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Columban Fathers - St Columban's Mission Society

THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ST COLUMBAN (SSC) STORY

The Columban story is 80 years long. We were founded by Bishop Galvin and Fr John Blowick in 1918, as a society of missionary priests dedicated to the evangelisation of the Chinese and other overseas people. From when a group of priests left Ireland until today when Columbans work in 15 countries.

Ours is a story about some special men … why they went; where they stayed; what they did there. Most have suffered, some have died for what they believed in, and all gave themselves generously to the people they served.

The story is continuing. There are more chapters to be written.

Mission and ministry:

What do we do, or how we go about our task is to a large extent determined by the life-style of the people to whom we are sent.

Our task is to make relevant and real the gospel of love in each context. As well it has to be made relevant and real in an inter-cultural or world context.

Therefore, in dialogue with our people

we try to relate their daily lives and our own with theirs to the Gospel message;

we try to see the Gospel message of Truth, Justice and Peace for all in the context of each particular mission and according to this context the emphasis will differ;

concurrently with this we must try to see the Gospel in a world context and help others to this realisation;

as priests we take up both their lives and our own and placing them on the paten and in the chalice we offer all as a sharing sacrifice while we celebrate together the shared promise that we are one and the measure that we are building this oneness.

In our life-style and through our work, in dialogue with our people, we are trying to meet as well as we can Christ’s mission mandate:

to bring the good news to the poor

liberty to captives

sight to the blind

freedom to the downtrodden.

The good news for the poor man

is a job that pays a fair salary

a home to house his family

an education for his children

the freedom to live without fear.

In today’s world, liberty for so many would be a reality were they simply given a fair trial and not held prisoner for years awaiting that trial.

Sight to the blind that they will become aware of the misery in which they are forced to live by others and begin to change it themselves through living the Gospel.

To set free the downtrodden – they are so many. Deprived of their birthright by various forms of exploitation, national and international, unless the Gospel becomes a reality in their lives, will never be aware of their dignity as free human persons and as daughters and sons of God.
Formation:

The first phase of a Columban student’s program will be three years formation and study here in Australia, if he does not already have an undergraduate degree. For the second phase he enters the Columban theologate in Chicago, USA. There he will become a member of an international community made up of Columban students from the different countries where Columbans work throughout the world. The theology program at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, lasts for four years. His total period of formation will also include a Spiritual Year and two years on First Missionary Assignment (FMA).

COLUMBAN'S WEBSITE: www.columban.org.au

VOCATION INFORMATION:

In Australia:

(Postal Address)

Fr Patrick J. McInerney
Columban Mission Institute
Locked Bag 2002
Strathfield NSW 2135

(Street Address)

Columban Mission Institute
167 Albert Rd
Strathfield NSW 2135

Phone: (02) 9352 8000
Fax: (02) 9746-8033
E-mail: patrickmcinerney@columban.org.au

In New Zealand:

(Postal Address)

Fr Brian Vale
St Columban's
PO Box 30-017
Lower Hutt 6315
New Zealand

(Street Address)

St Columban’s
8 St Columban's Grove
Lower Hutt 6315
New Zealand

Phone: (04) 567 7216
Fax: (04) 567 7211
E-mail: columban@iconz.co.nz

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