday you could see how they felt the Joy of Easter as they kept ringing the altar bell non-stop and knocking on the doors of heaven with their Alleluias. It was at the singing of the Our Father as they joined hands with each other and swayed in dance from left to right that you know they were expressing their love and gratitude to the Risen Jesus. It is that same Risen Christ who gives them new confidence , new strength, new hopes and new life ,and who continues to walk with them on the Road to Emmaus. CM

Columban Fr. Noel Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill lives and works in South Korea.

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God depends on you to carry out His plan for the world. Please consider becoming a Columban Mission sponsor today! As a Columban Mission sponsor, you play a vital and important role in bringing Christ to the people of the Pacific Rim, South and Central America. You may not be able to go where our Columban missionaries go, and you may not be able to do what we do, but together we can bring Christ, in word and in sacrament to the people of the world. What Columban missionaries achieve is as much your work as theirs. When you choose to make sustaining gifts as a Columban Mission sponsor, you help secure the future of mission!

What does being a Columban Mission sponsor involve? Daily Prayer Columban Mission sponsors pray daily for the success of our missionaries. The Gospel is spread through the power of God, not merely by human effort. For mission efforts to be fruitful, they must be accompanied by prayer. Sacrifice Offer whatever crosses, suffering and pain you experience each day for the success of our mission activities. Sacrifice is the inseparable compliment to prayer. A Monthly Offering Columban Mission sponsors give a specific amount that they choose each month for the work of the missions. These sustaining gifts live up to their name by maximizing giving over the long term and provide a secure future for vital programs and ministries.

What are the personal benefits for you? Becoming a Columban Mission sponsor is one way of saying “Thank You, Lord” for all of God’s goodness to you, especially for the gift of Faith. You can be sure that, in return, God will never be outdone in generosity toward you or your loved ones. By helping bring Christ to others, you will find your own faith immensely enriched. To start your monthly giving today, visit us online at: www.columban.org/sponsors. Or, for your convenience, fill out the form below and use the postage-paid envelope in the center of this magazine. _____ I would like to learn more about giving via automatic bank withdrawal. Please call me. _____ I would like to begin my monthly giving by check. Enclosed is my gift of $____________ (We will send a reminder each month unless you direct us otherwise) Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________________________________ State: ___ Zip: __________ Phone: ________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________

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A Cricket Match to Build Friendships A Level Playing Field By Fr. Daniel O’Connor

ricket is played everywhere in Pakistan. On streets, in parks and wherever there is an area big enough for the game. People of all classes and faiths play it. All that the poor require to play is a bat, a few bricks which become the wicket and a tennis ball which is wrapped in tape so that it will last longer. When Pakistan plays in international tournaments like the World Twenty 20 in India, people are seen in the bazaars, in tea shops, and other places watching the game on television. If India beats Pakistan there is much disappointment. Television sets can be smashed. The cricket team can be accused of match-fixing, and on their arrival back in Pakistan they can receive a hostile reception. Because many Christians feel as though they are treated as second class citizens they are happy when Pakistan loses. Some years ago, it was a great honor for the Christians that one of their own, Yousaf Yohanna, made it

onto the Pakistan team as a very good batsman. He used to make the sign of the cross when he made a good score. This really gave the Christians big encouragement with the result that they were more positive towards their national team. However, something happened, and Yousaf Yohanna became a Muslim. The Christians felt betrayed and down-hearted. Opportunities for the Christians and the poor to participate in organized sport are rare. With this in mind, the Columban parish of St. Thomas in the town of Badin, Hyderabad Diocese, recently organized two cricket tournaments in which a number of teams participated. Although meant for Christians, being short of players, Hindu players were asked to make up the numbers. Unfortunately, because of the security situation in the country and because of the fear of the possibility of the misuse of the “Blasphemy Law,” Muslims were not invited to play. The

venue was an open area of ground on the outer part of Badin City. Although the area was bare soil with no grass, it was still deemed to be a suitable pitch. Before play commenced, participants gathered to hear the rules and regulations. It was stated clearly that the umpires’ decision was final. A knockout system was the way of the tournament. It was recalled that as a young man when He walked this earth, Jesus must have been involved in sport in one way or other. A minute’s silence was observed for the victims of the terrible suicide bomb attack in Lahore which happened on Easter Sunday 2016, killing over seventy people. The St. Columban team batted and bowled well but was knocked out in their first game. The hot midday sun beat down on the players, yet overall the games were played in a very positive spirit. At the prize giving it was stated that participation in sport is very beneficial for good health and the Christian way of life. It can also prevent dangerous problems such as drug addiction from entering a person’s life. Trophies were distributed to the winning team, the runner up team and the “best trying” team. Then all ate well and went off happily, having enjoyed the day which had given them a “lift” despite the many hardships in their daily lives. CM Columban Fr. Daniel O’Connor (pictured above left in gray jacket) has spent several decades as a missionary in Pakistan.

