Communications on Sep. 6, 2002
* XXI World Congress of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations Held in Seoul
The 21st World Congress of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations(FIAMC, President: Prof. Gian Luigi Gigli) was held in Seoul from September 1 to 4 with the theme of "Identity and Mission of Catholic Doctors in the Health Care". Some 450 Catholic health care workers, clergy and religious participated in the congress.
The Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul, who celebrated the opening Mass said in his homily, "it is very meaningful for the Catholic Church in Korea to host the 21st World Congress of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, which is the first one since the third millennium began", and emphasized, "Catholic health care workers should serve the life, especially those of the marginalized and the sick and suffering."
Beginning the opening ceremony, Archbishop Javier Lozano, President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, read the papal message on behalf of Pope John Paul II. It said, "through this congress, the Catholic medical professionals should confirm their identity as health care workers who clearly understand the value of life and respect its dignity," and the Pope noted, "I hope each participant, after returning to their homeland, may deliver the Christian ethics, try to foster the culture of life and practice it in their every day life and medical field."
Prof. Gian Luigi Gigli, President of the FIAMC, said, "following the good examples of Korean martyrs, we, the Catholic health care workers, should recognize the face of Christ in those of the alienated and the sick and convey the love of God to them."
Dr. Dominic Kang Joon-ki, President of the Korean Federation of Catholic Medical Associations(KFCMA), said in his welcoming address, "to us, Catholic doctors, the new Millennium is a hope and at the same time it is a challenge," and stressed, "Catholic doctors should make efforts to evangelize the world by inviting many people to the Church through our modern medical activities. With our training, we as Catholic doctors together with other professionals can be the 'salt of the earth' and be the engine of growth for the Church."
Also at the opening ceremony, Pope John XXI Prize for Medical Ethics was awarded to Prof. Salvino Leone from St. John Hospital in Rome.
On the second day, after Archbishop Javier Lozano gave the keynote lecture on the theme of "the Identity of Catholic Doctor", participants discussed various issues of medical ethics such as abortion, euthanasia and genetic manipulation and confirmed the mission of Catholic doctors and made commitment to practice it.
Among those participated in the opening ceremony are Mr. Kim Sung-ho, Minister of Health and Welfare of Korea, Rev. Matthias Choi Young-sik, Director of Catholic Medical Center, Rev. John Kim Jong-su, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea(CBCK), and Dr. Sin Sang-jin, President of Korean Medical Association.
* Catholic and Protestant Churches Agree to Hold Theological Conferences Regularly
For the sake of the Christian unity in Korea, the Catholic and Protestant agreed to hold theological conferences regularly. As part of it, a theological forum is scheduled in May 2003, at Catholic University of Seoul, with the theme of "Mutual Understanding of Catholicism and Protestantism."
This decision was drawn from the theologians' meeting of the Conference of Christian Unity in Korea held at Aaron Retreat House in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, from August 30 to September 1.
The Conference of Christian Unity in Korea, established in last February by the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue(President: Most Rev. Boniface Choi Ki-san) of the CBCK and the National Council of Churches in Korea(KNCC), is composed of theologians and working-level peoples from both sides.
At the meeting, all of some 30 participants acknowledged honestly the past distrust and misunderstanding and pledged to broaden the scope of mutual understanding and dialogue and to look for practical ways of Christian unity.
Participants also selected future study subjects such as the relationship of the Catholic and the Protestant along the history of the Church; theological problems to be overcome for Christian unity in Korea; reciprocal understanding and exchange for mission and unity. They agreed to undertake theological study together and approach the public, for example, through various forums.
To facilitate the preparation for future forums, directors were elected including Rev. Joseph Kim Ung-tae, professor of the Catholic University of Seoul, Rev. Vincent Kim Il-hoe, professor of the Catholic University of Incheon, Rev. Kim Young-il, chairperson of theology of the KNCC, and Rev. Chae Su-il, professor of Hanshin University.
The Most Rev. Choi said in his address, "when we are trying to know what the Christians in Korea can do for Korean society and people in the new millennium, the ecumenical aim may be realized in natural way," and called for ecumenical efforts of theologians.
