Exiles’ In The Land Of Chopsticks
By Gee-Gee O. Torres
We asked our Assistant Editor, Gee-Gee Torres, to visit our Filipino missionaries in Korea. There she stumbled upon our Filipino migrant workers. Here she tells her story (Ed.)
July-August 2001
God’s Servant First
By Fr. Alo Connaughton mssc
We had the privilege of welcoming “Fr. Thomas Y” to the office of the Irish Columban magazine, The Far East. Occasionally his name had cropped up in conversations of older Columbans who had worked in China. The casual observer could be forgiven for assuming that this lively, smiling 70-year-old had probably live a tranquil, uneventful life.
He was born into an old Catholic family in 1929. As a young boy in Nacheng, he had known some of the Columban missionaries and the local bishop, Patrick Cleary. He decided to study for the priesthood in Shanghai. His studies were interrupted by a 16-months jail sentenced for being a member of the Legion of Mary. On his release he continued his theological studies on his own and was ordained priest in 1957.
Will We Ever See His Like Again?
By Niall O’ Brien mssc
On Monday, October 9, at 7:00 pm at Daytona Beach in Florida, while crossing the road, Fr. Eamonn Gill was hit by a truck and killed instantly.
Fr. Aemonn spent nearly half a century here in the island of Negros. In a few days time he had planned to come back to the Philippines. Eamonn first came here in 1950. He was appointed to the parish of Ma-ao Central. The young, dedicated, active priest was immediately loved by the people and to this day families like the Hilados, the Wrights, the Aranetas, Coscolluelas and Hagads know him and love him.
To Leave Home Forever?
By Sr. Mary Reparatrix SSpSAP
Some 50 years ago, a young Filipina decided to join a contemplative order of nuns. Half a century later she is in Brazil and she looks back and remembers that first journey to the monastery with its wrenching decision.
An Elephant I’ll Never Forget
By Sr. Nelida op
A Filipino Dominican Sister works in Kenya. Sr. Nelida tells us of a scary adventure she had with an elephant.
Where Their Souls Once Wept
By Memen Lauzon
Recently, Memen Lauzon made a return visit to East Timor. Memen Lauzon works for international Dialogue, a non government organization based in the Philippines which helps to build solidarity in places like East Timor. She shares with us her return journey to East Timor and her great appreciation of the work of Filipino Missionaries there. Se mentioned many of these missionaries but for editorial reason I have been forced to cut them down. But I can assure you her respect for each and every one of them is unbounded. (Ed).
Laj Rolando
By Fr. Edralin Daquipil cicm
Edralin Daquipil, cicm is a native of Negros Occidental in the Philippines. He arrived in Guatemala in July of 1996 for his three years of missionary internship. When he wrote this article he was living among the Maya Q’eqchi Indians, accompanying them in their work, harvesting cardamom and corn, listening to their stories and participating in their religious traditions. He was ordained a deacon in 1999 at the church of San Marcos the Evangelist in Tierra Nueva, Guatemala City. And last year he was ordained to priesthood in the Philippines at Sto. Rosario Church in Fabrica, Sagay, Negros Occidental.
Emma Returns
By Emma Pabera
Emma Pabera, a Columban lay missionary, has lived in the male-dominated society of Pakistan from 1990-1993. Emma is now working with the Columban Lay Mission Program in the Philippines. Recently she had a chance to revisit the country and see old friends.
Body Painting That ‘Heals’
By Sr. Alice Lansang icm
Sr. Alice Lansang has been living with the Aikewara people in the faraway jungles of Brazil for many years now. Over the years she has come to learn and respect the local culture of these indigenous people. One of those things she has come to realize is that body painting is not just a pastime but has powerful cultural meaning.
He Waits In Silence
By Sr. Rosalinda Gonzales mmm
I saw him
Lying in his bed in the Lower Block at Kabanga Hospital...
Alone.
He is 24 years old
No family...
All were killed during the atrocities in Burundi.
He managed to escape
to freedom...
to Tanzania.
It Happened On Mendiola Bridge
By Chester Lastica
My first awareness of religion was when my grandmother brought me, together with my cousins, to hear Mass. We were already late and it was a very disappointing experience to watch people be driven away from the pew where the name of our family was deeply engraved so as to accommodate us comfortably in a jam-packed church. It so happened that one of those driven away from that pew was my friend.
For some time we have been asked to put in Misyon a section on Questions which our readers would like raised. We are not too sure how appropriate or suitable this is so please let us know if these questions have been of any help to you. We are calling this article To Search is to Find because we do not have the answers to every question – but the very asking of the question is the beginning of the answer.
Corruption: No Hope?
Recent events in the Philippines have revealed great corruption on all sides. Is there any hope for change? What can Christians do?
Answer: We must never lose hope. Other countries have been through similar crises of corruption and have now reduced it o manageable levels. As Christians we must:
a. Protest clearly, loudly and continually.
b. Vote for people with a clean record and not continue the old system of voting for our friends, relatives and kababayans.
c. We must join organizations set up to stop corruption like Namfrel or Graftwatch.
Shut Down The School Of The Americas
By Jane Sammon
The logo of the School of the Americas (SOA) is a circle which as its very center rights groups, SOA Watch, “the flagship of Christopher Columbus”, with a darkly sketched cross in the middle of its sail. On the other half of the circle’s border is the motto: Uno Para Todos y Todos Para Uno. Lastly, and surrounding all of this, are the flags of various Latin America and Caribbean nations, plus a rather discreetly positioned Stars and Stripes. One might assume it is there to indicate our unobtrusive role in this tidy arrangement, as “equal among equals,” a “one for all and all for one” camaraderie.
