In Pulong ng Editor Mauricio Andrez Silva Ramirez and Nathalie Marytsch Rojas, a married couple from Chile, speak of their presence in Britain since 2001as Columban Lay Missionaries. The video was made by John Din, the new Coordinator of CLM-Philippines, at the CLM International Meeting in Tagaytay City, 3-16 July this year. John, from Dinas, Zamboanga del Sur, recently came home from Peru where he worked for many years as a Columban Lay Missionary. His first assignment was in Brazil.

We thank CLM-Philippines for the use of this video which is on their website.

By Marife Padao

The author recently arrived home in the Philippines from Ireland with the other members of PH17 after their three-year assignment there. She wrote this article while still in Ireland.

Marife Padao

I was so happy when I received my mission appointment, because I had asked God to give me St Joseph’s Parish, Ballymun, Dublin, to be my home here in Ireland. I had a glimpse of what my life would be for three years there. I then made a list of work to do and who to work with.

My first seven months of mission were difficult. I thought it would be easy to be away from home since I was used to being away from my family. But I realized that it is different being away from Philippines. I deleted my lists, erased the ‘things to do’ and started from the beginning with mixed emotions: excited, afraid of young lads hanging around, confused with the weather (Ireland has ‘four seasons’ in a day!). My shyness made it difficult to overcome my culture shock. I had two months to wait for the start of another busy year in Ireland since I transferred to Ballymun during summer. I spent those months trying to understand the local accent. I was helped, thanks to the advice of a Columban Sister, by watching Fair City, a telenovela set in Dublin.

In the Philippines I was engaged in Payatas for ten years and saw my life as always being for the elderly. I had also been with the Street Children Program when I was in the Philippine National Red Cross, Quezon City Chapter but only for a short time. My heart belonged to the elderly, I thought.

Marife, left, and Fr John Chute, right, with parishioners. Fr Chute worked for many years in Mindanao.

Here in Ballymun I’m in touch with the elderly every Monday afternoon doing Tai-chi, singing and sometimes just being with them. Many nights I’m with ‘The Ladies’, as they call themselves, women in their 60s and 70s, as they chat and tell stories of how they spent their weekends and holidays.

I also have time for parish activities but I focus mostly on St Margaret’s Playschool. ‘This is it’, I said to myself when I first went there. I didn’t have the skills to work and be with children. I was really into geriatrics. It was very challenging to be part of the teaching staff as a volunteer for pre-schoolers. My first month was spent observing not only the work but myself. I was disappointed when they asked for an NBI clearance from the Philippines, needed because of the government’s Child Protection Policy. After I got it I started my regular presence in the playschool.

I noticed that I had the skills to give basic teaching to the pre-schoolers. I enjoyed my daily ministry with the little children and it was also like playing with them. I settled in well with the support of my colleagues. They even helped me to understand Childcare in Ireland by giving me a modular course.

I have now spent two years with the pre-schoolers and really enjoy being with them. I get energy from them as well. I miss the children who are now in ‘big school’. This is my last year in playschool and I would like to maximise my time with the children. The ‘I thought’ that I had before is gone.

It is important for me to listen to God’s message clearly. He always gives me gifts and surprises, and the best thing I have done is to accept these with an open heart and mind.

Aside from these regular ministries, my companion and I started a choir that sings at Mass in St Joseph’s Parish the last Sunday of the month. This is the special ministry we have in Ballymun to harness the energy of Filipino migrants in north Dublin. We started with only seven and gradually increased in number. I am hoping for the best for these Filipino migrants who commit themselves to serve God and who spare time from their busy schedules to be with Him. I hope that the choir will continue even after we Columban lay missionaries leave Ballymun.

PH17, L to R Virgie Tanate, Marivic Quilab, Marifei Padao, Lenette Toledo and Lorelei Ocaya

You may email Marife at mfe_may@yahoo.com

By Fr Patrick J. Baker

Since the Columbans first went to the Province of Zambales in 1951, around 70 of them served for varying lengths of time. The area became the Prelature of Iba in 1955 and a diocese in 1982. Columban Bishop Henry Byrne was bishop from 1956 until 1982. The last two Columbans to staff a parish there were Frs Fintan Murtagh and Donal O’Dea. They turned over the parish of the Immaculate Conception, Barretto, Olongapo City, to the Diocese of Iba on 20 May this year. That leaves just one Columban remaining in the Diocese – Fr Shay Cullen in the Preda Center.

The turn-over ceremony, with the installation of the new parish priest, Fr Rodel San Juan, took place within a Mass in Barretto parish church. It was a very well prepared ceremony, with Bishop Florentino G. Lavarias presiding and most, if not all of the priests of the diocese, attending. Many tributes were paid to the Columbans who had served in Iba for the past 60 years. The Regional Director, Fr Pat O’Donoghue, expressed the gratitude of the Society for the welcome, acceptance and cooperation that the Columbans had experienced during those years.

