Columbans move from Ireland to Hong Kong to reflect vocations trend

Published: 2008-05-06

HONG KONG (CNS) -- The Missionary Society of St. Columban, which has had headquarters in Ireland since the society's founding in 1918, has moved its offices from Dublin to Hong Kong to reflect that its vocations come primarily from Asian and Pacific Rim countries. "We have so many members coming from Korea, Fiji, the Philippines. To relocate the headquarters to the Pacific side is to reflect this emerging reality," said Father Tommy Murphy, superior general of the society, in an interview with Catholic News Service May 6. The Hong Kong offices opened May 1. Father Murphy said the decision to move the council to Hong Kong was not made lightly. "The move reflects the society's 90-year commitment to cross-cultural Catholic mission work," he said. He added that the main practical consideration for the move was to facilitate communications in the region. Australian Father Jim Mulroney, manager of the society's Hong Kong-based research and liaison office for China, told CNS May 5 that Hong Kong's communication technologies, as well as its location in Asia, made it a good choice.

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