Pontifical Mission Societies release Domund centenary song with writers of papal hymn
"Envíame a mí", written by producer Pablo Cebrián and three singers who helped create the papal visit hymn "Alza la mirada", is out on digital platforms ahead of Domund celebrations on October 18
The Pontifical Mission Societies in Spain (Obras Misionales Pontificias, OMP) and VIVAFE have released "Envíame a mí" ("Send Me"), a song marking the centenary of Domund, the Spanish Church's annual mission appeal. It was written by producer Pablo Cebrián and the singers Jaime Salmoreno, Chechu Reguart and Estefanía Benedicto, all of whom helped create "Alza la mirada", the hymn for the papal visit. OMP says the song turns the call to mission into a direct, contemporary response and is meant to stay in use beyond the anniversary. OMP has invited all communities to learn the song for the Domund celebrations on October 18.
"Send me, here I am for you, I want to be your word in the world; may they find in you the greatest and deepest treasure," runs the refrain. OMP says the song is intended to renew the missionary zeal of Christian communities, as "Alma misionera", by Father Enrique García Vélez, has done for years. The project began with OMP's wish for a contemporary song that would kindle missionary zeal among all Christians, individually and as communities.
OMP approached VIVAFE, the digital Catholic music community for young people in Spain backed by the media group Ábside Media, which led the composition of the papal hymn. Its creators organized a songwriting camp produced by Pablo Cebrián. Taking part were Jaime Salmoreno, a priest of the Diocese of Alcalá; Chechu Reguart, a member of the group "Tuyo"; and Estefanía Benedicto, who oversaw the recording of the choirs for the papal hymn in the Canary Islands. The aim was a song made for listening, prayer and celebration, one that would kindle missionary zeal at every level.
The song was written in a single day and is out now. In the lyrics the singer addresses Jesus and, moved "by the beauty of the one who made me fall in love", offers himself to go "throughout all the earth", "by night and by day", "for all my life". Footsteps run underneath as a rhythm track, suggesting that mission sets people in motion.
The song is available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and other digital platforms. The project also includes a music video with footage of dozens of missionaries around the world, intercut with images of the studio recording. Those featured include priests, religious, laypeople and families.
OMP and VIVAFE have also produced a lyric video and made the lyrics and guitar chords available so that choirs, communities, parishes and schools can sing it through October at Domund celebrations in every diocese.
Stirring in young people a desire to give themselves
"Why a new song?" asked José María Calderón, director of OMP. "Songs are a beautiful way of expressing deep feelings: love, anguish, emotion, joy... but they are also a beautiful way of prompting those feelings," he said. "With this song we want to put in young people's hearts the desire to give themselves to the cause of Jesus, to stir in them the eagerness to ask the Lord to count on them, so that Jesus Christ can send them to be his light and his word in this world of ours that so needs God's love and his grace," he said.
"At VIVAFE we want to foster a new generation of Catholic music that can speak the language of young people and be part of their daily lives," said Javier Llano, who runs the platform. "'Envíame a mí' was born with exactly that purpose: to bring talent together, create a contemporary song and make sure that a message with a hundred years of history keeps finding new ways to reach people and move them."
