Columban Mission Magazine - May 2018

The Magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban

May 2018

Women, Children, Youth

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Volume 101 - Number 3 - May 2018

Columban Mission

o n t e n t s

Issue Theme – Women, Children, Youth

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.

A Memorable Mission Journey

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Mailing Address: Columban Mission PO Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056-0010 Toll-Free Phone: 877/299-1920 Website: WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG Copyright © 2018, The Columban Fathers (Legal Title)

Mother’s Love 4 A Taste of Mission Work in the Andes

A Columban Seminarian in Peru

10 Bread and Wine

Glory Revealed by God

14 It was a Beauty-ful day!

The Determination of a Child

16 Fostering Hope for Aboriginal Children

The Privilege of Such a Life

18 Selfies, Smartphone and the Holy Spirit

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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

A Pentecost Reflection

20 The Ladies Who Are Called Maria

Loving and Committed Attitudes

21 Why Visit the Prisoners?

It Is an Honor

Departments 3 In So Many Words 23 From the Director

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.

In So Many Words

By Sr. Redempta Twomey

Everyday Faith

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ome days when it feels that God is far from us we may begin to harbor a real doubt: Is there a God at all? Am I fooling myself giving time day after day to pray and nothing seems to happen? Others who don’t believe at all do well, are happy and live life to the full. Not only that, everything seems to come their way whereas I can be beset with troubles of one kind or another. “How is it,” a woman asked at a prayer meeting, “that though I really believe in God and pray to Him every day my family is coming apart? And my neighbor, who never puts a foot inside the church has everything going for her?”

This is a situation well known to the psalmist. “I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs, their bodies are sound and sleek. They are not stricken as other people. … People praise them and find no fault in them. And they say ‘How can God know?’ … All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been stricken, and chastened every morning…” Ps 73) We may feel like the psalmist, bitter over our fate especially when we see the pleasant life others have without God. But in the end the man recovered his balance and in an act of great faith he understood that, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

We too, deep in our hearts know that this is the truth; like a homing pigeon we keep coming back to God. “For God alone my soul waits in silence, my hope is from Him.” (Ps 62) We will find strength and hope in these psalms, the inspired word of God, in time of bleakness, time of doubt. No matter how dreadful, how painful our situation the Lord really is with us. “Trust Him and He will act.” (Ps 37) Leave it to God and in the meantime pay attention to those little moments of grace which come gently throughout your day. The very gentleness of the Holy Spirit in our lives may not be noticed at all unless we make a habit of naming the good things that come our way. Little things mostly, like small brush strokes, but full of blessings. e may feel like the psalmist, To note these and to give thanks is to deepen our faith and our relationship with God. bitter over our fates especially God is found, as St. Teresa of Avila said, “among when we see the pleasant life the pots and pans.” No need to go looking for him in “special” places; He is by your side. We can take each others have without God. task, no matter how uncongenial, as an opportunity to say “Yes” to God in our lives.

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Columban Sr. Redempta Twomey lives and works in Ireland.

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A Taste of Mission Work in the Andes

A Columban Seminarian in Peru

By Teakare (Tex) Betero

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miniasi and I arrived in Lima on May 20, 2016, for our pastoral experience called FMA (First Mission Assignment).

We arrived during winter, above all, at midnight. The first thing I experienced was the cold breeze as soon as I went out of the airport.

There was a period of two weeks of adjustment, which were like two days for me. Then my pastoral experience began. I started by learning the language (Spanish) which also allowed me to experience a bit of 4

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the Peruvians’ daily routine. We had to travel to the language lecturer’s house by bus for almost two hours and maybe more depending on the traffic.

While it took me two hours or more for my commute, some people travel to their work place for three or more hours. I heard from a Columban priest that most Peruvians travel more than four hours each day both ways just for work. I also heard that the Peruvians had been suffering not just from traffic congestion, but

more importantly, corruption in their country.

Even though the language was a struggle for me, it was nothing compared to what the Peruvians have to encounter each day of their lives. Above all, language does not have to be a barrier for engaging with people. Though it is a method of communication, I have to be patient with it. I am so thankful to those whom I encounter each day in the parish for their support with my difficulty with their language.

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Even though I felt the effect of the altitude and the cold, it did not stop me from exploring the beauty of Cuzco city, the birthplace of the Incas.

On arrival in Cuzco I experienced dizziness due to the high altitude, but Yanaoca was even higher. Cuzco is about 9,842 feet above sea level while Yanaoca is 13,132 feet. Fr. Young In met us at the airport and told us that we were going to spend the night in Cuzco to adjust ourselves to the altitude. Even though I felt the effect of the altitude and the cold, it did not stop me from exploring the beauty of Cuzco city, the birthplace of the Incas.

The following day we all set off to Yanaoca. It took two and a half hours by car to get to Yanaoca. That two and half hours was just a blink of an eye for me due to the awesomeness of nature that we saw. The sun shines brightly on the Andes mountains and

valleys and was hot, but in the shade it was still cold. When I arrived at Yanaoca, the first thing that captured my attention was the cold and the hot sun. In addition to this, the local people were wearing sandals or slip-on shoes. Here I was with boots and thick socks, and yet I still felt the cold entering through my feet. I saw kids playing, running here and there and when I walked for just a few minutes, I could feel cold blood running through my veins and felt out of breath, as if I had run a hundredmeter race.