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Loving Our Neighbor Sharing Lives By Jonah Jane Enterina

can still vividly remember the day when we first opened Ladies’ Day in Christ Church, Farm Road. Most of us are volunteers, and there is only one Muslim lady who came in. We were hopeful that more women would come and hear about the new initiative we have in the neighborhood. This project opened in September 2015. A small group of women from church organizations came together and came up with an idea to set up a group for local women to come and share life together. Sparkbrook, where I live nearby, is a multicultural area where there are women coming from different faith backgrounds and ethnicity. Inspired by the Holy Spirit to reach out to our neighbors, especially when the Syrian war broke out, we were eager and willing to contribute to the community bringing peace and unity.

We started with a simple coffee and tea welcome for the ladies. One lady came and was happy to spend time with us chatting and sharing any life concerns. And then, eventually the woman invited her friends, and by word of mouth and through our leaflets and invitations, the group grew! After some months of praying to the Lord to bring women together, we are very happy to share that there are over a 100 women attending! It was indeed a miracle, growing from one lady to more and more women coming! Praise be to God who makes all things possible! We gather every Thursday. We offer various activities. We start with Zumba exercises with our favorite Latin music to give us a beat to help us boost our confidence as well as to keep us fit. This is followed by a very healthy lunch with more green vegetables and less fatty food served

at the table. Gathering together and sharing a meal results in some of our best sessions! We sit and listen to each other as we share our stories. It may be faith sharing, but it does not matter what background and religious views you have. We are all ready to listen and learn from each other. I feel privileged to share my life story and how I came about working and witnessing by carrying my Christian faith in a very Islamic area. I felt joy as I shared the love of Jesus with them. I was given the opportunity to share about our Columban mission in Birmingham at one of our events. I presented a video and shared the different projects and ministries the Columban missionaries are involved in around the world. Through our life here in Birmingham and my personal journey experience, I was able to share the love and joy of the Gospel. And hopefully the people who saw the presentation will be more aware of what is going on around them and act on the needs of our brothers and sisters who are in need especially asylum seekers and refugees in this country. I am most grateful for the friendship of my Muslim friend who said, “I am indeed a Muslim in you and you a Christian in me.” Together we remain true and faithful to our love for God and neighbor. CM Columban lay missionary Jonah Jane Enterina lives and works in Birmingham, England.

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Leave a Legacy. Include the Missionary Society of St. Columban in your estate plan. Thanks to the prayers and financial support of our benefactors, Columban missionaries proclaim the Good News in word and deed among peoples throughout the world. The mission of Jesus takes us across the frontiers of culture and language, and moves our supporters to make sure we lack nothing essential for living out this call. Mission is the very purpose of the Church’s existence, and our benefactors have shared in this mission from our founding in 1918.

Your Legacy Gift brings hope and healing into the lives of people mired in poverty and violence, through projects such as: • Building vibrant faith communities; • Providing religious education programs for children and faith formation programs for adults; • Operating vocational and educational centers for developmentally challenged children and adults; • Overseeing projects for the unemployed, ill and the elderly; • Providing education and training for seminarians and lay missionaries. A legacy gift to the Missionary Society of St. Columban makes certain that your material support of our mission of hope and love continues even after your death, while bringing real economic savings to you and your family. An estate gift to the Columban missionaries: • Eliminates or reduces federal income tax on your estate; • Is a visible sign of the generosity you have shown throughout your life. You can choose from among several gift planning opportunities, adjusted according to your financial situation in order to partner with the Columban missionaries, leave a legacy and help others in the future. For a confidential discussion about leaving a legacy gift or to personally discuss various giving opportunities, please contact our Donor Relations staff at: Columban Missionaries P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056-0010 Toll-free: 877-299-1920 Email: donorrelations@columban.org

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A Gift from the Beggar A Surprise Encounter By Fr. Warren Kinne

he other day I walked out of the church after Mass. There is a group of beggars there at the gate of St. Peter’s Church. Sometimes they are hunted away by the authorities, but they tend to drift back. They have been around for years and know me quite well. Sometimes I ride past them on my electric bike and at other times I walk to the church

These beggars, male and female, are generally very pleasant people and appreciate it when you stop to chat to them.

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from the subway. These beggars, male and female, are generally very pleasant people and appreciate it when you stop to chat to them. Actually I tend to do this more than drop coins into their tins. They seem to appreciate this even more than the money. One day Mr. Peng, one of the beggars, who always reaches out his hand for me to shake, on this occasion put his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a fountain pen. I guess he had picked it up on the road. This is for you, he told me. I gratefully accepted the gift from the beggar. Peng Jin Yu is from Anwei Province, China. He looks very old, but in fact

he tells me he is just 54 years old. I could just about be his father! Last Sunday when I emerged from the church in civvies — as I get around here in Shanghai — one old lady with her grown-up disabled son in a cart exclaimed for all to hear: he is a foreign priest. I saw him there dressed up in a picture on the wall in the corridor on the bottom floor of the Church. So the cat was let out of the bag, but I am not sure what difference it made. CM After many years in China, Fr. Warren Kinne now lives in Australia.

