Spiritality of Saint Columban

strong desire for union his monks to look at the with God was the magnificent works of creation Adriving force in the life all round them in order to of St Columban. He believed understand the nature of God. that the risen Christ was present This link between his in him and the world around appreciation of the him: and that Christ was the awesomeness of nature and his source of all the gifts he needed strong belief in God comes out in life. St Columban was heavily strongly in his early sermons. influenced by the spirituality of There was a pastoral and the Desert Fathers. They were caring side to Columban which determined not to succumb to contrasts with the harsh and the seductions of the secular overly ascetic image that world around them and initially comes across from his committed themselves to the writings. His Fourth Letter search for their true selves in the written to the members of his deserts of the Middle East. In Luxeuil Community as he Ireland we do not have deserts awaited deportation back to but we do have plenty of quiet Ireland at the port of Nantes, lonely places which the Irish solitary meditation is reminiscent of offers us a rare but sincere monks sought out. There are over Jesus’s own prayer pattern which insight into his caring attitude for his 200 places in Ireland named Dysart was rigorously practiced by the fellow monks. It also offers us a (desert) which gives some indication desert monks. Here in the silence of glimpse into the personal angst he of how widespread was the practice his own heart Columban came in endured as he exercised leadership in among early Irish monks of seeking contact with the presence of God the same community. His pastoral out quiet places of solitude. Solitude deep within him. The results of these sensitivity is evident in his rules for and silence were the prerequisites for times of deep communion with God clergy and laity living outside the this inner search which was driven are evident in his writings: in monastery. At that time in Western by the belief that God dwelt at the particular his Sermon 12 and 13 are Christianity his introduction of deep core of their real selves. among some of the most mystical private confession and penance was The Lives of St Anthony of Egypt writings we have of any European a welcome relief to many Christians and St Martin of Tours were well monk. In Sermon 13 he writes: ‘how in several parts of Europe. known in the Irish monasteries of the lovely is the fountain of living water, His whole life was inspired by his 5th and 6th centuries. The writings whose water fails not, springing up belief that only God alone could of St John Cassian were also to eternal life. O Lord, you yourself answer the deep thirst in his heart. In standard documents in Irish are that Fountain ever and again to Sermon 12 we glimpse something of monastic libraries. These books be desired, though ever and again to this fundamental stance where he contained the wisdom of the Abbots be imbibed. Ever give us, Lord writes: ‘Lord grant me I pray in the from the desert which outlined the Christ, this water, that it may be in name of Jesus Christ your Son, my strict ascetic practices and prayer us too a Fountain of water that lives God that Love which knows no fall, methods to be followed by those and springs up to eternal life.’ so that my lamp may feel the who sought the way to union with How to keep alive the awareness kindling touch and know no God in the heart of their true selves. of their close relationship with Christ quenching, may burn for me and for The ‘Cave’ is a strong motif running was the major priority of their others give light. Grant us Christ, to through the life of St Columban: spiritual life: the carrying of the kindle our lamps … that they may from his early foundation in Eastern sacred host in a Pyx hung around the shine continually… and receive France to his final foundation in neck of each monk was a sign of this perpetual light from You, The Bobbio we find that he regularly left ongoing close connection with the perpetual light, so that our darkness his monastic community to spend risen Christ. The regular cycle of may be enlightened, and the world’s time at prayer in caves some distance prayer, work and study ensured that darkness may be driven from us.’ from his monastery. He was a man their focus on their friendship with dedicated to long periods of private God was never far from their minds. and communal prayer. This Saint Columban saw nature as his commitment to periods of silent teacher about God. He encouraged Fr Tommy Murphy SSC

8 Intercom • June 2015 National Celebration of 1400th anniversary of death of St Columban

Step 5. No one is excluded from the table of the Lord Step 6. Here we are called to mission Step 7. How awesome is this place! Step 8. This is a holy land Step 9. We are Pilgrims for Christ.

