Master Columban Cal 2020_Layout 1 24/10/2019 14:11 Page 1 ColumBaN CALENDAR 2020 Master Columban Cal 2020_Layout 1 24/10/2019 14:11 Page 2 MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ST. COLUMBAN REGISTERED CHARITY IN ENGLAND & WALES (221594) AND SCOTLAND (SCO38948) St. Columban’s, Widney Manor Road, Solihull, West Midlands B93 9AB Telephone: 01564 772096 E-mail: [email protected] Visit our website - www.columbans.co.uk Dear Columban Friend For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 Do you have 2020 vision? If, like for me, advancing years have compromised the clarity of your eyesight, the simple answer to this question might be ‘no’! Like St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, however, I am not referring to our physical vision. For the Church, the New Year begins not on 1st January, but on the 1st Sunday of Advent. Christmas is not a feast for the end of the year, but a new beginning, a reminder to us all of the vision that God has for the world and its entire people – a vision of joy and peace. The Extraordinary Missionary Month celebrated by the Church in October 2019 aimed to bring us all to a new awareness of our call through baptism to participate in making God’s vision a reality. We can accept this commission with confidence, knowing that God has declared his love for us already (1 John 4:19) and “therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast” (Pope Francis from Evangelii Gaudium #24). Since he was first called to lead the Church, Pope Francis has urged us to remove ourselves from “structures which give us a false sense of security… rules which make us harsh judges… habits which make us feel safe” to experience the joy of sharing God’s love with others. This year, let each of us strive to break free of our ‘comfort zone’ and to bring God’s vision in to sharper focus by the example of our lives. This is the 2020 vision to which we should aspire, where faith, hope and love abide. This year, for the first time, we will celebrate the feast of Saint John Henry Newman on 9th October. Let his words be our mantra in the year ahead. “God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission.” Happy New Year! We give thanks for your companionship to Columban Mission through the presence of this calendar in your home. May you and your family embrace the joys and challenges of 2020 and receive God’s blessing on all that you do. Front Cover: Fr. Peter Hughes Fr. Dan O’Connor (left) and Fr. Liam O’Callaghan Columban Director in Britain (right) discuss their mission work in Pakistan with ‘Invitation to Mission’ participants while walking near St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Karachi. A special thank you to Columbans everywhere for sending us photographs of their missionary work. Master Columban Cal 2020_Layout 1 24/10/2019 14:11 Page 3 COLUMBAN MISSIONARIES Tel: 01564 772096 www.columbans.co.uk www.columbansisters.org Pope Francis The Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (1 John 4:19), and therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast. Fr. Larry Barnett baptizes children from among the 170 families attending the annual Christmas Evangelii Gaudium #24 celebration for "DaAn Pastoral Area" in Miaoli County, Hsinchu Diocese, Taiwan. JANUARY 2020 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Jesus answered Nicodemus, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without 1 234 being born of water and Spirit.” John 3:5 MARY, THE HOLY St Basil the Great First Friday MOTHER OF GOD St Gregory Nazianzen Most Holy Name of Jesus St Elizabeth Ann Seton 5 67891011 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Psalter W2 St Raymond of Penyafort 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Week 1 in Ordinary Time Psalter W1 THE BAPTISM St Hilary OCTAVE OF PRAYER OF THE LORD St Kentigern (Scotland) St Anthony, Abbot FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PEACE DAY 2nd of Year St Fabian, Pope The Conversion of Psalter W2 St Sebastian St Agnes St Vincent St Francis de Sales St Paul, Apostle 26 27 28 29 30 31 3rd of Year Psalter W3 St Angela Merici St Thomas Aquinas St John Bosco Scripture readings: Sundays - Cycle A Weekdays - Year 2 Full Moon - 10th Master Columban Cal 2020_Layout 1 24/10/2019 14:11 Page 4 COLUMBAN MISSIONARIES Tel: 01564 772096 www.columbans.co.uk www.columbansisters.org Pope Francis