A Toast To Our Vocation

By Fr. Pat O’ Donovan mssc

As a young boy I have fond memories of my grandparents. During my summer vacation I looked forward to staying with them and to the times they should stay with us. We did many things together, visiting neighbors and friends, working on the farm, going to the nearest town to do our shopping and to attend daily Mass. We enjoyed one another’s company going for a walk, playing cards in the evening and saying the rosary before going to bed.

Joy in serving the Mass

I attended the local Christian Brothers School in my hometown of Tipperary for elementary and high school. I was a member of the Knights o the Altar for five years. Her I enjoyed serving Mass especially on the week days. Whenever there was a funeral Mass in the morning, we were allowed time off from class. This used to really annoy our classmates who were not members of the Knights. Saturday were even better because of weddings; we received a little money for serving the Mass so we were eager to serve.

First inquiry letter

Growing up I was impressed with the priests of our parish with their dedication, service, prayer, friendliness and they way they worked together as a team. We subscribed to different missionary magazines in our home and one of them being the Far East magazine equivalent to Misyon. I enjoyed reading the different stories of the missionaries working in different stories of the missionaries working in different parts of the world. I wrote to Fr. P.J. Kelly who was one of the Vacation Directors for the Columban Fathers for some information on the Society. He wrote me back a very friendly letter encouraging me to pray for my vocation and telling me that he would pray for me also.

Vocation weekend

During my high school years the desire to become a missionary priest began to grow. I found the vocation literature I received from the Columbans helpful and I maintained my correspondence with the Vocation Directors during high school. My last two years of high school I attended the scheduled vocation weekends (Search-Ins) in Dalgan Park, the home of the Columban Fathers in Ireland. It was here that I met various Columbans young and old who were on vacation from different missionary countries. They shared with us at the Search-ins about their lives as Columban missionaries, working among people of different cultures and languages. I like very much the warmth, hospitality and humanness of the priest that I encountered. I learned more about how God calls a young person to priesthood, about commitment and service to people in another culture and belief. Moreover, about a spirit of love and service to one another. The priest assigned in Vocation Ministry came across as being interested in us, a group of young people who were on the vocation weekend.

Growing interest to become a missionary priest

The final year of high school was a time of searching. What will I do with my life after high school? One of the brothers, our principal, approached me several times asking me what I was going to do he was a very fine man and genuinely concerned for all of us graduates that year as he was for every year  before after us. The retreat was coming up at the “Holy Ghost Novitiate” (Spiritans) only a few miles from our home. I looked forward to it and to going to the place, a place were missionaries spent time during their formation. I remember speaking with Fr. McDonagh, CSSP during confession. I told him I was interested to become a missionary priest with the Columbans. He shared a little about his life as a missionary in Africa and encouraged me to join the Columbans.

Archbishop Thomas Morris’ sharing

Shortly after our retreat I attended a vocation vigil at Holy Cross Abbey, Thurles. This was an all night vigil of prayer for vocations organized by our diocese. Different priests, sisters, religious brothers and lay people were invited to speak about their way of life during the course of the evening. The atmosphere was very prayerful with chanting, singing and silence and silence throughout the night. I remember praying and asking God to guide me in following his will for me. At some stage during the night Archbishop Thomas Morris of our diocese appeared and gave a sharing on vocation. He spoke very warmly during his talk at one stage about a Columban friend. Bishop Cleary who was a bishop in China. At that time I felt happy as I listened to his sharing and I remember feeling that maybe God wants me to try for the Columbans. After graduating in high school I attended the final search-In for the Columbans. I decided to present my self as an applicant for the Formation Program. I filled up the application form, completed my medical exam and had my interview. I felt happy after doing all this and said now it was time and I was enjoying my vacation at home. Usually I had no problem passing the summer, as there was always plenty to do at home, painting and repairing. Halfway through the summer an official letter arrived from the Director of the Columbans Fathers in Ireland. I remember holding it in my hand, saying a prayer to the Lord and saying to Him, “If you want me to be a Columban it will happen and if you don’t I will try something else.” I opened the letter, read it and discovered to my joy that I had been accepted for the formation program in September 1981. I shared my joy with my family and they were happy for me and a little sad at the thought of I leaving at home.

New world in the Philippines

A  whole new world opened up for me in the formation years that followed with experiences of growing in relationship with God and prayer, understanding myself as a person, developing relationships with others, facing the challenges of academic studies, developing pastoral skill, working in a center for special education. In 1985 to 1987 I came to the Philippines as a seminarian for my Fist Missionary Assignment along with both my classmates. These two years provide the living experience of working among people in a new culture with a new language and gave us a deeper appreciation of our future life as Columban priests. After this experience I continued my studies in Theology, was ordained a deacon and served in the Columban parish of Ballymun, Ireland. I was ordained on February 11th 1990 in my home parish.

A happy Columban Vocation Coordinator

That same year I returned to the Philippines to take up my assignment in the Parish of Karomatan, Lanao Del Norte, Mindanao. These were happy and challenging years.

After serving for six years in parish ministry I was asked to become the vocation director for the Columbans in Mindanao for the next four years.  Once again these years were filled with challenge and adventure working with young people who were searching to follow God’s call in their vocation journey.

My present assignment is National Vocation Coordinator for the Columban Fathers in the Philippines. Working as a team in vocation ministry gives us the opportunity to journey with many young people in their search for God; to understand who they are and discover their calling in life. They young people we work with bless us and it is a joy to experience the life and energy among them. I am enjoying my life and work as a Columban Priest Missionary. I thank God for all the people whose presence has helped me to come to know Him and the Joy of serving in the Church today.

Growing up I was impressed with the priests of our parish wit their dedication, service, prayer, friendliness and they way they worked together as a team.