The Magazine of the Missionary Society of St. Columban
Faith in Daily Life
October 2017
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Volume 100 - Number 6 - October 2017
Columban Mission
o n t e n t s
Issue Theme – Faith in Daily Life
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
Not Bad for a Non-Christian
10 Is It Too Late?
4 Solidarity
Interfaith Friendships
6 Journey Together
A Transformative Experience
8 In the Spirit of Gratitude, Generosity and Joy
Fiesta Mass in Honor of St. Columban
14 My Experience as a Columban Lay Missionary
Looking for the Face of God
16 Myanmar’s Displaced Persons
Touching Testimonials
18 Integration
A Primary Necessity
20 Pakistan’s Big Threat
Climate Change
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Toll-Free Phone: 877/299-1920 Website: WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG Copyright © 2016, The Columban Fathers (Legal Title) PUBLISHER REV. TIMOTHY MULROY, SSC DIRECTORUSA@COLUMBAN.ORG EDITOR KATE KENNY KKENNY@COLUMBAN.ORG EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS MARCI ANDERSON MANDERSON@COLUMBAN.ORG RHONDA FIRNHABER RFIRNHABER@COLUMBAN.ORG GRAPHIC DESIGNER KRISTIN ASHLEY EDITORIAL BOARD DAN EMINGER KATE KENNY ERNIE MAY REV. TIMOTHY MULROY, SSC JEFF NORTON FR. RICHARD STEINHILBER, SSC SCOTT WRIGHT
22 Beware of a Holy Man’s Curse!
A Page from a Missionary’s Diary
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
Faith
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very new beginning entails a risk and the possibility of change. Not all of us welcome risk or change; we may be fearful or lazy, reluctant to leave our comfort zone. But, we are invited to open ourselves to the gifts and graces – and they are without number – that each day holds for us. Our hope is not in ourselves, much less in the structures of society. We rest in the Lord, hidden and unseen, fortified by His strength. With a confidence born of faith we know that no matter what dangers we will face, what anguish awaits us, He will be there at our side. “Even though I walk in a dark valley I fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Psalm 23) Same ole’ story, same ole’ script. Not so, not for those who look for the Lord. Over and over again we experience the vibrancy, the life that resonates in His word. “The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, His mercies are not spent; they are renewed every morning so great is His faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3: 22) Every morning, as sure as the sun rises, all is there for us if we believe. We may not be able to shake off the burdens of recent years, like a dog shakes off water after a plunge in the river, but we can choose not to be controlled by them. However insurmountable the obstacles seem, however wretched our lives, however great the injustices we endure, let us not lose the vision, however dim it may be that reaches beyond the finiteness of this present time. God gives us strength, His own strength, as He walks with us in the dark valley. More than that He has plans for us. “I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe, plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) God’s generosity is not dampened by our meager response, our self-centeredness, our sins. But we will e rest in the Lord, hidden find our hearts enlarged, our hope rekindled and our and unseen, fortified by His faith grown strong the more generous we are in return. And the generosity God looks for is our willingness to strength. care for others, to share their burdens. We do not lack opportunities.
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Sr. Redempta Twomey is a Columban Sister living in Ireland.
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Solidarity Interfaith Friendships
by Louis Ybanez
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hen I lived in Pakistan I was part of the 1.6 % who are Christians in this predominantly Muslim country which has an estimated 203 million people. In Pakistan many Muslims have hardly ever met a Christian and certainly do not know anything about the Christian faith. Nor are most of them even interested, because it is not a major concern for them. Prejudice among Muslims towards Christians and vice versa is common because of the lack of willingness or interest to engage with each other. People in the Philippines, where I grew up, are inclined to have this same attitude. The predominant religion there is Catholicism. Common perceptions of Muslims are based on preconceived notions handed down from one generation to the next. Most of these preconceptions are quite
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offensive and express false notions about the culture and religion of Muslims. When I was young I used to see Muslims selling in the marketplace. I did not interact with them. I just listened to the offensive comments used to describe them. At the same time I also learned early on in school that they pray five times a day. I could not reconcile these two opposing views of Muslims then. Before leaving for Pakistan, as a part of my seminary formation, I was fortunate enough to get to know some Meranao Muslims in Mindanao, the Philippines. Most Christians only know them as Muslims and don’t bother to learn their language or take an interest in their unique culture. I was able to live for a while with Asnawi Mangka and his family and parents in Sultan Naga Dimaporo
in the province of Lanao del Norte. This was my first experience of living with Muslims. I remember my apprehensions at first. I grew up with the usual Christian perceptions of them as being aggressive, hostile and not to be trusted. These preconceptions were very far from what I experienced when I finally got to live with them. I joined them in planting crops on their farm, exploring their place, and I was able to join them when they prayed in the mosque. I ate with them and during meals Asnawi asked that we take turns to pray before meals out of respect for each other’s religion. It was a powerful gesture from Asnawi to allow me to pray with them in my own Christian way. I felt I was in a space of freedom, and I was accepted as a Christian. I also admired Asnawi’s family WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
