Columban goes home

01.01.2008

Fr Dan O'Connor wrote this reflection on his years working as a Columban priest in New Zealand after working in Pakistan for 13 years. He spent seven years in New Zealand, returning to Pakistan in October 2006.

With feelings of excitement yet mixed with some hesitancy I landed in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The date was June 16, 1999.

When I arrived in my hometown of Hokitika all seemed quiet and still. Some family including my dear mother were at the bus stand. Then we travelled out to my beloved home valley, Kokatahi.

"I thought it would be good to welcome you in your home," dad said to me. He had failed much. That evening in my parents' bedroom dad slowly pulled the curtains across the windows and folded the bedcovers back. "This is my night time work," he said. My heart sank as I recalled the solid manual work we had laboured at together for years on the family farm as father and son and great friends.

The next day it felt wonderful to put the gumboots on and wander the paddocks. Then I meet up with neighbours, friends and caught up on news and happenings.

Sabbatical time and a priests' renewal programme at the former national seminary complex at Mosgiel gave me space to digest this time of transition. After 13 years in Pakistan it felt the appropriate time for assignment in New Zealand.

On a Wellington suburban train the locals were wondering about me conversing in Urdu/Hindi with the ticket collector.

My sister lent me her oldish car. Traffic police pulled me over with siren and flashing lights because I drove an old car/or checking my alcohol limit. As one officer said to me, "I stopped you because you were driving so slow and meandering along the road." Because of the wild driving I witnessed at times in Pakistan, I admit that at times I did drive ‘over carefully.'

While attending a movie one night in Wellington during my sabbatical programme, it triggered so many memories from my years in Pakistan that afterwards I walked and walked the streets of the windy capital city.

Although I did serve in the diocese of Dunedin and Wellington I spent the majority of my time in my home diocese of Christchurch. All up I was in 56 parishes. Some parishes I served in several times and in one, for a year because the parish priest died.

The bishop, priests and people appreciated my ‘filling in' as well as being a Columban mission presence in the place. This helped in getting to know and build rapport with the local church and priests. I found the clergy welcoming and hospitable. It was beneficial to attend clergy retreats, gatherings and social occasions. I was able to share a wider view of mission in today's world.

My dear dad suffered from Parkinson's Disease, heart failure and some strokes, one of which left him bedridden. It was a privilege to care for him, yet painful at times as he deteriorated and was unable to speak. When he was still able to speak, while toileting him one day, in thanks he said, "I feel sorry Dan that you have to do this for me." In gratitude I was able to reply, "dad you used to tend to me when I was small so now it is my humble privilege to help you."

I feel grateful to God, family and Columbans for that opportunity to be with my father as he was in transition from this life to the next. Mum, dad and I shared some precious times at Mass, meals, going for drives in the car and meeting people. I realised in a renewed way how much love, sacrifice, struggle, laughter, life and faith they had experienced through their full lives. We were able to celebrate this as family and community, especially at dad's Requiem Mass and at Mum's 90th birthday.

Having a Columban priest in the family meant sharing in weddings, baptisms, funerals of family and friends. It was good to drop in home from time to time and be grounded working in the garden, milking the cows and gathering firewood from fallen trees.

As a committed disciple of God's Good News I was often moved by the generosity of the people who have been our supporters since ‘way back.' They expressed how much they enjoyed The Far East magazine. I felt enriched and challenged by their faith commitment. At times I did receive appreciation of what I shared, even some spontaneous clapping! Being ‘a wanderer for Christ' was a wonderful way to discover more of my own country. Migrants from a variety of countries appreciated someone who had lived in another culture and country.

In one parish after the Sunday evening Mass, often an Indian family would come to the church and pray in front of Mary's statue after lighting candles. The woman was Muslim and the man of Zoroastrian faith. He had a picture of Mary in his wallet. Before the invasion of Iraq I had a conversation with an Iraqi Muslim who was at Mass. He told me that if his country was invaded it would lead to trouble because the country would be broken up due to the different factions within Iraq.

After such a long break, last year in Pakistan was a full yet enriching year for me. I had a language refresher course in Lahore and I have taken up my new assignment in Badin, Hyderabad diocese. I had served in Lahore for many years, the change suits me.

Fr Daniel O’Connor SSC first went to Pakistan in 1983.