Wise and compassionate God, accept this our prayer;
Sheltered from storm and darkness, under this roof,
This family kneels to adore You.
For the day just past,
For keeping us safely, body and soul,
Now we most humbly thank You.
For the good black earth and the seeds producing
The plenteous harvest; for times without number
May 6, 2019
May 5, 2019
Sing praise to our Lord, for He is gracious,
it is fitting to praise Him.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
sing praise with the harp to our God,
Who covers the heavens with clouds,
who provides rain for the earth;
Who makes grain sprout on the mountains
and herbs for the service of men;
Who gives food to the cattle,
May 4, 2019
Oh, St. Joseph,
whose protection is so great,
so strong, so prompt before the throne of God,
I place in you all my interest and desires.
Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession,
and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power,
May 3, 2019
O God, Who gladdens us by the yearly festival day
of Your Apostles Philip and James;
grant we beseech You
that we who rejoice in their merits,
may be taught by their examples.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one world without end.
Amen.
May 2, 2019
Do you know, sweet Mary,
Whereto I aspire?
It is my hope to love You,
This is my desire.
I would ever be near You,
Queen most fair and sweet!
Do not, do not drive me
From my Mother's feet.
Then, O Rose most lovely!
Let me hear from You.
Loving Mother! tell me
What thou wilt of me.
May 1, 2019
The new Columban century brought us a new Columban priest in Fiji. Deacon Martin Koroiciri was ordained a priest at the Suva Cathedral by Archbishop Chong on the vigil of St. Columban's day in November 2018.
May 1, 2019
What do we know of the woman we call Mother of God and Mother of the Church? She was probably born in Nazareth, a Galilean town of about 1,600 people, in the reign of Herod the Great. She spoke Aramaic, but she would also have heard Latin spoken among the Romans, Greek used in commerce and by the elected officials, and Hebrew when the Torah was proclaimed in the synagogue.
May 1, 2019
My childhood dream was always to be a religious sister. The seed of this dream must have been sown by the Columban missionaries, Sisters and priests, who were my educators and friends from my early years. I was baptized by the late Columban Fr. Paul Cooney. I worked as a teacher for several years before deciding in 1990 to join the first Columban Lay Missionary team from the Philippines.
May 1, 2019
From the seclusion of his monastery in Kentucky, the Cistercian monk, Thomas Merton, reached out to the men and women of his time with a wise and compassionate heart. The writings of this contemplative priest, poet and author continue to inspire us today.
May 1, 2019
Today I escaped from my Hindi studies to visit two veteran French missionaries, Frs. Cocereau and Debois at Naililili mission station. I was impressed by the fine old church despite the green fungus on the walls. I heard that Fr. Debois polled his way in a boat up the aisle to say Mass there during a flood. It is still no bother to him to tramp in his big boots to nearby villages.
The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.