On the following day, Fr. Young In took us around Yanaoca explaining the work the priests do. One place we visited was the casa de niños (children’s

After a year and a few months living in Lima, the other FMA seminarian, Mini, and I had the opportunity to get to know more about Peru outside of Lima. Mini and I were sent for a mission experience of life in Yanaoca, the capital of the province of Canas, high up in the Andes in the Department of Cuzco.

Yanaoca is a Columban parish and is called “Santiago Apostol.” The two Columban priests there are Fr. Young In from South Korea and Fr. Paul Prendegast from New Zealand.

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In Cuzco, I discovered an ancient world that really fascinated me. My visits to the different archeological sites made me wonder about ancient technology.

house). This is a place that during the week provides children with board and lodging, Monday to Thursday, while they go to school. On the weekends they go home to the surrounding villages, and many walk from over two hours away. The “children’s house” is a place for the children to play in safe surroundings, and most of all to preserve their native traditions. The children learned to knit and care for the environment by caring for trees and vegetables.

I also accompanied Fr. Paul Prendegast to one community that was walking distance from the main square. This community has a small capilla (chapel) that has been half-finished for ages. Even though the chapel lacked a roof, Fr. Paul celebrated Mass, and there was a good turnout of people. The idea of the word “church” was presented to me in a new and realistic form. It’s not the 6

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The “children’s house” is a place for the children to play in safe surroundings, and most of all to preserve their native traditions.

The children learned to knit and care for the environment by caring for trees and vegetables. building that describes the church, but the faith of the individuals. This is what the local people of Yanaoca highlighted to me during my stay with them.

I left Yanaoca after a short stay and then spent another week in Cuzco. In Cuzco, I discovered an ancient world that really fascinated me. My visits to the different

archeological sites made me wonder about ancient technology. The knowledge they had to construct a community using whatever nature provides them. Cutting and lining up rocks perfectly without the use of machines that we use today. They work without doing great harm to nature unlike today’s technology.

Above all, the bond between the people is so strong. It’s togetherness that made possible all those magnificent ancient sites, especially Machu Picchu. Their connection with nature allowed the Inca people to amaze today’s generation, which is what happened to me when I visited the different archeological places. Each place left me in awe and wonder at its beauty and well-built structures. CM Columban seminarian Teakare (Tex) Betero is originally from Fiji and is currently on mission in Peru.

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A legacy of mission…

A legacy of giving…

For over 100 years, dedicated members of the Missionary Society of St. Columban have faithfully taken the Good News message of hope and salvation to the poor and oppressed in faraway places.

For over 100 years, faithful Columban benefactors have made building God’s Kingdom here on earth possible through their steadfast prayers and support.

When you name the Missionary Society of St. Columban as a beneficiary in your will or estate plan, you ensure that the mission of Jesus continues for the next 100 years!

For information on how you can become a member, contact: donorrelations@columban.org.

“You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity.”

(2 Corinthians, 9:11) COLUMBAN FATHERS LEGACY SOCIETY P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 86056 Phone: (402) 291-1920 | Fax: (402) 291-4984 Toll-free: (877) 299-1920 www.columban.org | donorrelations@columban.org

A Memorable Mission Journey Encouraging Others in Korea

By Jenanydel Nola

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or more than a year, I spent most of my time visiting the elderly while on mission in South Korea. I would say that meeting the different types of elderly people is interesting and enjoyable but requires a lot of energy and a peaceful mind and heart to be able to listen to them.

Among the elderly people I have engaged with are: • a woman who was left by her own family and is now living alone; • a woman who shares the same stories every time I visit her because she is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease; • a woman with whom I have to converse through writing because she can’t hear; • a woman who can hear but can’t see me because she is blind; • a woman who has lots of regrets because she was not able to follow her heart’s desire because of fear; • a person who has a particular trait from birth; • a person with whom I pray the Rosary at least once a week.; • at least two who are sick; • and at least two from North Korea.

Sad to say, at least two of the elderly I have visited are now in God’s hands.

Due to their age and physical condition many can no longer walk far. Most of them just stay in their houses and spend time watching television. There was a time I caught an elderly person drinking makgeolli 8

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(rice wine) just to ease her loneliness.

Some of them spend time sitting near the window waiting for the daylight to fade.

How did I meet them? One night, on my way home, I was in deep thought about my presence here as a missionary. I saw an elderly person standing along the way. As I came near to her, I greeted her with a smile, which she returned, and invited me to her house. When I went in I saw no-one inside except her. She invited me to sit with her on the floor and excitedly shared about her life without even knowing me. It was our first time meeting, but she was so excited and happy to have someone with her. Since it was 9 o’clock in the evening I had to say goodbye to her and go home. As I walked towards the door she asked me to visit her, as she lived alone and had nobody with whom she could talk.

And I did promise to visit her.

