In 1943, the U.S. Columban Fathers marked their 25th anniversary. They had many accomplishments of which to be proud, and many things of which to be fearful and uncertain.
The Second World War was wreaking havoc all over the globe, and no end was in sight. East Asia, the heart of the Columban missions, was also a major front in the war.
In July 1943, Japanese forces in the Philippines would martyr Columban Father Francis V. Douglas, and many other Columbans would die in East Asia before the conclusion of World War II.
Nonetheless, the Columbans had achieved a great deal in 25 years, and the chaos of World War II would not stop them.
In October 1943, the Columbans released a special commemorative issue of The Far East magazine, detailing their achievements for the past quarter-century.
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The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.