Following the ecumenical spirit of the Vatican Council II, the Catholic Church in Korea started to have reciprocal visits with the Anglican Church in Korea in 1965. Moreover, since the 1980s the Catholic Church in Korea held the Prayer Week for Christian Unity(January 18 to 25) with KNCC, the deliberative body of all denominations of Protestant Church, and the Anglican and Orthodox Churches.
However, theological forums for Christian unity were held just twice until now, in January and November 2000, respectively. Therefore, the decision to hold it regularly shows the journey of Christian unity is now ripening into practical phase.
* Prayer for Beatification and Canonization Made
The Episcopal Special Commission for the Beatification and Canonization decided upon the 'Prayer for Beatification and Canonization' at its 3rd meeting held on September 2 at CBCK's conference room.
The Commission(Chairman: Most Rev. Michael Pak Jeong-il) decided to print 400,000 copies of the prayer and distribute them to the faithful.
The Most Rev. Michael Pak stressed the significance of the prayer movement to ask God to grant the grace of beatification and canonization, saying, "It is not possible unless it is God's will. Therefore prayer is very important," and added, "the history of the Church in Korea which is soaked with martyrs’ blood is already a grace of God."”
He invited Korean faithful to give thanks to God for martyrs and to bear witness to God after their example.
* 2,200 Catholic Public Officials Participated in Annual Retreat
The 19th retreat of Catholic public officials was held on September 1, at Indoor Gymnasium of Suwon. The retreat that gathered public officials from all over the country was an opportunity to pray and reflect their lives in the light of the Gospel.
The participants pledged anew to be the 'salt' and 'leaven' in their respective environment and change the society from inside.
Some 2,200 participants confirmed their identity of children of God by sharing their life experiences and friendship, and sought ways how to be faithful to their duty of public servants as Christians.
The Most Rev. Paul Choi Duk-ki, Bishop of Suwon, in his homily, reminded the participants that they are administrative officials and at the same time children of God, and asked to be upright and sincere public officials, and model of good Christians.
The retreat of Catholic public officials was initiated in 1984 in Daejeon and is held annually.
The 21st World Congress of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations(FIAMC, President: Prof. Gian Luigi Gigli) was held in Seoul from September 1 to 4 with the theme of "Identity and Mission of Catholic Doctors in the Health Care". Some 450 Catholic health care workers, clergy and religious participated in the congress.
The Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul, who celebrated the opening Mass said in his homily, "it is very meaningful for the Catholic Church in Korea to host the 21st World Congress of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, which is the first one since the third millennium began", and emphasized, "Catholic health care workers should serve the life, especially those of the marginalized and the sick and suffering."
Beginning the opening ceremony, Archbishop Javier Lozano, President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, read the papal message on behalf of Pope John Paul II. It said, "through this congress, the Catholic medical professionals should confirm their identity as health care workers who clearly understand the value of life and respect its dignity," and the Pope noted, "I hope each participant, after returning to their homeland, may deliver the Christian ethics, try to foster the culture of life and practice it in their every day life and medical field."
Prof. Gian Luigi Gigli, President of the FIAMC, said, "following the good examples of Korean martyrs, we, the Catholic health care workers, should recognize the face of Christ in those of the alienated and the sick and convey the love of God to them."
Dr. Dominic Kang Joon-ki, President of the Korean Federation of Catholic Medical Associations(KFCMA), said in his welcoming address, "to us, Catholic doctors, the new Millennium is a hope and at the same time it is a challenge," and stressed, "Catholic doctors should make efforts to evangelize the world by inviting many people to the Church through our modern medical activities. With our training, we as Catholic doctors together with other professionals can be the 'salt of the earth' and be the engine of growth for the Church."
Also at the opening ceremony, Pope John XXI Prize for Medical Ethics was awarded to Prof. Salvino Leone from St. John Hospital in Rome.
On the second day, after Archbishop Javier Lozano gave the keynote lecture on the theme of "the Identity of Catholic Doctor", participants discussed various issues of medical ethics such as abortion, euthanasia and genetic manipulation and confirmed the mission of Catholic doctors and made commitment to practice it.
