* Message for the Week for Catholic Education 2008

The Most Rev. Matthias Ri Iong-hoon, President of the CBCK Committee on Education and Auxiliary Bishop of Suwon, issued a message entitled ‘Jesus Christ, Educator for the Whole Person’ for the third Week for Catholic Education to be celebrated from May 19 to 25, 2008.

In the message, Bishop Ri stressed, "Following Jesus Christ who saved individual human beings in their integral person, the Church as well as parents and educators should help children grow up in personality integration so that the true purpose of education can be achieved."

He said, "True education is to pursue formation for the whole person oriented towards the finality of the entire humanity and the common good of society." Then he continued, "The Church should do her utmost, with solicitude and collaboration, to make students to cultivate their own ability and personality so that they could be conformed to Jesus Christ."

Bishop Ri recommended four practical measures: 1) students commit themselves to studying hard for self-advancement and to improving personality; 2) parents help their children grow up in holistic personality integration through a regular dialogue; 3) educators regard and treat students as independent persons; 4) the Church collaborates and supports in conformity to the spirit of "Charter of Catholic Education in Korea" (approved at the 2006 Autumn General Assembly of the CBCK).

* Seminar on 'Reality & Morality in Korean Society in the Eyes of Peace'

The CBCK Committee for Justice & Peace held a seminar under the theme of 'Reality and Morality in Korean Society in the Eyes of Peace' at the Coste Hall of Myeongdong Cathedral of Seoul on May 9, 2008.

The Committee has organized such an annual seminar as a place to publicize 'the Message for the World Day of Peace' issued by the Pope on the first day of a year, within the Church and society in Korea. This year, the seminar focused on the major contents of the Pope's Message for the World Day of Peace 2008, 'The Human Family, a Community of Peace': a prudent use of resources and an equitable distribution of wealth. 

In his greetings, the Most Rev. Boniface Choi Ki-san, President of the Committee and Bishop of Incheon, said, "Holy Father highlights the fact that humanity can live in peace if all the members withdraw selfish individualism and submit to a common standard." Then he admonished the faithful to make efforts to build a society where a spirit of solidarity will be alive and human dignity will be respected.

Mr. Daniel Kim Hyeong-jun, professor at Myeongji University, made a presentation with the theme of 'Politics, Economics, and Moral' and asserted that Korean society has been challenged to promote the common good through participation and solidarity and build a community of peace, recovering morality in the field of politics and economics, in accordance with Catholic social teaching. He emphasized that social leaders should display their leadership through service, practice and temperance, concern and coordination, and reflection.

Fr. John Lee Jae-don, professor of the Catholic University Graduate School for Life in Korea, gave a presentation with the theme of 'Environment & Moral' and said, "For the realization of peace, we Christians, above all, should acknowledge our moral duty to safeguard the global environment." Then he proposed concrete practices as follows: to reconstruct relationship between nature and human beings; to change the criteria of happiness from material satisfaction to spiritual joy; to elaborate environmental ethics and educate people about it recalling the religious meaning in nature.