Below are stories from past issues of Columban Mission magazine. The Columban Fathers publish Columban Mission magazine eight times a year. Subscriptions are available for just $15 per year. Sign up to receive our next issue. Read more about Columban Mission magazine.
Our story of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban traditionally begins with the words, "It was because two people shared a vision and answered a similar call that the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban came to be." Those two people were Fr. John Blowick and Frances Moloney.
Anniversaries frequently have symbols associated with them like silver for 25 and gold for 50.
The Missionary Society of St. Columban was founded in 1918 for evangelization in China. The first Columban Fathers went to China in 1920 and began work in Hanyang. The Columban Sisters began work in China in 1926.
Richard Ranaghan was born in Killough, Co. Down, Ireland, in 1889. He was ordained in 1914 and ministered in the Diocese of Down and Connor until he joined the Missionary Society of St. Columban in 1917.
In 1954 Fr. Edward MacElroy became the last Columban of that era to leave China.
It is truly a joy for the Missionary Society of St. Columban to be celebrating our centenary. We give thanks to God and all those who have supported us.
"You are mad to try to organize a foreign missionary society while Ireland is in the throes of a World War," was the warning which met Fr. Edward Galvin, just returned to Ireland after four years work in China. He and Fr.
I Columban
Born and bred
Among the soft roll of hills
in the pasture land of Leinster.
Playing, working, praying in praise
walking the fi elds of Creation.
Saturated in beauty of mount and vale
hearkening to animal call and birdsong
The 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.