The Diocese of Suwon held its 15th Diocesan Symposium at the Jeongjadong Cathedral of Suwon on October 2, 2008. The theme was 'Family in Crisis, Pastoral Care of Hope.' Many diocesan priests, religious men and women, and the lay faithful, in all about 1,300 persons, participated in this symposium to give a deep consideration for the future way of pastoral care for family.

In his keynote address, Rev. Benedictus Song Yeong-oh, Secretary of the CBCK Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, said, "While the Catholic Church in Korea has concentrated herself on her quantitative increase since the 1980s, unfortunately, there also has been an increase of lukewarm faithful who do not practice their faith life earnestly. ······ As we have had little concern about the pastoral care for family, we are now facing such a challenge." Then he urged, "We have to make a new start with a deep concern about the pastoral care for family which is the fundament of all pastoral ministries, keeping it in mind that the future of mankind depends on the family."

Besides, two priests and one lay theologian presented their papers. They all indicated that nowadays along with the non-Catholic families, the families of the Catholic faithful are facing the challenge of family disintegration. Then they put emphasis on the redesign of the pastoral framework and the realization of pastoral strategy step by step.