The Magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban
October 2016
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Volume 99 - Number 6 - October 2016
Columban Mission
o n t e n t s
Issue Theme –Peace
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
A Joyful Heart 4
12 One in His Image
The Greatest Learning
Positive Familial Relationships
6 God’s Love Uplifts Us
Prison Ministry in Taiwan
8 Crayons for Kids
No Education for Poor Children
9 The Autumn of Life 10 History Repeats Itself
Fascinating Connections
16 A man of Peace
Makeshift Altars
19 Kindness and Generosity
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
Personal Memories of Bishop Jin, 1916-2013
18 The “Hyun-jang” Eucharist
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Toll-Free Phone: 877/299-1920 Website: WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG Copyright © 2016, The Columban Fathers (Legal Title)
Treat Others with Respect and Dignity
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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 Fr. Pat Raleigh
Signs of Hope
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ach one of us will have our own memories of the events that touched and made an impression on us this year. We have experienced the mass movement of refugees fleeing war, poverty and violence seeking a more secure environment which they would hope to call home. One cannot help but be touched by the sufferings etched in so many of their faces. We have witnessed so many innocent people being killed in places like France, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, part of Africa and elsewhere. The sad thing is that they have become another statistic and to some extent we have become numb to people’s sufferings. Yet in the midst of all the brokenness there are real signs of hope. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the many individuals, NGOs and faith based groups who tirelessly work to bring about change and healing. Our world is a better place because of them. Since he became Pope in March 2013 Pope Francis has given tremendous witness and hope to so many people. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to him in the way he has touched the lives of so many people including world leaders. In the midst of all the negative forces, we are called to be a people who pray constantly for the strength to face the challenges of life with integrity and courage. In Jesus, God pursues humankind with a love that is tireless, a love that refuses to allow hate and indifference to take over. Jesus walked the roads of Palestine seeking out those who were “lost” and different and healing the broken and the wounded. He reached out to the world in friendship and love. It is in Jesus that we discover and rediscover the joy of God’s tenderness, mercy, hope and peace. In these turbulent times, let us be filled with the joy, peace and tenderness of God’s presence in our midst. n these turbulent times, let us Let us rediscover the merciful Jesus who is “the light for all nations.” Let us continue to be pilgrims of peace be filled with the joy, peace and and hope in a world torn by violence. Let us continue tenderness of God’s presence in to be a people bringing the light and hope of Jesus to our midst. others. Columban Fr. Pat Raleigh lives and works in Ireland.
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The Greatest Learning Positive Familial Relationships By Fr. Cathal Gallagher
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have often been asked, “What is the biggest change you have seen since you started working pastorally with people affected by HIV and AIDS?” I have pondered this question. I could say that seeing those affected with HIV/AIDS selfmanage and re-take their lives, is one of the most obvious changes that has occurred during these last ten years but that would be to stay on the superficial level of what is happening. By far the greatest change that I have witnessed is the change in relationships between those who are affected and their families. I am
reminded of the verses in Matthew’s Gospel: While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.” But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the will of My Father
who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” It is necessary for those of us who work in educational activities or advocacy or the influencing of public policy, in the context of HIV and AIDS, to become aware of the necessary Biblical, theological and pastoral re-reading of Scripture, that dialogue with individuals and groups affected by the HIV epidemic demands from us. We resist considering that the epidemic, for us Christians, goes way beyond the medical aspects and is not exclusively a health issue. The hub that moves our
For a change towards the recognition of the dignity and rights of all to happen, experience has shown us that all sides need to be cured and healed, not only those living with illnesses.
Si da Vida community outreach
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Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Christian communities cannot be the virus, or the modes of transmission or the effects on the immune system, but rather we must look at the effects our work has on our system of beliefs. As Christians we are moved by the stigma and marginalization that still affects and impacts on our brothers and sisters living with HIV. Many people still look on people living with HIV as promiscuous, as more impure than the rest of us, showing the very essence of attitudes that Jesus challenged the church people of His time to reexamine. It is always very dangerous and ideologically incorrect to interpret social reality in terms of better and worse, above and below because soon we tend to juxtapose and reach conclusions of, upper and lower, more and less, North and South, black and white, heterosexual and homosexual. This way of seeing reality and life is totally contrary to the call we receive from Jesus of Nazareth to live the Gospel. Many of our ways of describing reality come from imposed conventions. Let us take an example like maps of the world with the North on top and the South below. This view corresponds to an ideological position that has nothing to do with reality. It would be equally correct to have maps of the world where Africa and South America faced North, and Europe, Asia and North America were placed below towards the South, but the power of our conventions inhibit us seeing that WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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we live with ideological prejudices. Now this is not to say that we do not need conventions to help us maintain some order in our thinking and work, but we must constantly ask ourselves if our way of thinking and expressing ourselves can lead to prejudice and marginalization of others. Jesus of Nazareth has shown us that God is a very personalized living presence among His people and all peoples; Emmanuel, God with us. Within the promise of His project comes a full life for all. Christians are those who, with others, come together
Healing can only take place when everyone recognizes that we all need the intervention and mediation of Jesus of Nazareth. in the common purpose of building more human relationships, based on equality, where the weak, the excluded and those who are marginalized, occupy a special place, because we believe that difference does not change the need to recognize that all have the same rights and the same dignity. However, for a change towards the recognition of the dignity and rights of all to happen, experience has shown us that all sides need to be cured and healed, not only those living with illnesses. Those outside and treated
as different, the diversity which the HIV epidemic reveals, need to regain confidence and hope in the Christian community and know that Christians neither want to be triumphalist nor judgmental. Christian communities need to show that the core of our pastoral action is to build bridges of inclusion and reconciliation. This healing can only take place when everyone recognizes that we all need the intervention and mediation of Jesus of Nazareth. Rich and poor, Jew and Greek, young and old, black and white, gay and straight, we all need to be healed of our disbelief, doubts, fears and prejudices. This is the change that I have seen in the families of those who are affected by a member living with HIV. Many of them have been able to make the transition necessary to overcome prejudice, stigma and discrimination and accept the person living with HIV as a sister or brother, daughter or son. We have a lot to learn from the families affected by HIV, and we need to open up the doors of our communities to make them welcome and learn from them. “Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” CM Columban Fr. Cathal Gallagher lives and works in Peru and ministers to those living with HIV/AIDS.
