Communications on Mar. 29, 2002
* Bishops' Easter Messages to Call for Efforts for Social Common Good
For the 2002 Easter Sunday, the Bishops in Korea issued Easter Messages and wished for each family, Korean people and the whole world abundant grace and peace of Jesus Christ.
In particular, the Bishops expressed deep concern over prevailing social corruption and moral degradation, terrorism and violence, threatened social justice and common good and invited the faithful to bear witness to the hope of the world through inner renewal and conversion.
Apprehending corruption, terrors and wars around the world, the Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong, Archbishop of Seoul, emphasized that the believers should become the witnesses to love and faith, values more precious than the material things, and show them in their lives.
The Most Rev. Paul Ri, Archbishop of Taegu, urged, "Christians who came to share eternal life through the resurrection of Jesus should live up to the Kingdom of God in the middle of the world, not holding to secular world".
The Most Rev. Andrew Choi, Archbishop of Kwangju, invited the faithful, members of the Church, who were the Body of Risen Christ, to live out the Gospel through their whole life as Christ himself lived and proclaimed," and posed a question of the meaning of remembering and proclaiming the Passion of Christ and His Pascal mystery amidst the vicious circle of violence and revenge, pursuit of power, and struggle of powerful countries for domination.
Other Bishops also asked the faithful to witness and lead exemplary lives to realize common good of the Church and the society.
* Sending Footballs to Children in North Korea and Afghanistan for Peaceful World Cup
"It is a duty of the Church to make 2002 World Cup a feast of peace and reconciliation," said Rev. John Bosco Hong Chang-jin, Chairman of Executive Committee of the World Cup Movement Center for Peace and Reconciliation of the Diocese of Suwon.
The Center has developed a campaign to send 2002 footballs to children in North Korea and Afghanistan respectively before the World Cup games start.
"The World Cup should bear peace message giving hope to children in area of conflicts," he noted, emphasizing the need to let the world know through the World Cup that Korean people are 'peace-loving people' despite the division of nation.
He also regretted for North Korean brothers and sisters who cannot come to see the football games even though they are very near in distance and said, "the movement to send footballs is significant because it aims at enjoying the World Cup together with North Korea".
For the movement to be successful, he called for cooperation and encouragement of other dioceses and hoped it could be developed as a continuous sharing movement even after the World Cup.
The collected footballs will be sent to North Korea and Afghanistan through the National Red Cross in Korea around the beginning of the 2002 World Cup.
* Cardinal Kim Emphasized Self-Emptying on a TV Talk Program
His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim, invited to EBS(educational broadcast program) titled "Encounter with Intellectuals", expressed opinions regarding the way of being true human and the role of religions.
With regard to true human beings, he said, "To live for other people by giving up self-centered life and emptying oneself is the way to live as a true human being" and added that we may not reach this ideal but should make life-long efforts for it.
He also addressed that contemporaries need time to reflect the meaning of life and in this regard religions should play important role to guide them. He also warned the danger of religious fanaticism which can lead people to violence and wars.
For the conflict between science and religious ethics as shown in recent controversies of human cloning, Cardinal Kim declared, "Religions and sciences are complementary and in relation of co-existence," and asked scientists to contribute to human welfare by studying the mystery of human life and universe in accordance with the God's plan, Creator of the universe.
* Diocese of Inchon to Establish Workers' Sunday
The Diocese of Inchon is to establish Workers' Sunday for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church in Korea.
In this regard, the Most Rev. William McNaughton, Bishop of Inchon, issued a message and announced that the Diocese would celebrate Workers' Sunday on the 5th Easter Sunday, thus this year would be April 28th, and there would be second collection to remind the faithful the meaning of the Sunday.
The decision to establish the Workers' Sunday was taken in conviction that the evangelization of workers and their humanization were closely related to the social role of the Church as it was stressed at the diocesan Synod as one of the key points for social evangelization of the new millennium.
Through the Workers' Sunday the Diocese is expected to be more concerned about workers issues and to accelerate support and collaboration to solve structural and systematic problems that are at the heart of labor crisis.
* Pastoral Care Required for North Korean Defectors
With 25 North Korean Defectors arrived in Seoul recently to seek asylum in the South, Church people involved in the North Korea-related associations emphasized to intensify the aid to North Korea and to plan pastoral care for North Korean defectors.
They stressed that as the defection cases are increasing, the role of non-governmental organizations including the religious world is becoming more important. The Church should prepare for counterplans for North Korean asylum-seekers.
"The limitation of Government's policies can be overcome by effort of private sector," said Sr. Oh Hye-jeong of the Committee for Reconciliation of Korean People of Archdiocese of Seoul and added "It is not impossible to embrace North Korean defectors scattered in all parts of country if each diocese pays more attention." She also stressed, "This problem is for all of us, not limited to some organizations or individuals, in that we should be prepared for the times of reunification".
Rev. John Park Chang-il of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stressed, "Government, civic organizations, and the Church should pay attention and make effort to give aid to North Korea", by pointing out that the chronic food shortage in North Korea is one of main causes of defections.
On the other hand, with the latest successful defection, some people are concerned that Chinese Government might begin a crackdown on other North Korean defectors remaining in China.
Rev. Park also said "The problem of North Korean defectors can be dealt with more effectively through unofficial channels", saying that diplomatic effort to China will not be so useful in considering China-North Korea relation.
Thus, diversified efforts should be made such as recognition of North Korean defectors as refugees and use of temporary protection system which United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees recognizes.
