I Columban 

      Born and bred
       Among the soft roll of hills

      in the pasture land of Leinster.
       Playing, working, praying in praise

      walking the fields of creation.
       Saturated in beauty of mount and vale

      hearkening to animal call and

birdsong
       learning the human endeavour

      of ploughing the furrow and seeding

      attuned to the call of the Cosmos.

      And then,

      compelled to Bangor, to book and

bell
       combining the rigour of monastic life

       with zeal for Mission.
       Burdened with the task of sharing

       the life of Life
       the greatest freedom of knowingly

believing

      in the Greatest Love

      the being of Being
      driven by the flame of Life within

      pulsating, beckoning, urging me out
      to journey to unknown Europe

      led by the fire of Him
      Who called me to them.

 

      Planks of wood latched and tarred

      sea-worthy, buffetted by wind

      carrying monks with Word of God
      echoing off mountains

      Spirit -filled with Divine fire
       Igniting hearts and souls

      spreading throughout a continent.
       Spreading over time to a world

      awakening and rejoicing in Divine

Being.
       The pounding of hearts crying
       ‘There is a God
       Jesus is the Way’
       The Holy Spirit burning within

      Caritas Christi urget nos.

   

     Community in monasteries

      alone among the rocks

      praying, praying and travelling
       impelled by force from within

      onward and forward
       o’er land and mountain

      peace and rest in mystic solitude.
       Fontaine and Annegray
       Luxeuil and Bobbio
       light up a darkened continent.
       Together around the Table of the

Lord
       Eager to wash each other’s feet.

 

      With single vision

      beckoning and urging us on
       o’er mountain ranges to the hills of

Rome.
       Highlands and lowlands

      stopping and staying and moving on
       founding monasteries and dwelling

in caves.
       Animals and birds welcoming

      people looking and seeing

      following to consecration.
       Monastery walls resounding with

Divine Praise
       Morning Prayer waking the dawn
       Night Prayer and well earned rest.
       Laudate Dominum omnis terra.

 

      Strife and struggle overcome

      in the daily living of fraternity
       sustained by the spiritual treasures

      of an ancient race.
       Rest and Peace and a little space to

pray

      sought out for comfort in the last

days

      among the falling leaves of

November
       Slumbering Bobbio

      gathered the White Dove – an

Colm Ban
       back to the earth from which he had

come.
       I,

      you,

      Columban,

      Christi simus non nostri.

 

-Poem by Sr. Abbie Sullivan,SSC

A teacher and personal counsellor by profession, Sr. Abbie has taught in Ireland and been missioned in Hong Kong, Croatia and London. 

She now works in Dublin as a counsellor in a boys secondary school and part-time in the Capuchin Day Centre for homeless people.