Releant Radio

On April 15, 2009 Columban Associate Sr. Colleen Nolan, OP, will be a guest speaker on a local Chicago area show on Releant Radio at 9:30 a.m. 950 AM. For those in the Chicago area, Colleen and Sister Madge Karecki, Director of the Catholic Mission Office in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Maureen, Associate Director and coordinator of the Holy Childhood Association will be speaking about Mission and Global Awareness. They will talk about initiatives in mission they are presently working on especially in the area of mission education.

No Fear, All Faith

The German-American theologian Paul Tillich (August 20, 1886 – October 20, 1965) wrote that “fear is the absence of faith.” During this global economic collapse, when it seems like everyone is afraid, I wonder how Tillich would respond.

Even during economic boom times, most of us fear losing our jobs, our health insurance or our ability to provide food, clothing and shelter for ourselves and our children. In response to fear bred by economic uncertainty, the American public is saving at higher rates, consuming less and looking for ways to cut their spending. In addition, communities are working together to help those who just can not pay their bills and put food on the table.

Is this the silver lining? The renewed sense of community and purpose? An invitation to the table that holds fewer material goods but more spiritual ones and opportunities for fellowship?

My church received two dozen new members on Sunday. Twenty-four men, women and children made a public proclamation of faith, of their desire to help build God’s kingdom, of their commitment to helping others. No fear – all faith.

Kate Kenny, managing editor, Columban Mission magazine

Preda Award

Meteor Music Gives Humanitarian Award to PREDA.

PREDA has been awarded the Ireland Humanitarian Award from Meteor Music in recognition of the importance of their work in combating child abuse, trafficking and sexual exploitation of minors and youth. On St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2009, the award will be presented to Columban Fr. Shay Cullen.

A few of the previous winners of this award were: Sir Elton John for his AIDS foundation; Christina Noble for her work with street children in Vietnam and Mongolia; Bono who donated it to Goal and Concern; Sister Stanislaus Kennedy for her work with immigrants and children in Ireland; Adi Roche for her work with the children of Chernobyl.

For more information about PREDA, please visit:

http://www.preda.org

Border Exposure Trip, March 12-17, 2009

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.”
--Cesare Pavese

On March 12, 2009, I am leaving Omaha, Nebraska for El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico. Three fellow Columban employees are going on the trip as well. We are participating in the Society’s Border Exposure Experience, a cross-cultural mission trip designed to introduce people to Columbans, our mission and the people we serve. The program is new in 2009, and we’re working out the logistical kinks by sending members of the home team on the first trip to the Border.

We go without expectations, trusting in God’s plan (and the itinerary provided by Columbans in the area). I’ll post an update and perhaps a photo or two after our return on 3/17.

Kate Kenny, managing editor, Columban Mission magazine

A 100th Birthday Celebration

On February 7, 2009, Daniel Hoare, father of Columban Father Frank Hoare, celebrated his 100th birthday. Fr. Frank celebrated the Mass and dedicated his homily to his father on the most unique and joyful birthday occasion.

After Mass, the group had lunch in a pub beside the church where the publican asked Mr. Hoare to have a photo taken as he pulled a pint. After pulling the pint, Mr. Hoare asked, "Anyone else for one?"

Congratulations to the entire Hoare family on the extraordinary gift of Daniel Hoare’s 100th birthday.

Fr. Frank Hoare currently is working in Myanmar where he has experienced a warm welcome from the people.

Entering, Eating and Breaking

Recently I perpetrated a new crime: Entering, Eating, Breaking and Being Caught Red-Handed! No one would accuse me of being a criminal mastermind after the events transpired.

It happened when I was on a two-week Columban Mission magazine promotion in Mt. Vernon, Washington. Mt. Vernon is north of Seattle, Washington, and has a cluster of parishes with one pastor, Fr. Martin Bourke. Fr. Bourke is a former Columban, a friend of mine and very kind. My first weekend would be in St. Elizabeth parish, several miles from where Fr. Bourke resides.

Prior to my trip, Martin mailed me the keys to the church and the rectory in case the resident priest might take a holiday since I would be celebrating all the Masses that weekend. I arrived in the rain and visited the empty church. I then asked the only person in sight which house was the rectory. He confidently pointed across the street and said “the white house.” I was surprised to find the door open and the house empty. The bedroom on the left, which Fr. Bourke said would be mine for the weekend, had an unmade bed as did the bedroom on the right. Having lived with other priests for so many years, I just smiled. Failing to find any bed linen, I decided to take the chance that the last occupant didn’t have anything contagious.

I would have loved a cup of coffee but had to settle for a tea bag and cup of water heated in the microwave. I also treated myself to a good slice of pumpkin pie that I found in the refrigerator. Then, I did something I hadn’t done in sixty years. I dropped the cup, and it shattered into many pieces. Since it didn’t appear to be part of a set, I decided the best solution was to collect the fragments and put them in my car. Having dabbled in Cannon Law, I knew the danger of habeas corpus.

I looked around and found a widescreen television, so I sat down to watch a golf tournament. After about an hour, my entertainment was disturbed by a young couple. Initially they were quite angry to find a stranger in their home, watching their television. However, after I explained the mix up, they were very understanding and friendly even though they were not Catholic. We had a good laugh before they directed me to the red brick rectory three doors down.

Later in the evening they arrived at the rectory with the sandwich and fries that I had left in their refrigerator. We laughed again, exchanged business cards, shook hands and went our separate ways. It is fortunate they didn’t call the police when they found me in their home. I’m not sure how a police officer would ticket me for eating their pie!

As a missionary who constantly meets new people in new places, I have found that a good laugh, sometimes at my own expense, is a special grace. -- Fr. Peter Kenny, March 2009