Columban Invitation to Mission Programme
Pope Francis speaks of missionary discipleship as being ‘a call from God for today’s busy and complicated world, a constant setting out with Jesus, in order to know how and where the Master lives’. People who take part in the Columban Invitation to Mission programme respond to that call.
At the Columban’s General Chapter meeting in 2012, the leaders of the Society recognised that there was a desire among people to engage in mission in new and creative ways. Two years later, the Columban missionaries in Britain developed the Invitation to Mission Programme, which aims to nurture the missionary spirit and to provide people with an experience of cross-cultural mission whilst following their baptismal call.
Besides developing Invitation to Mission, the Columbans initiated too, the Faith in Action Volunteer Programme. This one-year long opportunity is designed to facilitate domestic mission and engaging volunteers in local ministries in Britain. You can find out more about the programme here.
The first Invitation to Mission programme saw a group from this region travel to El Paso during Holy Week in 2015. Since then, we have run six further Invitation to Mission programmes and a mix of Columban supporters, educators, activists and co-workers have taken part in a learning experience, growing in faith and understanding through preparation in the UK, a 10-day visit overseas and follow up on return. Recent programmes have included visits to Peru, Chile, Pakistan and the Philippines.
Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, there have been no recent overseas visits. However, we hope to be able to resume the programme when the situation improves. If you’re interested in being involved with Columban mission here in Britain, why not have a look at our Faith in Action Volunteer Programme.
Interested in taking up our Invitation to Mission?
If you’re keen on living out the Gospel whilst exploring issues surrounding faith, migration and poverty then please consider joining our next programme. For further details about the Invitation to Mission programme and to register your interest, please email invitationtomission@columbans.co.uk.
“Community and hospitality were at the heart of the brief time I spent in the Philippines. I had the amazing opportunity to stay with a family in the Columban parish in Malate during Holy Week. This immersion into community life in preparing for the huge party of the Resurrection of Jesus was a real privilege.”
