Columbans: BRITAIN
Columban Mission History in Britain
In 1918 the St. Columban's Missionary Society was founded in Ireland.
While training of the first 19 students commenced, priests who had joined
the Society promoted the new missionary venture in parishes in Britain.
The first group of eleven Columbans set off from Liverpool for China on
27th March 1921. Priest friends from Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester
and Leeds came to wish them "God speed", as did a large number of Catholics
from Liverpool. The dockers, largely dependent on piece time work refused
to take anything for handling their baggage. During the war years 1939-45,
it was not possible to travel abroad. Twenty nine Columbans joined up
as Army and RAF chaplains, while 32 Columbans joined various dioceses
replacing priests gone as chaplains. Other Columbans, depending on where
they happened to be on mission, served as chaplains to British, Canadian
and U.S. forces.
Mission Education
The Far East Magazine appeals had begun before the war but due to shortage
of paper and war conditions these contacts with Far East promoters and
subscribers were lost. Work began again in Birmingham ('49), Glasgow ('50),
Salford ('51) and Shrewsbury ('52). Fr Jack Byrne began his many years
of promotion work in Britain in the Archdiocese of Westminster ('53).
Fr Michael Healy joined him and promotion work began in Southwark ('54)
During the years 1953-4, Mgr Quinlan, Frs Phil Crosbie, Paddy Ronan, Jack
Casey, Owen O'Kane, and Aidan McGrath, all back from Communist jails in
China, got huge publicity in the media on arrival in London. In 1988 we
joined the National Missionary Council. The Mission Awareness and Support
Team cover up to 300 parishes a year in England and are able to promote
the Far East magazine and take up a collection. Three deaneries are covered
each year in Scotland, where Columbans also do supply cover in parishes
and have an Apostolate with the Chinese community and the Legion of Mary.
Ministries in Britain
Chaplaincies
Columbans have been the Director of the Irish Chaplaincy here in England
and Wales for most of its history. Fr Bobby Gilmore, in particular, in
recent times played a unique role of solidarity to the "Guildford Four"
and "Birmingham Six" in their struggle for justice.
Also, Fr Tim O'Keeffe, under the auspices of the Chaplaincy, gave pastoral
support for HIV/AIDS patients.
The Filipino Chaplaincy has also been the pastoral work of the Columbans,
first the priests and now the Columban sisters. Fr Aodh O'Halpin works
at the Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers, where support has been
given to domestic workers who have fled their employers because of unjust
treatment. In recent years people from other countries, particularly the
Indian subcontinent, have also been helped.
Justice and Peace
Frs Ed O'Connell and Michael Kelly began the Vocation for Justice Columban
Contacts Newsletter in 1986. Circulation is now over 8,000. For many years
the Columbans have accompanied the Diocesan Justice and Peace network,
sometimes facilitating meetings and at other times providing inputs. Columbans
also work in close collaboration with CAFOD and SCIAF, the Catholic third
world development agencies of England, Wales and Scotland. In the last
three years the theme of the International Debt has been highlighted.
Columbans in Britain have also very much supported and been part of the
initiatives of Church Action on Poverty - an organisation which campaigns
on tackling poverty in Britain. A recent National Poverty Hearing brought
together politicians and Church leaders to hear the experiences of people
in poverty and listen to their suggestions for change.
East London Project
Since 1991 Fr Ray Collier has been working in the Newham Deanery of Brentwood
Diocese, accompanying the many community groups which exist in this multi-cultural
area of London. Issues which Columbans are concerned about are racial
harrassment, the plight of refugees and developing the bonds amongst the
different faith communities.
Inter-Faith Dialogue
On-going work has been done in Bradford over many years by Fr
Ed O'Connell. This has included leading a group of people from Bradford,
both Christian and Muslim, on a pilgrimage of understanding to Pakistan.
It has also resulted in the production of two videos, Barriers or Bridges,
made in Bradford, and Call to Prayer, Call to Partnership, made in Pakistan.
The videos show how it is possible to go about inter-faith dialogue with
both faith communities being involved together in resolving quality of
life issues
Lay Missionary
Programme
During the years 1992-3 initial work was done to set up a Programme with
the help of a Lay Consultation Group. Ideally, the Coordinator's Team
should be made up of an ordained Columban, a Columban sister and a layperson.
This we were able to keep in place for a number of months. Presently,
the overall Coordinator is Mr Leon Poltawski, working with the help of
Fr Frank Regan, Ms Helen Granger and a group of lay consultors. The first
"sending" programme discernment and orientation course was held from August
to December 1994, out of which three laywomen from Britain were sent "on
mission" to Peru in January 1995. Since March 1995, a Filipino lay missionary
has been working in the Newham Deanery Team with Fr Ray Collier. At present
our second "sending" programme, which started in January 1996, involves
two candidates. They hope to go to Peru in June 1996.