By Monica Alaisa Picayo “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” – Proverbs 19:21 These are the lines that remind me how God can change my life in just a blink of an eye. My name is Monica, and I’ve been a member of …
To all Columban Lay Missionaries, It has been a privilege to be part of the journey of the Columban Lay Missionaries (CLM) for five years. I am truly grateful to the Philippine region, especially the lay missionaries, for the opportunity to be part of the Lay Mission Leadership Team (LMLT) as priest representative. Looking back, …
From the islands to the Philippines. My vocation story began in the beautiful islands of Fiji, where I was inspired by the work of the Columbans in my parish, and local church. I made a life-changing decision to join the Columbans as a lay missionary in crossing boundaries, culture and creed. I went through …
By Fr. Shay Cullen, Founder of PREDA (est. 1974) When Pope Francis arrived in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority country in the world, he delivered a message of peace, dialogue and religious tolerance, along with a warning against extremism. In recent years, religious rivalry gave rise to extremism that distorted religious beliefs through “deception and …
By Marjorie Engcoy JPIC-Mindanao Animator On May 8-13, 2024, members of the Interfaith Forum for Peace, Harmony, and Solidarity of Cagayan de Oro City embarked on a weeklong pilgrimage to the oldest mosque structure, which was erected in Simunol, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, in 1380. A total of 22 pilgrims participated in the journey of appreciating …
By Ana Flores, CLM I met Jenny in 2022 during the pandemic. I remember that time when I attended Mass in Narulang, I saw Jenny and her two-year-old daughter Jennifer, and I wondered why Jennifer was walking with difficulty. After Mass, Jenny and I had a brief conversation about her family. She shared with …
By Edward Robert Gallagher “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”- Anatole France From a young age, I was inspired by my father, who introduced me to the Catholic Church and to a member of the Missionary Society of St. Columban, a …
By Fr. Ji Kwangkyu, SSC I grew up in a family that didn’t practice religion. When I was young, I thought there was no God. I am not proud to admit it, but I used to say negative things about religion because I was filled with anger. However, I stand before you now as a …
by Marjorie Engcoy, JPIC-Mindanao Animator Last July 5-7, 2024, the first renewal program for the Laudato Si (LS) Animators in Mindanao was held. A total of 20 LS Animators gathered for this event to reflect on their experiences as animators and champions for our Common Home, inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si. The …
By Fr. Louie Ybañez, SSC Looking after the schools in six villages is a huge task that requires constant monitoring. We face many challenges, most of which are long-standing issues that have persisted for many years. A renewed vision with an action plan in place for these schools is needed. Part of the plan is …