When I was first sent to Bongcheon dong, during my free time I roamed around just to see the place. I hoped that it might help me understand my presence there. In doing that, I noticed many elderly people sitting on the street. As time passed, my face became familiar to them and some knew me. I met some of them in the church, and after Mass I used to walk with them on their way home until I received an invitation to visit their house. Some were introduced to me by a nun living in the area. After more than a year

in Bongcheon dong mission parish I decided to spend some of my time at GuRyong village. It is about 45 minutes away from Bongcheon dong.

With the help of Fr. Lim Yong-Hwan (the Chief of Urban Poor Apostolate Committee), I met Sister Lucia who is staying in the village. She introduced me to the elders with whom I now spend time.

In moments of doubt and uncertainty with the life I am now living, I could say that God is always there watching and guiding and leading me to situations that help me understand my life as a missionary.

Life can’t be a happy moment all the time. Along with happy moments there will always be situations that I encounter which could hold me back from continuing to share my life spending time with some who are longing for someone’s presence – those who would love to have someone who could help them feel their value as an individual. At first, I spent most of my time helping the people working in the mission parish, and it was not easy, especially when all of them were mothers and some were already grandmothers.

They were sometimes overly protective of me. For most of my two years living in this place where I am assigned, I found grandmothers, mothers and friends. During that time I encountered someone who would question my presence here in Korea as a missionary. I also met someone who WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

looked at me as if I did something wrong, just because of their past experience with a foreigner. Many of the people I me thought that I was one of the Filipinas who are married to Korean men. Sometimes I would encounter a Korean mother who wanted me to become a daughter-inlaw. I have felt the limited way people see and think about the Filipino women in this country. I can’t blame them for the way they look at every Filipino woman, because I have no idea about their previous experience with Filipino women. But there were moments when I told a mother that her son is not a child anymore and to WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

let him live his own life. I remember one mother who told me that she was looking for a woman for her son and started enumerating the properties that her son had. She told me that she was interested in me. I smiled, thanked her for the compliment, told her I believed that I was not the woman for her son, and that I would pray that he would find the right woman for him.

I may experience challenges on my journey as a missionary. It is important that I give time to see the tears and feel the hugs and kisses from those whom I am encountering, especially the elderly. I need to show respect, even to those who don’t show

respect to me. I need to be gentle to those who are trying to be strong, and share love, especially with those who are feeling unloved. I may be still young and innocent in the eyes of other people but my heart hears, sees and feels the pain in lonely people.

Life may not always be good to me, but I always have the space to make someone laugh, despite my limited Korean language. My own uniqueness makes my mission journey memorable and fills it with joy. For that, I am forever grateful to our God. CM Columban lay missionary Jenanydel Nola lives and works in South Korea.

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Bread and Wine Glory Revealed by God Fr. John Marley

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n Saturday August 12, 2017, I officiated at the wedding of my grand-nephew Killian to his bride Jenna. The wedding took place in the parish of Notre-Dame de Bresse-Finage, in Burgundy, France.

The parish priest, PĂŠre Pontoni was most gracious and helpful in arranging the paper work and the legalities. He had time for us despite the fact that he was responsible for the weekend Masses in the parish church and in fifteen other chapels throughout the parish territory.

The parish church was a simple building which could hold about 250

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people at full capacity. We had about 120 guests at the wedding ceremony and at the reception which followed at the Chateau de Varennes, about five miles from the parish church.

I attended the 10:30 am Mass in the parish church the following day. I was pleasantly surprised to find the church almost full, with full participation of the congregation in the singing and the liturgy. The priest also gave good leadership through his engagement with the congregation and his well-prepared homily.

It was during the Mass that I noticed the stained glass window

behind the altar. It was mostly frosted glass, but the lower panels consisted of two scenes, side by side, in colored glass. The scene on the right was the Nativity, with Mary and Joseph, and the infant Jesus in the manger. The scene on the left was of Jesus and his disciples seated round the table at the Last Supper.

I was accustomed to stained glass windows where the Nativity was linked to the Crucifixion, or to the Resurrection, or even the Ascension.

In this modest little church in France, the choice of pairing the Last Supper with the Nativity set me thinking.

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My mind went back to a movie, Mary of Nazareth, which I had seen at the beginning of Lent last year.

After Mary was engaged to Joseph she continued to live with her parents, fulfilling her usual tasks, including drawing water from the well with the other girls of the village.

One day, as Mary returned from the well and placed her water jar in the kitchen, she was startled by the angel Gabriel with his message from God, inviting her to become the mother of Jesus. After a short conversation, Mary gave her humble acceptance, and then did something surprising.

According to the movie, she immediately set out to visit her cousin Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea.

Elizabeth greeted her as “the mother of my Lord,” which indicated that Mary had conceived and was carrying in her womb a child who would be the Christ, the Son of God. We are told that after three months with Elizabeth, Mary returned to her parents, but we are not told how she explained to Joseph or to her parents WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

the momentous event that had taken place in her life. At the same time we know that during the days and weeks and months leading up to the birth of Jesus, Mary was focused on her own health and nourishment which were needed to build up the body and blood of the child within her womb.

Among that nourishment surely was bread and wine.