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God’s Love Uplifts Us Prison Ministry in Taiwan By Sunhee Maria Kim
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came to Taiwan in the spring of 2014 as a member of a Columban lay mission team on a 3-year appointment. Two years of the time has already flown by. Next year I will be back in Korea. For the first year I focused on language study. During the first six months of the second year I had part-time language study and pastoral work, and in the second six months I did pastoral work full time. My pastoral work is in the Prison Ministry at the Hsinchu Diocese. I help with the Prison Pastoral Ministry Group and visit inmates in various prisons. Columban Fr. Tom Glennon began this ministry in 1985. From 1994 until 2000, Columban Fr. Kevin O’ Neill was the chaplain of the prison ministry in the Hsinchu Diocese. Ms. Chen, a Taiwanese Columban co-worker who has worked in this ministry for nearly twenty years, also worked with Fr. Kevin. The number of Catholic prisoners is very small. Among one hundred prisoners, only one or two are
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Catholic. The majority are Taoists. Within the prison cells there are shrines with statues and incense much like the statue of the Virgin Mary and the crucifix in Korean Catholic homes. I visit the Hsinchu Remand Prison (where prisoners are kept until they receive a court sentence), Hsinchu Men’s Prison, TaoYuan Youth Detention Center, Taipei Men’s Prison, and Hsinchu Women’s Correctional Facility. When I visit a prison, the work I do with the inmates varies depending on the time available. Generally, we do artistic activities like paper-folding (Origami) or drawing. Because of the keen interest of the young people in Korean culture, I also give some Korean language classes with them. Prison ministry was my personal choice. Before I made the decision to take on this ministry, I visited several other possible ministry placements and discussed their suitability with the lay mission leadership team. When I first visited Hsinchu Remand Prison for young offenders I felt
strong compassion for them. In their expressions I saw a picture of myself in my own youth. In my youth I, too, went astray. With my friends I drank alcohol and stayed out late at night. At that time, deep down, I was uncomfortable with myself and felt that something was missing. And then, at the end of my wanderings, I found God. It is my hope to introduce to these young people such a strong protector. It is because of my experience that I felt this attraction to be with the young people. This is why I chose this ministry. Redemption is not a distant idea for me. It is the experience of becoming aware that God truly loves me. It is a great consolation to know that God is always with us. Every day God’s love will uplift us and make us laugh. This is my salvation. This is what I can share with others. This, I believe, is missionary work. CM Columban lay missionary Sunhee Maria Kim lives and works in Taiwan.
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Columban Martyrs Memorial Garden Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves. ~ Philippians 2:3 The breathtaking Columban Martyrs memorial garden on the grounds of St. Columbans in Bellevue, Nebraska, memorializes the legacy of twenty-four Columban missionaries who gave their lives for our faith. They believed in something more than self and gave their lives in the same fashion. This special and quiet place of reflection honors their sacrifice. The design of the garden speaks to the fullness of resurrection and life everlasting. It also signifies the unity that you have shared with us in our common missionary calling throughout the years. We joyfully offer you the opportunity to be a part of this lasting place by memorializing or honoring a loved one or special person with the engraving of a paving brick. For a gift of $150, you can honor or memorialize someone and by doing so, become a part of this beautiful place that honors so much about our faith and calling. To place an order for your engraved brick, please contact us at 1-877-299-1920 or visit us online at www.columban.org to fill out an online order form. For more information about our memorial garden and to hear the story of the Columban missionaries who gave so selflessly, please contact us at CM 1-877-2991920 or email us at mission@columban.org. We are forever grateful for the part that you play in our shared missionary journey and we gratefully remember you in our Masses and prayers.
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Crayons for Kids No Education for Poor Children
By Louis Ybanez
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y name is Louis Ybanez, and I am a Columban seminarian from the Philippines. As a part of my formation to be a missionary priest, I have been assigned for a two year hands-on experience to the Columban parish at the town of Matli, in the arid Sindh province in the south of Pakistan. Most of our work at the Matli parish is with families living in a type of modern day slavery. The majority of our parishioners are bonded laborers, which means they owe debts of money to wealthy landlords for whom they work and who treat these people as their personal property. These parishioners are members of the Parkari Kohli ethnic community, a small, impoverished minority tribal group. They live in small villages of two or three families in homes made of mud. The land they live on is owned by the landlords. Our chief pastoral work here in the parish at Matli is to go out to visit the Parkari Kohli villages. Most villages are about one hour’s drive from the parish in the middle of vast farmlands. We usually leave the parish
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house around four in the afternoon and return to the parish late at night, depending on the distance travelled. A visit means sitting for at least an hour or more talking with the local people. It means trying to get to know them and to know about their daily lives. We then share a meal with the villagers and this is followed by the celebration of the Eucharist. Keeping up the connection with our Parkari Kohli Catholics is very important. That is why these visits are so important. I have been out visiting villages most days over the last month since being assigned here and have never visited the same village twice. Our visits to the villages helps remind these bonded laborers of God’s love and care for them and their dignity as beloved children of God. At the same time, because of the extreme poverty and malnutrition of our parishioners and their neighbors that we encounter on these visits, it allows us to offer much needed health care where possible. As we arrive at a village, we are met with the typical greeting of welcome, “Isu ni jee,” which means “Long live Jesus.” We are then led to sit on a string bed called a charpai, which is set outside the homes. The bed is covered by a colouful cloth called a rali which reflects the great craftsmanship of the Parkari Kohli people. The different ways by which they combine colors and the geometric patterns interests me. It is truly a work of art that they should take pride in.
