The Subcommittee for Environment under the CBCK Committee for Justice & Peace (President: Most Rev. Matthias Ri Iong-hun) held a ceremony for the 7th Catholic Ecological Award at the auditorium of the CCK on October 10, 2012.

The Grand Prix was awarded to the “Committee for the late Mr. Lee Chi-wu who burned himself to death protesting the construction of 762kv high-tension electric power transmission tower in Milyang, South Gyeongsang Province.” This committee expressed their appreciation for its contribution to informing the public of the justice in protesting against the construction of nuclear power plants by letting people know how the power transmission tower can destroy the life of farmers in their hometown and ruin our mountains and rivers.

The Special Prize was given to Mr. Park Geu-rim who staged a protest campaign against the construction of a cable car on Sorak Mountain which could do harm to the environment.

Events on the Occasion of the Year of Faith

The Archdiocese of Seoul celebrated an opening Mass for the Year of Faith with the participation of 900 faithful on October 11, 2012. The Most Rev. Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, Archbishop of Seoul, presided over the Mass and H.E. Nicholas Cardinal Cheong Jinsuk, Archbishop emeritus of Seoul, the Most Rev. Osvaldo Padilla, Apostolic Nuncio in Korea, and the Most Rev. Basil Cho Kyu-man, Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul, were concelebrants. During the Mass the rite of renewal of baptismal promises was also celebrated. At the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the faithful brought forward not only bread and wine but also the Korean Holy Bible, the Korean Prayer Book, conciliar documents and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to demonstrate their commitment to the celebration of the Year of Faith.

The Archdiocese of Daegu also celebrated an opening Mass for the Year of Faith, presided over by the Most Rev. Thaddeus Cho Hwan-kil, Archbishop of Daegu, at Gyesandong Cathedral on October 11, 2012. The faithful participating in this Mass committed themselves to the renewal of their relationship with God through the renewal of baptismal promises and focused on the “transmission of Christian faith and new evangelization.”

The Archdiocese of Gwangju also celebrated an opening Mass for the Year of Faith, presided over by the Most Rev. Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, Archbishop of Gwangju, at Gwangju Catholic University on October 11, 2012.

Other dioceses also celebrated opening Masses for the Year of Faith to commit themselves to the observation of the Year of Faith in meaningful ways. The Diocese of Andong issued a pastoral letter to urge the faithful to make more efforts for the celebration of the Year of Faith. The Diocese of Masan prepared prayer texts entitled “Prayer for the Identity of Faith” for the faithful to recite on the occasion of the Year of Faith. The Diocese of Incheon also urged the faithful to recite its prayer texts prepared for the celebration of the Year of Faith, especially before and after the celebration of Mass and at meetings of parish organizations.