Humanitarian Award for Columban

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Fr. Shay Cullen was honoured with the Humanitarian Award at the 2009 Meteor Ireland Music Awards at RDS, Dublin, on 17th March. The award included a €100,000 ($188,600 AUD) donation to his work.

Fr. Cullen, from Dublin went to the Philippines as a missionary of the St Columbans Mission Society in 1969.

Based in the Parish of St. Josephs, Olongapo City, he witnessed the adverse social and human problems created by the immense United States Naval Base in the City. The most affected were the youth who were increasingly alienated by the massive sex industry that exploited women and children and spread dangerous drugs among the Filipinos and damaged family life. He saw the number of youths trapped in drug addiction and little or nothing being done about it. Children were being imprisoned for the pettiest of crimes.

He set about founding a program to treat the addicts. In time this program expanded to deal with the vast number of homeless children and young girls caught up in the sex industry. Since then, at great personal risk, he has dedicated his life to helping the country’s most vulnerable of people.

Fr. Shay says, "Silence is assent to abuse, everyone has a big challenge here to do their piece and stand up for what is right and true.”

Read Fr. Shay Cullen's latest column - No shooter was going to get me

Holy Father's Missionary Intention for February:"That in the mission territories where the struggle against disease is most urgent, Christian communities may witness to the presence of Christ to those who suffer."

Holy Father's Missionary Intention for February:

"That in the mission territories where the struggle against disease is most urgent, Christian communities may witness to the presence of Christ to those who suffer."