Umalliq Columbano

05/08/2026

Ante la próxima visita del Papa al Perú, del 11 al 17 de noviembre, el cardenal Carlos Castillo, arzobispo de Lima, destaca la alegría con la que la ...

02/08/2026

01/08/2026

The latest issue of Our Far East magazine is out now!

Sr. Ann Gray explains how a replica of a 6th century bell has reinforced the bonds between the Columban Sisters and a school in Hong Kong.

Be sure to share with family and friends. For those that wish to subscribe to receive the Far East via post you can do so via our website.

www.columbans.co.uk

29/07/2026

Sensitive to the images around us
Today we remember St Peter Chrysologus (380-450). He was bishop of Ravenna. The name “chrysologus” means “golden speech” because he was a great preacher. Unfortunately most of his writings have perished and only a few short homilies remain. As I remember St Peter Chrysologus and his gift with words, it takes me to the first reading for today from Jeremiah 18:1-6 where the prophet is told by God to go to the potter’s house to hear what God was going to tell him. As he was watching the potter working on the wheel, the spinning implement that the potter uses to create a vessel, like a jar or an ornamental bowl, he saw the potter break down a particular vessel because it was turning out wrong and begin to use the same clay to try again and create something worthwhile. As he watched this happening, the word of God came to him and he saw how God works at reshaping a community after it begins to mess things up. So, God spoke saying, “as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in mine, House of Israel.” For many a great preacher or prophet, it is the power of imagination that enables one to recognise or hear God’s word. It is the ability to see what God is saying. This brings me to the gospel for today from Matthew 13:47-53 where Jesus is speaking to the crowd about the kingdom of heaven by comparing it to the dragnet that the fishermen throw into the sea. This brings in both the good fish and the useless ones that are thrown away. Like Chrysologus and Jeremiah, Jesus also aroused the imagination of his listeners by referring to everyday events, like the way the fishermen would haul in their nets and separate the good fish from the useless or inedible fish. For us, then, the challenge in prayer is to look at what happens around us and allow our imaginations to discern what God is saying to us. It is to see what God is saying.
Tom Rouse

29/07/2026

Fr Noel Kerins has been a Columban for over 60 years. He spoke to Fr Alo Connaughton about the changes he has seen during his time as a in . Read more here: https://columbans.ie/you-must-have-faith-padre/

13/07/2026

Dying leads to rising to true life
In the first reading today, Isaiah makes a very strong attack on the practice of sacrificing animals to win God's favour. He uses such words as ''I am sick of holocausts,'' ''The blood of bulls revolts me.'' Yet despite the force of Isaiah's words, the high priests did not listen and were still offering such sacrifices at the time of Jesus.The words of Jesus in the gospel may surprise even shock us at first when he says that he has not come to bring peace but a sword. How can we reconcile those words with the first greeting to the apostles after the Resurrection when he said, ''Peace be with you.'' Of course Jesus did come to bring peace but even in the same family there can be differences of opinion and divisions when some members accept and follow Jesus faithfully whereas others do not. How many parents suffer when their children do not share their faith? Grandparents are upset when their grandchildren are not baptized. Jesus himself was rejected and crucified and he says that we too must take up our cross to follow him. He does not mean that we seek out suffering but that following Jesus often means that we have to put aside our own desires and not let ourselves be influenced by those who ideas and practices are different. St Paul calls it dying to sin. ''So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.'' (Romans 6:11) As with Jesus, dying leads to rising to true life.
Don Hornsey