Communications on Feb. 28
* Archbishop of Seoul Sent a Congratulatory Message to Roh Moo-hyun, New President of Korea
The Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul, sent a congratulatory message to Roh Moo-hyun who took the 16th presidency of the Republic of Korea on February 25 and wished him abundant blessing of God for all works he has to fulfill for 5-year term of the presidency.
"We pray God to grant you His wisdom so that you can fulfill your duty excellently, and become a great president who is respected by people not only now but also in the history." the Archbishop said.
The Archbishop sent also a thanks message to Kim Dae-jung, who retired from presidential office on February 24, for he has performed the government offices in difficult condition for five years.
Korean Catholics congratulated Roh and made various wishes such as; to realize the will of God through politics, especially harmony and unification between classes, generations and regions; to endeavor for reconciliation of South and North Korea; to serve people as Jesus came to the world not to be served but serve; to build up a clean and peaceful society where people, especially the weak and the poor are respected etc.
The inauguration ceremony was scaled down in the wake of the victims of last Tuesday's disastrous subway fire in Daegu.
"I will seek active international cooperation on the premise that South and North Korea are the two main actors in inter-Korean relations." Roh, who is the 56-year old former human rights lawyer said in his 25-minutes inaugural speech, entitled "A New Takeoff Toward an Age of Peace and Prosperity."
Roh and his wife were baptized in Busan by Father Song Ki-in in 1986 with Christian name of Justus and Adela respectively.
* Leaders of Various Circles Declare a Statement of Pro-Peace, Anti-War and Anti-Nuclear in the Korean Peninsula
Leaders of various circles including H.E. Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, Ven. Song Wol-joo, former president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Red Cross chief Suh Young-hoon, intellectuals, professors, civic leaders and students' organizations expressed deep concern over NK-U.S.A. conflict on nuclear issue and the polarization of the civic society and adopted a statement.
In "the statement of civic society for the realization of anti-nuclear, anti-war and peace in the Korean peninsula" that H.E. Cardinal Kim issued at a press conference in Seoul on February 26, the participants stressed that "Peaceful inter-Korean relations and sincere ROK-USA. relations are equally important to us, but, both have a meaning to us only when they contribute to the peace of the Korean peninsula."
The participants proposed to North Korea a 'civic level verification' on nuclear program saying; "If it is true that North Korea neither possess nuclear weapon nor intends to develope it, they must prove it to South Korean civic society. For this, North Korea should guarantee to the South Korean civic leaders the opportunity to verify it so that they could witness it to the international community."
Cardinal Kim said "for the sake of our nation and people, we must prevent war under any circumstances for nation and people."
"Before the danger of war there are neither conservatives nor progressives and it is an absolute nonsense to classify pro-America and anti-America" said Rev. Kang Won-ryong and went on "the U.S.A. should not make war in the Korean peninsula under any circumstances."
* Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea to Actively Develop Pro-life Movement
Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea(President: Mr. Joseph Yeo Gyu-tae, Spiritual Director: Rev. Francis Cheong Wol-gi) had the 36th General Assembly at Myongdong Catholic Center downtown Seoul on February 22 and decided to promote and actively participate in pro-life movement.
Some 70 participants composed of presidents and members of diocesan lay councils from across the country agreed to intensify "Ddok-ba-ro(meaning 'upright')" Movement, which calls for the restoration of morality and the promotion of social common good, and plans to undertake this year such as; continuous development of Ddok-ba-ro Movement; animation of the Council and positive practice of lay apostolate.
In particular, by including the practice of social teachings of the Church in main projects, the Council decided to develop and support campaigns for the abolition of the Article 14 of Mother and Child Health Law and for death penalty and participation in social teachings of the Church.
The participants resolved to contribute to realization of peace as apostles of peace and adopted a statement "Appeal for the Peace in the Korean Peninsula and the World".
* The 9th Korea-Japan Youth Exchange Meeting Held
The Korea-Japan Youth Exchange Meeting aiming at promoting the friendship in the faith and broadening mutual understanding of culture and society between the youth of Korea and Japan was held from February 18 to 24 at Mariapoli Center in Uiwangsi, Gyeonggi-do, Korea with theme of "Light and Salt".