and neighbors for their hospitality and their willingness to befriend a complete stranger like me. It was not easy at first, but our willingness to engage with each other and my ability to ask questions helped me to overcome some of the long-held prejudices I had. It was very liberating for me. The same attitude and openness allowed me to overcome my anxieties when I was in Pakistan. I started exploring the alleyways in the place where I was assigned. I talked to strangers and gave myself time to familiarize myself with the people by joining them for meals during special occasions or just spending time in long conversations over a cup of tea. Some became like brothers to me. Although I was constantly bombarded by accounts of negative experiences of Muslims with Christians, my prior memories of the time spent with Asnawi and his family enabled me to realize that one’s religion should not be confused with one’s individual behavior and cultural practices, which is what tends to happen in Pakistan. It was hard to go against the mentality that exists among the Christian minority in Pakistan. However, I drew inspiration from the Meranao Muslims that I lived with in Mindanao. Asnawi and his family not only opened their home but also opened their lives and hearts with the warmth of their welcome. Now I’m back in the Philippines. That experience with Asnawi and his family has contributed to my being able to somewhat understand how it is to live as part of a minority in a country where the majority confuse culture with religion. Recently I joined an event called “Duyog Ramadan” where Christians join Muslims in the daily breaking of the Ramadan fast. It was very encouraging to see many Christians joining this event in a symbolic gesture of solidarity. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
Louis, with the glasses, in the Philippines
Out and about in Pakistan
It is very important that we value a celebration that matters to our Muslim neighbors no matter how small a minority they are in the overall population of the Philippines. Whether one belongs to the minority or the majority does not matter. What matters is our constant openness to engage with people from other faiths, to find the good in them and to appreciate our differences rather than to let them divide us. I am optimistic
as I continue on a journey to move to a space of freedom from prejudice, because I see a great need for this at a time where sectarian violence is so common and where the tendency to condemn others out of ignorance is so pervasive. CM Filipino Columban seminarian Louis Ybanez spent two years in Pakistan as part of his formation to become a missionary priest. He continues his studies for priesthood in Manila.
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Journey Together A Transformative Experience By Salustino Villalobos MondragĂłn
Columban seminarian Salustino
Salustino and a friend
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ne afternoon while walking from work to the house, I met some people I did not know, and one of them was very helpful. A local deputy asked me where I was going. At first, I was surprised with the question since I constantly walked along the same route and no one stopped to ask me where I am going, despite the fact that I went to a Catholic Church, where I lived. The person immediately asked 6
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me about the address of the place, and once I let him know that information, he told me that the weather was very warm, that he could take me to the place indicated, which I accepted. During the ride we talked a little about my country of origin (Peru) and what I was doing in Taiwan. Despite my limitations with the local language we were able to talk. Once I arrived at the place where I lived, I thanked him, and the person left.
My walk is about 70 minutes, and that day I was very tired; I wanted to rest for a few minutes. When the person stopped, I thought that he would ask me about my nationality the same as other people had asked me before. So the initial question made me curious, and I did not want to say home. Instead I answered that I was going to a Catholic church, thinking that the person would leave, because he probably wasn’t Catholic. But he asked me the direction of the church, which made me hesitate for a moment, but I was tired and did not want a long dialogue, so I told him where it was located. He then offered to take me to the place and as I was tired I accepted. It was as if that person knew of my lack of desire to walk at that moment. Once at home I was amazed how a person I did not know helped me. At the time I was very happy because I was tired, and he helped me when I needed it. His action made me reflect on the importance of being sensitive to the needs of people, even more as a Catholic missionary I must be aware that my needs are different from those of each person. An essential part of my faith is to build the Kingdom of God on Earth, and it becomes a reality when it comes to people responding to their needs. This person was able to see my need and help me. It is important to note you cannot be a Catholic in the same way in different parts of the world. We must be open WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
to change. I should not hold on to doing things in one way; it is always an opportunity to be in disposition of God and seek new possibilities. At the same time I was taking into account one of the fundamental tenants of my faith, which is to help others. But it is service done with love. The same love that God had for humanity, a total and unceasing commitment. That is, love can only be manifested in concrete actions, moving from discourse to practice. This is not to say that I don’t love people or my neighbor. It is always about making others feel dignified.
This is very challenging, as on the one hand I am not always aware that God is present in my interaction with other people, and I do not always see my daily activities as part of a program. On the other hand, I accept that God is the center of everything. It is simple but not superficial. Remembering the help that the person gave me, he did not do it for me to praise him for his service. Being in Taiwan where the Catholic population is small means that Catholics are always in contact with people of other religious beliefs. In short, I cannot reduce God to my
religion alone; being a Catholic does not give me the power to possess God. I must always be open to God through the Holy Spirit to continue to transform the realities of people. The person who helped me made me remember that we can manifest the act of God, where faith is not left alone in a beautiful speech. That is, faith needs concrete actions. I hope that God continues to give me new experiences that will transform me and guide me in the journey of my faith. CM Salustino Villalobos MondragĂłn is a Columban seminarian.
Parishioners of San Miguel Archangel parish
Salustino and students from the Ai Jia Center WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
Salustino takes a a friend to the park.
