The Columban Missionaries were instrumental in the evangelization of Botolan. I was a freshman student in school year 1957-1958 when I first met them. Botolan High School, where I studied, was still a private non-sectarian school at that time, but the Columban fathers had already started their work, with the help of the Student Catholic Action, of which I was a member.
GOD BLESS THE COLUMBAN MISSIONARIES
by Louella Daos Ortiz
Louella, 75, is from Botolan, Zambales, widowed with four children and eleven grandchildren. She is a retired teacher of Sta. Monica Parochial Institute (formerly Botolan High School); a member of Sta. Monica Parish Pastoral Council and the Vice-President of Senior Citizens-Taugtog, and a member of the Lupon Tagapamayapa-Barangay Taugtog.
The Columban Missionaries were instrumental in the evangelization of Botolan. I was a freshman student in school year 1957-1958 when I first met the Columban Missionaries. Botolan High School, where I studied, was still a private non-sectarian school at that time, but the Columban Fathers had already started their work, with the help of the Student Catholic Action, of which I was a member. It was from Fr. Thomas Fay, my religion teacher, where I learned the basics of Catholic religion – the prayers, the parts of the mass, the vessels, the vestments, and the sacraments. I even had a missal in Latin and English translations. And I often went to confession.
After college, I went back to teach in my alma mater, under the management of the Columban Fathers. Fr. Joseph Connelly was then the Director. He was followed by other Columban priests: Fr. Fintan Murtagh, Fr. Dominic Nolan, Fr. Malcolm Sherrard, Fr. John Curry and Fr. Donal O’Dea. I was not under the directorship of Father O’Dea but he was my friend from whom I requested a tape on Irish music and a book on the history of Ireland. I will always be grateful to him.
It was the Columban Missionaries who helped form who I am, as a student, Catholic teacher, and parishioner. God bless the Columban Missionaries.