Deceased Columbans in Zambales

Inspired by this ceremony the Diocese came up with a plan to pay tribute to the six Columbans who had given their lives for the people of Zambales and were buried there:

Bishop Henry Byrne – who died 24 July 1983;

Fr James Collins – 19 July 1959;

Fr John O Brien – 13 January 1960;

Fr Patrick Quigley – 28 August 1979;

Fr Vincent Lyons – 3 July 1992;

Fr Francis Awburn - 9 June 1993.

Father Awburn was Australian while the others were Irish.

Bishop Byrne was buried in the Cathedral of St Augustine in Iba, the others in the cemetery in Sta Rita Parish, Olongapo City. But the Diocese was concerned that if there were no longer any Columbans in the area to look after the graves of the five they might be neglected. One of the priests most concerned was Monsignor Crisostomo A. Cacho, Vicar General of the Diocese and current President of Columban College, Olongapo City. He was born and raised in San Marcelino when it was a Columban parish. He wanted to become a Columban but it was not possible in those days. He has remained very close to the Columbans until now. Also very concerned was the parish priest of St Columban Parish, Olongapo City, Fr Audencio M. Mozo Jr. These two initiated a discussion with Bishop Lavarias and the priests. They made arrangements to disinter the remains of the five in Sta Rita, cremate them, and place the ashes in marble urns. Thanks to the concern and generosity of Fr Mozo and the people of St Columban Parish, a special columbarium was constructed at the side of the church.

The placement of the urns in the columbarium was scheduled to coincide with an anniversary Mass for the late Bishop Byrne on 25 July. Fr Pat O’Donoghue was invited and Fr Pat Baker accompanied him as Regional Archivist. It would be important to have a record of such an historical event.

The parish church was absolutely packed for the 5:00 pm Mass. Bishop Lavarias was the main celebrant and homilist. About 20 priests concelebrated. In his homily the Bishop paid great tribute to Bishop Byrne and to all the Columbans who had served in the diocese, especially to the five whose remains were in the urns on display in the sanctuary.

At the conclusion of the Mass Fr O’Donoghue was invited to respond on behalf of the Society. He stressed the continuing bonds between the diocese and the Columbans and sincerely thanked the Bishop, clergy and laity who had worked together to bring the five Columbans together once more where they had often been together in life. He commented that you can judge a community by how they care for their dead and so this act of reverence for the Columban dead witnessed once more to the goodness and kindness of the people of Zambales in their love for the Columbans. It was a deeply touching and very inspiring gesture that would never be forgotten.

Then the urns were taken in procession to the columbarium. It had been specially constructed into the outer wall of the church, just for the five Columbans. It was made of solid steel with polished brass trimmings and a brass plaque for the door of each niche containing an urn. In addition there was a larger polished brass plaque with a tribute to all the Columbans who had served in the diocese.

It was a very moving ceremony. We two Columbans were overwhelmed by the number of people who came to greet us, to thank us for the many Columbans who had served there, to ask us about the ones whom they had known best. We left with a conviction that a large part of the Columban legacy will live on in the diocese for years to come. Also that our six confreres will be well looked after.

1 August 2011

You may email Father Baker at pbaker1956@gmail.com

Editor’s Note

‘Columbarium’ is a Latin word derived from ‘columba’, the Latin for ‘dove’. One of its meanings is a vault with niches for the cremated ashes of the dead. St Columban’s name means ‘white dove’. So there is a special appropriateness to the last resting place of the six Columbans in the Diocese of Iba.

By Fr Joseph Panabang SVD

1. Split Loyalty

Brother Marcus Hipolito SVD from Brazil and I were watching on TV the World Under-17 Football Championship in Ecuador between Ghana and Brazil. It was really exciting. Both teams were giving their best. Brother Marcus, naturally, cheered for Brazil. But in the middle of the game a Brazilian player pulled the shirt of a running Ghanaian player who was two steps ahead and poised for a perfect goal. At that very moment Brother Marcus cursed the Brazilian player for such a disgraceful act and immediately shifted his allegiance to the Ghanaian team. Would you call that ‘inculturation’?

2. Mag-beer muna tayo

His name was George but I’ve forgotten his surname. He was a police inspector. The work he dreaded most was visiting morgues. He described for me in vivid detail his horrible experience in the morgue of a big hospital in Kumasi, the regional capital of the Ashante Region. There were usually 20 to 30 cadavers just lined up, waiting to be claimed. He had been called to identify a corpse. He went around the different rooms, squeezing in between corpses lined up one after the other.

As he continued his rounds in the big morgue, he met individuals along the corridor. He felt eerie, not knowing whether a person he met was dead or alive. ‘I will never go inside the morgue again,’ he said. However, people who have been working there for years don’t mind putting their beer beside a corpse or inside the refrigerator of the dead.

3. Free Bicycles

In one of my villages, Kawumpe, a new evangelical church leader came and promised bicycles to all who would join him. People, including some Catholics, indeed flocked to the new religion ‘The Only Religion that Guarantees Salvation’. ‘What do you promise us?’ the remaining Catholics asked me. ‘I cannot promise you bicycles; I can only promise you eternal life,’ I answered. After two months, the new church collapsed and the founder left with enough money to travel.