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In the Spirit of Gratitude, Generosity and Joy Fiesta Mass in Honor of St. Columban By Arleene B. Vallahermosa
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he generosity of God’s love and that of the Columban Fathers who have gone before us starting with Galvin, Blowick and companions up to those who are still with us at present is what inspired me in my call to mission. The generosity of the Columban Fathers that I have witnessed during our exposure in Mindanao during my orientation program inspired me. They came to help build the churches in Mindanao, educate the people and help build communities. When the right time came, they turned over the parishes to the local church without frills, without any claim attached to the parishes, but with joy and thanksgiving. In Myanmar, during the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Columbans in Banmaw, a Columban priest asked an elderly woman, “How come the people in Banmaw give special treatment to the Columbans when, in fact, there were missionaries who came before and after them?” The woman simply answered, “Because the Columban Fathers love us.” This answer has stayed with me. With love comes generosity in spirit. With “grande animo” (great spirit), the Columban Fathers did the work entrusted to them. Now, times are changing, and it is still our hope that the Society continues to respond to the needs of the times with joy and generosity of heart. With “grande animo,” to follow Christ by committing ourselves to
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Him and the values of the Gospel, drifting with love and in the love of God. This is very much the spirit of the Columban Society, to go where the Spirit leads us in crossing boundaries of culture, creed, race, gender and age. What we are today, we owe a great deal to those who have come before us—those who have embraced us and welcomed us to the Society, those who mentored us and journeyed with us so that we are who we are today, what we are today. Starting with Society co-founders Frs. Galvin and Blowick and all those who have come after them, including all the Columbans at present, be it those in the leadership role, formation or simply companions on the journey, we owe them our gratitude. Their generosity in sharing what they have has led us all here. They have their own temperaments, personality styles and dynamics, but they have given of themselves, trusting in God’s goodness, to make sense of the whole. They have been generous in responding to the invitation to share the love of God for and in His creation. We too are invited to acknowledge each other’s goodness with gratitude in our hearts. This is what generosity (in poverty) is all about— sharing from whatever we have. The Columbans have been generous in responding to the call of Vatican II regarding the laity’s participation in the church. It was not easy for the Columban Fathers to start what was then called the Columban
Lay Mission Program. They didn’t know what to do, but went ahead, trusting the Spirit to work with and through them. Now, the CLM is thriving in mission. From out of their generosity, I am grateful. To all of you, thank you from this Columban lay missionary. You have all journeyed with me in different capacities and time, especially during my most difficult moments—you have been sources of strength and joy. When our founders said yes to the call, they did not know where it would lead them, yet in their “grande animo” they sailed on. Today, I believe, we have the same invitation—to be generous in our response to God’s invitation to have love, mercy and compassion and be grateful as we walk and work in the mission. Pope Francis, in answering his critic regarding “Amoris,” mentioned that we need to ask ourselves, “In what spirit are we giving?” It is my hope that it will be in the spirit of gratitude, generosity and joy that we continue our life as missionaries. After all, it’s Christ’s mission that we are sharing. We would not have been able to do the things we did and are still doing without God’s love and goodness bestowed on us. May we then continue to share God’s generosity to others whom we meet along the way. CM Arleene B. Vallahermosa is a Columban lay missionary.
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Leave a Legacy. Include the Missionary Society of St. Columban in your estate plan. Thanks to the prayers and financial support of our benefactors, Columban missionaries proclaim the Good News in word and deed among peoples throughout the world. The mission of Jesus takes us across the frontiers of culture and language, and moves our supporters to make sure we lack nothing essential for living out this call. Mission is the very purpose of the Church’s existence, and our benefactors have shared in this mission from our founding in 1918.
Your Legacy Gift brings hope and healing into the lives of people mired in poverty and violence, through projects such as: •
Building vibrant faith communities;
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Providing religious education programs for children and faith formation programs for adults;
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Operating vocational and educational centers for developmentally challenged children and adults;
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Overseeing projects for the unemployed, ill and the elderly;
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Providing education and training for seminarians and lay missionaries.
A legacy gift to the Missionary Society of St. Columban makes certain that your material support of our mission of hope and love continues even after your death, while bringing real economic savings to you and your family. An estate gift to the Columban missionaries: •
Eliminates or reduces federal income tax on your estate;
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Is a visible sign of the generosity you have shown throughout your life.
You can choose from among several gift planning opportunities, adjusted according to your financial situation in order to partner with the Columban missionaries, leave a legacy and help others in the future. For a confidential discussion about leaving a legacy gift or to personally discuss various giving opportunities, please contact our Donor Relations staff at: Columban Fathers P.O. Box 10 St. Columbans, NE 68056-0010 Toll-free: 877-299-1920 Email: donorrelations@columban.org
Not Bad for a Non-Christian A Good Man By Fr. Joe Brooder
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ord came into the church that a homeless man was sleeping rough under Sotohori Bridge, in Japan. The local Church group looking after the homeless went to visit him. Yes, he was there living in an exquisite homemade cardboard style of a home. He would slide in and out of it like a drawer. He was a quiet soft spoken man and my first impression of him was that there was no guile in this man, “incapable of deceit,”—just like Nathanael in St. John’s Gospel 1:45-48. After our initial contact, we would visit him once or twice a week, bringing him rice balls, soup and items he might ask for, but overall, he fended for himself, doing odd jobs and eating sample foods handed out free at supermarkets. His home under the bridge was a car park by day so each morning he got up early to tidy
Fr. Joe Brooder, at right, and Tanaka Kun
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up the place, stash away on a ledge above what he did not need and move off on his bicycle until the car park emptied at night. His belongings were few. He did his laundry and washing at a water tap in a local park. When I visited while out for my late evening walk I found him often alone. I would sit down beside him in the twilight, and gradually we became good friends. His family name was Tanaka, a name as common as Murphy in Ireland and Smith in England. He used to call me Joe Chan which is a very familiar way to call your friends. He told me the village where he was born and reared, he had left after middle school never to return. I offered to drive him back to his hometown for old time’s sake but he politely refused, “I cannot go back. I am too well-known there.” Whatever happened there I never did find out.