During the ensuing conversation, a hot chai tea is served. Large numbers of children usually gather around the conversation of the adults. With their parent’s permission, I usually bring coloring books with stories from the Bible for the children to color. As there are no tables or chairs, the children sit quietly on the dry mud floors as they color in the images in the books. They love this activity. Very few of these children, especially the girls, have the opportunity to go to school. The few schools are very far away from these villages. It is amazing, but it is always the very first time in their lives for these children to use colored pencils or crayons! As these children, like their parents, are almost always illiterate, coloring brings great joy to them. It fascinates them. The children’s imaginations are stimulated by the use of color, and it helps them grow in their faith. During the celebration of the Eucharist, the Catechists use the children’s newly colored-in pictures to deepen their understanding of our faith. Each time I leave a village I usually feel a little sad. Something as simple as crayons and coloring pencils means so much to children who never go to school, never see a book, and never learn to read, write and count. I wonder when I will be back and hope for another chance to reach out to these families in their poverty, discrimination and oppressed conditions. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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This arid area is watered by irrigation canals that make agriculture here possible. As I travel around this area, crossing these canals, I have come to think that these canals are a fitting allegory for our visits to the villages. Our pastoral visits are indispensable because it is like the water that gives the Parkari Kohli people an opportunity to grow in their faith and trust in God. It also makes the Church more aware of the ongoing plight of the Parkari Kohli against a life of slavery, oppression and the terrible injustices they suffer. As a parish we reach out to bring the Gospel of hope and liberation to our parishioners. CM Originally from the Philippines, Columban seminarian Louis Ybanez is in Pakistan on his first missionary assignment.
The Autumn of Life Who stole away those golden leaves which
What nature secretly holds is released by
Decorating those tired and resting fields
But the spell of golden flame is the sign of a
recently had fallen from the trees
Those golden shredded years came back to me
growing old and grey will indicate the age.
greater claim to the mysteries of The
with tears
Kingdom since foretold
my fading years.
As Autumn has matured so the rest of us
That panorama of golden verdure illuminating
Creator’s hand
As the Autumn harvest spread its leaves over
the land with artistic splendour
Invaded the youthful memory of better days
But time had spread its wings over life’s most important things
Leaving Divine approval mirrored in different
are assured that Nature so related to the That one day the reign of God we will all go along bringing mature and golden foliage to the loving fields of God.
Columban Fr. Maurice Foley is retired in Ireland.
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History Repeats Itself Fascinating Connections By Fr. Warren Kinne
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t is said that history has a habit of repeating itself. This seems to be so in one particular case at least. In June 1920 when Columban Frs. Edward Galvin, John Blowick and Owen McPolin were on board the Yawata Maru docked in Shanghai, Nicholas Tsu1 and Lo Pa-Hong2 were there to meet them3. Eighty years later, in 2000, when I came to take up residence in Shanghai after three years language study in Beijing, the great grandson of Nicholas Tsu, named Vincent, was there to meet me. He was the son of a Teacher Zhu working in Guang Qi Press where I used to help out. Vincent and I had frequent outings together, and he was very
helpful for me in bargaining when it came to shopping and in fixing my computer. Only later was I to discover that Vincent was the great grandson of Nicholas Tsu. Quite a co-incidence! This family is also related to Ma Xiang Bo, the founder of Fudan University. He was the uncle of Nicholas Zhu. By chance, I was also to teach at Fudan University for ten years, and I had that remote connection with the former Jesuit Ma Xiang Bo as well. Recently Vincent and his wife had a daughter4 and my hope is that she can bear the memory of the relationship of the Columbans with the Zhu family. Nicholas Zhu was a ship-builder and one of the large compradors5 of
Fr. Warren Kinne with Vincent, his wife and daughter
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Shanghai. He was also a very prominent Catholic who funded many schools and hospitals and other charities and who took the Gospel and its works of mercy seriously, even to visiting prisoners. In 1937 he was to receive a Papal award. When the prayerful man died in 1955, he was in his 90s. As an aside, Nicholas had a younger brother who became a Jesuit priest and later one of the six Chinese bishops consecrated in 19266. Through the generations there have been a good number of priests and Sisters in their extended family. Later in June, when the three missionaries were to have steamed up the Yangtze for several days and docked at Hankow, the nephew of Nicholas Zhu was there to meet them and to put himself at their disposal.7 Another person on the docks in 1920 to meet our Frs. Galvin and Blowick, our co-founders and first missionaries, was the son of Joseph Lo Pa Hong, the famous businessman and philanthropist. A friend of the Columbans, Theresa Wo Ye knows direct descendants of Lo Pa Hong through Bishop Jin, and I had a most pleasant meeting with them. Theresa8 is the grand-daughter of Lu Bohong and “Crystal� his great grand-daughter9. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Left to right: Lu Pa Hong, Bishop Tsu, Nicholas Tsu
The following day10after the three Columban’s arrived in Shanghai they celebrated Mass at St. Joseph’s Hospital. This hospital used to be in the compound of what is now the Gongyi Xintiandi which was only officially opened in 2013 as a platform for various social innovation and charitable activities. This is a most interesting site. Lu Bohong bought this land in 1913. Two years previously, in 1911, he was the Director of a newly built Government charity but in1913 he moved the charity to the new site that is now preserved. There was a school, a workshop, a hospital, a kindergarten, retirement facilities all dedicated to helping the disadvantaged people. It was called Xin Puyu Tang after the old charity called Puyu Tang. There are some incredible statistics on the new notice board at the recently opened site which came close to demolition but was finally preserved. The land is now extremely valuable. The notice board says that in the first six years of operation, Xin Puyu Tang adopted 102,525 orphans, treated 2,194,070 patients and became the top example of social philantrophy in China. Lu Bohong’s photo is there with a chest-full of WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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awards some of them papal. Indeed his family had the first Vatican approved – for China – private chapel in their home. In the tumultuous times of 1937 when most of the family fled China, Lu Bohong was murdered on the eve of his departure for Hong Kong. The story has it that he was on his way to Hong Kong when he went back to distribute clothes to the homeless. It
is not known who or what group was behind the assassination – Japanese or Communist or Guomindang or someone else. It is fascinating for me to know the direct living descendants of these two families who were featured in the first steps of the Columbans in China. CM After many years in China, Columban Fr. Warren Kinne now lives and works in Australia.
