Columban Sisters celebrate centennial with special Mass
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Tucked away in the small coastal village of Silver Creek in Chautauqua County lies St. Columban’s on the Lake, home to the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban, who, like the facility they manage, celebrated a century of service to both the young and old.
The Sisters of St. Columba came to be when in December 1917, Father John Blowick, co-founder of the Columban Fathers, spoke of the urgent need for women collaborators in the new missionary venture in China. This appeal found a ready response from Lady Frances Moloney who later became Mother Mary Patrick.
Dialogue during the following years led to the founding of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban, who first left Ireland for China and then to the United States shortly after. Further missions took the congregation to the Philippines, Burma, Hong Kong, Korea, Peru, Chile and Pakistan.
The centennial celebration included a special Mass on Sept. 29 celebrated by Bishop Michael W. Fisher, assisted by Father Daniel Walsh; Father Robert Oczarczak; Father Chris Saenz, SSC; Father Chuck Lintz, SSC; Father John Burger, SSC.
“We come together to celebrate and to pray for our Lord’s continued blessings upon the good work and the missionary work that (the sisters are) engaged in,” Bishop Fisher said in welcoming the 100 people who filled the small church on the grounds.
Sister Corona Colleary, SSC, administrator of St. Columban’s on the Lake, thanks all the staff and volunteers that made the past 100 years a success for the Silver creek retirement home. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Bishop Michael W. Fisher delivers a homily at a special Mass celebrating 100 years of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban’s work. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Bishop Michael W. Fisher is joined by Columban Fathers and Chautauqua County priests as he celebrates Mass for the Missionary Sisters of St. Columabn’s 100th anniversary, (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Sister Amy, Sister Patricia, Sister Mary, Sister Grace, Sister Carmen, Sister Betty, Sister Corona, Sister Pat and Sister Rose gather around the anniversary cake as the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban celebrate 100 years. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Guests of St. Columban on the Lake are treated to a special anniversary dinner. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Designed by a Dunkirk resident who studied castles and cathedrals in Europe, St. Columban on the Lake began as high school seminary. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
St. Columban’s on the Lake takes its name from its proximity to Lake Erie in Chautaqua County. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
A small church sits ont he grounds of St. Columban’s on the Lake’s 53 acres. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
A cemetery for the Columban Fathers and Sisterrs. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
A cemetery for the Columban Fathers and Sisterrs. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Outdoor Stations of the Cross are nestled in the woods behind the main building. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
The headstones are for the golden retirevers who served as pets for the Columban Father and Sisters. The cross is for their cat. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Eagles, real eagles, have been seen in the woods behind St. Columban’s on the Lake. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi)
“I love our religious; our men religious, our women religious. They’ve added so much to the mission of our Church, but also to the great mission of the Diocese of Buffalo here in Western New York,” he said in his homily.
Columban Sisters have been in Buffalo nearly as long as the congregation has been in existence, having come to Silver Creek in 1930.
“They’ve been here since the very beginnings and have added to the beautiful mosaic of ministry and pastoral care of the people of our diocese. Whether that care involved Catechesis, formation of priests, as well as the care of our sick, elderly and those most vulnerable among us. I feel very privileged to be able to celebrate this Mass with you,” Bishop Fisher said.
The Missionary Apostolate is the root of the Columban Fathers and Sisters charism, Bishop Fisher remarked. St. Columban himself “left his own homeland and family to bring the love and the light of Christ to a dark world at the time.”
“We’re thankful for the angels who are with us in the Church triumphant, as well as all the saints who surround us in this liturgy. We are grateful for the generosity of the sisters over the years for all that they had done for the church, and again in a particular way, our own diocese,” the bishop said.
Originally a preparatory seminary run by the Columban Fathers, St. Columban’s on the Lake has served as a retirement home run by the Columban Sisters since 1970. Construction began in 1924. Sister Corona Colleary, SSC, administrator of the retirement home, explained the rarely-told story of the building’s grand design. A contractor from Dunkirk agreed to take the job, but only if he could include some of his training that he got in Europe.
“He worked on castles, cathedrals and monasteries,” Sister Corona said. “That is why this extraordinary building is with us today. If you stand at the front of the building you can see it has a coat of arms over the front door, statues of St. Columban throughout the property and one way up high. He had made it into what has become an amazing piece of property caring for hundreds and hundreds of elders since we started in 1970.”
A couple additions have been built on the original structure. Two cemeteries lie behind the building. One is for the Columban Fathers and Sisters, the other is for their pets.
An anniversary dinner and golf cart rides through the 53-acre grounds followed the Mass.
