The CBCK Committee for Evangelization (President: Most Rev. Vincent Ri Pyung-ho) held a special seminar with the theme “Misercordiae Vultus” at Hyehwadong parish in Seoul on October 16, 2015. This seminar was meant to ask the faithful to ponder upon the meaning of the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, suggesting concrete action plans and ways of practicing the spirit of the Jubilee.

In this seminar, Misericordiae Vultus, the Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, was introduced with detailed and fruitful explanation by many experts. On top of that, supplementary material for systematical reading of Misericordiae Vultus was also suggested by the Diocese of Jeonju.

In his lecture with the theme “Merciful Like the Father”, Bishop Ri explained the structure and meaning of Misercordiae Vultus and said that the Jubilee was proclaimed to have the Church opening her door, so that everybody can come into the Church without hesitation. Besides his systematical analysis on Misercordiae Vultus, Bishop Ri asked the faithful to practice some suggestions offered in the Bull.

In his lecture entitled “The Task and Practice of the Catholic Church in Korea in the Jubilee of Mercy”, Rev. Bartholomew Jun Won, Assistant Director of the Catholic Pastoral Institute of Korea, introduced concrete plans on three different levels i.e. individual, within the Church, and without the Church.

Votive Mass for the Peace of the Korean Peninsula on the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation and Division of Korea

The CBCK Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People (President: Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon) celebrated a votive Mass for the Peace of the Korean Peninsula at Odu Mountain Unification Observatory on October 15, 2015. At this event, 25 bishops of Korea concelebrated the Mass, with the Most Rev. Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, Archbishop of Gwangju and the President of the CBCK, presiding.

In his homily, Archbishop Kim said that the year of 2015 would be the first year to open a new door to unity and peace, overcoming the agony of division with the power of divine mercy, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the liberation and division of Korea, just as Jews saw the new era of blessing after 70 years of Babylonian Captivity. He continued, “It is very naive and irresponsible for us to think that unification will come some day in the future with no concrete efforts on our part. The reconciliation and peace of the Korean Peninsula cannot be achieved when we are misled by the special interests of some political group or when we wait for the collapse of North Korea without doing anything.”

In conclusion, Archbishop Kim prayed that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a special moment, a stepping stone of divine mercy for the mutual forgiveness and reconciliation of North and South Korea.