Missionary Society of St. Columban
The Missionary Society of St. Columban (Latin: Societas S. Columbani pro Missionibus ad Exteros) (SSCME), also known as "The Columbans", is a missionary, Catholic religious order, founded in Ireland in 1916 and approved by the Vatican in 1918. Initially it was known as the Maynooth Mission to China. Members may be priests, nuns or lay missionary workers.
Extension of the mission
From 1929 onwards, the Society extended its mission to further countries; the Philippines, Korea, Burma, Japan, Peru, Fiji, Chile, Taiwan, Pakistan, Brazil, Belize and Jamaica. The current international headquarters is in Hong Kong.
Columban mission in Pakistan
Columbans first went to Pakistan in 1979 at the request of the Bishop of the Diocese of Lahore, Punjab Province. In 1983, the Columbans began to work in the Diocese of Hyderabad in Sindh province. There are presently thirteen ordained Columbans assigned to Pakistan, two Lay Missionaries and five Columban Sisters.
Notable Columbans
- Bishop Edward J. Galvin (founder)
- Father John Blowick (co-founder)
- Father Shay Cullen, campaigner for the elimination of child prostitution in the Philippines [1] and defender of human rights [2], co-founder of the PREDA Foundation
- Father Francis Douglas (1910-1943), New Zealand missionary murdered by Japanese soldiers the Philippines.
- Father Brian Gore, Australian missionary to the Philippines who suffered false imprisonment
- Father Rufus Halley, missionary to the Philippines who was murdered in 2001
- Father Robert McCulloch, missionary to Pakistan for more than 27 years
- Father W. Aedan McGrath, missionary to the China who suffered false imprisonment in the early 1950s
- Father Nguyen Van Hung, anti-human trafficking activist in Taiwan[1]
- Father Niall O'Brien, missionary to the Philippines who suffered false imprisonment
- Father Sean Nolan, founder and former president of Saint Columban College, Pagadian City and co-founder of other Columban schools in the Philippines.
- Father James Stuart saved the lives of many refugees and American airmen in Northern Burma during World War II. In appreciation of the valuable service he rendered British and American Intelligence, the "Fighting Father", as he was referred to afterwards, was awarded the O.B.E.
- Archbishop Patrick Cronin D.D., second archbishop of Cagayan de Oro and founded the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, located in that city.
- Archbishop Harold Henry, D.D., first Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kwangju (1962-1971).
References
Sources
- St Columban's Missionary Magazine - The Far East
- Liturgical Calendar - Columban Calendar
- William E. Barrett. The Red Lacquered Gate.
- Jack Barnard, M.C.. The Hump: The Incredible Courage of War Weary Men in the Last Evacuation of Burma.
External links