Warm Easter greetings of peace and joy to you all.
In this blessed season, we proclaim with hope: Christ is Risen! Alleluia! The Resurrection is the heart of our faith, reminding us that even in moments of uncertainty, struggle, and loss, God’s life-giving power is at work—renewing, restoring, and leading us forward.
Across our Columban ministries in the Philippines, we are gifted with many signs of this new life. We celebrate the joys and hopes we experience in our mission: the resilience of the communities we serve, the deepening of relationships, and the quiet yet powerful ways God continues to work through each of us as partners in mission. Our ministries and work are expressions of the missionary heart of the Columban Society – our commitment to stand with those who are most vulnerable and to care for our common home.
At the same time, we are mindful of the challenges and struggles we face, particularly as we navigate the realities of transition in our missionary context. Our mission country continues to struggle with deep wounds – poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and a culture where corruption undermines the dignity and hopes of the people. These situations can be unsettling and, at times, even disorienting. Yet Easter reminds us that such moments are not endings but invitations—opportunities for renewal, transformation, and deeper trust in God’s guiding Spirit.
We are also reminded that mission is never carried out alone. It is always a shared journey—a journey marked by collaboration, mutual support, and communal discernment. Our Columban mission continues to be enriched by the partnership among priests, lay missionaries, students, co-workers, and all those companions who walk with us. Together, we listen, we learn, and we respond more faithfully to God’s call.
In this spirit, we recognize the need to deepen our commitment to synodal transformation in our approach to mission. We are called to be a listening Church—one that journeys together, values every voice, and discerns the movement of the Spirit in our changing world.
Easter also invites us to renew our energy and deepen our commitment. As we look to the priorities of the Columban Missionary Society, we are challenged to respond with creativity and courage—especially in our commitment to the care and restoration of biodiversity, and in our solidarity with migrants and refugees. These urgent realities call us to embody hope in concrete ways, to protect life in all its forms, and to accompany those who are most vulnerable with compassion and justice.
May this Easter season renew our hearts, deepen our communion, and inspire us to move forward together with faith and courage. May the Risen Christ continue to guide and sustain us as we carry out God’s mission in the Philippines.
Let us walk on as a people of hope, united in love, and alive in the promise of the Resurrection.
Yours in Mission,
Fr. Leonito Distor, SSC
