St. Columba of Iona (521-597) was an Irish monk whose ministry spanned both Ireland and Scotland.
In Ireland, he founded many monasteries, including Derry (546), Durrow (556), and possibly also Kells. His biographer, Adomnan, records that he was a tall and charismatic figure through whom God worked miracles and granted prophecies.
In addition to ministering to the monks under his care, St. Columba saw that the conversion of the Irish kings was a key to winning over the people. He is best known for founding a monastery on the island of Iona.
He sailed to Scotland in 565 and spent most of the rest of his life among the Irish communities and converting the Scots. He was a talented scribe and a book of psalms he copied still exists today. He is also credited with several poems and the lyrics to the hymn “The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” which is still in our hymnal today.
Along with St. Patrick and St. Brigit, St. Columba is one of the three patron saints of Ireland. His feast day is June 9.
From St. Columba Statues
Did you know that all Catholic permanent altars - including ours! - have relics from saints in them? A relic is either a piece of a saint's body or something that touched their body. At St. Columba, our altar contains relics from St. Denis, St. Columba, St. Dominic, St. Anthony, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. John Neumann.