Communication on June 18
* Family Pastoral Ministry Emphasized at an Inter-Committee Symposium
The family pastoral ministry should be given a priority in the Church and illuminated by diverse perspectives, said the participants of an inter-committee symposium.
On June 10, 2004, the Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, Committee for Social Communications, Committee for Women, and Bioethics Committee of the CBCK jointly held a symposium with the title "The Family toward Life," to examine the reality of families in Korean society and present desirable images and measures for Christian family.
This symposium was also in line with the preparation for the 8th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, which will be held in Korea in upcoming August with the theme "The Asian Family toward a Culture of Life."
At the symposium, presenters and commenters remarked that the family pastoral ministry should be studied and treated in the broader perspective of "Christian family within the society" and thus needs to take into consideration the social phenomenon, circumstances and view of value. They also noted that structures for the family pastoral ministry should be organized in each diocese since only four dioceses have pastors who are in exclusive charge of the family pastoral ministry.
The Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, President of the Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, delivered the keynote address, saying, "The family is the place where life is conceived and gets in bloom but it cannot play its proper role" and deplored that "in our society, dialogue between parents and children was broken off and pastoral care of the youth became difficult." In this regard, he underlined the value of teachings of the Church on the family, and urged families to "understand the meaning of marriage and family and live out Christian life in each family."
Besides, the Rev. Paul Lee Chang-young, the Rev. Benedict Song Young-oh, and the Rev. Ignatius Kim Min-soo, the Rev. Pious Kwak Seung-ryong, and Ms. Yun Hye-ran made presentations on various themes regarding the family, such as the Changed Realities and Problems of Korean Families; Reflection on the Evangelization of the Family - Pastoral Examination; Consumerism and the Family; Domestic Church - Family of God Praying with the Word and the Holy Spirit; Family in the Media.
The family pastoral ministry should be given a priority in the Church and illuminated by diverse perspectives, said the participants of an inter-committee symposium.
On June 10, 2004, the Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, Committee for Social Communications, Committee for Women, and Bioethics Committee of the CBCK jointly held a symposium with the title "The Family toward Life," to examine the reality of families in Korean society and present desirable images and measures for Christian family.
This symposium was also in line with the preparation for the 8th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, which will be held in Korea in upcoming August with the theme "The Asian Family toward a Culture of Life."
At the symposium, presenters and commenters remarked that the family pastoral ministry should be studied and treated in the broader perspective of "Christian family within the society" and thus needs to take into consideration the social phenomenon, circumstances and view of value. They also noted that structures for the family pastoral ministry should be organized in each diocese since only four dioceses have pastors who are in exclusive charge of the family pastoral ministry.
The Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, President of the Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, delivered the keynote address, saying, "The family is the place where life is conceived and gets in bloom but it cannot play its proper role" and deplored that "in our society, dialogue between parents and children was broken off and pastoral care of the youth became difficult." In this regard, he underlined the value of teachings of the Church on the family, and urged families to "understand the meaning of marriage and family and live out Christian life in each family."
Besides, the Rev. Paul Lee Chang-young, the Rev. Benedict Song Young-oh, and the Rev. Ignatius Kim Min-soo, the Rev. Pious Kwak Seung-ryong, and Ms. Yun Hye-ran made presentations on various themes regarding the family, such as the Changed Realities and Problems of Korean Families; Reflection on the Evangelization of the Family - Pastoral Examination; Consumerism and the Family; Domestic Church - Family of God Praying with the Word and the Holy Spirit; Family in the Media.