Proverbs in Mission

Proverbs in Mission

Proverbs are the ancient wisdom of a country’s culture expressed in pithy sentences – and often with humour. Proverbs provide missionaries with an insight into how their adopted people think and act, writes Columban missionary Fr Barry Cairns. To an aged person (I am...
Proclaiming Mission in a Language Not Your Own!

Proclaiming Mission in a Language Not Your Own!

Communicating in difficult new languages can result in some bloopers cautions 90-year-old Columban missionary, Fr Barry Cairns. Did St Francis Xavier have the gift of tongues? I think not! Yes, he could speak his native Basque, Spanish, Portuguese and French. He was a...
Fr Chris Baker reflects on 70 years as a Columban priest

Fr Chris Baker reflects on 70 years as a Columban priest

Fr Jim Mulroney speaks to Fr Chris Baker about celebrating the 70th anniversary of his ordination and being one of three boys in his family who joined the Columbans in Australia. The body may be bent now. An occasional walking stick supports movement. The muscles that...
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

Columban missionary Fr Barry Cairns notes that 1st September 2020 has been designated ’World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ and highlights the particular challenges he faces in getting close to nature where he lives in Japan. Pope Francis asks us to, “Let our...
Christmas Present for a Missionary

Christmas Present for a Missionary

In the December issue of the Far East magazine, Fr Barry Cairns recalls one of the most delightful Christmas presents he ever received. In the mission parish of Katase in Yokohama diocese where I was stationed, we had a special catechumenate class for couples where...