Society of St. Columban © St. Columban’s Widney Manor Rd, Knowle, Solihull. West Midlands B93 9AB Tel. 01564 772096
colsol@columbans.co.uk www.columbans.co.uk
MISSION AWARENESS SUPPORT TEAM
(MAST)
FOCUS OF MAST
· While Columban mission awareness has many dimensions in Britain, MAST focuses on
parish-based mission appeals. It includes sharing our overseas mission experience,
raising mission issues in our present context, and eliciting support for Columban
mission. Over the years this work has helped greatly in keeping Columban mission
before the Church in Britain.
· Speaking at Sunday liturgies, which gives us access to a large number of people,
is a most important way of implementing the goals of MAST.
· Promotion of the Far East, through visits to parishes, is an essential means of
ongoing mission awareness.
· We are exploring other parish-based avenues for mission awareness. With this in
view, we have informed the parishes we are to visit that we are available this year
for talks to adult groups in the parish (JPIC groups, Adult Initiation groups, Rotary
clubs, Parent-Teacher associations, etc). We have also raised the possibility of
visiting schools, preferably secondary schools. We remain ambivalent about the value
of visiting primary schools, though we are willing to try it for a limited period
and then evaluate it.
· While we give priority to the dioceses assigned to Columbans for mission promotion,
we are open, where feasible, to speak to adult groups in other dioceses.
· We see an important role for Columban lay missionaries in the extended MAST outreach,
i.e., work with parish groups.
· We greatly appreciate the fact that other Columbans in the Region help out in mission
appeals when necessary. Furthermore, the contribution of Columbans from outside
the Region during the summer months is most helpful and we should renew our efforts
in requesting such people for mission appeal work.
The Columban Mission Awareness Team in Britain:for 2010
Fr.Tom O’Reilly
Fr. Peter Hughes
Fr. John Collins
Fr. Dan Horgan
Fr. Pat O’Beirne
Fr. Declan McNaughton (Scotland)
Mrs Linda Hill (Coordinator)
The Mission awareness team in Britain are the people who every weekend visit parishes around the country preaching appeals and helping to make people more aware of the needs of the missions through promotion of the Far East Magazine.
Team Members are always willing to give talks and in some cases displays on the life of a Missionary to groups and schools.
If your group/school would like to hear about the missions contact us.
· We are in contact with the Regions of Ireland and the US with a view to obtaining good resources for mission awareness, especially DVDs and videos.