Endnotes Nicholas Tsu is rendered in various ways depending on the phonetics used but it is now generally written as “Zhu”. Nicholas Zhu was called Zhu Zhi Yao. 2 Lu Bo Hong in current pinyin for Lo Pa-Hong. 3 “As our boat drew into the dock we discovered several friends among the crowd. There stood Mr. Ying and his father, both of whom had travelled from Peking in order to meet us. Along with them was Mr. Tsu, a prominent Catholic who was a ship builder of Shanghai. Mr. Lo Jr. was there to represent his father, Mr. Lo Pa-Hong, one of the most prominent Catholics in China, director and part owner of the Chinese tramways … .” (The Red Lacquered Gate, William Barrett, p.129) 4 Zhu Hao Yun 5 A comprador is a go-between for foreigners and Chinese workers and for procurements. 6 Bishop Zhu Kai Min 7 “The vessel bearing Fathers Blowick, Galvin and MacPolin from Shanghai docked at Hankow on June 26. The warm Chinese friendliness of Shanghai had followed them, or anticipated them. The nephew of Mr. Nicholas Tsu was at the dock to meet them and to put himself at their disposal.” (The Red Lacquered Gate, p129) 8 Teresa Lu Qinming 9 Mary Ding Jingyi is known as “Crystal.” Crystal currently works for the charitable arm of LGT, the investment company of the Royal Family of Liechtenstein. She helps charities to become selfsufficient without the need for fundraising. 10 “Father Blowick sang a Missal Cantata which was served by Lo Pa-Hong and Mr. Nicholas Tsu, assisted by four little Chinese boys. There was a choir of forty Chinese boys, all orphans. About 400 people attended the Mass.” (The Red Lacquered Gate, p129) 1
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A Joyful Heart Reflections From a Newly Ordained Columban
Fr. Kurt Pala
Filipino Columban priests
Fr. Kurt with friends in Fiji
Fr. Kurt at his host brother’s wedding
Columban family
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“A joyful heart is a grateful heart.” ~ Pope Francis By Fr. Kurt Pala
Joy of Being Ordained Observing the Sacraments, particularly the Holy Eucharist, is something I look forward to celebrating. The joy comes in sharing the same space and time with people who like me desire nothing but encountering Christ. It is always a humbling experience when I listen to people at confession or faith sharing or when a young person comes to me and opens up about himself. I always pray for the grace that I become a compassionate and forgiving presence of God to them. As a newly ordained Columban, I am grateful to my Columban senior brothers in the parish who not only helped me navigate the intricacies and complexities of parish life but also gave me moral support and encouragement. Another joy is my involvement in various ministries, parrticularly the youth groups, small Christian communities and interfaith dialogue with the Muslims. These are the things that give me joy and for which I am truly grateful.
Influences in My Vocation Journey A number of Columbans have been great influences on my vocation from the vocation promoter who initially recruited me to the many formators in the Columban formation program who journeyed with me the past ten years and more. As a young Columban student on mission in the Fiji islands, I consider Columban Fr. J.J. Ryan a great influence in my vocation journey. He was more than just my parish priest; WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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he was a great mentor and spiritual director. I admired how at his age, he would still drive to the villages to address the pastoral needs of the parishioners. He was a teacher and a great parish administrator working well with the people. He loved to drink his kava (Fijian traditional drink made from yagona roots) before having his dinner. After Mass, he would sit with the people to give them the opportunity to ask questions – an instant catechism class or a faith formation session. I believe what allowed him to remain joyful and faithful to his call is his prayer life – his day begins and ends before God. At the end of the day I would find him sitting before God in the Blessed Sacrament, his arms would rest on the back of the bench.
Aspects of Formation Every stage of preparation to the priesthood is essential and requires a lot of time and effort. The different stages allow different aspects of the person to grow and develop. The goal of formation is a well-integrated person. I am not a very outgoing person. I get energy from being alone, but my formation brought me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to be more outgoing and be better at reaching out to people. I found the FMA (first missionary assignment) not only the most interesting and helpful but also the most rewarding. My entire experience on mission in Fiji affirmed my decision to join the Columbans and my yes to God’s invitation. It was
very humbling to know that I do not know everything. I was helpless and vulnerable in many situations while I was on mission on the islands of Fiji. What prepared me is my initial formation in the program like pastoral assignments in various ministries, the vocational growth counseling and spiritual direction which both brought out personal issues and helped me deal with them appropriately, especially my motivation to become a Columban missionary priest.
Dealing with Challenges During Priestly Formation Two components of the formation that I found very challenging were academics and FMA. I love to learn. Academics are an important part of the formation, but the demands from studies can be very stressful and difficult. I learned to try to find balance and my true motivation for studying – I study with having the people in mind as my motivation, the people I will minister to in the future. Similarly, the FMA is as challenging as academics, because it also requires a lot of time in learning a new language and adjusting to a new culture and environment. Ultimately, the responsibility of formation rest on us first not on the formators. Of course God is the ultimate formator and then ourselves. It is up to us – to put ourselves 100 percent in the formation program. No matter how good the formator is unless the student is giving himself totally to the program, the formation program is not effective. October 2016
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Fr. Kurt with Cardinal Tagle and Korean Columban Associate Priest Fr. Matthew Park
Filipinos and Foreign Missionaries As a Filipino, I am very grateful to Columban missionaries who facilitated the growth of the Church in many parts of Northern Mindanao and the Philippines. They built churches and schools and facilitated the training and growth of lay leaders in the various parishes. Missionaries, particularly Columban missionaries, were always considered partners and companions in the struggle of many Filipinos both in their faith and daily life. The Columban missionaries also worked very hard in areas where conflict and misunderstanding exists, particularly in communities of Christians and Muslims. I am grateful for their witness and also accepting local vocations to participate and share in the Columban mission.