4. Male Chauvinism

One priest during a gathering dominated by Sisters remarked blithely, ‘You know, God created the world and rested; God created woman and since then no one has rested.’ ‘Except the men!’ one of the Sisters added with a knowing look at the other Sisters.

By Fr Colin McLean

Experiences and people who allow me to say: ‘I feel at home in the city of Salvador, in Brazil, where I have lived for the past 26 years’.

In the coffee table book Salvador, an alluring photographic study of life of this city, the Brazilian poet, Jorge Amado, writes:

The city is prey to the spirit of adventurers from all parts of the world, who over the years have exploited her black and heavy beauty, thick as oil and deep as mystery, trying to reduce it to the value so the tourist trade. And everything is small and sad when touched by such hands. There is a persistent and criminal effort to shrink Bahia’s beauty, her dramatic ancient beauty, to the limited scope of a tourist’s curious gaze. Bad poets come from afar to sing her praises in uncomprehending verse, while movie-makers film her without feeling, and millionaires and socialites buy her without knowing her, but she has held out against them all, living on for those who understand and love her. She lives on in her grandeur, her ocean and streets, in the daily renewal of mystery and beauty.

I may be a long way from an adequate appreciation of the lure and mystery of this city and yet I hope the following paragraphs will help the reader appreciate why I am able to feel at home here.

I came here with the first group of Columbans sent to establish a mission in Brazil and have put a lot of emotional effort into staying here, especially during the first three years. Prior to coming to Brazil I had been in the Philippines where I had felt welcomed and affirmed. Here, on the other hand, especially among the Afro-Brazilians, with whom I live and work, the onus is on the outsider to demonstrate who he or she is and whether they are friendly and approachable. The outsider will not be accepted simply because of his or her position (especially as priest or religious sister), as was the case in the Philippines. No doubt in Brazil this is part of the heritage of hundreds of years of slavery when bishops, priests and religious congregations owned slaves. Also, I had been reasonably proficient in the Tagalog language in the Philippines but, aged 40 years on arrival in Brazil, I struggled to learn Portuguese. Brazilians tend to switch off if the foreigner does not speak reasonable Portuguese.

What kept me here during those difficult first years was the experience of the Columban group. At that time, there were eleven Columbans in Brazil and we met twice a year, each time for four to five days, for personal sharing and to make decisions together. Later, priest associates and lay missionaries from the Philippines and Ireland were fully included in these biannual meetings. This was a new way of operating for Columbans on mission. The decisions were no longer left in the hands of a director with his council but rather all members of the mission participated, tried to work towards a consensus but, if necessary, put the matter under discussion to an open vote. We did not use secret ballots for anything, not even in choosing our mission unit coordinators. However, at times, in order to fulfil the letter of the law we did go through the motions of a secret ballot, which never altered what we had already agreed upon openly.

In 1988, the centenary of the official abolition of slavery in Brazil, the Catholic Bishops’ Lenten Action Program, titled I have heard the cry of my people, focused on the situation of the descendants of African slaves. It invited the Catholics of Brazil to look at the history, culture, social situation of and racial discrimination against black Brazilians who constitute about 45 percent of Brazil’s population and 85 percent of the city of Salvador. It was a powerful moment for many Brazilians and especially for me, as we felt urged and challenged to enter into solidarity with black Brazilians in their struggle for social equality and justice.

In 1990 a Brazilian priest invited me to live in a poor community within his parish. There people got to know me as a neighbour and a friend. They would drop in constantly for a chat. Meeting others as a resident who shared their neighbourhood and not as a priest with a formal role in the parish church was similar to an experience I had lived in the Philippines. Fr Tommy O’Reilly (a diocesan associate from Ireland who worked with us for six years) joined me later and we got on really well.

In 1993 I was invited to attend the National Conference of Black Priests, Bishops and Deacons. The community where I was living and working was 99 percent Black so I was known to be in solidarity with the Black apostolate. At the close of the conference a bishop was ordaining a Black deacon and he called on the Black priests present to join him in the final blessing. I hesitated because he had said ‘Black priests’. The priest beside pointed to the black skin on his arm and said, ‘It is not about this; it’s about the way your heart is. You share our cause, so come on, join us’. I have not looked back since.

Six Lima Rocha brothers with their mother

I do not restrict myself to serving the pastoral needs of our church-going parishioners. I feel very much alive when I am with young people who, for the most part, have little or no contact with the Church. This happens with my friends in theatre, Afro-dance, circus arts and the newly formed parish soccer team. For me, this is missionary outreach as I move out of the church to where these young people feel at home; I join them in their space. Last year our soccer team won the inaugural championship in the deanery league and this year we expect to have ten teams competing. Six of the parishes are run by Brazilian priests and some young priests want to play in their parish teams. For the young players it is not just another morning of sport, but rather it seems to me to be part of the Brazilian passion. In Brazil, soccer competes with soap operas for the attention of millions of TV viewers.

