By: Sr. Tammy Saberon
Sr. Tammy Saberon, (author) a Columban Missionary in Hong Kong for 81/2 years. Sr. Tammy now the Mission/ Vocation Animator of the Columban Sister in the Visayas and Mindanao
One of the strange things that a Missionary experiences is to long for something she used to do or used to have at home but at the same time to discover something beautiful in her new land, something beautiful in her new land, something which compensates.
By: Sr. Carmela Santos, SPC
Sr. Carmela Santos from the Philippines works in London, England. Here she tells us her parish ministry and some of the people she has met and learned from.
International Parish
St. Joan of Arc is a thriving and active parish in Highbury, Borough of Islington in North London. It boasts of a happy community of some 5,000 parishioners; many of whom have immigrated from several parts of the world. Most of them come from common wealth countries, Ireland and Western Europe. There are a good number of Christian, Jewish and Muslim churches in Islington but the Roman Catholic Churches are apparently the best attended.
By: Lily Javier
Lily Javier is a Filipino migrant worker in Italy. She helps at a special center set up to keep the Filipinos together. Here she tells us about the Center and about one of the Filipino Missionaries (O.S.A.) who has helped to make life away from home easier for these unwilling exiles.
Disturbing News
Nearly one year and a half ago the Filipinos in Turin, especially the mothers were disturbed upon learning that Sister Claribelle Jugueta, O.S.A. was going home to the Philippines, assigned to a new mission.
St. Paul to the Filipinos
Once a month, I meet my catechists and explain to them all the four Sunday readings. In one of those meetings, the second reading was from Paul’s letter to the Philippines. Knowing that Ghanaians call Filipinos “Philippians”, I said, “kindly read the letter of Paul to my great-grand parents.” Not even one noticed the joke.
By: Neil Collins
On Visit to Pakistan
The feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, I was appointed as Lay Mission Coordinator for the Columbans in Mindanao. After ten good years in various parishes in Zamboanga del Sur I found it difficult to move into a new, unknown assignment. Then, in September, I was able to spent A week in Pakistan and to witness the work of three Filipina lay missionaries Pilar Tilos and Emma Pabera from Negros Occidental, and Gloria Canama from Misamis Occidental. The experience has colored all I’ve said and done since.
By: Fr. Efren de Guzman, SVD
War Again!
As we go to press the peace talks in Ivory Coast have broken down and civil war has broken out yet again in weary Angola. Fr. Efren de Guzman, our correspondent in Angola and our intrepid missionary writes and tells us about the hardships.
By: Sr. Victoria C. Lerin, FMM
Sr. Victoria tells us the difficulties of adopting to a new culture and how it means rediscovering who you yourself are...
Jungle Mission
My name is Sr. Victoria Lerin, I am a sister of the Marcesa Sisters working in Bolivia in Latin America.
We are four sisters here, two Spanish, a Brazilian and myself a Filipina. We Collaborate in the work of the Parish administers, the Maryknoll Fathers. As of now, we have only one Priest, so formation lay leaders helps a lot in our pastoral work and we can reach even the farthest communities in the midst of the jungles which is the main concern of the Parish. [I always believe that the God of Israel is the same God of Today who is one with His people in their struggle to live as Christians].
By: Fr. Vinnie Busch
Fr. Vincent Busch, a Columban Missionary in Mindanao has been a leading figure in the Philippines Environmental Movement. Using seminars, articles, and film, and slide show he shares some of his deepest insight into the destruction of Mindanao and the Philippines. Here is a summary of his experience.
A Beautiful Land
Seventeen years ago I planted myself in Mindanao. I faced a new and wondrously diverse community of tropical animals and plants, mangroves and rain forest, reefs and rivers, volcanoes and earthquakes.
