Bishop Michael Smith of Meath has hailed the courageous witness of the Society of St Columban on the centenary of its founding.
Following a special Mass on October 10 at the Columbans’
headquarters at Dalgan Park, Co. Meath, Bishop Smith welcomed moves by
the Catholic Church in Korea to promote the beatifications of seven
Irish priests of the congregation who had perished while ministering
during the Korean War.
He lauded “their courage, their commitment, their witness
to faith and the way that they stayed in the places they were assigned
to during the Korean War and then ended up in prison or on death
marches”.
Founded originally as a movement known as the Maynooth
Mission to China on October 10, 1916, the venture was named the Society
of St Columban on June 29, 1918.