Not all Wounds Bleed
Recent Anzac Day commemorations in New Zealand made a special attempt to recognize that “not all wounds bleed.” There has always been great sympathy and understanding for those who suffer physical injuries, but the same recognition and understanding has not been there for those who suffer with me
Do Not Be Afraid
I first met Mr. Ikehata when Rev. Tesshu, a Buddhist priest, took Columban Fr. Bede Cleary and me to meet him on a hot summer day. The four of us were sitting round a low table in the tatami room and in no time at all the conversation was about the Holy Spirit.
Starting from Zero
I arrived in Peru thinking that it wouldn’t be very challenging. I was sent straight away to Bolivia to learn Spanish. When I arrived there my host family was waiting for me at the airport with my name written on a piece of paper.
A Letter from the T'ikariy House in Peru
Dear Friends of the Children of Cusco, Peru:
The Gifts We Bring
Shwebo dropped us at our last stop, and he headed off to return to his village, the Shwebo district from which he gets his name. We returned to the Sisters’ house and had dinner. The next day Columban Sr. Kathleen brought us to her Buddhist friends up the hills of Sagaing.
My Mission Journey in Fiji
I arrived in Fiji as a Columban lay missionary in August 2017. Once in Fiji, I studied the language for three months. Studying a new language for the first time in my whole life was not an easy task for me! I’m so thankful that with Gods’ providence, I was able to manage and survive it!
Give Thanks!
One year has passed since I came back to Korea for my second term as a Columban lay missionary. Indeed, time has flown so fast. In that one year alone, many events have taken place. It is with great joy and contentment that I accepted my mission assignment at St.
A Stranger in a Strange Land
Being a stranger in a foreign land wasn’t always easy, in terms of learning and adopting not only the language and local dialect but also the culture.
Dealing with Disappointment in Pakistan
Each of us could write a book on disappointments, because there are so many in our lives. In Pakistan, I have found that disappointments abound more than I’ve experienced in any other country I’ve lived in as a Columban missionary. There are many examples to choose.
A Vulnerable and Open Heart
What makes a life a success in the grand scheme of things, that is, a success in God’s plan? Down through the centuries, the same message echoes: it is not through fame, power, strength, accomplishment, or acquiring a fortune that we make a success of our lives.
A look at the lives of the saints tells the story multiple times; a successful life is not about overcoming obstacles, circumstances or other people. It is about overcoming ourselves. The saints and other Christian heroes took their cues from these few lines in St. Matthew’s Gospel. “Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.”
Grateful Beyond Words
After a 14-hour flight from Korea, with a fierce wind and torrential rain waiting to greet me in Dublin, I realized that I had finally landed in Ireland. It was the first opportunity to experience the unique weather of Ireland.
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.