In 2022, the Shalom Community completes 4 decades of foundation and work on the celebration has begun. One of the hallmarks of the institution’s anniversary, celebrated most effusively every 5 years, is a CD of liturgical songs, a tradition that comes from the release of the album at “Dance of Life”, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Community. It is with this celebratory spirit that the CD Shalom 40 years began to be prepared.
For the task of creating the CD Shalom 40 years, 25 community composers with experience in this mission were selected. Of these, 15 participated in the composition retreat in person and 10 virtually in the last week of January. “The listening work for the new project started through a survey that was sent to the brothers of the Shalom Community missions in November last year, about the CD Divine Heart, launched in the 35 years of the Community”, explains Wilde Fábio, who together with Gustavo Osterno and Nicodemos shares the artistic direction of the project.
The survey assessed what worked, what needs to be improved, and what people expect from the new job. Wilde points out that it was very interesting to have this material on hand, as it served to map the needs of the community and at the same time the impact of the CD on the missions.
“At the same time, we understand that these CDs are for the whole Church. Therefore, we seek to analyze the use of these songs on the Internet, which served to guide the work so that the disc can offer a good repertoire for the liturgy in Parishes, Movements and other Communities ”, analyzes the consecrated person.
Director explains how community composition works
All the compositions were made in a community way. “This experience of composing collectively is part of the tradition of the Community and is a moment of great grace, as we can contemplate great manifestations of the power of God”, reveals the director.
The composers’ retreat began every day with Holy Mass. “The whole process of composition was lived in a spirit of prayer. At the same time, God uses human instruments so it is also a moment of emptiness. Each gets a little impoverished when he gives up his personal tastes to generate a new one that comes with the identity of a group. This emptying becomes a good school of human maturity ”, he reports.
At the end of the meeting, Wilde informed the comshalom.org portal that all the songs for the liturgical album that will be released on the occasion of the 40 years of the Shalom Community have been composed. “Now we are going to the adjustments and revisions and then make the final approval of the repertoire. After that we went on to create the arrangements. The entire production should take around six months, ”she explains.
CD Shalom 40 years will be released in October
A novelty is that the Community aims to launch the CD in October this year. “So that we can learn the songs a year before we celebrate our 40th birthday,” says Wilde. “We ask everyone to pray because we know that it is a great grace and for that very reason it involves a great spiritual battle. We count on your prayers and penances in that intention ”, concludes the consecrated person.
