By Kim Ae-ran
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One of the characteristics of the Catholic Church in the world is a universal sense of community, communion and solidarity. We have various charism to live and mission to realize, but each of us belong to one spiritual community based on integrity, communion and collaboration.
In a broad sense, this community can be called "the kingdom of God" filled with spiritual fruits like love, peace, joy, mercy, forgiveness or compassion.
The sense of community in solidarity lets us be rich and abundant through sharing and collaboration in communion. It also lets us have co-responsibility and work for the common good.
For this purpose in pursuit of the common good, the most fundamental mission for each of us would be to get out of the selfish ego in order to have an open-minded personality who is willing to give the self out unconditionally and share with others wholeheartedly.
Last year in September, "Pauline" in Korea released the third album of CD music series on prayer, entitled "Spread Your Wings". Seven Pauline Sisters sang 12 songs in the tunes of piano, violin, flute, viola, cello, clarinet, guitar, etc. The title song is taken from the well-known Swedish hymn, "Spread Your Wings over Me."
This album includes 12 living hymns, including some adapted foreign songs and several pieces of music that Pauline Sisters composed. Kwon Oh-jun produced and directed the arrangement of the songs, and Jeong Soo-gyoung directed the vocals.
In the hope of bringing peace and consolation to the world under the wings of the Lord, the choir performed last year in various venues such as Pauline books and media center in Seoul, Peace Radio Broadcasting in Busan, Book Cafe Leven, run by the Society of St. Paul in Nonhyeon-dong, and so on.
As St. Augustine said, those who sing with joy and gratitude surely pray twice, or even more. Singing is one of the touching ways to proclaim and witness the joy of the Gospels.
Personally, I also wanted to sing together, but I had no time to practice. Furthermore, nobody recommended me to be involved. I could not join in that initiative, but I feel I already participated in it thanks to the universal sense of community in solidarity.
This sense of solidarity brings such a marvelous and mysterious co-involvement that goes beyond all the boundaries of time and place and capability. The sense of community in solidarity is also led to the principle of subsidiarity or auxiliaries and complement that realize justice in the society.
St. Theresa of Lisieux did not go abroad as a missionary at all, but she is the patron saint of missionaries. It is possible through prayers and solidarity. How marvelous to see and experience the communion of saints in our lives! Beyond time and place, we support and complement one another.
The solidarity lived in the community is something like the constant prayers of parents who always wish their children to be successful and happier even though they are apart from each other. The unseen chain of prayers lived through sacrifices and endurance create the true community in communion.
The author is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul (Figlie di San Paolo) living and giving the Good News to the world by means of social communication. Learn more about the congregation at fsp.pauline.or.kr.
