In his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, that was released at the end of November, 2013, Pope Francis asks all of us as baptised Christians to discern the path that the Lord is pointing out to us, so that we can then "go forth" to the edges, to the margins with the light of the Gospel.
".....all of us are asked to obey his call to go forth from our own comfort zones in order to reach all the 'peripheries' in need of the light of the Gospel..." 20.
Ten Columbans (nine of them newly ordained) left their comfort zones and went forth in 1933 to the periphery, to the city of Mokpo in Japanese occupied Korea. Today 80 years later in Korea, Columbans are celebration 80 years of going forth to other peripheries through wars and dictatorships and rapid industrialization.
In 1951, two Columbans arrived in Peru to begin a new mission. They were given the northern periphery of the city of Lima. For the next 60 years, Columbans like Fr John O'Connell who arrived in 1958 and died recently, have left their comfort zones to bring the light of the Gospel to the peripheries of Lima, where hundreds of thousands of impoverished families began moving from the Andes Mountains.
In this issue of The Far East, there are many stories of Columbans "going forth", of leaving their comfort zones to go to the peripheries with the light of the Gospel. Columban Sr Julietta Choi from Korea ministers in the Philippines to impoverished families living amongst the mausoleums of a cemetery.
Columban Fr Kevin Mullins lives and works in what has been described as one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Living in Juarez, Mexico, on the periphery, can be difficult at times. Recently Fr Kevin's Chevy Ute was stolen while he was hearing confessions.
Columban Fr Paul Oxley recently visited the work of Fr Paul Finlayson and Lay Missionary Ana Belma Flores, at the Mother of Divine Mercy Village in the Philippines. This village has been built largely with funds provided by the Columbans and the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. It has been built for the victims of Typhoon Sedong which swept through the island of Mindanao, Philippines, two years ago.
Columban Fr Chris Saenz reminds us that being on mission in another country, more often than not, is about learning lessons from the ordinary things of life.
Fr Marino Nanjha went forth from his native Myanmar to work amongst the poor in the peripheries of Lima, Peru.
What is the path the Lord is pointing out to us to follow? Are we ready to leave our comfort zone for the peripheries, in need of the light of the Gospel?
Fr Dan Harding
TFE@columban.org.au