Suggested activity for Saturday, • Promote the event through 20 June the parish newsletter and Nine step Pilgrim Walk in ‘The Way local media. of St Columban’ Parishes and communities around Summary of The Way of the country are invited to mark the St Columban … nine steps occasion with a local pilgrim walk, The Way of St Columban is ‘The Way of St Columban’ to an ecumenical pilgrimage commemorate the 1400th experience with nine steps anniversary of the death of St along a selected route. Each Columban. step consists of: • A biblical reading Here is how to go about it: • The words of St Columban • Get a group of interested people • A brief reflection, together to organise the pilgrim • The Our Father. walk. • Download the text for the ‘Way of The nine steps conclude with St Columban’ nine step pilgrim a litany, prayers of walk from the website: intercession, the prayer to www.columbans.com or send an Saint Columban and a shared Getting to know all the places email to Blessing. Pilgrims may also choose around the country dedicated to [email protected] sharing reflections on local sites, St Columban for printed copies of the text. songs, prayers and invocations that As part of our national celebration • Select a route that is feasible for they consider appropriate to mark 1400th anniversary of the walking that takes in some throughout the route. death of St Columban, we are significant places in the area that These nine steps are a synthesis of inviting our readership to identify have a connection with our what concerns us as a Christian churches, hospitals, community religious, Celtic, historical and pilgrim people. They an integral part centres and historical places that monastic heritage sites. of every pilgrimage, whether it be to bear the name of St Columban (often • Mark out nine stops along the historic sites or in one’s own locality, known as St Columbanus or Naomh selected route. community or parish. Columbán). We would appreciate • Set a time for starting the Pilgrim you sending this information to Step 1. We are on a pilgrim journey walk and inform the Gardaí of the [email protected] . Step 2. We are disciples of Jesus selected route. You will be sent a copy of Liam Step 3. We are brothers and sisters • Inform and invite local church and Lawton’s CD with a song he on the road of life civil leaders to participate in the composed especially to mark the Step 4. Your Word gives me life. event. 1400th anniversary.

Intercom • June 2015 9 Who was Saint Columban and why he is important today?

Fr Seán McDonagh SSC presents some facts about the life of Saint Columban

Columban – Irish dimension – collapse of the Empire. Columban an impact in the 6th and 7th 1North and South . He was born in and the monks who followed him to centuries in Europe. According to Dr Leinster, on the Carlow/Wexford Europe in the 6th and 7th centuries Damian Bracken, ‘shrines, towns and border and educated in Northern changed that perception radically. landmarks across Europe bear Ireland by St Sinell at his monastery Europeans accept that during the Columbanus’ name and testify to the at Cleenish on an Island in Lough sixth and seventh centuries the light widespread diffusion of devotion to Erne. From Cleenish, Columban came, not from the East but from the the saint. In the middle of the 9th went to Bangor to become a monk. West. century, a biographer of St Gall, a He spent more than 25 years at The fact that, within a generation colleague of Columban, Bangor during which time he was after his death, Jonas of Susa, a acknowledged the debt of his people ordained and probably taught monk at Bobbio, wrote the Life of to Ireland whence the splendour of scripture to young monks. Columbanus is a testimony to the such light came to us.’ He goes on to say that the light of Christianity has Columban has an All-Ireland importance of Columban’s legacy in shone westward to Ireland through dimension. There are opportunities Europe. The UCC historian Dr missionaries such as St Patrick. for both jurisdictions in Ireland to Damian Bracken comments that Between the 6th and 8th centuries coordinate in the celebration around ‘This is another first: Columbanus is this light shone in the opposite the person of Columban. the first Irishman to be the subject of direction, as Irish monks Columban is the first Irish person a biography.’ Columbanus rekindled the faith in 2to articulate a sense of what it He is also Ireland’s first ‘man of Europe. In that sense, this later means to be Irish . In the letter which letters’ since he is the first Irish tradition is a reflection of he wrote to Pope Boniface in 613 person from whom we have a Columbanus’ belief that the AD, he wrote ‘we Irish.’ The Irish written document. conversion of his homeland on the were not held in high esteem in European dimension – edge of the world led to the spiritual continental Europe during the 3Columban – the Irish person who and cultural enrichment of the West. Roman Empire and even after the laboured in Europe and made such Charles Montalembert, the 19th