Candomblé is a religion that has its roots primarily in the beliefs of the Yoruba tribe, who have lived for centuries in what today is Nigeria and Benin. This tribe has traditionally recognised a supreme deity who has created mediating spirits (Orixás), who influence forces of nature and human life. By appropriating the Catholic devotion to the saints and angels, brought to Brazil by the Portuguese colonists, Candomblé devotees have maintained their faith in the Orixás. After getting to know something of the religion and befriending Candomblé devotees, I now feel accepted by them and welcome to attend their religious ceremonies. This is a major acceptance on their part, considering that many in the Catholic Church consider Candomblé to be, at best, superstition and, at worst, devil worship.

I enjoy sharing in depth discussions with my fellow priests, religious sisters and laity on pastoral and theological issues at our deanery meetings. In the parish I have similar opportunities with our three deacons and their wives and a group of four religious sisters, three Brazilians and one Spaniard, with whom I share the parish apostolate and missionary work. I also meet regularly with six members, four men and two women, from one of the black movements in the city. We may go to a restaurant or one of our houses where we informally discuss the issues, challenges and strategies that are presently on the agenda of Black movements in Brazil. All are Black and have had a cultural association with the Catholic Church.

Over the years, such a variety of friends from various walks of life and diverse perspectives have welcomed me, have shared with me, have let me be part of their lives and struggles. I really have no excuse for not feeling at home.

The author is from Australia, where he was ordained in 1969. He worked in Our Lady of Remedies Parish, Malate, Manila, before going to Brazil. You may email him at columbans@uol.com.br

By Mary Joy Rile

The thought of ordination, wedding, profession of vows and commitment rites always excites me. Every moment is special. I believe in the special grace received being present on those occasions. And I believe that God's hand is working through the newly professed.

I'd been invited to some ordinations before but never made it. So when I learned that I could attend Chris's ordination, I was truly happy. But I thought to myself, I had to control my excitement and believe only when I was there.

I was privileged to meet Chris three days before the ordination. Feeling my own excitement for that day, I was curious to know how it was for him. I asked how he truly felt and he said, 'sagol-sagol man' (mixed emotions), 'di ko kasabot' (I cannot understand). I guess he didn't have to elaborate. Those few words meant much already.

I didn't make it to his rehearsal. But the day before the ordination I went to the Cathedral and witnessed the practice of the altar boys. They were practicing the sequence with all the gestures. Some would chuckle in between as one pretended to be the priest. I was wondering also how it was for those boys being at that sacred altar serving on such an important day and how it was especially for the one pretending to be the priest.

On 29 June 2011, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the ordination to the priesthood of Rev Rodolfo Christopher R. Kaamiño IV was to happen in Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Ozamiz City, with Archbishop Jesus A. Dosado CM DD as the ordaining prelate. The sanctuary was filled with about 40 priests, Columbans, diocesan and religious. The Cathedral was jam-packed with people, many of whose lives and families had been touched by the Columbans in Ozamiz, one of the seedbeds of their mission in the Philippines. It was also attended by many Columban lay missionaries and it was my first time to meet most of the Columbans. Bisaya was the main language used in the ordination Mass.

One of the most touching parts of the ritual was the Litany of the Saints when we knelt in prayer while the Reverend Chris prostrated himself before the altar in total surrender. The silence and solemnity allowed each to really offer a prayer for him as we invoked the intercession of the Saints. The litany was quite long and it allowed the ordinandus to be in touch with his feelings and savor the moment. It was during this part that he was moved to tears for he felt so sincerely the prayers of everyone. It truly meant a lot while he pondered in his heart as he surrendered himself to God to be His servant, in total grace. (I couldn’t help but imagine the day that I will also offer myself in total surrender to the will of God.) The laying on of hands by the bishop followed, making Chris a 'priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,' consecrating him through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

Putting on new garments symbolized the taking on of new responsibilities, a new role, a new name, ‘Father’, and a new person. Father Chris was like a trusting child freely submissive as Fr Patrick O’Donoghue, Regional Director, and Fr Tommy Murphy, Columban Superior General vested him in his new garments. In the background was the singing of 'Christi simus non nostri' (‘Let us be of Christ, not of ourselves’), one of the sayings of St Columban. Father Chris’s hands were also anointed with oil as a sign that he was offering his hands to Christ.

The welcoming and blessing of Father Chris of the queuing priests with the laying of hands, the hugs and smiles, were such a wonderful grace. Truly it was something for all of us to rejoice about. But the celebration would not be complete for me without kissing the anointed hands of the newly ordained. I see it as a way of sharing blessings – with Father Chris sharing the grace he had freshly obtained, and with myself and the congregation sharing with him our congratulations, happiness and prayers as he was starting a new phase of his life.

I was captured by Father Chris’s humbling words, ‘the reason for our celebration is because we have a God who is faithful, so that we too can be faithful; we have a God who is loving, so that we too can be loving’. Beautiful words that are so true, and an invitation for us to ponder upon . . . It is by grace that we are able to partake in the Mission of Christ; by grace that we can radiate the love that we receive from Him; by grace that we can commit ourselves and remain faithful to our commitment, to whichever path we are called to follow.