It was this thought which led me to see the link between the Nativity scene and the Last Supper scene on the windows behind the altar in the parish church of Notre Dame de Bresse-Finage. The left-hand image was the scene of the Last Supper, where Jesus changed bread and wine into His body and blood for our spiritual nourishment. The right hand scene was more than 30 years earlier, showing Mary and her newborn Son, whom she had formed by changing the bread and wine and other nourishment into His body and blood as she mothered Him in her womb.

I thought to myself, “What a lovely gesture on the part of her heavenly

Father to entrust to the young woman of Nazareth the beautiful task of transforming the food and drink of her daily life into the body and blood of His Son.” I am grateful that God allowed me to see this truth at such a late stage of my life on earth. That truth may never reach the level of a Church doctrine.

But I know it is true, and Mary knows it is true, and we can talk about it and enjoy it even if no one else is even aware of it. Imagine reminding Mary that she changed bread and wine into the body and blood of the Christ more than thirty years before Jesus did it at the Last Supper.

I will always remember that little church of Notre-Dame de BresseFinage, and its simple stained glass window, where God revealed to me another glory of the lovely young woman He chose to be the mother of His Son, and who became mother of us all. CM Columban Fr. John Marley lives in Bristol, Rhode Island.

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Mother’s Love Kindness and Hospitality

By Fr. Andrei Paz

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n 2012, while I was working in a parish among the aboriginal people called Atayal in the mountains of Taiwan, we organized a pilgrimage to the northern Philippines (where I am originally from) as part of the celebration of the parish’s 50th foundation anniversary. Forty parishioners joined the pilgrimage, and we went to visit popular tourist and religious spots in that part of the country for five days. There was so much excitement among the parishioners about this trip. Most of them have never left their country; all of them only speak Atayal and/or Mandarin. A lot of work had gone into organizing this trip, hoping that the parishioners would enjoy and feel re-energized as Catholics when they returned to Taiwan.

We arrived in Manila, and then rode the bus going north. We visited churches, shrines and other beautiful tourist spots. However, when the pilgrimage ended I learned that the highlight of the trip was not praying at the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan or at the Shrine of Our Lady of Namacpacan in La Union, or venerating the relic of the True Cross at Monasterio de Tarlac. It was not swimming in the beaches of La Union nor was it visiting the heritage city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur. The highlight was not celebrating Mass in Malate Church in Manila or enjoying the views of Baguio City. It turned out that the highlight of the trip was their visit to my parents.

On the second night of the pilgrimage, my parents hosted 12

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dinner for the parishioners in our family house in La Union. It was a simple dinner that ended with the parishioners giving gifts of handwoven Atayal clothes to my parents. When we were about to leave, the women parishioners told me that I could spend the night at home so I can have time with my mother, and we would just meet at our next destination the following day. I just smiled at them, and then they all went to the bus. I told the bus driver to wait for me as I said goodbye to my parents and my relatives who also joined in the dinner.

When I stepped onto that bus that night, the women parishioners were all surprised that I was there. They thought I was spending the night at home with my parents. “Father, why are you here?” they asked. I answered, “Because I am with you. I can’t leave you.” I thought what I said was just an unremarkable statement. I did

not realize how much the mothers were touched by what I said until the fourth day of the pilgrimage.

We had arranged that the morning of the fourth day of the pilgrimage would be spent having the parishioners reflect on their experiences while we were at the Jesuit Retreat House in Baguio City.

They were divided into small groups and each one shared what gave them the deepest impression during the pilgrimage. Practically all the mothers shared that learning how much sacrifice my mother makes because her son, who is a missionary priest, cannot spend more time with her.

Instead her son is with other mothers like them. For the mothers who joined that pilgrimage, it made them very emotional to think how hard it is for a mother to let go of her own child, to not being able to take care of her own child.

Fr. Andrei and his mother

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Fr. Andrei and parishioners on the pilgrimage

Since that day, the parishioners became even more caring and loving to us, the Columban missionaries who minister in the parish. Vida Hequilan, the Columban lay missionary who works among the mothers in the parish, overheard one of the mothers during a visit say, “The missionaries’ own mothers cannot take care of them; we are their mothers here, so we should take good care of them.”

My time among the Atayals really made me feel loved and taken care of.

They tried their best to make sure that I received the love and care that my mother could not give me because I was away from her. Everywhere I went in the parish, I was always warmly welcomed into their homes. They invited me to join their families to eat and drink with them. They brought me produce from their own farms, and made sure that I joined them in important family celebrations.

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When I left the parish a year later, many of the mothers in the parish prepared gifts to send to my mother. Vinai, the parish secretary and social worker, wrote me a message and part of it said, “You came to the mountains, and you brought comfort to the hearts of a lot of mothers. You made them feel the joy of having a son in their midst. However, your mom will have to wait for a long time before she can even be with you. For your mom, this must be difficult but she still willingly agreed to make that sacrifice. Please give our thanks to her; extend to her the gratitude of the mothers here. You have brought us great joy and a lot of laughter.”

