On October 29th, 2013, the Columbans in Korea began a series of celebrations to mark their 80 years of missionary presence in Korea.
The Columban Superior General, Fr Kevin O'Neill joined Archbishop Yeom of Seoul and Columban priests, sisters, lay missionaries, benefactors and parishioners from former Columban parishes in a commemorative Eucharist in St Mary's Cathedral, Seoul, to give thanks to God for these 80 years of missionary presence.
"The Columbans have made a wonderful contribution to the Korean Church and people. We are truly grateful to them," said Archbishop Yeom at the commemorative Eucharist.
The first Columbans arrived in Korea on that same date, October 29th, in 1933. There were ten of them, nine having been ordained the previous year. Their average age was 25 years. One of them, Fr Dan McMenamin, was to die four years later of tuberculosis at just 29 years of age.
On the Second Sunday of Easter in April 1934, the newly arrived Columbans took possession of their first parish in Korea on the outskirts of the city of Mokpo. This was to be the first of 129 parishes that the Columbans would establish during those 80 years in Korea. In the city of Seoul alone, Columbans established 25 parishes.
The 80 year celebrations of missionary presence in Korea will continue until the Second Sunday of Easter, 2014, and will give thanks to God for the work of Columbans in nine different dioceses throughout the country.
The 80 years of Columban missionary presence in Korea were years of struggle and instability. When Columbans arrived in 1933, Korea was occupied by the Japanese. World War II saw Australian, New Zealand and American Columbans repatriated to their home countries while the Irish were either imprisoned or lived under house arrest.
Later the Korean War brought untold destruction to the country. Seven Columbans died during this war and two survived imprisonment. In the post war period, Columbans followed the people from the rural areas into the large cities such as Seoul, Inchon and Busan, which were in the process of rapid industrialization.
Here they set up parishes and accompanied the people, now as industrial workers, in their struggles for justice and basic human rights. This was also the period of military dictatorships, which lasted until the end of the 1980s.
The Columbans have only one parish left in Korea today. As well as parish work over the past 80 years, they have ministered in a wide variety of apostolates. These include: migrant workers, the intellectually challenged, university students, the aged, farmers, the urban poor, sufferers from gambling and alcohol addictions and the rights of workers.
Today Korean Columban Priests and Diocesan Associate Priests, Columban Sisters and Lay Missionaries work across the globe in Latin America and other parts of Asia. Eighty years of missionary service continues to bear fruit.