The ordination was just the beginning. The following days had Father Chris saying Thanksgiving Masses in the different areas where he was assigned before. When I asked him for a few words he said, ‘I feel blessed to be a priest, humbled by the calling. Presiding at Masses is just one of the many blessings. Basically a priest is a servant of God's Word, trying to put flesh on God's Word in our world – be it in ritual or in ministry’.

Father Chris is continuing to serve in Malate Parish, Manila, where he had been serving as a deacon. Early in 2012 he will leave for mission overseas.

'Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you. . . . Now I have put my words in your mouth.' (Jer 1:8-9) May the Living Word that is Christ be your strength as you accept His invitation to fulfill His Mission. Father Chris, our prayers will be with you. God bless you with a wonderful journey.

The Marines of the Church

By Reynante Bantigue

In my exposure in Negros Occidental, I was able to visit the places in the Diocese of Kabankalan where Columban missionaries have greatly involved for 61 years. Many of their contributions were noticeable: schools and churches they built, various communities organized, many programs and projects initiated; all in the service of justice and the uplifting of human dignity is uplift. I was very impressed.

What I witnessed didn’t only strengthen my attraction to the missionary world but enriched it. It gave me a glimpse of the various beautiful landscapes of this less inhabited world. I became aware of what it is like being a missionary: to help people free themselves from various forms of slavery. By the presence of fear, greed, pride, and capitalism many of us become walking prisoners.

Fr Brian Gore has an interesting way of helping people realize that they are not free: through human empowerment. He calls the activity ‘De-masking’, which urges them to take off their masks (fame, status, talents, profession) and understand that they have equal worth; that they are all thinking and free beings. This way helps each individual build a positive self outlook enabling him to bring out his best.

As I stayed with families in the community, I was overwhelmed by the people’s hospitality and generosity. The best meals and most comfortable beds were prepared. Encouraging life stories and warm smiles were shared. They wanted me to be always comfortable and safe. As they served me I felt my helplessness. And this terrified me. I was afraid that they might notice my weakness. I was frightened that with my vulnerability they would reject me. But I was wrong. They welcomed and treated me well because they knew that I was helpless. This struck me, turning my world upside down. I realized that sometimes it is by our vulnerability that we come to love and be loved.

I was motivated by the people’s deep sense of community. Each family was concerned not only with its own members but with the welfare of other families as well. They journey and progress together. In their deep communal commitment, I discovered my selfish and individualistic inclination. I noticed my preoccupation with my own concerns to the extent that the needs of the community had become secondary. This truth was a slap in my face in the sense that I am meant to be community oriented.

I was touched by their deep concern and understanding of nature. They tap and enhance the potential of nature without harming or destroying it. A very good example of this is the way of farming that they are employing. It is very environmentally friendly. The land is not considered as a mere resource but as a partner. They don’t force it to produce beyond its capacity by using synthetic fertilizers and chemicals. I felt so small before them. In many years of studies about the environment I had done nothing to preserve it. And here are farmers, always in the field but working to protect and develop it. These people reminded me that as I live my day, I inevitably contribute something to the possible destruction of the earth. Therefore I have a responsibility to do to counteract this.

These admirable qualities of the people in Bantolinao tempted me to ask some questions. Are they really that hospitable and generous? Or were they just hospitable and generous to me because I’m a seminarian? Do they have really a deep sense of community? Or were they just showing off because of my presence? Do they really have a deep concern for and understanding of nature? Or do they just do this because they are being told to?

No! They weren’t pretending. They have been empowered, my conscience answered.

These changes in human character and the physical improvements in those parts of Negros where Columban missionaries have worked is largely due to their work and their organizing the people. They developed tactics to equip people with necessary skills and understanding so that they could stand on their own. They provided them with the essential support for their empowerment. They did much like the Marine Corps, right? I salute the Columban Missionaries, who empowered others not for war but for peace, not for destruction but for true progress, not for hate but for love, not for fear but for hope. You are indeed ‘The Marines of the Church’!

Our first task in approaching another people, another culture, another religion, is to take off our shoes, for the place where we are approaching is holy. Else we may find ourselves treading on their dreams. More serious still we may forget that God was there before our arrival.

~ Author unknown ~

Mary is the most sweet bait,
chosen, prepared, and
ordained by God, to catch the
hearts of men.

~ St Catherine of Siena ~

The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.

~ Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979) ~

Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue, recited by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Boethius teaching his students

O God, whoever You are who joins all things in perfect harmony, look down upon this miserable earth! We men are no small part of Your great work, yet we wallow here in the stormy sea of fortune. Ruler of all things, calm the roiling waves and, as You rule the immense heavens, rule also the earth in stable concord.

~ St Boethius, Philosopher (480-524or 525) ~

As we progressively understood the causes of environmental degradation, we saw the need for good governance. Indeed, the state of any county's environment is a reflection of the kind of governance in place, and without good governance there can be no peace. Many countries, which have poor governance systems, are also likely to have conflicts and poor laws protecting the environment.

