The Association of Pauline Cooperators
LAUNCHING THE ASSOCIATION OF PAULINE COOPERATORS (APC)
Two days before this first meeting, two General Councillors from Rome, Sr Inocencia Tormon and Sr Luz Helena Arroyave paid a courtesy visit to Bishop John Tong, Adjutor Bishop of Hong Kong. While talking of many other things, the Bishop turned to the sisters and asked them to begin gathering their friends and volunteers to form them into a group and giving them some kind of religious formation and spiritual motivation. In this way, this group could work side by side with the sisters in their mission. The sisters could hardly wait for the bishop to finish his words before they replied, Yes, we have been preparing for this moment when we can invite all our faithful friends and volunteers to begin their formal formation in the spirituality and charisma of the Pauline Family. So, the Bishop and the sisters were both inspired by the Holy Spirit to begin this new work of God.
Our Founder, Blessed James Alberione, thought of the Pauline Cooperators very early in his scheme of foundations. In 1914 he founded the Society of St Paul for priests and brothers, the next year he included women in his foundations, they are called Daughters of St Paul, and in 1918 he already gathered his cooperators and formed them into the Association of Pauline Cooperators just as St Paul had done. Father Alberione knew that he needed the help and cooperation of lay people in his work of evangelisation. Today, 90 years later, there are thousands of Pauline Cooperators in all parts of the world, sharing in the spiritual riches and apostolic work of the Pauline Family.
The Pauline Family consists of 10 institutes: 1) Society of St Paul, 2) Daughters of St Paul, 3) Sisters of the Divine Master, 4) Pastorelle Sisters, 5) Queen of Apostles Sisters, 6) secular institute Jesus the High Priest for diocesan priests, 7) secular institute St Gabriel the Archangel for men, 8) secular institute Mary of the Annunciation for women, 9) Association of Pauline Cooperators for lay people and 10) Institute of the Holy Family for married couples.
During the meeting, the two General Councillors showed a power point of the life and work of St Paul, to enhance the knowledge and love of this great Apostle who is the patron, model and father of the Pauline Family. Bible and faith sharing, prayers, input on the Pauline spirituality and charisma were also included in this Meeting. A fellowship followed after.
Sr Grace also responded to the question that some people may ask about the reasons why they should join this Association of Pauline Cooperators. She said that as baptised Catholics we obey the command of Jesus who told his disciples to go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation (Mark 16: 15) We are the successors of the 72 disciples whom Jesus sent out to proclaim the Good News. In our world today there is so much falsehood and confusion of good and bad, through the misuse of the massmedia. We use the media to proclaim the truth as we follow Jesus who called himself the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus gives us the power, the strength, the graces and the authority to continue his mission of proclaiming the Good News to all people.
As we can see, we need Jesus and his graces to do our mission, so the APC is structured on prayer life, Pauline spirituality and work. This combination of activity and prayer is the secret to genuine missionary work for God and for the people whom we serve.
Cooperators listening to General Councillors’ presentation
Saturday October 18 2008 was a red letter date for the small community of the Daughters of St Paul in Shatin, Hong Kong. They officially launched the Association of Pauline Cooperators with a few pioneer members. Sr Mary Grace Lee told them that they were making history at this inaugural meeting because their names will be written in the future history of the Daughters of St Paul in Hong Kong.
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