Exciting Myanmar For my FMA, I was asked to name three countries I preferred to go to for my first mission appointment; I was hoping to go to China, or possibly to beautiful and serene Japan or maybe yet to unknown Myanmar, which we used to call Burma. This maybe is the hope God finally is granting me. The 14
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islands of Fiji prepared me so well, and now I am very excited for Myanmar. Learning a new language excites me and even if I know from my experience from learning Hindi how difficult it is to start learning a new way of writing and of making new sounds, I am quite excited about it. I do not know how much I will be able to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and practice my priestly ministry in Myanmar with the restrictions they have for foreign missionaries. As a newly ordained priest, I hope to work pastoral ministries like working with the youth, small Christian communities and interfaith dialogue particularly with the Buddhist majority and the Muslims and other minorities. I want to stay with the people and be where they are. It is the best way for me to learn their life and language. I like traveling and learning new things, and knowing how huge and mysterious Myanmar is, it won’t be difficult for me to love mission in Myanmar.
Missing Home It is important to recognize that as missionaries, we miss our home countries. The 3Fs: food, family and friends – these three things as a Filipino are very important, and these are the ones I miss a lot when I am away from home. I try to cook food that reminds me of the Philippines.
What Makes a Happy Missionary? It is important to have time for myself. Sometimes it is so easy to forget about the self when one is in the mission. It is important to give time and space for one’s self because an unhappy
missionary does not make a joyful witness to the Good News. What I really enjoy on my free day is a cup of coffee and a book. I read a lot, and I am a big fan of crime novels, novels by Lee Child and the books and writings of Ron Rolheiser. I also enjoy writing. I keep a personal blog of my experiences. I like to travel and learn new things about the places I go and from the people I meet. I enjoy watching Bollywood movies and listening to music. I am also into social networking on Facebook where I am able to connect with friends and family and use it to evangelize.
Message to Our Benefactors Who Support Me and Other Columban Missionaries I am grateful to the people who take part in Columban mission through their prayers and financial partnership. You play an important part in the missionary work of God through the Columban missionaries. I will continue to pray for you and also beg you to pray for us, your missionaries. I am inviting you to actively participate in God’s mission not only through your prayers and financial support but to give yourself to become priests, sisters and lay missionaries of the Missionary Society of St. Columban. Join us in one of the greatest adventures of your life. Be a Columban missionary, a life for the world – crossing boundaries, building bridges, make a difference in someone’s life and find your purpose. CM Originally from the Philippines, Columban Fr. Kurt Pala lives and works in Myanmar.
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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 Man of Peace Personal Memories of Bishop Jin, 1916-2013 By Fr. Warren Kinne
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met Bishop Jin about 25 years ago on my first visit to China and dined with him in his former residence next to the Cathedral. This was before I actually came to live in China. I had been introduced to him by Fr. Edward Kelly who had collaborated a good deal with Bishop Jin on such projects as sending Chinese people overseas for study. My recollection of that occasion was that the place where the Bishop resided, in the building near the altar end of the Cathedral, was rather dimly lit. I recall two things in the modest room where I met the Bishop: a brand new fax machine and a spittoon under the seat. He hosted a meal of many courses in his spartan surroundings that were brought in by an elderly man. The welcome was warm and hospitable, but the building was rather dark and shabby. After that initial encounter I met the Bishop on occasions overseas such as in the Columban Seminary in Australia and at the Columban House at Navan in Ireland. He was welcome to stay in both those places at a time when he was not universally 16
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welcome even in houses of his own Jesuit Society. At the time he was not yet Vatican approved, and in any case, Bishops are only nominally a part of their former congregations. In Shanghai I met the Bishop many times during my 16 years in the city. I witnessed his child-like excitement in the company of Jesuits and on one occasion remember him with enthusiasm donning a sweatshirt given him with the name of Boston College written all over it. He was very happy to be reconnected universally more favorably with the Society of Jesus as a whole, after his approval by the Vatican as a Bishop in the Diocese of Shanghai. I saw the Bishop in various situations and always admired his good nature, tact, and diplomacy. He had a wonderful memory and was ever grateful for even small kindnesses. His linguistic abilities were very considerable, and he was an intelligent and shrewd man. The Bishop was abreast of what was happening in the world of theology. He read magazines in various languages such as The
Tablet from the United Kingdom, Der Spiegel from Germany, and his office was lined with weighty tomes in various languages. An example of his being abreast of current theology was his appreciation of the need for inculturation in the Church and a case in point was the new stained-glass windows in the Cathedral. For the Bishop there was no problem with experimenting with new forms that expressed the Gospel stories through art-work that mimicked the paper-cut Chinese style. Many others, clergy and lay, were reactionary to anything that departed from the classical European expressions of art. In 2006, the You Dao Foundation, of which I was at the time the founding chairman, had a memorandum of understanding with Bishop Jin for a project in Nan Qiao, Fengxian. There was an old building that had been returned to the diocese and was available for restoration. We agreed to renovate the place to accommodate migrant women from neighboring provinces looking for work in the more prosperous Shanghai. The diocesan religious WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Sisters were to be in charge of running the project. Funding to prepare the building was to be split 50-50. The restoration work was done, and everything was ready for operation but for various reasons we could never go ahead with the project. In fact I was quite uncertain as to what the stumbling-block was, but I have reason to believe it was internal politics in the Church. It was clear to me that Bishop Jin could not always get his own way, and even when he thought the way was clear it didn’t seem to be. In 2007 Bishop Jin gave me a signed copy of the first volume of his memoirs in Chinese. I was happy to see this come to light as years before I had encouraged him to write the story when he asked my opinion about the idea. In fact many people were encouraging him to do this. I told him if he didn’t write the story others would write it for him and his particular point of view might be written out of it. Late in 2012 he gave me the English version of that volume which was nicely translated by William Hanbury-Tenison. I congratulated him and noted that it was such a long time since he came out with his first Chinese version! I said that I now eagerly awaited the remaining volume that would bring us up to the present. He admitted that this was really the sensitive part of the work. I knew he was well into writing this more recent history and told him that it would be a challenge to speak truthfully about events in those times in order that future generations might have his unique personal view of what has been happening on the China scene. This volume was never completed, and perhaps had the Bishop been told about his cancer it may have given some urgency to the work. But this volume dealing with more recent times held the more sensitive material and he it seems baulked himself on completing it. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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When I was 65 the Bishop was 95. He was just a year younger than my father who also lived into his 90s. There were other reference points for me too such as the fact that Bishop Jin had gone to my Roman Alma Mater, the Gregorian University, about the time I was born. Bishop Jin has always been most gracious to me personally and to the Society of St. Columban. I last chatted with him when my two sisters and a niece came in late October 2012. He was in good form that day and always knew how to say the gracious word. Memorable photos were taken. He would remember my birthdays, Christmas and Easter and send me a gift. Indeed when I turned 60 years old here in Shanghai, he invited me and a friend out to dine. Fr. Tommy Yu from Wuhan happened to be in town on that occasion and came along. My last letter to him was on December 23, 2012. “Dear Bishop Jin, Warm best wishes for you this cold Christmas. I hope that you are able to keep warm. At the least our hearts are warmed with the knowledge that Jesus is at work in our world and is the Lord of History. I do hope and pray that God will bless you and give you courage and
strength this Christmas and New Year. You have many challenges at an age when most people are certainly beyond worrying about the issues of governance. I intend to go down to Australia for several weeks from the middle of January. It will be just after Chinese New Year when I return. You give me hope that I can continue in China for a few years yet. God knows the future! Thank you for the gift that you sent me in the past couple of days. I am most grateful for your kindly thinking of me. My best wishes for you for the coming months. May God give you good health, steady judgment, wisdom and a sense of humor.” He died in the first half of 2013 after a lengthy stay in the Rui Jin Hospital where access was generally denied him even to his close Chinese friends. I could not help feeling that he was trapped in a gilded cage. l miss his presence and thank him for his influence on my own life and for the beneficial relationship that he has had over the years with my own missionary society. May God grant him peace. CM After many years in China, Columban Fr. Warren Kinne now lives in Australia.