10 Intercom • June 2015 century French author who wrote on Columban a European Saint. The untrue or not in accordance with his Columban believes that ‘it was at the Pope drew attention to the fact that understanding of the Christian cost of this unceasing toil (Columban the expression ‘ totius Europae – of message. He was willing to speak out and his monks) that half of our All Europe’ first appeared in a letter against Kings, Bishops and even country and an ungrateful Europe which Columban wrote to Pope Popes when he thought it was the were restored to civilisation and life.’ Gregory the Great in 600 AD. right thing to do. He paid a heavy In the early 20th century Pope Pius Columban – the Monk . A man of price for such fortitude when he was XI wrote, ‘The more light that is 4deep faith and courage. Irish expelled from Burgundy in France shed by scholars on the period monks and monasteries founded by after challenging King Theuderic, known as the Middle Ages, the Irish monks made a huge impact in Queen Brunhilda and the Bishops of clearer it becomes that it was thanks 7th and 8th century Europe. He is the area. Today Christians working to the initiative and labour of still remembered in more than 300 for peace and a more just social Columban that the rebirth of communities across Europe from order can draw strength from the Christian virtue and civilisation over Bangor in County Down to Bobbio example of Columban. Dr Damian a great part of Gaul, Germany and in northern Italy. Bracken is convinced that, ‘the Italy took place.’ Columban the Scholar who was causes of poor leadership – especially On 14 December 2012, Cardinal 5well-versed in the Classics and – poor spiritual leadership that he Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan, wrote excellent Latin. Columban diagnosed in his letters and sermons in the Cathedral in Piacenza, monasteries in the 6th and 7th are as relevant now as when he formally petitioned Pope Benedict century played an important role in wrote almost one-and-a-half XVI to declare St Columban as a reviving education in Europe. Many millennia ago’. patron saint of Europe. He would be of the manuscripts which were Ecological dimension – Like joining the ranks of Benedict of produced by Irish monks are now 7many other early Irish monks, Nursia, Cyril and Methodius, located in libraries across Europe Columban was very close to the Bridget of Sweden, Catherine of such as San Gallen in Switzerland natural world. At a time when our Siena, Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta and the Ambrosian Library in Milan local and global environment is of the Cross). where the Bangor Antiphonary is under enormous stress, Columban In June 2008, in a reflection on found. has much to teach us about how we the life, work and travels of St Social Justice dimensio n – can find God in the natural world Columban, Pope Benedict XVI said 6Columban was fearless when he and how to learn to live in a that there was good reason to call encountered things which were sustainable way.

Events for Columban 1400

The weekend of Saturday, 20 and of St Columban’ are acting as the Sunday, 21 June will see a National guides for the trail. The day will celebration of Saint Columban in conclude with a musical celebration. Ireland. Celebrations will take place The celebrations in Armagh take in Bangor and Armagh and there place on Sunday, 21 June. Mass for will be pilgrim walks and gatherings Saint Columban will be celebrated in many parishes and communities in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral by to honour Saint Columban. Local Archbishop Eamon Martin at 11.00 parishes are encouraged to organise am. Invitations have already been a Pilgrim walk by using the nine extended to Bishops from France, step Way of St Columban (page 9) Austria and Italy. Everyone is invited to mark the occasion and celebrate to attend this celebration of the our communion with one another Eucharist. An ecumenical evensong throughout the country in paying will take place in Saint Patrick’s tribute to this great Irish saint. Church of Ireland Cathedral in Groups of 100 people from Armagh at 3.15 pm. Bobbio and Piacenza, 30 from San More information and resources to help your Colombano al Lambro, and 6 from parish or community celebrate Saint Pavia including the Diocesan Bishop confirmed) in Bangor Abbey followed Columban can be found by visiting http://www.columbans.eu/index.php/colum are travelling to Ireland to take part by a Civic reception in the Town Hall ban-1400 . More information and resources in the celebrations. at 11.30 am for all the European will be added to www.catholicbishops.ie/ The activities will be centred in Mayors and representations. tag/intercom and will be flagged on Bangor on Saturday, 20 June. They There will also be a Columba Trail Facebook and Twitter. Please feel free to let will begin with an ecumenical (5K and 3K) starting from the Parish us know what is happening in your parish Morning Prayer (time to be Centre. A group called the ‘Friends and we will spread the word.

Intercom • June 2015 11