My mother sent a reply saying, “I am so grateful to all of you for giving Andrei the motherly love I cannot give while he is away from home. I surely feel and understand that he has reciprocated that love to you all. It

really takes a lot of sacrifice to be away from your loved ones, but we mothers must accept it wholeheartedly. He is all praises for everything you’ve done for him. Thank you very much for taking good care of my son. I felt that you really love him when you visited us here. Thank you for all the gifts you gave us. I am hoping you’ll do the same to all the missionaries who work there.”

I may have been away from my own mother, but I had the Atayal mothers who loved me, treated me with kindness and hospitality, and made me feel like I was their own son.

God had gifted me with them. I felt God’s compassion through them, and that had inspired me to do whatever I could to become God’s presence in their lives, too. CM Columban Fr. Andrei Paz is finishing is physical therapy degree at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebrasaka.

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It was a Beauty-ful day!

like reciting the Rosary, but because I enjoyed being in the company of friends. At that time, I thought that praying the Rosary was boring and the idea that I have to say the Hail Mary ten times five was too much for me.

It’s been a year now since I started serving at the Hope Worker’s Center (HWC) in Chungli City. I work as the immigrant coordinator and catechist for their children. The group’s name is Chungli Association of Immigrants and Families (CAIF) where most of the members are Filipino mothers

For almost four hours, I tried my best to entertain Chou Ting-Yu (she wants to be called Beauty)–or it would be more appropriate to say that she was the one who entertained us in the office.

The Determination of a Child Sherryl Lou C. Capili

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hen I was growing up, I really didn’t like reciting the Holy Rosary. I remember the elders in our barangay (a small village in the Philippines) would visit our house every year in May when it was our family’s turn to welcome the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our home to commemorate the Flores de Mayo 14

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(Flowers of May celebration). It is a famous Catholic tradition observed in our place where the statue of Mary goes from one house to another each day, and the host family welcomes people in the village to recite the Holy Rosary. Sometimes, I would go with my mother and join the same group of elders and their children in visiting some other houses, not because I

married to Taiwanese men. In one of our monthly meetings, the mothers have expressed their desire for their children to learn how to recite the Rosary. I have prepared the prayers in Chinese to be shared with both the children and the mothers. I encouraged them to learn it in Chinese as well so they can pray with their children at home.

Several months passed, and I still didn’t have the chance to introduce reciting the Rosary among the children. I was hesitant because I was thinking that the kids might feel bored too–just like how I felt when I WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

…we were able to finish reciting the Rosary, both feeling very accomplished! Everyone in the office clapped hands and said words of affirmation to Beauty.

was the same age as them. I kept on postponing it until it just happened unexpectedly.

One Sunday afternoon, the HWC organized a forum for the immigrants and their spouses. I volunteered to babysit the smaller children so they wouldn’t disturb their parents in the classroom. For almost four hours, I tried my best to entertain Chou TingYu (she wants to be called Beauty)–or it would be more appropriate to say that she was the one who entertained us in the office. I convinced her to join the pottery workshop with some Filipino migrant workers who also WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

serve as volunteers in the church.

When she got bored, she insisted to teach me how to play some board games her way. And to everyone’s amazement and surprise, Beauty finished reciting the Rosary!

It all started with her “inspecting” the catechism books that I have on my table and she found the coloring book on how to recite the Rosary. She asked me if she could take a look and further asked what it is all about. She confirmed with me that they hadn’t yet learned about the rosary in class and I said she was right. I was really surprised when she asked me if she

could try praying the Holy Rosary with me. With some bargaining and complaining in between (she wanted to give up after saying the first mystery and asked if we could have some snacks after saying the fourth mystery), we were able to finish reciting the Rosary, both feeling very accomplished! Everyone in the office clapped hands and said words of affirmation to Beauty. I believe she was happy, too and asked if the other children also knew how to recite it.

She gave me a proud and wide smile when I said to her that she’s the first one. She even asked when are we going to pray it again, and I just told her to bring her Rosary and guide every Sunday, and she always does.

I felt so inspired and blessed to have witnessed a 7-year-old girl who was determined to finish reciting the Holy Rosary. It’s a bit embarrassing but humbling to say that this experience transformed me, especially my hesitation in teaching the children how to recite it. Now I feel excited to pray the Rosary with them. In fact, we have scheduled to recite it the second Sunday of each month. CM Sherryl Lou C. Capili is a Columban lay missionary living and working in Taiwan.

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Fostering Hope for Aboriginal Children The Privilege of Such a Life Sihyeon Bae

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live and work in a mountainous area of Taiwan with aboriginal people. The majority of them are pomegranate and orange farmers who also cultivate a variety vegetables which they sell. Although husband and wife share in the work involved, it is the woman who does most in contributing to their livelihood. I think this is because from ancient times, the aboriginal man engaged himself mostly in hunting and appears to have seldom contributed to work on the land or in the home. The men who do not work on the farm go to the city where they engage in contract work or ordinary jobs. Even so, they hardly ever help out at home because they consider household or any domestic work to be solely that of the women.

The women take care of managing and educating the family. Though they love their children, at times the further education which the children normally should receive is beyond the mothers’ capabilities, in spite of the fact that they have husbands and other family members living with them. If you chat with them in church after Mass, they complain about being exhausted because of their husband’s 16

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lack of support and the fact that they have to take care of the children all on their own. Frequently these women are unable to attend church on Sunday, because they are so busy trying to make a living. This is a very sad situation and most frustrating.