In the present condition of global society, where injustices abound and growing numbers of people are considered expendable, the principle of the common good becomes a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the poorest of our A Parkari Koli village leader sits with his mother. The Columbans provide health and education brothers and sisters. support to this poor and marginalised community living in the Thar Parkar desert, Pakistan. Laudato Si’ #158 FEBRUARY 2020 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For the rich all contributed out of their 1 abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12: 43-44 St Brigid of Ireland 2 345678 THE PRESENTATION PRAY FOR VICTIMS OF OF THE LORD St Paul Miki and TRAFFICKING 4th of Year St Blaise Companions St Jerome Emiliani Psalter W4 St Ansgar St Agatha (Martyrs of Japan) First Friday St Josephine Bakhita 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 RACIAL JUSTICE DAY WORLD DAY OF 5th of Year PRAYER FOR THE SICK Ss Cyril and Methodius, Psalter W1 St Scholastica Our Lady of Lourdes (Patrons of Europe) 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 6th of Year The Chair of St Peter, Psalter W2 Seven Servite Founders St Colman of Lindisfarne St Peter Damian Apostle 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 7th of Year ASH WEDNESDAY Psalter W3 FAST AND ABSTINENCE St Oswald of Worcester Scripture readings: Sundays - Cycle A Weekdays - Year 2 Full Moon - 9th Master Columban Cal 2020_Layout 1 24/10/2019 14:11 Page 5 COLUMBAN MISSIONARIES Tel: 01564 772096 www.columbans.co.uk www.columbansisters.org Pope Francis May the church be the place of God’s mercy and love, where everyone can feel themselves welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live according to the good life of the Gospel. The church must have open doors so that all might enter. Patrick of Raiwaqa parish in Fiji, which celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2019, presents Fr. Pat Raleigh with a bowl of kava to welcome him on behalf of the community. Meditations on the Church MARCH 2020 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1234567 First Friday St. Chad, Bishop WOMEN’S WORLD DAY 1st Sunday of Lent St David, OF PRAYER Psalter W1 Patron of Wales St Casimir LENT FAST DAY Ss Perpetua and Felicity 8 9 1011121314 2nd Sunday of Lent Psalter W2 St Frances of Rome St John Ogilvie (Scotland) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 ST JOSEPH, 3rd Sunday of Lent St Patrick SPOUSE OF THE Psalter W3 Patron of Ireland St Cyril of Jerusalem BLESSED VIRGIN MARY St Cuthbert 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 4th Sunday of Lent THE ANNUNCIATION Psalter W4 St Turibius de Mongrovejo OF THE LORD You shall treat the stranger who stays with you as the native 29 30 31 among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Rededication of England as Mary’s dowry 5th Sunday of Lent Leviticus 19:34 Psalter W1 Scripture readings: Lent Sundays - Cycle A Weekdays - Proper Full Moon - 9th Master Columban Cal 2020_Layout 1 24/10/2019 14:11 Page 6 COLUMBAN MISSIONARIES Tel: 01564 772096 www.columbans.co.uk www.columbansisters.org Pope Francis It is essential to draw near to new forms of poverty and vulnerability, in which we are called to recognize the suffering Christ… I think of the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned, and Fr. Eamon Sheridan supports these young men who are recovering from drug and alcohol many others. addiction at the Rebirth Rehabilitation Centre, a Church run centre in Kachin State, Myanmar. Evangelii Gaudium #210 APRIL 2020 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will 1234 help you, I will uphold you... First Friday Isaiah 41:10 PRAY FOR SURVIVORS St Francis of Paola OF SEXUAL ABUSE St Isidore 5 67891011 PALM SUNDAY OF THE GOOD FRIDAY PASSION OF THE LORD FAST AND Psalter W2 Holy Week Holy Week Holy Week MAUNDY THURSDAY ABSTINENCE HOLY SATURDAY 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 EASTER SUNDAY EASTER OCTAVE EASTER OCTAVE EASTER OCTAVE EASTER OCTAVE EASTER OCTAVE EASTER OCTAVE 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 St George, DIVINE MERCY Psalter W2 Patron of England 2nd Sunday of Easter St Beuno (Wales) St Anselm, Bishop St Adalbert (Wales) St Fidelis of Sigmaringen St Mark Look at my hands and my feet; 26 27 28 29 30 see that it is I myself.