Over 400 relatives of deceased Columbans attended Cemetery Sunday in Dalgan Park on Sunday 11th June 2023.
The Mass was celebrated by Fr Donal Hogan with Columbans in Ireland concelebrating. The Prayers of the Faithful were led by Ciaran Murray. His Columban uncle was Fr Tommy Geraghty who worked in China and the Philippines.
The Reflection after Communion was a poem written by regional Director, Fr Raymond Husband, which was read by Fr Cyril Lovett, former editor of the Far East magazine. The poem is reproduced below Fr Donal Hogan’s homily.
After Mass and the blessing of the graves, everyone adjourned to St Columban’s for refreshments and to chat about their Columban relatives. A wonderful, uplifting occasion. We are so grateful to all those who attended and especially to those who travelled huge distances to be with us.
Photo: Columban Mission Images
Cemetery Sunday – Homily by Fr Donal Hogan
The Corpus Christi procession that we used to hold in all the towns and cities of Ireland in the 1950s reminded us that we are a pilgrim people. Your coming here today from North, South, East and West is truly a pilgrimage. Thank you all for setting aside all your concerns and giving the time to come and celebrate Cemetery Sunday with us. I know that some have travelled long distances to be here. For this we say a big thank you.
Our very lives can be seen as pilgrimages, because what is life if it is not a journey? Psalm 84 speaks of this: ‘Blessed are those whose trust is in God, whose heart is set on pilgrimage….They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.’
Our first reading today speaks of the Israelites on their journey through the desert towards the promised land. They complained about their hunger and the Lord gave them manna from heaven to strengthen them on their way.
In today’s gospel Jesus tells us he is the new manna – ‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven … not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live forever.’ Paul in his confession of faith simply says, ‘I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.’ Jesus continues to give himself to us in the Eucharist.
In this cemetery we can trace the journey of Columbans over the years… Edward Galvin and John Blowick, both of whom are buried in this cemetery, responded to the command of Jesus to ‘Go out and make disciples of all nations’ by founding, with the support of the Irish Bishops, the Missionary Society of St Columban. Like Jesus, they too felt compassion for the crowds that were like sheep without a shepherd.
Often their efforts and those of the Columbans who followed them seemed to have been in vain – they came out of China in the clothes they stood up in. What drove them? What kept them going? We do not have to go far for an answer – as it is in the Eucharist, our feast of today. They were nourished, strengthened and transformed by the Eucharist. As we sing in our communion hymn today: ‘God gives me life, God lives in me; he feeds my soul, he guides my ways, and every grief with joy repays.’
We remember, especially, today our martyrs, and pray that we too may be faithful witnesses to the gospel.
Others escaped with their lives but some suffered much. Owen O’Kane, in an interview in the Far East in 1996 told of his ordeal in solitary confinement under extremely harsh conditions, in China, for a year and a half in 1951-52. When he was deported to Hong Kong he weighed less than 7 stone.
Three other Columbans, Paddy Reilly, Jack Casey and Paddy Ronan were deported with him, and all had undergone similar sufferings in solitary confinement. Owen, in the interview, also shared the following; ‘I am convinced God was there in the cell, palpably present, when I needed him.’
He added: ‘Then there were the prayers that were offered for us. We knew or presumed, that people were praying for us. What we did not know until we came home was that every child in the country was praying for us in response to requests made through the Far East and through parents and teachers. And who will ever know the extent to which those prayers moved God to bring us safely through it all? For them we are still grateful.’
Each Columban here would echo those words of gratitude to all of you our supporters and friends and families. Without your support and prayers we could not have gone on mission overseas. You are truly our partners in mission and we cannot thank you enough. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
Dalgan Cemetery by Fr Ray Husband SSC
Standing in the midst of the headstones
Memories come flooding back of far away place of different shores.
Men strong and vigorous, enthused by Christ’s call to go “make
disciples of all nations”.
Years have passed, their work is done, they rest now in anticipation
of another call to rise and join their Lord in joyful celebration.
Their journey now complete, they lie side by side in Dalgan’s cemetery
serenaded by the blackbirds lonesome song.
A life well lived, treasured not forgotten.
Memories of far away shores join with the blackbirds’ song
in honouring you my Columban friends.