It was not for me to probe but for him to reveal. He chose not to. The first winter I invited him to stay in the church hall overnight with seven other homeless men. He accepted and for four months he stayed, each morning getting up early to sweep up the fallen leaves in the Church grounds and discarded rubbish on the pavement outside. The following winter he declined the Church offer as he found living with other homeless was stressful. He wanted his freedom and privacy and returned to his castle under the bridge. Some years later, word came in that he had disappeared. There was no trace of him. His abode was immaculate—no evidence left that anyone had lived there. We searched high and low for him but all in vain. We presumed he had just taken off on his bicycle to rediscover himself in another part of Japan. During my daily walks I would always look under the bridge hoping against hope that he might have returned, but only darkness and silence welcomed me. One early morning, months later, I opened up the Church to let God out and fresh air in. I went down to the convent to say early Mass for the nuns. I could sense it was going to be a good day. I stretched out my lungs to breathe in the fresh air and at that moment I heard a gentle angelic voice saying, “Joe Chan.” There he was under a tree with a gentle smile on his haggard face. I gave him a bear hug and told him to wait around as I had to go to the convent. The nuns never got such a short Mass before and for the first time ever, I refused breakfast with them. He was waiting for me WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
when I got back and he told me his story of disappearance: “I got tired of living. I felt I was a burden to the nation, to the church and to you. I decided to say goodbye to this world and go to the other world if there is one. I did not want to leave a mess behind for others to clear up. I brought my bicycle to the junk yard and put all my clothes and cardboard boxes into the proper disposal bins. I made sure not to leave a scrap behind. I silently said goodbye to this world and from the top of the bridge I jumped into the river below. But I could not sink. I kept coming up for air. I jumped again but the same result. I gave up. I walked all night to the next town and dried out. I managed to survive on scraps of food. The sea beckoned me. I waded out into the deep but the waves kept driving me back ashore. I tried that a few times too but I ended up what I am—a failure. WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
One day, walking aimlessly along the beach I found a rope obviously discarded by some fisherman. I was given new hope. The river and the sea refused me. Surely the wood would not let me down, I figured. I went into the woods, climbed a tree, tied the rope to a branch and to my neck and jumped. I had no luck. The rope broke and I nearly broke my leg when I met mother earth again. Joe Chan, that was last night. I decided I was not worthy to die. Then I thought of you. That is why I am here. Where do I go from here?” As I heard his story, all I could think of was Nathanael meeting Jesus for the first time. Here was a good man who did not know the good things of life and the good Man that came from humble Nazareth. Then he got up, looked into the Church and gazed on the big life-size crucifix on the wall behind the altar, “That is my kind of man. I can identify with him. He is a good man. I like
him.” I thought, not bad from a nonChristian. Since then, through the efforts of the church looking after the homeless, Tanaka Kun is now nestled in his own apartment, receives assistance through social welfare from the city hall, and each day he enjoys sweeping up the fallen leaves from around the Church grounds. He is very active in also helping to look after other homeless people, with other church members. He is still gentle, soft spoken and guileless. I have now moved away from that area, but occasionally I do get chances to return. Meeting Mr. Tanaka Kun is one of my great joys, and he still calls me Joe Chan. He is not far from the Kingdom of God. No, he is in it but does not realize it. Someday, please God, he will. CM
Fr. Joe Brooder lives and works in Japan and has been a missionary priest there since 1969.
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Is It Too Late? Second Chances By Fr. Kurt Zion Pala
He could spend a minimum of a few years. He mentioned how his parents and siblings had to scrap and find any work to put food on their table. He comes from Tondo. On another occasion, I spoke with one who they consider as the “Mayor” of one of the cells of the prison. He shared that he has been in jail for more than 20 years and is waiting, hoping to get parole for his time in jail. The young man and the Mayor shared how much they regretted and repented what they did. One thing they have in common is their desire for freedom – freedom from their past and sin. Is it too late now to say sorry?
Christ is like the gardener who tends the fig tree; He tends to the ground around our hearts. He wants us to bear much fruit in our lives – meaning, peace and joy.
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used to work with the prison ministry as a seminarian, visiting the national penitentiary called Bilibid, a place for the “rejected and discarded,” both young and old men and women deemed “worthless” by 12
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society, their communities and even by their own families and friends. One young man, 17 years old, approached me and told me his story. He started young into drug use and eventually stealing and got caught by the police.
God is a caring and a merciful Father, a God who cares and a God of second chances. God cares. There are many times in our life when God’s absence is more real and present than his presence. He is far and distant, indifferent and different, like how Moses experienced God in the burning bush. We see the bush but are unable to touch it. That is God totally different from us. His name meant that He exists independent of us, the world. But we are as much as the world dependent upon God. We need the world. We need our mothers, fathers, WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
family and friends. We are kept alive by our relationships with others. We are totally dependent, and we need others. But God has no need for us. Yet He cares, He wants us to be near Him though He seems to be far away. God’s name in Hebrew means “I am” and is the verb for being which means He is actively present to us. It means to be near or to be close. He is not just a name, an idea, but a reality. God was close to Moses, and drew Moses close to Him. He does even more and is closer to us in the Eucharist and in Jesus Christ. God hears the cry of His suffering people. Jesus is the answer to the cry of every human heart. Christ is like the gardener who tends the fig tree; He tends to the ground around our hearts. He wants us to bear much fruit in our lives – meaning, peace and joy. He is God. He is far away, but because He is God, He is never too far away He is always near because God cares.
things you need to wait a long time for, but when you arrive, it is even better than imagined. It takes time.
