In high school, English grammar was never my thing! Years later, in writing my theology thesis, my director advised me to re-write the text eliminating all the split…
december
Like any bride should be, she looked radiant and blushing on her special day. Her groom was waiting anxiously for his first love to arrive. Everyone was excited, some…
From 1990 to about 2015, I generally served in the priest-less islands of Kadavu at Christmas, Easter and August 15. Kadavu is a set of islands about eight hours out of…
Brothers and sisters, Iquique is a land of dreams ( for so its name means that in the Aymara language). It is a land that has given shelter to men and women of different…
A Columban Missionary who lives in a country where a foreigner who professes their faith in Christ can be expelled. Life is made up of stories, and each of us has a…
Every two weeks, I usually meet Li Qiong at the apartment where she grew up. The second-floor residence is located just 200 meters from the intersection of lines 1 and 7…
In the old days there was a myth that new-born babies could not see for some time after birth. Now we know better: within hours of being born a tiny child is focusing its…
In December 2022, I was getting ready to celebrate Christmas for the third time since I came north to work in Alto Hospicio, a municipality located near the city of…
Last Christmas, Fr. Paul began the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve by gently encouraging the congregation to be grateful for the opportunity to gather to celebrate the…
In the diocese of Carabayllo (Peru) the Christmas carol contest is becoming customary for Christmas holidays. Every parish is invited to participate with its parish choir…
For the first 18 months of Covid-19 both South Korea and Hong Kong did such a good job in managing the spread of the virus that they were looked upon as success stories.…
A characteristic of a classic is that it is able to say far more than the original author intended. This is evident in Paul's letter to the Romans (8:18-25). I see that…
Advent is a time to pause, listen and look back on the past year. There is much to ponder. Mother Earth is suffering. There have been droughts and famine in some places…
A sick and aged man was looked after for many years by his son and daughter-in-law. However, as the years passed their patience waned. One night the son put his father on…
The Subanens are an indigenous people whose ancestral habitat is in the mountains of the southern Philippines. Inspired and guided by the Subanen Ministry of the Columban…
And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Permit the…
When I arrived in Myitkyina, Kachin State, Myanmar (formerly Burma) in 2017, I was very conscious that I was following in the footsteps of the early Columban missionaries…
In the Bible God spoke to Moses through the Burning Bush in Exodus Chapter 3 giving him a special message. I never thought that God would also relay His message to me…
Columban lay missionary Mauricio Silva stands in the shadow of a giant mural featuring Cillian Murphy, star of the television show “Peaky Blinders” which has captivated…
For more than 25 years, the Missionary Society of St. Columban has worked in one of the most impoverished areas of the U.S./Mexico border: Rancho Anapra, located on the…
Holy Trinity Church in Xiantao, China, was filled to capacity for the vigil Mass on Christmas Eve last year, the presence of face masks a solemn reminder that the previous…
The liturgical life of the Church tells the story of what God is doing in the world. This may seem like a strange thing to say. Most of us grew up thinking that Mass was…
I received a letter at the beginning of Advent last year inviting me, along with the youth of the parish, to “a Christmas feast to commemorate Christmas.” Fijian people…
Maybe it was because I wasn’t wearing the required red robes or lacked a white beard, but the reaction of the male children to being offered a soft toy animal was not what…
Each year, at the beginning of December, as those around him begin preparing their Christmas shopping list, Ben begins preparing his fishing gear. Then, as family members…
Massage is a common traditional healing practice in Fiji and the Pacific. Young people massage the feet, legs or bodies of their elders.
She was a young Jewish girl who was engaged to the young village carpenter. Her parents, Anna and Joachim, were very happy with her choice.
In seeking the language to talk about God and those places where God’s presence is mostly keenly felt, in other words “the kingdom of God,” Jesus relied on two sources:…
As a child, I enjoyed Christmas for the presents. Weeks before Christmas, I would be searching the house looking for where my parents hid the presents. Once found, I would…
December 6, 2022, is the feast day of St. Nicholas, whose gifts to the poor made him the model for our modern-day Santa Claus.
