Susanna, the seeker

Sr Susanna Choi SSC Photo: Missionary Society of St ColumbanSr Susanna Choi SSC is the new Congregational Leader for the Columban Sisters. She shares her remarkable journey of faith with Sr Marie Galvin SSC.

Growing up in a farming family in Young Am in the Archdiocese of Gwangju, Korea, gave me a great love of nature and of country life. I was the second youngest of seven girls and with my sisters worked to help my parents on our family farm, so I am familiar with the joys and sorrows involved in this way of life.

Daily we walked the 30 minute journey to and from our local primary school. Like that of the majority of the pupils who attended our school, our family was not affiliated with any religion.

Near our school was a tiny chapel which always aroused my interest. A local catechist, attached to the Columban parish in the area, held classes in the chapel. I was curious and joined some of my friends who were preparing for Baptism. I heard, the ‘seeking’ call. I so wanted to be baptised when I was 11 years old but the catechist advised me to wait. Eventually two years later, permission was granted. I was so happy, my ‘seeking’ had found Baptism and the beginning of a whole new journey in faith. Columban, Fr Dan O’Gorman, baptised me in 1983 and I received the name Susanna. When I told my mother I was to be baptized a Catholic, she said: “Now you will have to be a good girl” and I replied “Yes I will“.

Following my Baptism, as an enthusiastic Christian, I became active at the local chapel, helping to prepare the weekly liturgies with my companions all under the supervision of the catechist as the priest was able to visit only once a month. It was a precious time and experience for me as I continued my faith journey with joy.

I completed high school and went to Seoul to work. My elder sister was already there and she, too, had been baptized a Catholic.

My quest and seeking continued when I heard about the Columban Sisters' 'Vocation Days' which I attended. Again I felt a call and wished to enlist right away, but once again was advised to wait. This was not easy for me but in hindsight, it was right. I spoke with my parents and they gave me permission. My father said, “Go and try” while my mother’s wish was that I remain in Korea rather than go overseas.

In 1994, at the age of 24, I made my profession as a Columban Sister. Following studies in Birmingham I qualified as a nurse and in 2003 became one of the re-founding group to go to Myanmar. It had been 36 years since our Columban Sisters were expelled from what was then known as Burma. Here I found great scope for my nursing skills among the desperately sick and poor Kachin people.

The political situation was dangerous but I yearned to cross boundaries to seek out the needy. Given the courage, freedom and trust of the Congregation “to go beyond and take risks”, I was able to spread my wings to meet God in His beloved poor and sick where I experienced a real deepening of my faith.

The Kachin people allowed me to be myself. They loved and accepted me and this helped propel me on my missionary journey. It was a deepening of my faith that began by my seeking baptism in Korea. It was further nourished through the simplicity of life and warm relationships of the Kachin people.

As a missionary I am convinced that seeking leads to finding real treasures.

Sr Marie Galvin, Missionary Sisters of St Columban.

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