~ Nobel Lecture, Wangari Maathai, Oslo, 10 December 2004 ~

It is impossible for any one of those who has real charity in his heart not to serve Christ. Even some of those who think they hate Him have consecrated their lives to Him; for Jesus is disguised and masked in the midst of men, hidden among the poor, among the sick, among prisoners, among strangers.

~ Francois Mauriac, Novelist and Nobel Laureate (1885-1970) ~

For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your house. I was naked and you clothed me. I was in prison and you came to see me.

~ Matthew 25:35-36 ~

By Arlenne B. Villahermosa

The author, a Columban lay missionary who has served in Korea and as coordinator in the Philippines, is from Talisay City, Cebu, and is now based in the Diocese of Banmaw in the Kachin State, northern Myanmar (Burma).

L to R: Sr. Ashwena, Arlenne, Sr. Mary and Columba

‘Because the Columbans love us . . .’ This was the reply of a Kachin woman to a Columban priest when asked about the elaborate celebrations in honor of the Columbans when there were other missionaries who came before them.

The people in Banmaw have never forgotten what it was like to be loved by them.  They have remembered well with gratitude in their hearts

This gratitude is shown in their prayers, in their stories and in the way they celebrate the feast of St Columban every year.  During my first experience of this in Banmaw in 2009, when it coincided with the thanksgiving for the harvest, I was struck by the simplicity and generosity of the people expressed in many ways.  I could only give a deep sigh of gratitude to God because all words fell short of what I personally experienced that day.  What could the Columbans have done?  Or was it the people - or something beyond them?

Visit of Bishop Michael Smith of Meath, Ireland, to the Diocese of Banmaw, November 2009

This video includes an offertory procession with the Manau dance. It also shows Bishop Smith visiting the graves of three Irish Columbans. He mentions that St Columban’s, Dalgan Park, where most Irish Columbans were educated and where many are now retired and buried, is in his diocese.

The celebration started with Holy Mass. I was invited to join the offertory procession and provided with the proper dress for the tradition Manau dance that accompanied it. It was beautiful for me, a Columban lay missionary, to participate, being one with the people in offering thanks to God for the many blessings received, including the gift of faith and mission.

But it was the program right after Mass that caught me speechless. The children from the different boarding houses (the boarding house is a program of the Catholic Church initiated by Columban Missionaries) sang songs, some of which were original compositions for the feast of St Columban or for the Columbans. The life of St Columban was read, as is always done. The offering of gifts moved me to tears. Young and old, men, women and children, carried sacks of rice, baskets of fruits and vegetables, mostly produce of their own farms, to the stage as an offering of thanksgiving.  The line was surprisingly long.

While watching these simple people lining up to offer their gifts, conscious not so much of the produce but of the meaning, sincerity and gratitude that came with them, I asked a local Sister, with a heart full of unexplained feelings, the meaning of this event.  Her answer will forever be etched in my memory and in my heart with joy and gratitude to God:  the Kachin people, especially those who experienced the Columbans, are very grateful to them for bringing them the faith that they have now. As a sign of their gratitude for the love and faith they have received and for bringing God’s love into their land they offer to the Church something of what they have.  Since the priests, religious, catechists and lay leaders are fruits of what the Columbans had shared with the people in the Kachin State many decades ago, the people thank them through the present representatives of the Church.  They also thank the local church for continuing in the faith and for taking care of the people.  Above all, they thank God for sending them the Columbans who planted the many years ago that continue to bear fruit until now.

I was a witness to a great mission that began 75 years ago.  I was also silently giving thanks to God for calling me to be part of the present mission.

Now, on 24-25 March 2011, the Diocese of Banmaw was celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of the arrival of the Columbans in the Kachin State and the Golden Jubilee of the dedication of St Patrick’s Cathedral.

It was a great celebration indeed for the local church and especially for the parishioners whose lives have been touched in different ways by Columbans.  Great was their joy when they knew that some Columbans were coming. Fr Colm Murphy, who formerly in Banmaw,  represented all who had been assigned to the Kachin State; Fr Eamon Sheridan represented the Columban General Council; Sr Mary Dillon and Sr Ashwena Apao, from Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, represented the Columban Sisters, Columba Chang and I the Columban Lay Missionaries. People came as representatives of their respective parishes or in their own capacity.  Some had to travel for two or more days to reach Banmaw. Most were housed in parish halls and boarding houses.  Food was provided by the local Catholics.

2011 Kachin Manau Festival

The first day of the celebration, 24 March, started with the traditional Kachin dance called the Manau, with participants from the different ethnic groups of the Kachin State.  ‘This dance is a source of unity and solidarity, a bridge that links today’s Kachin people with their past.  It is a chain that continues to bond lost relatives and friends.  It is the medium that has kept reminding the Kachins of their origin and destination.’ (From the thesis of Fr John Zau Doi on ‘Manau Dance and Its Integration in the Liturgy of the Eucharist in the Diocese of Myitkyina, Myanmar’.) The celebration lasted for about two jubilant hours.  Fr Colm Murphy, Columba and I joined the dance with our traditional Kachin dresses – Columba’s that of the Hka Hku tribe, mine that of the Jinghpau tribe. There were booths selling kitchenware, traditional dresses, traditional handicrafts and artworks, traditional herbal medicine, food, drinks, religious articles, shirts, trousers, etc . . . A stage show in honor of the Columban Missionaries was held in the evening.

