Today Columban missionaries, ordained and lay, co-workers, associate priests and benefactors around the world are celebrating the feast of our patron, St Columban.
When Edward Galvin, who had already been working as a missionary in China and John Blowick, a professor of theology in the principal Irish seminary, Maynooth, decided to form a missionary society of Irish priests in 1918, St Columban was eventually chosen as the patron. He lived from 540 till 615 and spent a number of years in monasteries in Ireland especially in Bangor in County Down, developing a deep life of prayer and learning. He combined monastic life with mission and was 40 years old when he left for France with 12 companions in 580.
He established a great number of monasteries and centres of learning in France, Austria and finally in Bobbio in Italy revitalizing faith in a divided Europe. His enthusiasm for mission made him an inspiration to the society named after him. We are now working in a number of countries in Asia, Oceania and South America.
Today we face a new challenge as numbers are declining and aging but we are in a Spirit-led process to discover new ways of mission with the resources available.
''Lord God, give us true love so that our lives may shine as a light which warms our own hearts and gives comfort to others.''
(St Columban)
Don Hornsey - Aotearoa/New Zealand
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