The Joy of Second Chances The joy one gets the second time around is surprisingly immeasurable, and sweeter. This must be what my friends from the prison are waiting for, to experience the joy of second chances: the freedom and forgiveness they hope for to receive one day. Jesus teaches us about God’s patience and hopefulness. God calls us to repent, and He has the power to punish us when we fail. But God is merciful. He postpones punishment
God of Second Chances
But God is merciful. He postpones punishment and tends to us so that we may yet bear the fruit He desires from us, like the gardener who begs from the owner of the fields to keep the fig tree and not cutting it.
Speaking of second chances, I went to visit a friend whose aunt recently died. On the way I met one of the church volunteers who guided me to the house. She knocked on the door and said, “This is Fr. Clark.” Obviously referring to me. “That is Fr. Kurt!” The youth who were with me exclaimed. She apologized, “I am sorry.” Do you believe in second chances? My friend said, “When you love, you get love back.” And my other friends said, “If the person loves you, he/ she will return. Sometimes, there are
and tends to us so that we may yet bear the fruit He desires from us, like the gardener who begs from the owner of the fields to keep the fig tree and not cutting it. This is our hope and joy: God refuses to abandon us. He refuses to give up on us. He chooses to care even if we do not care. God did not make empty promises; He did it. Jesus is the promise made flesh. Called to care and share. Pope Francis wrote in his pastoral letter The Face of Mercy, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s Mercy…mercy is the bridge that connects God and
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humanity, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.” In the Jubilee Year of Mercy Pope Francis invited us to two things: (1) return to the sacrament of reconciliation and (2) commit to doing works of mercy. Let us first experience the loving and forgiving mercy of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, an encounter of grace that brings inner healing, peace and joy. And when we taste God’s mercy ourselves, we are moved often to share that gift with others who have needs both material and spiritual. Pope Francis continually reminds us that we may tire of asking God for pardon and mercy, but He never tires of showing us mercy. We are called to be merciful just as the Father is merciful. Give the same chance to others, the same chance God gave you. In gratitude for God’s forgiveness let us show mercy to those in need by doing corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; visit the imprisoned; and bury the dead. Let us continue to express in daily living our life as disciples of Jesus. It is never too late to say I’m sorry. God is a merciful and loving Father, and he will accept any child like you and me who will return and turn to Him any given day. God cares, and He is a God of second and many, many chances. Whatever we are going through is no punishment for our sinfulness. CM Columban Fr. Kurt Zion Pala lives and works in Myanmar (formerly Burma).
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My Experience as a Columban Lay Missionary Looking for the Face of God By Judith Condor
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efore sharing some memories of my experience as a lay missionary, I would like to thank the Columban Fathers for giving me the opportunity to live one of the greatest life experiences I have ever had. After having finished my time as a lay missionary, I can assure you that nothing is by chance, that God has a plan for each one of us, that every person we know teaches us something and contributes to our spiritual growth and to the profound knowledge of God in our own life. In the first years of training for missionary life, I shared my journey with two sister friends of mission, Tonya and Maria, with them we experienced beautiful and difficult experiences in the hospital here in Peru where we volunteered with people with HIV/AIDS in its final stages and in Cuzco living with families and developing some workshops with children in the community. We shared with people with other customs, other needs, and I saw the mercy of God in the last stage of life for some people. In March 2009, I left Peru with a small suitcase. After stopovers at
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airports and with some anecdotes with the language, we arrived in Fiji, and the first thing that came to mind is that it was a beautiful country, so green and so calm and even more curious. My life in Fiji was a very rewarding three years of mission with many challenges. As a missionary and Latin American my first great challenge was the language, language. Feeling so vulnerable broke my security as an adult, but I knew that I misunderstood, accepted corrections and tried several times. I tried to be like the children who express everything without fear of being wrong. In Naleba, I had to be very careful of my customs and culture so as not to generate conflicts and to be accepted as a member of the community, since not only the existing stereotypes made it difficult to insert myself, but also the fact that I was a young woman. I lived alone, culturally unusual, but understood my role as a missionary. The first sign of acceptance in the community was when they gave me a name as a nickname of affection to call me, they called me JHOTY.
For me, this was very significant and allowed me to enter more confidence with all the villagers of the community. When I arrived in Naleba the atmosphere was very hostile because of the stereotypes they had of Latin American women, but at the end of my season there it was very emotional because not only did I say goodbye to the local airport, but I had a week of farewells beforehand! I composed a song of gratitude, which filled me with much joy and remembered that being a missionary is not doing great things; it is “to be� with people and live their joys and hopes with them. After the experience as a lay missionary, I have not returned to teaching in my home country. I have dedicated my life to working in projects of social development, where I use every lesson learned in Fiji. Being a missionary still echoes within me, and I try to see the face of God in everyone and cross the barriers we have created seeking equity rather than equality. CM Judith Condor is a former lay missionary from Peru.
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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 reection 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 selessly, 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.