An exhibit showing some old pictures of Columban priests assigned to Banmaw and some of their works and activities, like the group who built St Patrick’s Cathedral, were on display, all with captions in Burmese, Kachin and English.  Many of the pictures were of Fr David Wall, who worked for many years in Peru after leaving Burma and is now retired in Ireland, brought by Fr Colm Murphy. Some belonged to the diocese.

Brochures in three languages, English, Burmese and Kachin, about the Columbans in Banmaw were given away.  While working on the exhibit and the English leaflet, I gained more insights about the Columbans in Banmaw, especially their mission, work and the relationship they established with the people.  This experience has deepened my sense of being a Columban lay missionary and has gained for me deeper insights on the mission in the Kachin State. As I sat down and reflected on the events unfolding before me, it crossed my mind that an open and generous heart begets openness and generosity.

The second day, 25 March, was the day of the main celebration. Holy Mass was celebrated with about 5,000 attending.  The entrance procession included the Manau dance with Kachin traditional instruments and the bagpipe being played.  The four Kachin bishops, Archbishop Paul Zinghtung Grawng of Mandalay, Bishop Philip Lasap Za Hawng of Lashio, Bishop Francis Daw Tang of Myitkyina and Bishop Raymond Sumlut Gam of Banmaw, together with Fr Eamon Sheridan and Fr Colm Murphy led the congregation.  About forty-four priests from the four dioceses mentioned concelebrated. Archbishop Paul, the second bishop of Myitkyina, installed by the late Columban Bishop John Howe, the first, was the main celebrant and gave the homily. The offertory was accompanied by the Manau dance.  Most of the Mass songs were original compositions of locals.  I was one of the choir members singing these original Kachin Jubilee Mass songs.

It was great joy for me to be part of the preparation and celebration on this important occasion.  Being with the people, staying with them late at night to practice the songs, being one with them when reprimanded for bad singing, practicing and laboring with them, was like walking with them on their journey of seventy-five years as a people of faith.  They thanked God for the love he bestowed on them through the life and work of the Columbans; I thanked God for them for welcoming us into their homes with open hearts and for accepting us as we are.

A short program in the church, in which the Columbans were honored, followed the Mass.  Much was said and done in appreciation of all the love and concern that the Columbans gave to the people in Banmaw. Great was their joy when Fr Colm Murphy tried his best to deliver his message in both Burmese and Kachin.  Fr Eamon Sheridan gave a short speech thanking the people for the love they have shown. Sr Ashwena gave a message on behalf of the Columban Sisters and the people were delighted to hear her speak the Kachin language well. Deep down, as I was listening to what was happening, I also felt like honoring the Kachins for their simplicity in living out their faith, in expressing their gratitude and in sharing their love.  In their simplicity I saw the sincerity of their generosity.  Their simplicity made everything beautiful.

After the program, a simple lunch with traditional Kachin food was served to the guests.

We witnessed in the afternoon a big number of people joining the second Manau Dance.  Three of the Kachin bishops, some priests, including Father Eamon, some Sisters including Sister Ashwena, myself, plus the youth, men, women and children from the different Kachin tribal groups, were dancing to the sound of traditional Kachin musical instruments, drums and flutes, with the ‘oldies’ singing the more classical traditional songs. The youth sang more upbeat, modern Kachin songs to the sound of the modern keyboard. It was a ‘unity dance’ for the whole community.

A solemn procession followed the Manau dance which was then followed by a community dinner. Then a show was staged until late in the evening.

On March 26, Saturday, a thanksgiving Mass was held at 7am in St Patrick’s Cathedral for all who prepared and participated in the combined jubilee celebrations. Then there was another Mass in honor of the Columbans and all the other missionaries, especially the Paris Foreign Missionaries (MEP) who died in Banmaw was celebrated by Fr Eamon Sheridan at the graveyard where they are buried. The four Kachin bishops, Fr Colm Murphy and many diocesan priests concelebrated. The people still flocked to the cemetery despite the fact that they had already attended the thanksgiving Mass. It was also drizzling. It was a good time for many, especially for those who came from faraway places, to visit the graves of the Columban Missionaries whom they loved and missed.

The joint Jubilee celebrations watered the fruits of the seeds planted by the brave, encouraging Columban Missionaries between 1936 and 1979 and in a more limited way in recent years. It is hoped that these fruits will shed more seeds that will grow and continue to multiply and bear many more fruits. Then Banmaw Diocese will not only be a vineyard of good and inspiring memories but of a faith that is alive and growing.

It is only with the love and grace of God that all things came to be, have come to be and will be.

