Communication on December 1, 2006
*The First Symposium Held on the ‘Preservation and Management of Cultural Heritage of the Church’
The symposium, entitled ‘Preservation and Management of Cultural Heritage of the Church’, was held by the Committee for Culture of the CBCK (President: Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, Bishop of Military Ordinariate) for seeking alternative ways of preservation and management of cultural heritage of the Church on November 24, 2006.
The symposium was a very significant moment for the Church in Korea to have a consideration on management plan for the preservation and management of the cultural heritage of the Church in Korea in general.
Various critical comments were suggested as follows: lack of interest in cultural heritage of the Church in Korea; administration and management influenced by the personal opinions of some priests and specialists. In addition, as modern constructions are focused on not conservation but development in the case of setting up the shrines, it caused the side effect of oversize and touristic commercialism.
On the matter of practical ways, many speakers stressed on “establishment of the values and philosophy, which will accompany preservation and management of cultural heritage of the Church” and “security of budget and formation of experts for the systematic”. Especially the Rev. Daniel Na Ki Jeong (pastor of Kukwoo parish, Archdiocese of Daegu) urged, “‘General education of culture’ should be a priority for the proper practice of our role”.
* 2007 Pastoral Letters Focus on the Practice of Evangelization
As the season of Advent begins on December 3, 2006, each diocesan bishop has issued 2007 pastoral letter emphasizing various practices for the spiritual development, which is a foundation of life and family, and proposed major pastoral plans of the diocese for the coming year.
With the anniversary of the institution of the diocese just before on, following dioceses have concentrated their energies on the positive practice of evangelization: Daegu, Kwangju, Jeionju, Daejeon, Pusan, Incheon and military ordinariate.
His Eminence Nicholas Cardinal Cheong Jinsuk, Archbishop of Seoul, stressed, “Life is the most precious value, which the contemporary Church should protect from threat and hardship.” in his pastoral letter, whose theme is ‘the Church Proclaiming Life’. Cardinal Cheong said, “With the image of Jesus, who healed the poor and the hurt, and the image of Mother, who respects life and heals and hugs her poor and hurt people, let us proclaim the life.”
The Most Rev. Paul Ri Moun-hi, Archbishop of Daegu which institutes the year 2007 as the year of evangelization for the elderly, stressed the special meaning of senescent life with this word: “Old age is not just for retirement but for living some part of beautiful journey of life which delivers the future hope.” And the archbishop underlined, “First of all, it is necessary to practice the pastoral care for active participation of the elderly in church life.”
The Most Rev. Andreas Choi Chang-mou, Archbishop of Kwangju, remarked in his pastoral letter, whose theme is ‘In the Light’, “It is important for the faithful to achieve the inner renewal in the ecclesial community. We, who are called to carry out our mission to be a witness toward the world, should realize that the effort to practice our mission toward the local community is the most effective activity for proclaiming evangelization.”
Other diocesan bishops also reaffirmed the inner renewal of the Church and the service outside the Church.