On Saturday June 25, 2016, Rafael Ramírez and Gonzalo Bórquez were ordained Columban missionary priests in St Columban’s Parish, in Santiago, Chile.
“Being ordained to the priesthood is not about joining the bourgeoisie. It is not about feeling you are more special than everyone else. The priesthood is a grace, not a privilege.” said the Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago, Pedro Ossandón, to Rafael and Gonzalo during the ordination. In fact, Rafael and Gonzalo will not be joining the middle class and having a comfortable life but rather going off to build God’s Kingdom in other lands, Rafael in Myanmar and Gonzalo in Korea.
The September issue offers many stories of Columban missionaries who seek to build God’s Kingdom in other lands or among different communities and minority groups within one’s own land.
“I was really touched by the goodness, friendliness, generosity and hospitality of Muslims during the month of Ramadan,” writes Columban Fr Patrick McInerney, the Director of the Columban Mission Institute in Sydney. He shares with us his personal testimony of the goodness and decency of the vast bulk of Muslim people. This is an important testimony in the current climate of bigotry and Islamophobia.
Rugby trained Columban Fr William Lee from Fiji writes of tackling a thief in his parish church in Chile and holding him down for 30 minutes waiting for the police to arrive. Last year a 300km pilgrimage was organized for 28 pilgrims including Columban Fr Rex Rocamora to visit the early Columban sites in central China. Fr Rex shares his experience.
Providing access to good education is one way to break the bond of poverty in Lima, Peru, as Columban Sr Young Mi Choi explains. In the Philippines another way is helping tricycle drivers receive ownership of their tricycles.
Building God’s Kingdom as a Columban missionary in Japan for many years has greatly enriched the life of Columban Fr Seamus Cullen.
In Pakistan, young people are inspired to a deeper conversion as Columban Fr Liam O’Callaghan helps them reflect on Pope Francis’ Encyclical 'Laudato Si’.
St Elizabeth Hospital in Pakistan reaches out to the poor of all religions. Columban Fr Robert McCulloch relates how the Hospital recently received support from the Australian High Commission there. He also writes about the recent course he taught in Rome titled, '2000 Years of Christianity'.
Newly ordained Frs Rafael and Gonzalo would not be able to go to build God’s Kingdom in Myanmar and Korea respectively without the support of Columban benefactors. Frank Joyce in Glasgow, Scotland, was one such benefactor. Columban Fr Bernard McDermott tells his story.
The stories in this September issue help remind us of the work of Columbans around the world, of how diverse this work is and also how much it depends on the support of generous benefactors. May our readers enjoy these stories from Columbans and be inspired and encouraged in their own lives.
Fr Daniel Harding
tfe@columban.org.au
Read more from The Far East, September 2016