When these women pray, they always begin with a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God. This is something which made a big impression on me. However, it is a huge worry how this deep faith and close connection with God can continue to grow. One night I got a telephone call from a young mother. It was her third time calling me that day. The first call was an inquiry about the next day’s liturgy; the second was to ask about my personal welfare. But the third call consisted of not a word, as she simply cried on the phone. Because of my deficiency in the Chinese language I was unable to offer appropriate words of comfort in the situation. I am still so sad that I was unable to be of help, especially when I realize the effort that mother made to get some help.

Because of the parents’ inability to educate their children sufficiently, they are easily exposed to the dangers of alcohol, smoking and sex. In the

case of girls, even before they graduate from high school, many of them become pregnant. They are then unable to graduate because they now are faced with the problem of caring for a baby. In this mountainous area we have just a primary school. If students want to continue to middle or high school they must move to the city. In the city, they must get boarding/lodgings, where there is no, for the most part, protection or supervision by parents or elders.

Consequently, having been unable to graduate because of student pregnancy and the necessity of caring for a child, many of these young people have their lifetime hopes squashed or severely curtailed. Furthermore, the continuous and frequent divorce rate, as well as an unwholesome family atmosphere, result in the unchanged passing on of these problems to the next generation.

During my two-year stay here, out of scores of pupils, just two female students attended university.

I know one high school student who has three younger sisters. Her mother has been married and divorced several times and has children from these unions. However the burden of supporting these children has WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

been placed on the shoulders of this high school student and her aged grandmother. Because of insufficient family resources this student has to miss school frequently in order to work. She is very intelligent and multi-talented. If there were only some family support she really could become anything she wanted to. It is really upsetting that there is nobody to help bear her burden and so enable her to concentrate on her studies to the point of realizing her dream.

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Children and adolescents are God’s gifts, our happiness and our hope. If we want them to grow to success in life we have a responsibility and an obligation to help. As I have a special interest in the fostering of children and adolescents, I hope to continue this mission for the future. While helping adolescents to concentrate on their studies, I hope also to support them in their dreams for future success and for seeking mutual understanding and family support so that a

systematic process of collaboration can be firmly established.

I am happy here in the mountain region, living and working with the Taiwanese aboriginals/natives. I sincerely thank God for the privilege of such a life. God called me as His worker. According to His plan He prepared me for the task, and I believe He will always be with me. CM Columban lay missionary Sihyeon Bae lives and works in Taiwan.

May 2018

17

Selfies, Smartphones and the Holy Spirit A Pentecost Reflection

By Fr. Kurt Zion Pala

W

hat was the first thing you did when you entered the church today? I assume you dipped your finger in the holy water and made the sign of the cross.

Making the sign of the cross affirms our faith in the Most Holy Trinity.

We say all together in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But sadly, many of us can admit that we know so little of the Holy Spirit. Can you remember what are some of the images of the Holy Spirit that are depicted in the Bible?

The most common symbol of the Holy Spirit is the dove. We find this in the story of Jesus’ baptism in the river Jordan when “the Spirit like a dove descended upon him.” Water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit as it signifies birth and life, representing the cleansing and life-giving action of the Holy Spirit at baptism. The cloud is also used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit because clouds provide life-giving water just as in the Old Testament where God often leads his people with a cloud or appears to them in a cloud. In today’s Gospel, we find the symbols of fire and wind representing the Holy Spirit.

The fire that appeared as described in the Gospel reading is similar to the burning bush on Mt. Sinai. The Hebrew word for Spirit, “ruah,” also means wind. The wind felt by the apostles was similar to the wind that blew over the waters at the beginning of Creation. Today we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. The word Pentecost comes from the Greek word pentecoste 18

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which means 50. Today is the 50th day after Easter. The feast commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles. It is celebrated as the birthday of the Church. It is therefore not just a feast but also an important event in the life of the Church. Sadly, few of us really celebrate it. Few Christians see its relevance to their everyday life.

But who is this Holy Spirit anyway? The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, or the eternal Spirit of God. Some people try to explain the Holy Spirit as the power of love and truth that emanates from the Father and the Son. Whenever you feel as if you are being called by God or inspired to do something, it is usually a movement of the Holy Spirit. Fifty days after Jesus died, He fulfills His promise, the promise He made before He ascended into heaven and He sent His Holy Spirit. The events that happened on Mount Sinai are repeated during Pentecost. The Spirit has been poured out on them, establishing a new covenant, a new people of God, a new Israel, the birth of the church we belong to.

Today, let us take out our imaginary phones and take an imaginary selfie.

Click the imaginary phone. Can you see your selfie now? Look at it. For some they would see good news. For others maybe bad news. Something you already know. For some, you might want to take another shot. Look at your selfie. Look at those eyes, those ears, look at those wrinkles and white hair. Look at that nice smile. What

has a selfie got to do with Pentecost and the Holy Spirit? Let us return to our readings. The first reading describes the coming of the Spirit like tongues of fire that filled the gathered community, allowing them speak in different languages. The second reading tells us that with the coming of the Holy Spirit every member of the community is given all different kinds of gifts from one and the same Spirit. These gifts are not a source of competition but to be used for the service of unity.