Myanmar’s Displaced Persons Touching Testimonies By Fr. Patrick Colgan
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n late January 2017, Columban Fr. Pat Colgan (General Councillor with responsibility for Myanmar) and Columban Fr. Jovito Dales (the Society’s Bursar General) visited boarding houses and internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps which the Columbans support in Myanmar. In the diocese of Banmaw, of the three boarding houses, based in Banmaw town and exclusively for IDP young people, we heard that 31 students passed their Tenth Standard State exams (equivalent to college graduation). One alumnus is now the tutor for other young refugee men, another is a firefighter, and yet another a chemist graduate at Banmaw University. The male students sang us a lively self-composed Kachin song which expressed their thanks to our Columban benefactors as well as their plea for continued support and guidance from us. Two of them then gave testimonies which I, for one, found very touching.
Luka Maru La Ja Luka Maru La Ja is from ZauBung parish, near the Chinese Border. In 2011, his family was moved to Namkham due to the upsurge in fighting. As an IDP, he requested to come to Buduza Boarding House. After three years study there, he returned to his village but saw many of his peers with no education, already addicted to drugs or alcohol. Luka decided to return to Buduza to continue studying. He is very grateful to this community for helping him to know God, to know love, and 16
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to receive an education. His dream is that, as soon as passes his State exams, to go to university to then get a job, either in the church or an NGO, to help give an educational opportunity to other young people.
Mary Maran Seng Ja Mary Maran Seng Ja was the first student at the Buduza Female Boarding House. She joined it as someone who had failed her exams but wanted to try again. She is the eldest in her family and feels sad about their life in the IDP camp. Although she tried very hard to gain a distinction in her Tenth Standard, at least she passed the exams. She sees so many of her peers with no education and no future and this encourages her to motivate them to reach out for the opportunity that the Columban donors have graciously offered. Fr. Jovito said that since this was his first ever visit to Myanmar, he has been deeply affected by the testimonies of students, both at Columban Fr. Neil Magill’s Higher Education Center in Mandalay as well as in Banmaw. He admires their persistent dream and efforts to educate themselves despite all the harsh circumstances of war. He encouraged them to keep dreaming, to keep thinking big, “keep repeating those exams until you get the mark you know you are capable of!” Fr. Pat then mentioned how as a young Irish person, he took his governmentprovided education for granted. Now he sees in Myanmar so many young people choosing—often at great
sacrifice—to learn. He told them that they—not Aung San Suu Kyi (State Counsellor) or any other politician— are the real leaders of both their Kachin State and the entire nation. Nelson Mandela was always convinced that education was the only force that could ultimately break the chains and shackles of the past. Learning is much more powerful than guns, hatred or war. Fr. Michael Tang Gun, Caritas Banmaw Director, on behalf of the students, thanked all Columban missionaries and benefactors for this tremendous window of opportunity they have opened for the poorest but most eager Kachin young people. Lifting their level of education will lift their whole families and communities up too. On the following day, we paid a visit to Maina Refugee Camp. This is one of the largest in Kachin State, now holding 266 families (1,355 persons), due to the sudden arrival of 182 new IDPs in Dec 2016. The Burma Army have been forcefully occupying new swathes of Kachin territory under the guise of neutralizing Kachin Independence army posts. The IDPs caught in the middle of the shelling had to run for their lives. The majority of the IDPs are old people, women and children, as many of the men would be involved in the war. There are 375 IDP students, and those doing 9th or 10th Standard public examinations are 74. Food rations had already been reduced by 30% by the funding nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and when the new wave of refugees WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
Luke Maru La Ja
Mary Maran Seng Ja
A Kachin woman weaving
arrived, the local government only gave one week rations. Since then Caritas and the parish emergency team haven’t been providing food assistance. There is a big need for an emergency vehicle in the camp, which no agency seems to want to fund. It would cost $2,500. The Columban-supported Diocesan Education Program has provided training and the salary for nine boarding masters/mistresses who provide after school tuition to children from grade 4 to 8. Recently the local government was running around installing electricity in the main reception/clinic area- something the IDPs had been requesting for six WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
Fr. Joseph Young Wa and the catechist of the Maina camp
Current and alumni students
years! There is a severe water shortage in the camp in this dry season. There are twelve shallow wells, but despite written and posted camp rules, women often wash clothes or residents bathe near the wells, dirtying them further. In fact there is a large scale mental health (depression, antisocial behavior, drug and alcohol use) issue in the camp. The camp leader, who is also a Catholic catechist, does his best to keep families and particularly young people faithful to communal prayer, something very important to Kachin culture, but these are clearly not normal circumstances. The multipurpose hall, used for childrens’ night study, prayer
meetings and social/cultural activities, is in danger of falling down and being unusable. He humbly asked if I could find help for this. Visits like these help me to appreciate, again, the generosity of our donors as well as the hope, “pleading hope,” that many young, and older, people have towards the Society, not just in Myanmar but in many other countries. As a further group of Columbans arrive for language study and mission in Yangon this month, our prayers are with them. CM Columban Fr. Patrick Colgan lives and works in Hong Kong.
