The CBCK Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue (President: Most Rev. Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, Archbishop of Gwangju) held the second joint retreat with the representatives of the National Council of Churches in Korea (KNCC) at Piagol Retreat House, Gurye (in Jeollanam-do), from July 13 to 15, 2011.

The participants attended two lectures: "The Buddhist asceticism" by Ven. Jong Ji, Head Monk of Yeongak-sa, and "The trace of the Spiritual Exercise of St. Ignatius" by Rev. John Seo Seok-chil, Professor of Gwangju Catholic University. They also practiced meditation, recited Roman Breviary, and visited the house of Suore della Carita di Gesu.

In his sermon of the morning worship on the second day of the retreat, Rev. John Park Tae-sik, Professor of Sungkonghoe(Anglican) University said, "God is the pastor who leaves the ninety-nine lambs in the hills and goes in search of the stray and the father who slaughters a calf to welcome his younger son who squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. How can we assume that this pastor or father would exclude his younger son, on the excuse that he worships him in a different way?"

"As we spend more time together, we become more aware of many things to learn from one another. I think we become richer as we share our own spirituality together." said Rev. Kim Yeong-joo, Secretary of the KNCC.