COLUMBAN MISSION: AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND
EARLY HISTORY
The first Columban arrived in Australia on January 6, 1920. In August
that same year the first edition of The Far East was published. The Essendon
house was purchased in 1923 and became the headquarters. For a short time
it was a seminary and a center for Sunday Mass. The first Columban Calendar
appeared in 1924. The Columbans established strong contacts with the local
clergy which enabled privileged access to potential supporters. Some years
later the Columbans went to New Zealand and settled in Lower Hutt. New
Zealand's best known Columban was Fr Frank Douglas who was assigned to
the Philippines shortly before the Japanese army over-ran the country
during the Second World War. At the end of May 1943, witnesses saw him
taken from his rural parish near Manila. He was tortured in a nearby church.
His body has never been recovered.
COLUMBAN MISSION ACTIVITIES
Promotion and Fundraising
As one of the first Regions, Australia/New Zealand was meant to support
Columban mission in China with funds and priests. The mission was promoted
and supported through the magazine, The Far East, Columban Calendar, and
an army of supporters recruited by massive parish appeals throughout both
countries. Today this work continues and is directed from Essendon in
Australia and Lower Hutt in New Zealand.
Mission Education
The Far East magazine and the stories of returning missionaries were our
way of promoting mission. The Columban Mission Institute (formerly Pacific
Mission Institute) began 20 years ago to educate missionaries, lay, priests
and religious, at a deeper and more structural level. There is a Columban
Mission Team which spends up to a year or more in a diocese expressly
for education to mission. The J.P.I.C. Coordinator networks with many
groups on issues vital to modern day mission. The newly introduced "Columban
International Year Awards" is continuing our exposure and awareness building
in Catholic schools.
In November 1995 St. Columban's Missionary Society, with the endorsement of the Australian Bishops, sponsored a National Consultation on Mission. Over 250 participants from more than 15 countries attended. They came together to reflect on the implications for today of the Gospel mandate: "Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Gospel to all creation" Mk 16:15). They spoke out of an experience that was fine-tuned to the suffering and aspirations of people in places as far away as Kenya and Kiribati and yet as heart-rending as the situation of the homeless youth who wander the streets of Sydney. It was a privileged moment to tell "what they had seen and heard" and listen for signs that could point the way forward." Mk 16:15). When they spoke it was out of an experience that was fine-tuned to the suffering and aspirations of people in places as far away as Kenya and Kiribati and yet as heart-rending as the situation of the homeless youth who wander the streets of Sydney. It was a privileged moment to tell "what they had seen and heard" and listen for signs that could point the way forward.
Formation/Vocations
Over the years the Region has given many priests to overseas mission.
Today our clerical vocations are very few. The future of mission, like
most other Church activities, will be more and more in the hands of lay
people. While we still call young men to missionary priesthood we also
invite lay people to work with us on mission through their local church.
Partnership in Mission
A very successful enterprise has been our Associate Priests Programme.
Many diocesan priests from Australia and New Zealand have worked with
us in Peru and Chile. A new phase will be entering dialogue with those
who have returned to see how the partnership can continue here. While
the Region has no lay missionaries within the Columban Lay Missionary
Programme at present, we are very actively involved with the local lay
missionary programmes - PALMS in Australia and COVS in New Zealand.
Pastoral Commitments
Returned Columban missionaries are involved in six dioceses in Australia
and three in New Zealand. This pastoral work involves some of them in
work with Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Aboriginal peoples as well as
peoples of other ethnic backgrounds. A model of being in partnership with
a diocese is being developed as the preferred way so that Columbans can
express their missionary vocation more broadly within the Region. The
Columbans also network with groups outreaching into South East Asia.