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Integration A Primary Necessity By Fr. Bobby Gilmore
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fter every atrocity in the global city there are days of discussion and debate as to why such acts are happening. Blame is thrown around at the individuals who perpetrated the atrocity and the organizations with which they are associated. Seldom is an overall critical analysis made of the causes of terrorism and its solution. There seems to be an assumption that what is happening at a distance should stay out there where the conflict is taking place. However, in a connected global world distance no longer exists. Modern distance is an internal spiritual journey. Like any journey without proper road maps it can be dangerous depending how signs are interpreted. Loss of direction can lead to self-destruction and chaos for others along the way. Violence anywhere impacts in a myriad of ways whither at a personal, national or international level. Local conflicts are no longer local. They overflow on to city streets where they find the media oxygen to bring the issues into homes, families, business, governments and other institutions. The global city has become more and more a social bubble of cultures and nationalities that feel and reflect the global fault lines. States are involved in each other’s destiny through trade, tourism, international agreements and the presence of people. Modern communications and travel have made everywhere adjacent. This gives the impression that there is intercultural goodwill 18
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and understanding evolving making everybody feel at home. Sadly, that is not the case globally. In the past, history was written by the colonizer, the invader, the conqueror, the so-called civilizer. It presented glorious achievement of making indigenous peoples adaptive to European ideals of culture, language, democracy, equality, liberty and fraternity. Of course it was a skewed history that wrote out the indigenous as non-people. Not only were indigenous people robbed of their identities, they were robbed of their resources and forced to use those resources in the service of their rulers, occupiers. The outcome of that era of oppression enriched the European countries of Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Britain. Wars decimated the populations in European states in the first half of the twentieth century to such an extent that the only recourse of these states was to turn to their former colonies
to supplement their workforces. This they did in the understanding that as European indigenous populations increased immigrants from the colonies would return home. While European states could tolerate the diversity of their subjects at a distance in the colonies it was a different story when these people began to appear in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome and Lisbon. Xenophobia, racism and discrimination were rudely awakened. As the presence of immigrants from former colonies was seen as a temporary economic need little thought was put into integration. Industry needed permanency. Immigrants joined trade unions, settled, intermarried and campaigned for rights in the social, economic, political and social networks. They were not going home any time soon. Integration was not assertively on the government’s agendas. The assumption was that integration WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
would happen if there was goodwill. But, goodwill was and still is not enough. As the years passed immigration became a necessity of European economies. Added to that pull factor was a push factor in the under-developing, former colonial economies. Debt and the flight of both financial and human capital coerced people to move to where their wealth preceded them. Initially, they moved to destination that they had a colonial affinity with. Later, as their economies went into free fall any safe destination that offered a life became a beacon of hope on the horizon. Over time as conflicts raised their heads in their former homelands and overflowed, immigrants began to take sides, the Anglo/Irish conflict being a good example. Immigrants became suspects, objects of security legislation and racism. However, most of these conflicts were cross-border and within former colonial states. These conflicts were isolated both at home and in diasporas. They were confined to an area in the homeland and to a particular ethnic group in the diaspora. It was manageable in that it was confined. Security was the containment policy until a political solution was found. That is not the case in the global terror arena at present. Conflict is no longer confined to geographical, social, political borders or disputes. The atrocity of 9/11 ushered in a new era of conflict that is global. It is fed primarily by a new view of history, a history no longer written by the victor but by the victim, the dispossessed. Old animosities that have lain dormant in newly independent states, former colonies have begun to get legs. Global inequality is screened in every favela-living room and western foreign policy acting with a colonial arrogance has stirred a global hornet’s nest. The invasion of Iraq under false pretence, WWW.COLUMBAN.ORG
the chaos that has ensued throughout the Middle East threw a switch in the Muslim world that has flowed over into edge cities throughout the world. What were before forgotten ghettos of deprivation, discrimination and isolation have found linkage and an identity in global movements. Western governments that assumed integration was happening were rudely awakened to the reality of large sections of their populations being left behind. These marginalized populations in their rejection did not relate to the signs and symbols of their adapted homelands. They became conscious of global signs and symbols that were in direct conflict with the social, political and cultural networks where they resided. Significant numbers from
In all discussions at a local, regional, national and international level if a global economy is important, integration has be more important if conflict, war and terror are to be averted. these ghettos ended up in prisons where they were radicalized with a sense of belonging and given defined enemies-secular democracy, equal rights and freedom of speech. At last, after many atrocities in European city streets and the ensuing debate as to why such depravity has happened, the failure of integration is beginning to be given serious thought. One hears the statement particularly relating to the French atrocities; these terrorists shared French citizenship that offered equality, liberty and fraternity. Unfortunately, equality and liberty mean little in French or other deprived ghettos. Integration, if it means anything, should be evident
in an active, assertive fraternity. Most observers would say that a sense of inclusive, palpable fraternity is absent. They would say that what exists is a state indifference to inclusion and belonging that feeds exclusion, anger and hatred. Secular assimilation of itself means little if it ignores the cultural and religious scales within which people seek the comfort of belonging, feeling valued and being at home. In all discussions at a local, regional, national and international level if a global economy is important, integration has be more important if conflict, war and terror are to be averted. In 1991 Cardinal Martini warned Europe of the need for Muslim integration; he wrote, The old world (Europe) would be committing a serious error if it did not recognise the full extent of the challenge of this new presence which seems quite uninterested in “inculturation.” He wrote, Europe has three options; it can ignore the whole question or it can claim that it is selfsufficient and edge different cultures into a ghetto or else become the ground for an encounter with epochmaking effects. It seems Europe hasn’t been listening. Imagine immigration and lack of integration causing the breakup of the European Union. It is happening before our eyes. Integration is a challenge the major religions cannot side-step in a world that is fragmenting before our eyes. Sadly, the horrors continue. Innocent people suffer at home and abroad. Integration is not an optional extra. It has to be an essential ingredient of all political, social, cultural and economic policies from Dublin to Dallas and WHEREVER. CM Columban Fr. Bobby Gilmore lives and works in Ireland.