For the 2002 Easter Sunday, the Bishops in Korea issued Easter Messages and wished for each family, Korean people and the whole world abundant grace and peace of Jesus Christ.
In particular, the Bishops expressed deep concern over prevailing social corruption and moral degradation, terrorism and violence, threatened social justice and common good and invited the faithful to bear witness to the hope of the world through inner renewal and conversion.
Apprehending corruption, terrors and wars around the world, the Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong, Archbishop of Seoul, emphasized that the believers should become the witnesses to love and faith, values more precious than the material things, and show them in their lives.
The Most Rev. Paul Ri, Archbishop of Taegu, urged, "Christians who came to share eternal life through the resurrection of Jesus should live up to the Kingdom of God in the middle of the world, not holding to secular world".
The Most Rev. Andrew Choi, Archbishop of Kwangju, invited the faithful, members of the Church, who were the Body of Risen Christ, to live out the Gospel through their whole life as Christ himself lived and proclaimed," and posed a question of the meaning of remembering and proclaiming the Passion of Christ and His Pascal mystery amidst the vicious circle of violence and revenge, pursuit of power, and struggle of powerful countries for domination.
Other Bishops also asked the faithful to witness and lead exemplary lives to realize common good of the Church and the society.
* Sending Footballs to Children in North Korea and Afghanistan for Peaceful World Cup
"It is a duty of the Church to make 2002 World Cup a feast of peace and reconciliation," said Rev. John Bosco Hong Chang-jin, Chairman of Executive Committee of the World Cup Movement Center for Peace and Reconciliation of the Diocese of Suwon.
The Center has developed a campaign to send 2002 footballs to children in North Korea and Afghanistan respectively before the World Cup games start.
"The World Cup should bear peace message giving hope to children in area of conflicts," he noted, emphasizing the need to let the world know through the World Cup that Korean people are 'peace-loving people' despite the division of nation.
He also regretted for North Korean brothers and sisters who cannot come to see the football games even though they are very near in distance and said, "the movement to send footballs is significant because it aims at enjoying the World Cup together with North Korea".
For the movement to be successful, he called for cooperation and encouragement of other dioceses and hoped it could be developed as a continuous sharing movement even after the World Cup.
The collected footballs will be sent to North Korea and Afghanistan through the National Red Cross in Korea around the beginning of the 2002 World Cup.
* Cardinal Kim Emphasized Self-Emptying on a TV Talk Program
His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim, invited to EBS(educational broadcast program) titled "Encounter with Intellectuals", expressed opinions regarding the way of being true human and the role of religions.
With regard to true human beings, he said, "To live for other people by giving up self-centered life and emptying oneself is the way to live as a true human being" and added that we may not reach this ideal but should make life-long efforts for it.
He also addressed that contemporaries need time to reflect the meaning of life and in this regard religions should play important role to guide them. He also warned the danger of religious fanaticism which can lead people to violence and wars.
For the conflict between science and religious ethics as shown in recent controversies of human cloning, Cardinal Kim declared, "Religions and sciences are complementary and in relation of co-existence," and asked scientists to contribute to human welfare by studying the mystery of human life and universe in accordance with the God's plan, Creator of the universe.
* Diocese of Inchon to Establish Workers' Sunday
The Diocese of Inchon is to establish Workers' Sunday for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church in Korea.
In this regard, the Most Rev. William McNaughton, Bishop of Inchon, issued a message and announced that the Diocese would celebrate Workers' Sunday on the 5th Easter Sunday, thus this year would be April 28th, and there would be second collection to remind the faithful the meaning of the Sunday.
The decision to establish the Workers' Sunday was taken in conviction that the evangelization of workers and their humanization were closely related to the social role of the Church as it was stressed at the diocesan Synod as one of the key points for social evangelization of the new millennium.
Through the Workers' Sunday the Diocese is expected to be more concerned about workers issues and to accelerate support and collaboration to solve structural and systematic problems that are at the heart of labor crisis.
* Pastoral Care Required for North Korean Defectors
With 25 North Korean Defectors arrived in Seoul recently to seek asylum in the South, Church people involved in the North Korea-related associations emphasized to intensify the aid to North Korea and to plan pastoral care for North Korean defectors.
They stressed that as the defection cases are increasing, the role of non-governmental organizations including the religious world is becoming more important. The Church should prepare for counterplans for North Korean asylum-seekers.
"The limitation of Government's policies can be overcome by effort of private sector," said Sr. Oh Hye-jeong of the Committee for Reconciliation of Korean People of Archdiocese of Seoul and added "It is not impossible to embrace North Korean defectors scattered in all parts of country if each diocese pays more attention." She also stressed, "This problem is for all of us, not limited to some organizations or individuals, in that we should be prepared for the times of reunification".
Rev. John Park Chang-il of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stressed, "Government, civic organizations, and the Church should pay attention and make effort to give aid to North Korea", by pointing out that the chronic food shortage in North Korea is one of main causes of defections.
On the other hand, with the latest successful defection, some people are concerned that Chinese Government might begin a crackdown on other North Korean defectors remaining in China.
Rev. Park also said "The problem of North Korean defectors can be dealt with more effectively through unofficial channels", saying that diplomatic effort to China will not be so useful in considering China-North Korea relation.
Thus, diversified efforts should be made such as recognition of North Korean defectors as refugees and use of temporary protection system which United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees recognizes.