Communications on Mar. 9, 2002
* The Catholic Church in Korea Celebrates 40th Anniversary of its Establishment of Hierarchy
Having the 40th anniversary of the establishment of hierarchy, the Catholic Church in Korea is called to undertake structural transformation toward "the Church of Communion" for substantial development balanced with her quantitative growth.
The hierarchy of the Church in Korea was established on March 10, 1962, with its apostolic vicariates being promoted to dioceses. Since then, the Catholic Church in Korea has made structural and financial growth steadily based on independent supply of native clergy.
According to the Statistics of the Catholic Church in Korea published by the CBCK, as of the end of 2000, the number of Korean priests totals 2,891, about ten times as many as the one in 1962, Korean bishops are 23 of 25 bishops in Korea, and there are 4,071,560 believers in 1,228 parishes under 15 dioceses (including Military Ordinariate) in Korea.
Despite this quantitative growth, however, the Catholic Church in Korea is now faced with difficult problems such as decreasing number of the baptized and participants in sacraments, increase of tepid believers, bureaucratic attitudes of the clergy and low spirituality of the faithful.
"To become more creative and future-oriented Church, the Church in Korea should foster relationship of communion between the clergy and lay people with mutual respect and partnership," said Rev. John Shim Sang-tae, director of Korean Christian Thought Institute and added, "in particular, epoch-making steps should be made to elevate the status of women in Church and to take clear position on pending issues of society in accordance with social teachings of the Church".
Rev. Mark Pak Sang-dae, professor of Catholic University of Busan, stressed on the importance of sanctification of clergy saying "the power to open future Church solely depends on the sanctification of priests," and urged priests to offer Mass and homily with adequate preparation.
* 'Catholic Social Service' to Launch Scholarship Foundation for the Youth Escaped from North Korea
'Catholic Social Service'(President: Rev. John Kim Hong-jin) of the Archdiocese of Seoul launched a project to provide scholarship to students of families who escaped from North Korea, by establishing '200th Anniversary Scholarship Foundation for the Families from North Korea'(temporary name).
This initiative is considered the first step of the Catholic social service toward the reconciliation of Korean people.
The first recipients of this scholarship will be students from nine families and one group called 'Ha-I-Mo', abbreviation of Korean name meaning 'group for unity'.
Reorganized from the existing '200th Anniversary Scholarship Foundation', which started in 1984 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of introduction of Catholicism into Korea, this Foundation will offer some 100,000 won every month after making visits to their families to understand their real situation.
With this initiative, 'Catholic Social Service' plans to expand the beneficiary of the scholarship to young refugees from North Korea living in Yanbian and the youth in North Korea in the future.
"For this project, active participation and contribution of individuals and groups in the Church are encouraged, and there are already some signs," a Catholic Social Service official said.
The inauguration ceremony of this Association will be held at Catholic Center downtown Seoul, on March 24.
* Korean Catholic Community in Washington D.C. Turns Eyes on the Need of Local People
The Korean Catholic Community in Washington D.C. took initiative to be an open community for local people and in this perspective it plans to build apartments for local senior citizens with low income.
The Korean Catholic Community located in College Park, Virginia, which is using an old school for liturgy, purchased recently some 237,200 sq. yds. of land to build their own parish and at the same time the community decided to dispose 24,200 square yards of the land for the service of local senior citizens with low income.
They will build 80 small-sized apartments of 63 sq. yds. for them and will call it St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon's House.
When the building is completed by this October it will open to local senior citizens with over 65 of age regardless their religion, nationality and background.
For this project the U.S. Federal Government offered US$6,240,000 and this is the first case for Korean Catholic Communities in the U.S.A.
"We consider it as recognition of the U.S. Federal Government for the efforts of our Community to be open to the service for local society", said Rev. Thomas Im Seung-cheol, the Pastor of the Community.
The project to help senior citizens was initiated with 90 percent of agreement of the faithful who collected US$5,000,000 for the construction of the parish.
