"When I was experiencing major difficulties in my life, I was greatly consoled and encouraged to keep going by several Columban priests. As I recall my meetings with those priests, many memories come back to me and I want to convey my gratitude to you."
Kim Chong-hwan with his family and Columban Fr Noel Daly on his 70th birthday. Photo: St Columbans Mission Society
I was baptised in the parish of Haksong-dong in Wonju City, Korea, at Christmas 1971. The following year I met Columban Fr Noel Daly. He had produced a catechetical programme that was used for Sunday school children in many parishes in the Diocese of Wonju. He created separate lesson plans for each of the six grades, developing a curriculum for all six levels. Using a steel nib, he wrote each lesson on a stencil and then used a simple mimeograph to make thousands of copies one at a time. At the end of the year, he bound them into books for each grade. I regularly witnessed him beavering away late into the night to complete this task.
By the time he returned to his native Ireland in 1984, Fr Noel had not only created these catechetical textbooks, he had also been involved in activities aimed at bringing about democracy in Korea. At a time of political upheaval, he helped students who were in hiding and experiencing difficulties. He was harassed by police and kept under surveillance.
I met Columban Fr Peter Kelly in 1973. While he was mostly involved in counselling students and teaching English, I can also recall how he helped struggling people dealing with the after-effects of flooding in remote villages all over the province of Kangwon.
After I graduated from University I met Columban Fr Sean Conneely when I was working in Seoul. He spoke in the Cholla dialect having served as a parish priest on the island of Heuksan. Being a warm-hearted person with a wonderful sense of humour, he counselled hundreds of high school and university students at the Columban Student Centre in Wangshipri, Seoul. He was always willing to listen to students' worries and helped them to find new confidence.
In the 70s and 80s university student activities were severely restricted as the police were watching their every move. Fr Conneely provided a safe haven where students could discuss the burning issues of the day and overcome their difficulties. He was totally committed to them and their dreams.
In April 1984, I arrived in Australia as an overseas student on a Government visa. I attended Mass at the Concord Church in Sydney where the Korean Catholic community gathered. There I renewed my acquaintance with Fr Peter Kelly. He celebrated Mass in the Korean language and provided the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Back in his own country, he continued to work hard serving the Korean community. On one occasion he explained that he was allotted a restricted amount of time by the parish to devote to celebrating Mass and hearing confessions for the Korean community. "There is an out-station not very far away. I could celebrate Mass there and I think that would be a better place for us to meet," he suggested.
The out-station Fr Peter prepared for us would later become what is the present-day parish of Korean Catholics in Sydney, having developed enormously in the meantime. Columban Fr James Duggan who retired back to Sydney from Korea, has also helped out in this parish many times and often celebrated the Sunday Mass in English for the youth and students there.
After living for some time in Sydney I moved to Melbourne because of work commitments. The area I was living in was a long distance from the parish church and due to my limited language abilities, it was proving difficult for me to receive the Sacrament of Confession. But the Columban priests in Melbourne heard of my situation and invited me to go to their chapel where they celebrated Mass and the Sacraments in the Korean language. I am very grateful to all of these Columban Missionary priests including Frs Raymond Scanlon, Frank Ferrie, Paul Carey and Michael Gormly.
All of these priests had been appointed to the distant country of Korea as soon as they had been ordained. They spent much of their youth working hard on mission in Korea. After their return to Australia, despite having lots of work to do in their native country, they generously gave of their time to the Korean community, providing it with Mass and the Sacraments and never tired of doing so. I thank these Columban priests who consoled us migrants when we were feeling homesick and struggling with life and work or study in a strange culture. I thank them for making it possible for us to continue to gather as Korean Catholic communities and pray and develop our life of faith.
Dearly beloved Columban Fathers, I wish you good health and long life. I pray for you all.
Kim Chong-hwan (Ignatius), a member of the Columban Supporters' Group, was the president of the Melbourne Korean church but now resides in Sydney. Translated by Noel Mackey, a former Columban and a resident of Seoul, Korea.
Listen to "With gratitude to the Columbans"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - May 2021