The Columban parish of Sagrado Corazón de Jesús is located on the “pampa” (desert plains) above the port city of Iquique in a municipality called Alto Hospicio. When the…
Nine days before Christmas, the Christian community where I live takes part in what they call the “Posada.” It’s an annual tradition of faith practice among the Mexican…
Christmas is a time of peace and happiness within the family, but Christmas 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic had some disruptive twists resulting in a unique but…
Atil Kumar Singh (aka Bobby) is an Indo-Fijian carpenter who lives beside a Fijian village called Natunuku, in the parish of Christ the King, Ba.
On December 19, 2020, 29 years and three days after his burial in Lautoka, Fiji, a small group went from Ba parish to investigate the condition of Fr. Keelan’s grave, and…
The Subanens are an indigenous people whose ancestral habitat is the highlands of Western Mindanao in the Philippines. Guided by the Columban Sisters who had been living…
We are sharing with you some of the highlights of the work of Preda Foundation and wish you all a blessed Christmas. As many as 100 children have been saved and recovered…
Ping-pong played an instrumental part in thawing the freeze between the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America in the 1970s. While far from being the…
Christmas greetings to you, and I hope this finds you and your loved ones well and in good health. It is hard to believe that another year is almost over. I would like to…
As I write this, it is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A few days from now would already be Christmas day. This is the most holy and meaningful occasion of the…
We are about to enter the Advent season. This is a unique time of waiting, a time of preparation, much as it would have been for Mary carrying a baby in her womb.
People sometimes ask “Why did you become a missionary?” What made about 12 of my 45 classmates in secondary school decide that they wanted to be missionary priests?
“Ask about the labor, not the label,” Australian troubadour, Dermot Dorgan, says in his award-winning song on responsible consumerism. The same question can also well…
Today, I finally set foot in Navala village. For a number of times, previous plans of going to Navala have been postponed because of one reason, the weather. But today was…
In the midst of all the busyness that encumbers the days leading up to Christmas there is a desperate need for a moment of silent wonder as we are invited into the mystery…
Being a stranger in a foreign land isn’t always easy, in terms of learning and adapting to the culture, as well as the language.
I like Christmas lights. In many suburbs of Australia there are marvelous displays of Christmas lights. In the northern hemisphere I enjoyed the lights with the snow and…
My doorbell roused me from sleep at about half past five in the morning. It seldom rang at that hour of the morning, as Jamaicans, while early risers, do not move around…
My name is Danish Yakoob and I’m from Latifabad, Hyderabad, Pakistan. I have been working as a Columban co-worker in the Hyderabad Diocese since November 1, 2016.
It has been nearly a year since I arrived in Pakistan as a lay missionary. If I were to describe the experience so far, I would have to say it has been very challenging…
Who would have imagined that I would be cooking food and treating people? I was a total stranger to cooking before joining the lay missionary sending orientation program…
The Parkari Kohlis are one of many tribal peoples in Sindh, Pakistan, who live in an on-going state of liminality; that is geographically, religiously, economically,…
The Subanens are an indigenous people whose ancestral habitat is the highlands of northwestern Mindanao in the Philippines.
While the rest of the world shops and parties frenetically in December, the people in Fiji busy themselves too – in providing retreats, carol singing and charitable…
Christmas always brings joy in my life. As a child, I always looked forward to the coming of that day. However, as time progressed, I realized that Christmas does not only…
People often boast about having celebrated Mass in churches that are, “centuries old,” such as the great cathedrals of Europe. But, what about celebrating in a place of…
Last year, at the beginning of Advent, I received a letter. The letter was inviting myself and the youth of the parish to “A Christmas feast to commemorate Christmas.”…
The providence of God gives earth its seasons.
