As I write this column, fighting is still continuing in Marawi City on the island on Mindanao in the Philippines. Columban Fr Paul Glynn who has been involved in Interfaith Dialogue with Muslims for many years expresses a feeling of heartbreak over what has happened there and wonders if 40 years of work is now lost?
Fr Tomás King who was recently in Fiji and Australia reflects on the tough mission and challenges that Pakistan presents to missionaries. But after many years there he believes it is worthwhile to be present with the Christian people.
Columban Sr Redempta Twomey writes so well about the sins that God forgets. How wonderful to be like God in our dealings with ourselves and other people. As we move towards our centenary of missionary service there are two disparate articles. One is a well-known and often told story of Columban Fr Francis Vernon Douglas who was killed in the Philippines during World War II and the other is the closure of the Columban Mission Institute in North Sydney later this year. Over the next few editions of The Far East different areas of the Columban Mission Institute will be featured. In this issue we focus on the Centre of Christian-Muslim Relations. This involves inter-faith activities and dialogue.
As Columban missionaries we expect our work to take us into the lives of people in remarkable and surprising ways. Fr Tim Mulroy’s reflection on the homeless men who committed suicide when their lives improved is a shock to the system. How complex people are!
Pope Francis reminds missionaries to never tire of bringing comfort to people. Columbans have returned as missionaries in Myanmar after being forced out in 1979 by the government. We are supporting families who are refugees from the civil wars especially waged against the Christian people, the Chin, Kachin and Karen tribes.
It is a challenging edition, we are involved in the struggles of people as Jesus Christ wanted us to be.
The author of the final article is a young Fijian Columban seminarian who was on his first missionary assignment in Peru. A faith shared does not require great knowledge but is a gift from the heart.
Finally two Columbans priests share anniversaries of ordination to the priesthood this month, Fr Peter Woodruff who worked in Peru for many years before retiring to Australia and Fr Kevin O’Neill our present international leader who directs the work of the Society from Hong Kong.
This editorial was written on behalf of Janette Mentha who has been on bereavement leave.
Fr Gary Walker
tfe@columban.org.au
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- Read more from The Far East, July 2017
