Left to right: Columban Ordination in South Korea – Fr. Peter O'Neill, Fr. Park Yo Sup Joseph, Fr. Seong Yo Seop Joseph, Fr. Shim Hong Seok Ambrosio, Deacon Lee Jeong Rak Verano and Fr. Kim Young In. - Photo: Fr Kevin O'Neill
In the church’s liturgical calendar, the fourth Sunday of Easter is World Day of Prayer for Vocations. As missionary disciples of Jesus, we are all called by God to be instruments of God’s love in the world and witnesses to the life and message of Jesus marked by compassion, mercy, justice and forgiveness lived out through the vocation God has given each one of us: in marriage, the single life, religious life, priesthood, or the missionary life as a lay missionary, sister or priest.
Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of February was for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. In his message of encouragement, he noted that in today’s world, the decision to become a priest or a religious sister is so counter-cultural that many family members might oppose it, and the broader community might find such a decision hard to understand. He recognised these responses from family members and the wider community, praying that members of the Catholic community will encourage those considering a religious vocation and be open to their doubts and desires.
Pope Francis gave good desires and doubts equal standing. Doubts remind us that we have not yet arrived at choosing the way of life that will match our desires. They are particularly significant when we are considering a way of life that runs so strongly against the professed values of our culture, such as religious life or priesthood. He reminded us that a calling from God is not a sudden flash of light but a work in progress, believing that generous desires will eventually open out into the path that God wants us to follow.
The vocation of a Columban missionary - whether a lay missionary, sister, or priest - is to cross boundaries of country, language, culture, and religion; to leave one’s homeland to live among people of another culture, bearing witness to God’s love for all; proclaiming and witnessing to the good news of Jesus; accompanying people of all faiths as they grow in their faith; and standing in solidarity with the poor of our world as together we care for Earth, our common home.
Columban missionaries come from 15 countries: from Myanmar across the Pacific to Fiji, Peru and beyond. We work in 16 countries across Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Europe. Our intercultural identity reflects the richness of the diverse cultures that make up the communities within local churches around the world.
As a Columban missionary, my life has been enriched by the people of Taiwan and China. In Taiwan, I worked as a prison chaplain, accompanying men and women as they shared their vulnerability along with their hopes and dreams for a better future. In China, where I now live and work, I am inspired by the active faith of the vibrant Catholic communities as I accompany people on retreat and young men discerning a call to become Columban missionaries.
Benedictine contemplative sister, Sr. Joan Chittister, reflecting on the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians - ‘the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good’ - says that no matter our vocation in life, ‘we are meant to be messengers, models and makers of a whole new world of justice and love wherever we are.’ She adds, ‘Each of us must do something so that God’s will and Jesus’ love are clear to everyone we meet.’
Let us pray that all people continue to find joy in their respective vocations; that the church expands spaces for everyone to exercise their call within the church community; and that those who hear the call to the missionary life as a Columban lay missionary, sister, or priest may respond generously to this call.
Fr Kevin O’Neill, lives and works in China.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
