Holy week is always an important part my life because it is when I am most reminded of the passion and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is a significant event in the Philippines, where the population is predominantly Catholic. However, even in Pakistan’s small Christian community, the Holy week is also a highlight in their lives.
When the entire island of Luzon in the Philippines was declared under community quarantine to control the spread of COVID-19, I was in my hometown — a small municipality in northern Luzon.
May 24, 2020 marks the 5th anniversary of the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home.
As a staff member of the Columban Lay Missionaries (CLM), I have heard many of these stories, some of difficulty and danger, some heartbreaking, and others of disappointment. However, these stories are outweighed by stories of hope, inspiration, joy, gratitude and love.
COVID-19 is changing the way we live and teaching us to adopt a new mindset and set of behaviors. It’s inviting us to be creative and resourceful, and to think outside the box in order to survive.
"If Christ is the center of our lives especially in our mission, we are able to find the hidden treasures in the field. It is only through the eyes of God that we are able to seek and find the lost."
"We feel that this is the best we can do at this difficult time. We want to let them know that they are not alone in facing this pandemic."
“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)
As I reflected on the generosity of our Columban mission partners, I remembered the acts of kindness of two women I met during a pilgrimage walk that the Columban students made in 2012.
"Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of those who are poor and hungry..." -Pope Francis
“If there is a powerful symbol for someone who diligently follows, someone who completely puts his whole attention to someone or something and remains completely faithful no matter what the conditions may be, it is the sunflower."
"I feel and believe that the Spirit helped me to consider looking for congregations beyond my territory. It is the same Spirit who strengthens me and continues to lit my burning desire to serve."
A few of our Columban seminarians on formation in the Philippines provide a glimpse to their respective ministries.
"After hearing word that a lot of people within our community were losing jobs and going hungry, one of our parishioners wanted to start an 'Olla Comun' or soup kitchen, to help feed families who couldn’t afford to buy food."
The municipality of Opol is located on the northwestern coast of Mindanao facing the scenic Macajalar Bay. Its proximity to Cagayan de Oro, the capital city in the province of Misamis Oriental, has contributed to its rapid urbanization, all thanks to the members of the rural population who are resolute in their dream to provide a better future for their loved ones.
“Jubilee for the Earth” is a podcast mini-series about biodiversity and our sacred story produced by the Missionary Society of St. Columban. We are happy to announce that the trailer for the show is live! You can listen to the podcast (Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud) or watch the video (Facebook, YouTube).
" Like a fertile ground on which plants can grow and bear fruit, it is our fervent hope that these stories will encourage communities, especially the youth to share in this vision by working together and making the world a better place to live in, now and into the future."
Two first-term Columban Lay Missionaries arrived in the Philippines last February 22, 2020. On February 27, they traveled to Davao City to begin their six months of full-time language studies (Binisaya). On March 11, the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On March 15, a modified lockdown had been declared in the different provinces of the country. Barely four months in the Philippines, Latai and Mereani share how they are coping with all the uncertainties.
Columban Missionaries welcome the Season of Creation 2020 with a podcast series on Jubilee For the Earth: Biodiversity & Our Sacred Story, a mini-series about the beauty of biodiversity and the threats it faces. Welcome to the first episode: "The Spirituality of Biodiversity".
Like in the time of Jesus, the lepers often feel abandoned by their family and excluded from the community. Due to the distance and the lack of money to defray travel expenses, a lot of them never get visitors.
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