The Gospel also illustrates the coming of the Spirit, described as our Helper who will guide and make known the whole truth.

First, the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of understanding and communication.

It builds unity by turning around the chaos brought about by the Tower of Babel event in the Old Testament.

Similarly, technology desires to be like the Tower of Babel; to give one solution to all our problems like the smartphones.

But people are not getting any smarter with their smartphones. They are especially not getting any smarter in their relationships. The danger with selfies and smartphones or our excessive and addictive compulsion towards these gadgets can lead to loss of personal contact/communication and intimacy.

I once ate at a restaurant with a friend. At one table I noticed a family. But they were very silent. I checked and saw each one holding a smartphone including the children WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG

who were busy playing with their iPads. People are lost in their own worlds with earphones plugged in all the time. Notice their names iMac, iPhones, iPads. Notice the emphasis on “I.” Second, the Spirit is the source of all gifts—a diversity of gifts.

Revealing itself in each one with a gift that is also a service.

There is no harm in taking selfies.

I believe it allows us to see our own individual giftedness. But excessive or obsessive taking of selfies can make us forget the giftedness of others and focus too much on ourselves. We must learn to look up and not down at our smartphones all the time. We must learn to take less selfies and see the beauty of the other person, so we will see the diversity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in others. We must then learn to be grateful for these gifts and use them in the service of others.

Do you still have your imaginary selfie? Okay, show it to the next person beside you. When you see the selfie of the other person, tell her or him how beautiful and gifted she or he is. God loves you in whatever selfie you take.

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Third, in our Gospel, Jesus leaves us with the Spirit as our help. But with the advent of these gadgets and technology, we think we don’t need people. There is no need for help. I can do it on my own without another person. In the old days, people used to ask for help to take pictures of themselves but now no more. We have selfie sticks to do that. We rely so much on these gadgets. We Google almost everything. We even Google ourselves. We rely so much in them that we can lose anything, we can lose our souls but not our smartphones. There seems to be an over-reliance in ourselves and in our gadgets.

Now, let us take out our imaginary smartphones again. For those of us who don’t have one, imagine the most advanced smartphone you may have but could never have. Now take a selfie but this time call it a “spiritual selfie.”

What if we can see what’s in our hearts and in our minds? Think and ponder the mind in that selfie—the thoughts, the curiosity, the tears, the fears and the hopes. What will it show you?

Whatever you see, God will make use

of you. And keep in mind, the Lord’s promise of the Holy Spirit—our help, our consoler, our defender.

What is more important is what is inside you, not outside you. In the Gospel today, Jesus said, “When the Helper has come from the Father, He will be my witness and you, too will be my witnesses…” Every time you take a selfie, look at that image on your phone and think, how have I responded to Jesus call to be His witnesses in the world? Do I look more like Jesus?

Here is a prayer to the Holy Spirit: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen. CM Fr. Kurt Zion Pala lives and works in Myanmar.

May 2018

19

The Ladies Who Are Called Maria Loving and Committed Attitudes

By Marjorie Engcoy

I

n my new parish assignment, I am blessed to have met wonderful ladies who were named after our Blessed Mother. I would like to share my experience with them.

Nana Maria Nana Maria became an additional mother to me when I came to live in her household for a month before I was able to move into the flat that was rented for me. She is a widow with three children: a son who is her eldest child and two daughters. The very day that I came to live with them she told me that I was considered already part of the family.

Nana Maria is very active in the parish as well as in the archdiocese.

Whenever she’s out and about, she treats everyone warmly with her gentle smile and happy greetings. During her service as a commission head, I saw her unwavering commitment to service to the extent that it has become part of her already. She encouraged everyone under her wings to do their best in their ministries, take courage and not to be afraid because God is with them always.

But it wasn’t all easy for Nana Maria; I saw her face trials as well— whether they were regarding church, work or family. She faced them with her head held high. I asked her one day while chatting with her over lunch, “Nana, how are you keeping up with all of these trials?” Her answer?

Love. She said that at first it didn’t make sense to her, but as she got to know and to understand her ministry deeper, she began to learn to love it thus becoming a part of her.

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Aunty Maria

Nana Maria

The same is true with her family; it is her love for her family that gives her the strength to keep on standing by them and with them.

on. The community is not her only responsibility; she is also taking care of her daughter who is challenged. But that does not stop her from being the way she is.

Aunty Maria Aunty Maria is a community leader of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Community. I was told that her community is a challenging one when it comes to participation. Indeed, I saw it when I went to visit: it seemed as though perhaps only three to four families are actively participating in the church or community activities.

If there are two things that I admire about Aunty Maria they are her love and commitment to her community. She goes around visiting them almost every week whenever she is blessed with good health—constantly asking how they are and requesting them to assist the community in the church activities.

Aunty Maria is also a warm and welcoming person. And, despite rejection and mockery from others in the faith community, she still keeps

The Blessed Mother Both women are named after the Blessed Mother and both have inherited the loving and committed attitude of Our Lady. In their life journeys, they have never left the foot of the Cross; yet, they adored the Cross that is the source of their strength to withstand whatever tribulations in their lives. And like the Blessed Mother, they knew the cost when they decided to follow Him—tears, rejection, ridicule, and most importantly, blessings and joy.

