We are people of faith,
an intercultural group of women and men,
single, married and families,
called to respond to God’s mission by crossing boundaries of culture,
gender, creed and race.
We are sent as disciples of Jesus.
With joy, we witness to a new way of being church
by finding and celebrating God’s loving presence
as we seek to live a simple way of life
and journey with the poor and marginalized.
In partnership with one another, with the ordained Columbans,
and with local and home communities,
and through mutual support and challenge,
we strive to be catalysts of transformation in building God’s Reign.
Beginnings:
Frs. Edward Galvin and John Blowick from the very beginning, envisioned laity, sisters, brothers and priests engaged in their missionary enterprise.
Since 1977, the Society began to explore avenues for greater cooperation with
the laity in cross-cultural mission. This cooperation flowered in a
commitment to partnership with laity in mission through a Columban Lay
Missionary Program.
In 1978 LMs from Ireland were sent to Japan and the Philippines.In 1990
the Columban Lay Missionary Program commenced. The Program
evolved gradually through meetings with lay missionaries and was
formally
approved by the Superior General in June
1994.
Since the establishment of the Program lay missionaries have gradually
taken on greater responsibility for leadership among themselves and for the
sending and receiving of lay missionaries across the various Regions and
Mission Units.
In October 2006, this development was affirmed with a shift from lay Missionaries being part of a Program to calling themselves the 'Columban Lay Missionaries' (CLM).
At present there are about 70 Lay missionaries working in 12 different countries in the areas of pastoral involvement in parishes, building up Christian communities, working with Migrants, caring for the environment, working with people affected with HIV/AIDS and Interfaith Dialogue.