St Columba

Columba, who was named Joseph by his parents, was born into a very big and holy family.  Everyone could see that little Joseph loved Jesus and was only interested in things that had to do with God.  When he was 16 years old, he went to study in the seminary and even studied for a while in Rome.  Joseph wanted to join a monastery in Belgium and live a life of quiet prayer, but his Archbishop wanted him to come back to Ireland to run a parish, teach at a school, and be the priest for a convent near the school.  So Fr. Joseph did what his Archbishop asked and he was a wonderful priest and teacher.  He believed and he taught that the amount that we love God could be measured by the amount that we help those in need around us.  When Fr. Joseph was 27 years old, his Archbishop finally agreed to let him join the monastery in Belgium, and Fr. Joseph became a monk named Columba.  As he spent his days in prayer and thinking about Jesus, he became closer and closer to Jesus. He wrote books that teach us how we can know Jesus more.  He wrote that Jesus wants to be with us and be our friend.  Jesus is our biggest fan; he is always there for us no matter what.  He reminded us that, even though we are not perfect, God loves us, especially when we realize how much we need Jesus.  Columba helped start other monasteries and he kept teaching and writing books which remind us to keep Jesus at the centre of our lives.