The equinox sun sets glory over the equator
radiates tempering flowers south and colors north
The missionary journey of Jorge Juaregui, called Coco for short, and his wife Rosa Ramirez, began when the Columban Fathers assumed responsibility for the rapidly
I first arrived in the Philippines in December 2007 and have been assigned in Mandanao ever since.
The dawn has broken through
The fears and snares of darkness
Are shattered, scattered, put to rout
Hold your head up high, oh man,
In 2013, after twelve years in administrative assignments with the Columban Fathers, I was given the chance to take a sabbatical.
Fr. Peter O’Neill, the Columban Leader in Australia and the Columban Peace, Ecology and Justice Coordinator, visited Timorese workers at the Our Lady Help of Christians…
When people ask me about my job, I still hesitate with my answer. I find that I don’t fit in with a conventional category of any job listing.
One day, words on the poster at a local charity shop caught my attention. “…Can you donate two hours of your time to raise funds for people who are blind or vision…
Simon unfurls his tattered sleeping bag under the shelter of a park pavilion in one of the biggest parks in Hong Kong, a city where sky-high property prices and a yawning…
It was a Sunday morning. I was turning the pages of my Mandarin Chinese prayer book looking for suitable prayers for the dead.
Columban Fr. Daniel O’Connor is part of a small group of eight in the Hyderabad Diocese, Pakistan, where they manage a health and tuberculosis clinic in the Badin Parish…
The Christmas/Epiphany cycle offers us generous glimpses into the mystery of the birth and manifestation of Jesus.
I would like to share with you one of the most delightful Christmas presents that I have ever received. In the mission parish of Katase in Yokohama Diocese where I was…
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” This insight comes from the pen of Helen Keller who,…
The story begins in the early morning hours of December 9, 1531, when a 57-year-old Indian peasant named Juan Diego was walking along the path of Tepeyac Hill on the…
Christmas is a festival of children. We see images of a child born in a stable surrounded by animals with Mary and Joseph by the crib. Although recalling the birth of…
As Christmas draws near my thoughts go back to 1973 and 1974 when I was in Korea.
A couple of years ago, before starting the Christmas Mass, in a chapel in the southern area of the archdiocese of Santiago, Chile, a family arrived with their children.
At Christmastime we are drawn to reflect on our place of belonging, our "home." This sense of being drawn to home may be part of our nature, our cultural heritage and also…
The Subanens are an indigenous people whose ancestral habitat is the highlands of northwest Mindanao in the Philippines. When the Columban Fathers arrived in Mindanao in…
Myanmar (formerly Burma) in Southeast Asia is a nation of scintillating beauty, copious resources and a wonderfully diverse population.
In my past ministry which was in Ireland, I had on numerous occasions listened to migrant workers share their stories.
When I lived in Hallim on Jeju Island I knew two delightful old people, namely Mrs. and Mr. Kim. I came to know them through the Isidore Development Association's Social…
When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has…
Way back in 1983, I was sent as a lay missionary to the United Kingdom under the auspices of the Columban Fathers in the Philippines.
Life itself is a blessing. You will never know what it will bring, but you'll always be sure that whatever life may offer, it will be for the best.
I am presently working in the Catholic Diocese Hsinchu Migrants and Immigrants Service Center (HMISC).
The joy of Christmas is for everyone – for those who are faithful, loving and giving; for those who are indifferent or hostile; for those who have turned away and walk no…
Greetings to ALL! I hope all is well. Just a few thoughts to share as we celebrate Advent and prepare for Christmas!
Greetings to you from the "land of the pure" which is the meaning of the word Pakistan. I hope this finds you and your loved ones well and in good health.
Christmas is a celebration of hope and joy as we remember the birth of Jesus, the ultimate gift God has given us out of His infinite love for us.
You don't have to be a Christian to believe in the values of Christmas. They are universal.
