It was a great privilege for Josephine and myself to represent the Congregation at this very momentous event of the opening of the 1400th anniversary of the death of St. Columban, in October 10-12 2014.

Fr. Kevin O’Neil, Columban Fathers from and US, Lay missionaries from UK, Claire Carey, Josephine Hong and Anne Carbon.

The celebration started on October 10 with an Ecumenical Vespers in the Basilica of San Clemente-Archbishop Sir David Moxon-presided. He was the personal representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See. Most Rev. Noel Treanor, of Down and Connor, hundrerds of priests and pilgrims from Bobbio, Piacenza, Switzerland, Germany and many others participated. The relic of St. Columban from Bobbio was reverently brought to the altar. The singing was beautiful and yet lively and the prayers most solemn. It was very inspiring to see the different groups who reverently honored and remembered St. Columban with so much devotion. It was followed with a concert by the “The Priests” in the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The music was well chosen and arranged and it was a most relaxing evening for us.

The relic of St. Columban

On Saturday, October 11th a solemn reception of the reliquary of St. Columban from Bobbio was brought to the Basilica of St. John Lateran. A huge crowd of priests and pilgrims filled up the beautiful Basilica. Then His Eminence Agostino Cardinal Vallini, Vicar General for the diocese of Rome, officiated at a solemn concelebrated Mass. The liturgy and the songs flowed in beautifully. After the mass, some words of thanks was rendered by the pilgrims, the friends of St. Columban for Europe and the Bishop of Bobbio His Excellence Gianni Ambrosio. The Bishop then invited everyone for the big celebration of the 1400th death anniversary of St. Columban in Bobbio next year on August 30th 2015: “St. Columban calls us together and awaits us at his tomb. There may we discover our sense of being a living Church that draws faith from Christ for its mission in this third millennium. May we entrust our families, our parishes and our continent to the protection of this great European saint.”

Srs. Anne C, Josephine Hong, Fr. Pat O Donovan and the two Columban Filipina lay missionaries from UK. On Sunday October 12th, a solemn concelebrated Mass of thanksgiving was presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Sean Brady. Again, the church was packed with pilgrims and the liturgy was celebrated beautifully in different languages.

Pilgrims of St. Columban ` The highlight of the 3 days for me was to be at St Peter’s square to join the Angelus with Pope Francis. He specially mentioned and welcomed the delegation who came from Ireland to be present for the opening of the 1400th death anniversary of St. Columban. The whole experience deepened my personal knowledge of St. Columban- a great evangelizer of Europe, whose prophetic memory and lived Christian virtues of unceasing love of God and commitment to social justice continues to dwell among his followers. May each one of us through the intercession of St. Columban,” strive to seek God above all things and may the light rise in us and shine for others.”

The tomb of St. Columban in Bobbio, Piacenza By: Anne Carbon