"Now, we are anxious to welcome our friends in need and to take care of them as much as we can." said Rev. Im.
Having the 40th anniversary of the establishment of hierarchy, the Catholic Church in Korea is called to undertake structural transformation toward "the Church of Communion" for substantial development balanced with her quantitative growth.
The hierarchy of the Church in Korea was established on March 10, 1962, with its apostolic vicariates being promoted to dioceses. Since then, the Catholic Church in Korea has made structural and financial growth steadily based on independent supply of native clergy.
According to the Statistics of the Catholic Church in Korea published by the CBCK, as of the end of 2000, the number of Korean priests totals 2,891, about ten times as many as the one in 1962, Korean bishops are 23 of 25 bishops in Korea, and there are 4,071,560 believers in 1,228 parishes under 15 dioceses (including Military Ordinariate) in Korea.
Despite this quantitative growth, however, the Catholic Church in Korea is now faced with difficult problems such as decreasing number of the baptized and participants in sacraments, increase of tepid believers, bureaucratic attitudes of the clergy and low spirituality of the faithful.
"To become more creative and future-oriented Church, the Church in Korea should foster relationship of communion between the clergy and lay people with mutual respect and partnership," said Rev. John Shim Sang-tae, director of Korean Christian Thought Institute and added, "in particular, epoch-making steps should be made to elevate the status of women in Church and to take clear position on pending issues of society in accordance with social teachings of the Church".
Rev. Mark Pak Sang-dae, professor of Catholic University of Busan, stressed on the importance of sanctification of clergy saying "the power to open future Church solely depends on the sanctification of priests," and urged priests to offer Mass and homily with adequate preparation.
* 'Catholic Social Service' to Launch Scholarship Foundation for the Youth Escaped from North Korea
'Catholic Social Service'(President: Rev. John Kim Hong-jin) of the Archdiocese of Seoul launched a project to provide scholarship to students of families who escaped from North Korea, by establishing '200th Anniversary Scholarship Foundation for the Families from North Korea'(temporary name).
This initiative is considered the first step of the Catholic social service toward the reconciliation of Korean people.
The first recipients of this scholarship will be students from nine families and one group called 'Ha-I-Mo', abbreviation of Korean name meaning 'group for unity'.
Reorganized from the existing '200th Anniversary Scholarship Foundation', which started in 1984 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of introduction of Catholicism into Korea, this Foundation will offer some 100,000 won every month after making visits to their families to understand their real situation.
With this initiative, 'Catholic Social Service' plans to expand the beneficiary of the scholarship to young refugees from North Korea living in Yanbian and the youth in North Korea in the future.
"For this project, active participation and contribution of individuals and groups in the Church are encouraged, and there are already some signs," a Catholic Social Service official said.
The inauguration ceremony of this Association will be held at Catholic Center downtown Seoul, on March 24.
* Korean Catholic Community in Washington D.C. Turns Eyes on the Need of Local People
The Korean Catholic Community in Washington D.C. took initiative to be an open community for local people and in this perspective it plans to build apartments for local senior citizens with low income.
The Korean Catholic Community located in College Park, Virginia, which is using an old school for liturgy, purchased recently some 237,200 sq. yds. of land to build their own parish and at the same time the community decided to dispose 24,200 square yards of the land for the service of local senior citizens with low income.
They will build 80 small-sized apartments of 63 sq. yds. for them and will call it St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon's House.
When the building is completed by this October it will open to local senior citizens with over 65 of age regardless their religion, nationality and background.
For this project the U.S. Federal Government offered US$6,240,000 and this is the first case for Korean Catholic Communities in the U.S.A.
"We consider it as recognition of the U.S. Federal Government for the efforts of our Community to be open to the service for local society", said Rev. Thomas Im Seung-cheol, the Pastor of the Community.
The project to help senior citizens was initiated with 90 percent of agreement of the faithful who collected US$5,000,000 for the construction of the parish.
"Now, we are anxious to welcome our friends in need and to take care of them as much as we can." said Rev. Im.