The season of Advent gives us an opportunity to prepare ourselves for the coming of our savior in our lives.
It was Christmas Eve night and Fr. Charlie O'Rourke was alone in the rectory in his parish in South Korea when he thought he heard a knock on the back door.
Columban Fr. Ed Quinn began the major work of building a new parish center in the bush at Vudibasoga. He has gone on holidays leaving Fr. Theo and myself holding the fort…
As I was preparing to move from Sydney to Melbourne to take up the new role of Regional Director of the Australia/New Zealand Columban region I reflected on the many…
We are united with you in heart and prayer during this very special time of year. This has truly begun as a very graced Advent for us in Myanmar. The coming of the Pope…
When Columbans began working in the parish of Greentown, Lahore, Pakistan, in 2007, I tried to build up Christian-Muslim relations, for example hosting Iftar dinners…
Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left that night for Egypt, where they stayed until the death of Herod.
I have mixed feelings reflecting on my experience of learning the Chinese Mandarin language. This includes happiness, sadness and confusion.
I am Taemoon Kwon, a Korean Columban who was ordained a priest in 2010.
When I was asked to write about the meaning of Christmas for a newsletter for Columban lay missionaries, I wished to share with other missionaries about something special…
As I prepare for Christmas this year, my thoughts are with the people of Myanmar with whom I have celebrated Christmas since 2007. I lived in a community in Mandalay.
Where will the Christmas Festival for the communities be held this year?" asked Carolina, the Coordinator of the active Christian community of Chosicani, one of 20…
Columban Sister Mary Dillon works in Myanmar amongst those living with the HIV virus. We publish below her letter of thanks to her supporters.
When I joined the Columban Lay Missionary orientation program in 2002, I knew that my decision entailed a lot of letting go.
For millions of Filipinos, Christmas is a celebration of the family. They come together from around the world; they delight in the togetherness and sharing of respect.
Taken from the poem Mission Memories by Columban Fr. John McFadden (1894 – 1978), these lines capture his bittersweet mood as he prepares to celebrate Christmas back home…
I am standing in the center of the spacious main hall, the atrium, of the new Preda children's home for girls.
Last year, I was visiting Monasterboice, an Irish monastic settlement that dates back to the fifth century, with a group of Australian pilgrims who were on pilgrimage in…
Reflecting on his visit to small-town America, one writer listed some of the very appealing traits of that society – the warmth of the people, their politeness, their way…
Two new Columban priests were ordained in Chile – Rafael Ramírez and Gonzalo Borquez
Like the majority of Columban missionaries, it is usual for me to spend the Christmas season far from my family.
I am not a writer, but I’m writing this reflection for myself and for others hopefully to be enlightened more about the Trinity’s love and God’s desire for each one of us…
Columban Fr. Donald Kill writes about the celebration of the Christmas season at the “Balay San Columbano” home in the Philippines. This home was founded by Fr.
The snow outside is tapering off. There is a Christmas concert on public television. Surely it is time for me to reflect as Christmas approaches.
Today I went to take photos of the fire-walking at the Hindu temple at Nadera, a few miles from Suva. In the early 20th century, the British colonial government brought…
How was it that Columban priest, Fr. Dick Ranaghan, spurred Bing Crosby into making his first record of Silent Night?
There are times when God is near to us and helps us through the day
No matter what the obstacles, the worries, the cares on top of us
There is something about life on an island. The past number of years I’ve been blessed to spend three weeks on an island called Negros Oriental.
The war on drugs initiated by President Rodrigo Duterte on July 1, 2016, has made headlines around the world.
On the night of December 16, 2011, a sendong or typhoon struck the northern coast of Mindanao, the main southern island of the Philippines.
The tall elderly man leaning slightly on his cane, stands out among the people of the Andes.
Aside from my parish involvement, one of the most memorable experiences that I had in Peru was my ministry in Manuel Duato, a special institution which provides basic…