I The Feast of St Columba at St Columba’s Parish, Maryhill
St Columba was rather a roller-coaster of a weekend for the Archdiocesan choir, the St. Mungo Singers, over the weekend of 9/10 June. It began with the support of a lovely celebration Mass at St. Columba’s, Maryhill, for the parish’s Patron Saint, St.Columba on his feastday 9th June, followed by a brilliant and lively celebration of Glasgow the Welcoming City at the City Chambers on Sunday 10th June, and finishing with the rather emotional funeral of one of our founding members, Johanna O’Connor on 10th/11th June at Sacred Heart Parish Bridgeton.
The celebration Mass at St Columba’s, took the St Mungo Singers back to a parish which they had known well in the past when their Director, Mgr Gerry, was based there. The Mass was concelebrated by Archbishop Emeritus Mario Conti, and Spiritan Fathers Ambrose and Dominic who are now based at the parish. It was enlivened by the rather spectacular accompaniment of thunder, lightning and torrential rain! Fortunately the storm had finished by the time the Mass ended, and the congregation was able to stop and chat outside in the sun.
In his homily, Archbishop Mario expressed his joy at being present at the celebration of a saint whose biographer, St Adomnan, described as a “pilgrim for Christ”, one of many at that time who had left their homes to spread the Gospel. The Celtic nations should be proud that they brought the Faith back to Europe, through the missionary saints. Even today the Irish were great missionaries. He reflected that the Spiritan Fathers in St. Columba’s were in a sense repaying this through their presence. All these missionaries proclaim the same news as St.Paul in his day to the Colossians in the reading of the Mass, that of Christ among us. This is a task for all of us – to be missionaries where we are and to be so cheerfully.