Bishop Jin, center, with Fr. Warren Kinne and Fr. Warren’s sisters
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The “Hyun-jang” Eucharist Makeshift Altars By Fr. Donal O’Keefe
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ach Monday at 7:00 p.m. in Seoul, Korea, believers come to celebrate the Eucharist in Kwang Hwa Mun Plaza in the center of Seoul. They come to the site where members of the families bereaved in Korea’s worst maritime accident continue their protest demanding justice. They come to celebrate Mass and express solidarity with the protesting families. Such public celebrations of the Eucharist outside of Churches using makeshift altars on street sides are not unusual in the various dioceses in Korea. These are the “hyun-jang” Eucharists. During the last 30 years the tradition of celebrating Mass in the actual place of struggle, with people who are fighting for justice has gradually developed in Korea. Such places are referred to in Korean as the “hyun-jang,” hence the term the “hyun-jang Eucharist.” It might be people protesting illegal evictions, striking workers protesting unjust layoffs, or peace protesters attempting to block the expansion of military bases. The causes are diverse, but the Mass is celebrated at that place where people are struggling for justice. I think this tradition can be traced back to the practice of the former Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-whan (1919-2009). He always went to celebrate Mass with a poor community
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at Christmas and Easter. In the late 1980s, I remember him going to celebrate Christmas Eve with people who were being evicted. The people had put up a big tent in the site of the evictions. The property owners had visited the cardinal earlier and tried to persuade him not to go, and when he refused they burned down the tent before Mass was due to begin. But the cardinal still went and in freezing weather he stood with the people and celebrated the birth of Jesus. Such celebrations have given rise to a huge range of reactions. On one side there is the positive evaluation — (that is where I stand!) — which holds that Jesus’ life was about reaching out to show the love of God to all, especially to the victims and the marginalized. The result was that He was perceived as a threat to social stability and the “powers that be” attempted to silence Him. Despite the opposition He continued to live that way and consequently was arrested, tortured and executed. He gave His life for love and justice. In every Eucharist we recall His life and death and celebrate the memory. So what more appropriate place to celebrate Mass than in the actual situation where people are struggling for justice, showing that the disciples of Jesus today are in solidarity with their neighbors?
Of course there is the opposite voice which states that in such events the Mass is being used by persons with a set political agenda – usually against the status quo. The basic thesis in this viewpoint is that people should not politicize the Mass! I think Pope Francis gave the answer to that in Seoul when asked why he wore the yellow ribbon of the Sewol Ferry Families. One of the family members pinned it on his soutane and he wore it throughout the visit. It was suggested to him that it was a divisive action taking sides. He said “When confronted with suffering there is no neutral position.” In other words you either stand with the victims or you stand against them! It is a statement which can make us all feel uncomfortable. This raises even more disturbing questions about our daily and weekly celebrations of the Eucharist. When participating in those Masses does our recalling the memory of Jesus challenge us to go out and get involved in changing society, to stand in solidarity with the victims? If it does not, if it just personally consoles us with no disturbing invitation to change society, is it not just reinforcing a society status quo which has created such inequalities? Might this not be an abuse of the Mass? Very disturbing questions! And I would add questions that never really occurred to me when my normal experience of the Eucharist was in a quiet chapel where all is very ordered and reverend! As a missionary, conscious that all local churches have riches to share with the wider Church community, I believe that the tradition of the “Hyun-jang: Eucharist” is one which the Korean Church could fruitfully share with others! CM Columban Fr. Donal O’Keefe lives and works in Seoul, Korea.