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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: ______________________________________________
Beware of a Holy Man’s Curse! A Page from a Missionary’s Diary By Fr. Frank Hoare
Columban Fr. Frank Hoare shared this page from his missionary diary:
April 16, 1992 My meeting Michael Rangu Raj on the streets of the town today, for the first time in twenty years, left me astounded. He recognized and saluted me. Then he grabbed my hand and began appealing to me to forgive him. “I am sorry Father, please forgive me. I did wrong but you must not hold it against me,” he repeated. I was staggered. In view of our last couple of meetings, I would have expected him to ignore me or to treat me coldly. Instead here he was appealing for mercy. About fifteen years previously, I used to say Mass for Michael and his family about once every two months. I would sometimes give catechetical instruction to the family, stay the night and return to the presbytery on the following day. Michael had earlier converted to Catholicism while being cared for by the Sisters on the leprosy island of Makogai. One evening, I happened to arrive at his house unexpectedly. As I sat drinking a cup of tea, I caught sight of the equipment and trappings of Hindu
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worship under a bed. I challenged Michael and his wife. They admitted, without explanation or apology, having done Hindu worship earlier in the day. I was angry with what to me seemed like eclecticism and hypocrisy. I was annoyed to feel I had been taken in and fooled into believing that they were sincere Catholics. I expressed my disappointment and left. Michael came some time later to the presbytery in the town. I had calmed down emotionally. But I warned him about standing with a leg in two boats and the danger of falling between them. I told him that he was taking a dangerous path along a cliff and could easily fall into a chasm. Michael was not impressed and left without any sign of compunction. So when I met him again years later I was surprised at his humble and repentant reaction. Later I heard that he had had a number of setbacks in previous years – an accident in a car he was driving, the loss of his job and problems with his children. Then it dawned on me that he must have thought that I had cursed him. How we see ourselves and how others see us can be two very different things! CM Columban Fr. Frank Hoare lives and works in Fiji.
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A Convenient Ministry Site
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Thanks to Gloria’s ministry in
FROM THE DIRECTOR
When I teased her about this, her response was, “I just listen and try hard to understand. I don’t distract them by sharing my own problems.” Even though she had no training in counseling, Gloria had come by way of her own life experience and intuition to realize how a genuine listening ear could soothe an aching heart. Her non-Christian employer had little interest in what Gloria was doing on a nightly basis at the store, but he was impressed with how customer numbers grew and profits increased. Occasionally, toward the end of his weekly business discussion with Gloria, he too would confide in her about difficulties in his personal or family life. It was clear to Gloria that he longed to be able to communicate his deeper self with someone who could see beyond his designer-label suit and sleek car. Thanks to Gloria’s ministry in that convenience store, each month a few newcomers arrived at the local church, eager to find for themselves the source of her gentle strength. “When I see them from my place in the choir, my heart sings with delight”, she mused, “but my voice remains out of tune!” Then she would laugh heartily.
hough she herself readily admitted that she couldn’t sing, Gloria participated in the church choir every Sunday. When teased about it, she would laugh heartily and respond that if God wasn’t pleased with the voice that He had given her, then He ought to do something to fix it! Gloria worked the night shift at a familyowned convenience store. Generally, she worked six nights a week because she and her husband were determined to have the financial resources required to educate their four teenage daughters. Over the course of several years, many of the store’s customers came to know Gloria, not just as a courteous and efficient worker but also as a friend. At first, they were charmed by her warm greeting and bright smile. Later, they came to realize that she was not merely concerned about their transactions, but that she was genuinely interested in them as persons.
By Fr. Tim Mulroy
Consequently, late into the night, Gloria could be found listening attentively to a young man who was having a conflict with his parents; offering encouragement to a mother whose financial problems were causing major stress for her family; or holding hands in prayer with a customer who had received bad news about recent health tests. She had turned her workplace into her ministry site. By word of mouth news spread among night shift workers in the surrounding city district that Gloria could solve every problem!
that convenience store, each month a few newcomers arrived at the local church, eager to find for themselves the source of her gentle strength.
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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
“Lord, you know everything, You know I love you…then feed my lambs.” — John 21:17 Perhaps you are someone whose love of God is leading you to want to serve His hungry people. We are waiting to listen to your story and answer your questions about mission life.
We invite you to join this new generation by becoming a Columban Father or Columban Sister. If you are interested in the missionary priesthood, write or call… Fr. Bill Morton National Vocation Director Columban Fathers St. Columbans, NE 68056 877-299-1920 Email: vocations@columban.org Website: www.columban.org
If you are interested in becoming a Columban Sister, write or call… Sr. Carmen Maldonado National Vocation Director Columban Sisters 2546 Lake Road Silver Creek, NY 14136 626-458-1869 Email: colsrsclt@yahoo.ie Websites: www.columbansisters.org www.columbansistersusa.com
Japan + Korea + Peru + Hong Kong + Philippines + Pakistan + Chile + Fiji + Taiwan + North America