You may email Arlenne at arlenne@gmail.com

I want to ask humbly about the blessing of inanimate objects with holy water. I have learned in what I read that it is God who sanctifies the water and that it in turn blesses through the Holy Spirit. I wish to hear what God's word in the Scriptures says about this. Thank you. To God be the glory!

Thank you for your question. We use blessings in many different situations, eg, Grace Before and After Meals. The food is inanimate but we are thanking God the Creator for giving us life and the food to sustain it. We can also thank God for the many persons who have put the food on the table, eg, farmers, fishermen, the people who transported it, the persons who sold it and the cook(s).

When we bless things such as buildings, vehicles, etc, we are very deliberately acknowledging that everything is related to God. We are invoking God's blessing on the object and making a commitment to use it properly, for his glory and in the service of others. Holy water reminds us of the water of our baptism, of God as the source of the eternal life He offers us, won by the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, No 1078, says, 'Blessing is a divine and life-giving action, the source of which is the Father; his blessing is both word and gift. When applied to man, the word "blessing" means adoration and surrender to his Creator in thanksgiving'.

Ideally, a rite of blessing, especially a more formal one, should include a reading from the Bible. At the beginning of Mass the priest may bless water and then sprinkle the people with it, reminding them of their blessing. This replaces the Penitential Rite because it reminds us that in baptism we were cleansed of original sin. (Those baptized when they have reached the age of reason have all their personal sins absolved).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, No 2626, says, 'Blessing expresses the basic movement of Christian prayer: it is an encounter between God and man. In blessing, God's gift and man's acceptance of it are united in dialogue with each other. The prayer of blessing is man's response to God's gifts: because God blesses, the human heart can in return bless the One who is the source of every blessing'.

We find a reflection of this in the mano po. Here in the Visayas children often say 'Bless' when asking for it. They are asking for a blessing, but they are also giving a blessing to the person to whom they show this sign of respect.

When I was growing up in Ireland we always holy water by the front door of the house and would dip our hands in it when going out and coming in, making the Sign of the Cross. another reminder of our living relationship with God. I hope that this is helpful.

Greetings from Redemptorist Youth Mission, Iligan!

by Pebbles

Hello Sister Marie Paul... I was really excited when a friend told me that he read your article, From Iligan to Vilvoorde, online. He too, like you has the desire to be a religious and is now an aspirant with the Redemptorists.

So here I was searching through the archives for your article. I was really very happy when I found it. Reading it brought tears of joy to my eyes. And aside from that, it made me miss your presence also. Ahhh . . . it seems only like yesterday that we got to spend time together, laughing and grumbling about some of our activities . . .

Ate Ji, as we fondly call you, I am so really happy for you! And I really won’t forget you as my Ate. All of us from RYM are really proud of and so happy for you. We hope that someday we would be able to meet you again. Anhaon ka namo te! Well, Sister, thanks for sharing your life with us. We miss you, we love you, and we are proud of you!

Take care always and God bless you. Padayon! Hugs and kisses, Pebbles from RYM Iligan

You may email Pebbles at pebs_2003@yahoo.com

By Fr Joseph Panabang SVD

Bishop Donald Reece of St John’s-Basseterre, Antigua, now Archbishop of Kingston in Jamaica, during his visit to Ghana in 2007 was complaining that his emails wouldn’t go out. ‘See, Bishop,’ I cut in, ‘if you had used my Olympia typewriter, there would have been no problem’.

In 2007 at McCarthy Hill SVD Rest and Retirement Centre in Accra, Ghana, Brother Marcus Hipolito SVD from Brazil, one of our oldest confreres, placed Gillette shaving foam in the library. It had been left by Fr Bob Kisala SVD, our Visitator General that year. I asked Brother Marcus if I could make use of them. ‘Oh yes, oh yes,’ he said excitedly. ‘It’s toothpaste and since I broke my last two remaining teeth, I’ve stopped brushing; I can’t use it.’ ‘My!’ I gasped, smiling at the idea of foamy ‘toothpaste’.

One of the seminarians who spent his pastoral year with me was Dominic Yeboah Nyarko. In 2008 he became bishop of the newly created Techiman Diocese in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Just before his ordination as a bishop I was rushing to the Cathedral looking for a vestment. I was about to pick one up when Bishop Joseph Kwaku Afrifa-Agyekum of Koforidua Diocese spoke from behind, ‘Oh Father, that is for the Bishops!’ Like a cat jumping from a hot stove, I leapt to the side where the vestments for priests were. ‘Wait for your turn’, said a confrere ‘consolingly’.

With barely two weeks of studying Krobo, spoken by the Krobos of Eastern Ghana, I would go to the children and practice the little Krobo I knew. The kids were always enthusiastic. But as soon as I turned my back, one of them would start imitating my Krobo and the others would enjoy the fun. And while moving away, instead of being discouraged, I would console myself, ‘Joe, do not worry; it means you are making an impact’. And so just after a month, to the surprise of everyone, I could say Mass in Krobo with ease and confidence. Secret? Recording and practicing a lot. And some call that the gift of tongues.