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Kindness and Generosity Treat Others with Respect and Dignity By Fr. Neil Magill
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t is difficult for us in Myanmar [Burma] to get visas so we have to leave and go to Bangkok, Thailand, frequently to renew our visas. Bangkok is very highly developed with its high rise buildings, cars and buses crawling at a snail’s pace and sidewalks crowded with people. I find the easiest way to get around is on a motorbike taxi. They weave in and out between cars and buses, and when they get a clear view they put the boot down and speed off. Last month when I was there I hailed a motorbike taxi as usual to go to the Embassy. The law in Bangkok is that the rider of the motorbike and the passenger wear helmets…a good idea. When I got on the back of the motorbike the rider was wearing his helmet but mine was strung around the handlebars. We took off for the Embassy without the helmet. He maneuvered his way expertly through the cars for about fifteen minutes and once when he had a clear view he built up speed. Suddenly a car appeared from nowhere and my motorbike driver slammed on the brakes. I fell off, he fell on top of me and the motorbike on top of both of us. Some people on the side walk lifted up the motorbike and the rider scrambled to his feet, got my helmet off the handlebars and put it on my head as I lay on the side of the street. I burst out laughing to his and the onlookers surprise. Some onlookers saw blood on my hands and advised the motorbike rider to take me to a hospital. I assured him there was no need. So off we go again but this time I was wearing the helmet. A few minutes later he stopped outside WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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a shop and motioned to me not to move. Within a few minutes he comes out with a bottle of water and politely hands it to me. There is a kindness in the hearts of people everywhere if we treat them with respect and dignity. I got my visa, and the next day I flew back to Myanmar. Mandalay airport is a long distance out of town and the normal charge is $10 for the 50 minute drive. The driver was keen to practice his English so we got into conversation. “Where you come from, Sir?” “I come from Ireland.” “How long you live in Myanmar?” “Almost 10 years.” “Your wife live in Myanmar too?” “I have no wife.” “Ah, sad, sad, sad, you have no wife, no children. Why not?” “You are Buddhist?” “Yes.”
“Buddhist monks do not marry and have no children,” I said. He thought for a few moments and then said, “You are Christian monk.” “That’s right,” I said. We continued our conversation until I arrived at my destination, the Mandalay Higher Education Center. I got the money to pay him and he got out of the car and refused to take the money. “You are Christian monk. I respect. No charge.” Despite all efforts he would not take the money. He raised his two hands to his forehead and bowed. I returned the traditional bow of respect. We shook hands and off he went. There is kindness and generosity in the hearts of everyone. CM Columban Fr. Neil Magill lives and works in Myanmar
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One in His Image My Pilgrimage in Interreligious Dialogue By Beth Sabado
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y pilgrimage in— indeed conversion to— interreligious dialogue started even before I learned the phrase interreligious dialogue. Both my parents were from Luzon in the north of the Philippines but, in 1946 soon after World War II, my father decided to migrate south to the mostly Muslim island of Mindanao. He took the risk of investing his share of the family inheritance in real estate properties near the city of Pagadian. My mother had a similar migration story, and so my parents met and got married in Mindanao. Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines and is a place where sizeable numbers of Muslims and Christians dwell together. Our parents did not allow their children to speak the local language. At home we spoke Tagalog, Ilokano and English, but not Cebuano. My parents said: “We are not Cebuanos!” Even when quite young, I used to challenge my parents, asking: “But we are not English so why is it alright to speak English?” My boldness would result in a scolding and commands about “no more questioning!” Cebuano, of course, was the language spoken by most Muslims in the area. This linguistic restriction only stirred my curiosity about Cebuano and unknown to my parents I even tried to learn some of it. As a child, simply by listening to my playmates I was already speaking Cebuano before I knew it. As I was growing up, my parents were continually talking about going to court because of a land dispute.
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My father held a land title proving his ownership of a piece of land, but the Muslim chief said that a “land title” is just a piece of paper and that the real owners of the land are their ancestors. For us this was a strange notion of private property. My father, accompanied by our tenants, would go to the police to report this harassment and, during the harvest season, our tenants would request “back-ups” for security purposes. This land dispute went on and on for as long as I can remember. Before Dad passed away in 2008, he divided his properties and transferred ownership and land titles to his three children except for that disputed property. He didn’t want us to inherit the conflict. This land dispute created an atmosphere of fear, and we felt coldness and ambivalence towards Muslims. These feelings were not confined to our immediate family but contaminated our relatives and the families of our farm tenants. When I was in elementary school, I was permitted to visit the houses of my classmates except the homes of my Muslim friends. Later, my sister and I were strictly prohibited from entertaining Muslim suitors. They were all labeled “land grabbers” and “criminals.” Are they all really dangerous, I asked? When it came time for me to go to college, my parents sent me north because they felt that it was safer to be far from the Muslims. After finishing college and passing the nursing exams, I returned to Mindanao to work in one of the hospitals in the city of Pagadian. My nine years
Beth at a migrant rally in Taiwan
there not only enhanced my nursing profession, but was also an occasion to learn skills in showing respect to all the clients coming to the hospital, an occasion to appreciate social and cultural differences. This was a great opportunity to build rapport with Muslims and get to know them up close and personal. They were our main clients. My confusion caused by the assumption that Muslims are land grabbers and criminals was gradually replaced with empathy and respectful relationships. I was not only their nurse but also their friend. A deeper relationship with Muslims started to flourish when I started to respond to invitations to join their important family gatherings. I was no longer in the role of the nurse making a follow-up home visit to long-term patients who required palliative care, but I came to be considered as a member of their family. I truly appreciated and enjoyed this. Partaking in some of their important family gatherings and joyfully eating their food and dressing like them has been an awakening experience. It has liberated me from fear, mistrust and ambivalence. However, my family still worried WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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Beth with Parkari Kohli women in Pakistan
for me saying I was making myself vulnerable to danger and abuse, but I vehemently disagreed. Although our school books contain simple explanations about the beliefs, practices and rituals of other religions, the school books I read did not deal much with how to respect and celebrate our differences. Having experienced the life of my Muslim friends, I became their advocate. I remember pleading with my parents and siblings not to use the land dispute to disparage all Muslims. All people are capable of grabbing land. I must admit that convincing my family was a tough, uphill struggle, but I have stood my ground. To fully understand and appreciate our religious and cultural differences I believe that we must have a complete head-to-heart conversion. For me this means changing my perspective from seeing God as only inside the Church and primarily for Christians, to seeing God as a person who is present to all people and present in all religions. In 2002, when I joined the Columban lay mission program, the subject of interreligious dialogue was part of our orientation. It affirmed my earlier conviction that differences of beliefs WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