Among those participated in the opening ceremony are Mr. Kim Sung-ho, Minister of Health and Welfare of Korea, Rev. Matthias Choi Young-sik, Director of Catholic Medical Center, Rev. John Kim Jong-su, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea(CBCK), and Dr. Sin Sang-jin, President of Korean Medical Association.
* Catholic and Protestant Churches Agree to Hold Theological Conferences Regularly
For the sake of the Christian unity in Korea, the Catholic and Protestant agreed to hold theological conferences regularly. As part of it, a theological forum is scheduled in May 2003, at Catholic University of Seoul, with the theme of "Mutual Understanding of Catholicism and Protestantism."
This decision was drawn from the theologians' meeting of the Conference of Christian Unity in Korea held at Aaron Retreat House in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, from August 30 to September 1.
The Conference of Christian Unity in Korea, established in last February by the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue(President: Most Rev. Boniface Choi Ki-san) of the CBCK and the National Council of Churches in Korea(KNCC), is composed of theologians and working-level peoples from both sides.
At the meeting, all of some 30 participants acknowledged honestly the past distrust and misunderstanding and pledged to broaden the scope of mutual understanding and dialogue and to look for practical ways of Christian unity.
Participants also selected future study subjects such as the relationship of the Catholic and the Protestant along the history of the Church; theological problems to be overcome for Christian unity in Korea; reciprocal understanding and exchange for mission and unity. They agreed to undertake theological study together and approach the public, for example, through various forums.
To facilitate the preparation for future forums, directors were elected including Rev. Joseph Kim Ung-tae, professor of the Catholic University of Seoul, Rev. Vincent Kim Il-hoe, professor of the Catholic University of Incheon, Rev. Kim Young-il, chairperson of theology of the KNCC, and Rev. Chae Su-il, professor of Hanshin University.
The Most Rev. Choi said in his address, "when we are trying to know what the Christians in Korea can do for Korean society and people in the new millennium, the ecumenical aim may be realized in natural way," and called for ecumenical efforts of theologians.
Following the ecumenical spirit of the Vatican Council II, the Catholic Church in Korea started to have reciprocal visits with the Anglican Church in Korea in 1965. Moreover, since the 1980s the Catholic Church in Korea held the Prayer Week for Christian Unity(January 18 to 25) with KNCC, the deliberative body of all denominations of Protestant Church, and the Anglican and Orthodox Churches.
However, theological forums for Christian unity were held just twice until now, in January and November 2000, respectively. Therefore, the decision to hold it regularly shows the journey of Christian unity is now ripening into practical phase.
* Prayer for Beatification and Canonization Made
The Episcopal Special Commission for the Beatification and Canonization decided upon the 'Prayer for Beatification and Canonization' at its 3rd meeting held on September 2 at CBCK's conference room.
The Commission(Chairman: Most Rev. Michael Pak Jeong-il) decided to print 400,000 copies of the prayer and distribute them to the faithful.
The Most Rev. Michael Pak stressed the significance of the prayer movement to ask God to grant the grace of beatification and canonization, saying, "It is not possible unless it is God's will. Therefore prayer is very important," and added, "the history of the Church in Korea which is soaked with martyrs’ blood is already a grace of God."”
He invited Korean faithful to give thanks to God for martyrs and to bear witness to God after their example.
* 2,200 Catholic Public Officials Participated in Annual Retreat
The 19th retreat of Catholic public officials was held on September 1, at Indoor Gymnasium of Suwon. The retreat that gathered public officials from all over the country was an opportunity to pray and reflect their lives in the light of the Gospel.
The participants pledged anew to be the 'salt' and 'leaven' in their respective environment and change the society from inside.
Some 2,200 participants confirmed their identity of children of God by sharing their life experiences and friendship, and sought ways how to be faithful to their duty of public servants as Christians.
The Most Rev. Paul Choi Duk-ki, Bishop of Suwon, in his homily, reminded the participants that they are administrative officials and at the same time children of God, and asked to be upright and sincere public officials, and model of good Christians.
The retreat of Catholic public officials was initiated in 1984 in Daejeon and is held annually.