As I journey with these women, I see a deeper kind of joy that is beyond words. As I journey with them, I am further inspired and strengthened to keep hanging on. CM Marjorie Engcoy is a Columban lay missionary.

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Why Visit the Prisoners?

It Is an Honor

By Fr. Tom Glennon

W

hy visit the prisoners? It seems that it would be a fearful activity to engage in.

Columban Sister Joan Sawyer bravely looked that fear in the face and visited prisoners. Eventually, she lost her life in an uprising in a Peruvian prison. May her courageous life inspire many others to follow her example.

Prisons are dangerous places. We are reminded of this time and again by stories in the news. Yet, some 40 years ago, some prisoners reached out and asked for help. They said that they were interested in leading new lives and needed to learn how to do just that.

Good people among the Quakers and others joined together to form the Alternatives to Violence Project. This small effort has spread to dozens of cities and a few international prisons.

It aims to provide skills to assist the prisoner in preparing for return to the wider society.

Sister Maureen Connolly, a Franciscan, coordinates this program

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in Omaha, Nebraska. Eight times a year, a team of volunteers offers a weekend workshop to prisoners.

The workshop seeks to address what has been lacking in terms of communication skills, conflict resolution skills, community building skills and a host of other ways that prisoners may amend their lives and prepare for the future.

Since it has been reported that over 90% of prisoners will return to the wider society, there is a crying need to offer assistance in facilitating this transition.

In a recent newspaper report, Barbara Soderlin writes that 4,000 people will be coming out of incarceration in the next three years.

Most of these people will come to the city. Diane Good-Collins asks the following question “Do you want these individuals to return as your neighbors—educated, trained, and ready to do something different— or do you want them to just return?” In her presentation, Good-

Collins recommended that human resource managers consider providing opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals to apply for higher-paying and career track employment.

So, why do I do it? I would like to say that it is a corporal work of mercy.

It is recommended in the Scriptures, “whoever does this for the least of my brothers and sisters......” In fact, it just seems to be the right thing to do at this time in my missionary journey.

Am I afraid? Yes, sometimes.

Generally, I am appreciated and grateful for the chance to journey with someone who truly is striving to turn their life around. It is something of an honor.

So, I let go, asking God to take away the fear and walk into the prison with other volunteers to meet our brothers and sisters in Christ. Please pray for this Columban missionary outreach. CM Fr. Tom Glennon lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska.

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A Home for All

T

his year, as Columban missionaries look back on one hundred years of mission, we recall with gratitude our accomplishments in various distant lands.

However, this centennial year also reminds us to recognize those who have who have played a major role in our mission story close to home.

One of those dedicated missionaries here in the U.S. is Sr. Corona Colleary, a member of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban.

Almost fifty years ago, Sr. Corona was a key person on a team that oversaw the transformation of a disused seminary in Silver Creek, New York, into a modern and beautiful retirement home, St. Columban’s on the Lake. Since then she has dedicated her life to ensuring that this Home is indeed a home for all its residents, the majority of whom are elderly people from the surrounding district.

They are grateful not only for the support

FROM THE DIRECTOR

By Fr. Tim Mulroy

and care that they receive there, but also for the blessing of being able to remain close to their family, neighbors and friends.

As well as being a home for seniors from the locality, throughout almost five decades, many elderly Columban priests have traveled a long distance in order to reside there. Some of them, tired and weary from their missionary journeys, have found rest and serenity there during the later stages of life. Other priests, sick and infirm, have received professional care and

However, wherever Columban missionaries minister, all of us are workers in the one vineyard for the same Lord. family-like support from Sr. Corona and her care team, which allowed them to live out their final years with dignity.

However, providing quality care and personal attention to the residents of the retirement home on a daily basis is only one of Sr. Corona’s many responsibilities. As leader of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban in the U.S., she also oversees the well-being and ministries of the members of her own religious community. Furthermore, she facilitates mission education and fundraising in support of her colleagues who are actively engaged in ministries in various other countries.

Indeed, Sr. Corona’s missionary heart embraces people near and far. She is deeply aware that how one serves God is much more important than where one serves God. Despite her various responsibilities and busy schedule, personal and communal prayer are central to her daily life. Through it, she has come to realize that, while some missionaries are called to shine the light of Christ’s love in the shanty towns of far-off lands, others are called to shine it in rural areas close to home. However, wherever Columban missionaries minister, all of us are workers in the one vineyard for the same Lord.

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“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, and revealed them to the little children.” — Matthew 11:25 God makes what appears to us to be unlikely choices. He may even be calling you to mission. We would be happy to discuss it with you.

We invite you to join this new generation by becoming a Columban Father or Columban Sister.

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

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Sr. Carmen Maldonado National Vocation Director Columban Sisters 2546 Lake Road Silver Creek, NY 14136 716-934-4515 Email: sscusvocations@yahoo.com Websites: www.columbansisters.org www.columbansistersusa.com

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