I recently had the opportunity to travel to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with my fellow donor relations officer Angie Determan and Columban Lay Missionary Sainiana Tamatawale, affectionately known as Sai. As a donor relations officer, visiting our benefactors is a major part of our work. Our focus during these visits is to express our sincere gratitude for their support of Columban mission work and to provide updates about various projects around the world and answer any questions that they may have. Whenever possible, we like to bring a Columban priest or Columban Lay Missionary with us so they can share firsthand the work that is being done in the Columban world. While we were in the Philadelphia area we were able to visit with Columban Fr. John Burger at his residence at Camilla Hall in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
Fr. Burger has been a Columban priest since 1973 and has done mission work in Japan and Hong Kong. He was the director of the United States region from 2000-2006 and again from 2019-2022. During his final term as director, he was selected to become the Chaplain of Camilla Hall, a convent and healthcare center for Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Fr. Burger explained to us that Camilla Hall is a convent as well as a home for the Sisters who need assistance or care. Camilla Hall includes independent living, assisted living and skilled care. The Sisters there enjoy being able to receive the Sacraments regularly, such as attending Mass, receiving the Eucharist and Reconciliation.
We visited Father Burger at his residence where he shared some of the beautiful paintings that he has painted over the years. He still actively paints and usually has a “work in progress” painting at his desk. He talked about some of the work that he does at Camilla Hall — which includes Mass, confessions, visiting the Sisters who are bedridden, and Anointing of the Sick. He shared that it brings him great joy to journey with the Sisters, particularly when they are nearing the end of their earthly life. The Sisters are very grateful for him, which was evident when Fr. Burger took us on a little tour of Camilla Hall. As we walked around the beautiful building and grounds, we were able to meet with a few of the Sisters. Each Sister that we met was overjoyed when speaking about the wonderful gifts that Fr. Burger brings to Camilla Hall with his personality, wit and his smile.
I was grateful to be working in the Omaha office during Fr. Burger’s second term as regional director, but it was even more special to see him enjoying his new ministry of bringing Christ’s love to the Sisters in beautiful Pennsylvania.
Columban donor relations officer Angela Bennett lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska.
