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December 2020

Juan and Ada

My doorbell roused me from sleep at about half past five in the morning. It seldom rang at that hour of the morning, as Jamaicans, while early risers, do not move around until an hour or so later. I wondered who could this be and what kind of an emergency had arisen? Getting to the door I shouted, “who’s there?” Opening the door I saw two young European-looking people in front of me, a young man and a woman

By Fr. Bobby Gilmore
January 25, 2021

Friends of Earth

My name is Danish Yakoob and I’m from Latifabad, Hyderabad, Pakistan. I have been working as a Columban co-worker in the Hyderabad Diocese since November 1, 2016. I have been married to Sania since 2009, and God has blessed us with a son and two daughters.

By Danish Yakoob
January 18, 2021

When in Pakistan for the First Time

It has been nearly a year since I arrived in Pakistan as a lay missionary. If I were to describe the experience so far, I would have to say it has been very challenging but at the same time, fun.

By Hazel Angwani
January 11, 2021

Sharing Food

Who would have imagined that I would be cooking food and treating people? I was a total stranger to cooking before joining the lay missionary sending orientation program in Korea. All I could cook was instant noodles.

By Kim Sun-Hee Sunny
January 7, 2021

St. Nicholas Church, Nagar Parkar

The Parkari Kohlis are one of many tribal peoples in Sindh, Pakistan, who live in an on-going state of liminality; that is geographically, religiously, economically, politically and socially they live on the edge.

By Fr. Tomas King
January 4, 2021

Subanen Ministries Honor God's Creation

The Subanens are an indigenous people whose ancestral habitat is the highlands of northwestern Mindanao in the Philippines.

By Fr. Vincent Busch
December 28, 2020

Christmas Rush in Fiji

While the rest of the world shops and parties frenetically in December, the people in Fiji busy themselves too – in providing retreats, carol singing and charitable outreaches to the less fortunate.

By Fr. Patrick Colgan
December 21, 2020

God's Message at Christmas

Christmas always brings joy in my life. As a child, I always looked forward to the coming of that day. However, as time progressed, I realized that Christmas does not only bring joy but also an attached message with it. It is God, conveying and reminding me of my journey as a missionary.

By Elbert Balbastro
December 17, 2020
Christmas Mass

Christmas in Paradise

People often boast about having celebrated Mass in churches that are, “centuries old,” such as the great cathedrals of Europe. But, what about celebrating in a place of worship over FOUR THOUSAND years old?

By Fr. John Boles
December 14, 2020

Christmas in the Summer

Last year, at the beginning of Advent, I received a letter. The letter was inviting myself and the youth of the parish to “A Christmas feast to commemorate Christmas.” Fijian people are always ready and willing to attend a feast, and I also read the invitation letter with delight.

by Fr. Jung Euikyun Carlo
December 7, 2020

Coco and Rosa

The missionary journey of Jorge Juaregui, called Coco for short, and his wife Rosa Ramirez, began when the Columban Fathers assumed responsibility for the rapidly expanding housing estates being built on land that was once part of a large rural hacienda called Santa Rosa near Jorge Chavez Interna

By Fr. George Hogarty
December 1, 2020

The Shimmering Promise of Bethlehem

In 2013, after twelve years in administrative assignments with the Columban Fathers, I was given the chance to take a sabbatical. I seized the opportunity and chose to do a six-week course at the Tantur Institute south of Jerusalem.

Near Tantur there was a main bus route and along that road were the ruins of an ancient church. I stopped to look closely at the ruin that I had spotted from the bus window. I was curious about it because it was the same shape (octagonal) as the last church where I had been pastor, Sts. Simon and Jude in Fujisawa, Japan.

I discovered that the site held the remains of a Church built in the byzantine period of history (about 1500 years ago). One very interesting thing was the location. If you were traveling from Nazareth, via Jerusalem to Bethlehem as Mary and Joseph did, this would be the spot where you would walk uphill and catch your first glimpse of Bethlehem.

By Fr. John Burger
December 1, 2020

Bring Hope

Fr. Peter O’Neill, the Columban Leader in Australia and the Columban Peace, Ecology and Justice Coordinator, visited Timorese workers at the Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in East Warrnambool for Christmas. The workers have been warmly welcomed by the parish priest Fr. Lawrence O’Toole and the local parishioners.

By Fr. Peter O'Neill
December 1, 2020

About us

Columban logoThe Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.

We go in the name of the Church to announce, by deed and word, the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Quick Contact

Missionary Society of St. Columban
1902 N. Calhoun
St. Columbans, NE 68056
Phone: 877-299-1920
Fax: 402-291-4984
email: mission@columban.org