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should not be the basis for defining who we are but rather should be a space in which to understand and respect one another. As a lay missionary in Taiwan, I worked for nine years in the migrant ministry at the Hope Workers’ Center. There we assisted migrant workers from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Cambodia. Our work involved counseling and assistance for exploited workers, victims of labor trafficking or sex trafficking, provide temporary shelter and visits to people in detention centers. Given the countries that most of the migrant workers came from, I was able to encounter a variety of religions. I found that their religious beliefs and background are important aspects of their ability to understand and cope with their situations. The center is not only for migrant workers who experience difficulties but also a heartwarming place to celebrate different cultural and religious festivities. The time I spent in the migrant ministry have tested my proclamation on “one in His image.” I am reminded of a telephone call I received at the crack of dawn from the Taiwanese parish priest of the church
where the Hope Workers’ Center is based. His voice was apologetic but urged me to go to the center as soon as possible because a migrant worker was brought by a taxi driver and seemed to be in a lot of pain. Not knowing the real story but also acknowledging the urgency of the situation, I rushed on my motorbike to the center. There I saw a man soaked in blood lying and curled in front of the gate of the church, moaning in pain, crying out for help. Some of the neighbors were looking at him. I saw no indication whatever of assistance being offered to alleviate his discomfort. When they saw me get off my motorbike, the neighbors commanded me to move fast. He was an Indonesian migrant worker who was locked up by his broker but managed to escape through a window by tying his clothes and a blanket to make an escape sling. Due to his weight the knot untied easily and he fell from the second floor but managed to crawl beside the road until a taxi driver helped him in and drove him to the church at the worker’s request. I found this to be a provocative experience. The layers of human dynamics in that scenario made me reflect on the Good Samaritan. Who was the Good Samaritan in that scenario, I asked myself? Obviously I cannot count myself as one because I was called to assist him; my presence wasn’t voluntary. When a stranger knocks the door for help I pray that my response to help will be spontaneous because I see Christ in him. It is my hope that one day people will call each other by name and not through labels of creed and race. This is how I see God—no limits, no boundaries, but a Being who is present to everyone, and in the midst of every group, regardless of “nation, tribe, people and tongue.” (Rev. 5:9) CM Columban lay missionary Beth Sabado lives and works in Hong Kong.
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A unique way to be missionary – a gift from your IRA
The support of Columban benefactors like you have inspired and sustained our missionaries for over 98 years! Sharing in our vision through the ages has made us partners in all we do to build God’s kingdom here on earth. Now, there is a new and unique way for you to “missionary”. If you have the desire to make a gift now and be able to see your generosity at work during your lifetime, perhaps a direct contribution from your Individual Retirement Account is right for you. If you are 70 ½ years old or older, you can take advantage of a convenient way to make a gift to the Columban Fathers and receive tax benefits in return. The law permits you to make a contribution of up to $100,000 from your IRA when it is made directly to a qualifying charity like us. And… …you can do so without having to pay income taxes on the money!
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Plus, if you have not taken your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) this year, a direct rollover gift from your IRA can satisfy all or part of that requirement. We always recommend that you consult with your own tax professional if you are considering any charitable contribution under this provision or any other. For more information on how the IRA Charitable Rollover Contribution works, please contact our Donor Relations Representative at the toll-free number below or write to: Columban Fathers P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056-0010 Toll-free: 877-299-1920 Email: mission@columban.org
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Beacon of Light
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e’s known as the white ghost! This tall, middle aged man with a fair complexion and salt-and-pepper colored hair, can be seen walking the streets of neglected neighborhoods in Chicago at any time of the day, and on any day of the year. Since he has walked those same streets for more than thirty years, he is instantly recognized and warmly greeted by women on their way to the store, by groups of men chatting at corners, and by gang members stalking their territory. As a young man, Jim Fogarty had come from Pennsylvania to Chicago in order to attend the Columban seminary. The program involved community living, prayer, study, and pastoral ministry. As a seminarian, he met Bill Tomes, a youth worker who was committed to doing pastoral outreach to gang members. Jim accompanied Bill around the city from time to time, and soon came to appreciate the importance of his ministry. A few years later, Jim came to the realization
From the Director By Fr. Tim Mulroy that he was not being called by God to journey to the furthest corners of the earth as a Columban missionary priest, but rather to remain in the neglected neighborhoods of Chicago as a Catholic layman. He left the seminary but completed his theology degree. A few years later he became a husband and father. During these past three decades, Jim has remained a beacon of light and hope for countless young people who struggle to find direction in an environment dominated by poverty and crime. He
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”...while God invites some to travel with the Gospel to distant lands, He calls others to journey with the light of Christ into dark and desolate places close to home.” does whatever it takes to assure them that someone cares: joins them for a basketball game and then for a burger and fries; accompanies them to a job interview or to a court case; gives them a ride to a hospital or to a detention center; and prays with them as they come to terms with the death of a friend as a consequence of drugs or violence. Jim’s availability, patience and kindness has earned him the street title, Superman! Over the years, Jim has introduced many Columban seminarians to his ministry in Chicago’s neglected neighborhoods. He has shown them how to become an instrument of God’s peace by combatting hatred with love, despair with hope, and darkness with light. He has helped them realize that, while God invites some to travel with the Gospel to distant lands, He calls others to journey with the light of Christ into dark and desolate places close to home. Jim has also helped them to understand that every baptized person, whether married or single, lay or ordained, is called to live as a messenger of God’s care for those on the margin of our world.
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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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“Said Jesus to Simon, ‘do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching people.’”— Luke 5:10 Indeed, if you feel called to help with Jesus’ nets, do not be afraid to call us and discuss a life of mission service.
We invite you to join this new generation by becoming a Columban Father or Columban Sister. If you are interested in the missionary priesthood, write or call… Fr. Bill Morton National Vocation Director Columban Fathers St. Columbans, NE 68056 877-299-1920 Email: vocations@columban.org Website: www.columban.org
If you are interested in becoming a Columban Sister, write or call… Sr. Carmen Maldonado Columban Sisters 2546 Lake Road Silver Creek NY, 14136 716-934-4515 Websites: www.columbansisters.org www.columbansistersusa.com
Japan + Korea + Peru + Hong Kong + Philippines + Pakistan + Chile + Fiji + Taiwan + North America
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