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A Woman in Distress Easy Disappearance By Fr. Noel Doyle

hen I instructed catechumens in Japan, I spent the first year dealing with ordinary catechetical matters. After Baptism we studied St. Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gospel and Acts. I chose Luke because he was a foreigner writing for foreigners, and also in Acts we have the history of the early church. I always assigned a Catholic to accompany the catechumen. In Japan the custom was to have only one godparent, and many of these people who accompanied a catechumen ended up in the role of godparent. One evening just as I was preparing to go over to the hall for a class on Luke, a newly baptized Catholic and her godparent came in to see me accompanied by a woman that they had found crying in the church. I asked them to stay with her and get her a cup of tea and a biscuit as I had to go over to the hall for my class. They agreed to do so. When I got back after the class I found that they had tried to talk to her, but she would not talk to them. They had put her into my office and given her tea and biscuits, and had helped themselves to the same fare and were having a good chat. I asked them to stay around as I might need them, and I would try to get her to talk. The woman was in her early twenties.

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When I tried to talk to her all I got was a blank look, and a few words from her that showed she was very depressed. She offered her purse to me and asked me to take it. I figured she was suicidal as the sea was less than a half mile down the road. After about ten minutes, I went out to the two ladies and asked them to call the police and tell them how they had found her. They did this and the police arrived in about five minutes from the nearest police box. It was very interesting how they dealt with her. The younger one acted like a tough older brother and shouted at her and told her not to be wasting his time. The older man went in to talk to her, and he played the role of a kind, gentle father who wanted to help her, and she started to talk to him. She was working in a factory in the city and came from a small town about 130 miles away. She was staying in a dormitory for the female workers, and her mother who was worried about her had come, and was staying with her in the dormitory. One of the police rang the dormitory and asked the mother to come to the church. The mother arrived shortly afterwards in a taxi. She was inclined to lecture her daughter, but I asked her to be gentle with her. I got out my car and left them both back to the dormitory,

and assured the daughter that anytime she felt like it she could come and have a chat. By this time she was eating the biscuits and drinking the tea. When I got back to the church after leaving them home I found the two policemen eating biscuits and drinking tea with the two Catholic women. I joined them for a good chat. Two months later my doorbell rang about 2 a.m. When I went down and opened the door it was the same girl and she told me that she wanted to buy some things from the little shop that was in the porch of the church. I told her if she came on a Sunday it would be open. It was a very bright night with a full moon. I offered to take her back to the dormitory, but she said that she would walk. As Japan is one of the safest countries in the world I was not worried about her walking home. Over the next year she turned up at the same time with the same request about three times. It was always the full moon. After that I never heard from her, and I figured that she had gone home to her mother. With a population of almost 128 million people, it is easy to disappear. CM After many years in Japan, Columban Fr. Noel Doyle now lives in Ireland.

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Parched Spirits

ike the air we breathe, water is essential for our life and well-being. The average person here in the U.S. uses 80-100 gallons in a variety of ways throughout each day. Indeed, water is so intertwined with our everyday life that we generally take this precious gift for granted, and pause to reflect on it only when we hear a story about the serious consequences that arise from its contamination. Unfortunately, in recent decades contaminated water has become a serious issue in some of the countries where Columban missionaries minister. This is often a direct result of the environmental effects of mining, when chemicals used in the extraction process or waste materials are allowed to seep into the soil and water with devastating long-term consequences for the health and well-being of the local people. In countries like Peru and the Philippines,

From the Director By Fr. Tim Mulroy

poor indigenous people are often uprooted from their ancestral lands by large-scale mining, which also poisons their water, thus completely undermining their way of life. Deprived of their land and of access to clean water, their spirits become parched, their hopes wilt, and their dreams wither. It is not enough to simply tend the wounds of these suffering people. Rather, the Gospel compels us to address the underlying causes of their anguish. Among them is our craving for new products, which in turn compels mining

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Unfortunately, in recent decades contaminated water has become a serious issue in some of the countries where Columban missionaries minister. companies to continually seek out new sources of raw materials. As consumers, frequently we are blissfully unaware that others pay with their tears for our amusements. There is also the issue of outdated laws protecting the environment, which allows international mining companies to place profits before the interests of local people. Besides, many indigenous people lack the education and political influence required to convince a corporate board that their right to maintain access to clean water takes precedence over industrial progress. Columban missionaries, who understand the way of life of the local people, and who share their concerns and fears, often find themselves thrust into the role of advocates not just on their behalf, but on behalf of God. They understand that for Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise through the prophet Ezekiel to be fulfilled in the sacrament of baptism, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will pour clean water over you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you of all your impurities and from all your idols (36:25)â&#x20AC;?, then access to clean water is indispensable not only for daily life, but also for new life in Christ.

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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

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“Lord, you know everything, You know I love you…then feed my lambs.” — John 21:17 Perhaps you are someone whose love of God is leading you to want to serve His hungry people. We are waiting to listen to your story and answer your questions about mission life.

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… 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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