In the Exchange Meeting held under co-auspices of Archbishop Paul Ri Mun-hi, President of the Committee on Education of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, and the Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, Bishop of Military Ordinariate, participated 30 delegates from Korea and 15 delegates from Japan.
The participants experienced they are brothers and sisters in the faith and reaffirmed their mission of the youth Christians to evangelization of Korea and Japan.
Visit to the tunnel no.3 the North Korean infiltrators have secretly dug under the Demilitarized Zone[DMZ] was a special opportunity for them to understand better the confrontation situation of the divided Korea.
Mr. So-o Junichi, studying economics at Sangji University, Tokyo, said "Thanks to this meeting I got a clear feeling of Korean culture and learned from Korean friends how to approach to people," and added "When I was alone, Korean friends came to me to talk."
"I extended my major to Korean economy and horizon of my thought is broaden; Now, I'm interested in other countries, and this is truly a radical change in myself." he said.
The Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul, sent a congratulatory message to Roh Moo-hyun who took the 16th presidency of the Republic of Korea on February 25 and wished him abundant blessing of God for all works he has to fulfill for 5-year term of the presidency.
"We pray God to grant you His wisdom so that you can fulfill your duty excellently, and become a great president who is respected by people not only now but also in the history." the Archbishop said.
The Archbishop sent also a thanks message to Kim Dae-jung, who retired from presidential office on February 24, for he has performed the government offices in difficult condition for five years.
Korean Catholics congratulated Roh and made various wishes such as; to realize the will of God through politics, especially harmony and unification between classes, generations and regions; to endeavor for reconciliation of South and North Korea; to serve people as Jesus came to the world not to be served but serve; to build up a clean and peaceful society where people, especially the weak and the poor are respected etc.
The inauguration ceremony was scaled down in the wake of the victims of last Tuesday's disastrous subway fire in Daegu.
"I will seek active international cooperation on the premise that South and North Korea are the two main actors in inter-Korean relations." Roh, who is the 56-year old former human rights lawyer said in his 25-minutes inaugural speech, entitled "A New Takeoff Toward an Age of Peace and Prosperity."
Roh and his wife were baptized in Busan by Father Song Ki-in in 1986 with Christian name of Justus and Adela respectively.
* Leaders of Various Circles Declare a Statement of Pro-Peace, Anti-War and Anti-Nuclear in the Korean Peninsula
Leaders of various circles including H.E. Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, Ven. Song Wol-joo, former president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Red Cross chief Suh Young-hoon, intellectuals, professors, civic leaders and students' organizations expressed deep concern over NK-U.S.A. conflict on nuclear issue and the polarization of the civic society and adopted a statement.
In "the statement of civic society for the realization of anti-nuclear, anti-war and peace in the Korean peninsula" that H.E. Cardinal Kim issued at a press conference in Seoul on February 26, the participants stressed that "Peaceful inter-Korean relations and sincere ROK-USA. relations are equally important to us, but, both have a meaning to us only when they contribute to the peace of the Korean peninsula."
The participants proposed to North Korea a 'civic level verification' on nuclear program saying; "If it is true that North Korea neither possess nuclear weapon nor intends to develope it, they must prove it to South Korean civic society. For this, North Korea should guarantee to the South Korean civic leaders the opportunity to verify it so that they could witness it to the international community."
Cardinal Kim said "for the sake of our nation and people, we must prevent war under any circumstances for nation and people."
"Before the danger of war there are neither conservatives nor progressives and it is an absolute nonsense to classify pro-America and anti-America" said Rev. Kang Won-ryong and went on "the U.S.A. should not make war in the Korean peninsula under any circumstances."
* Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea to Actively Develop Pro-life Movement
Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea(President: Mr. Joseph Yeo Gyu-tae, Spiritual Director: Rev. Francis Cheong Wol-gi) had the 36th General Assembly at Myongdong Catholic Center downtown Seoul on February 22 and decided to promote and actively participate in pro-life movement.
Some 70 participants composed of presidents and members of diocesan lay councils from across the country agreed to intensify "Ddok-ba-ro(meaning 'upright')" Movement, which calls for the restoration of morality and the promotion of social common good, and plans to undertake this year such as; continuous development of Ddok-ba-ro Movement; animation of the Council and positive practice of lay apostolate.
In particular, by including the practice of social teachings of the Church in main projects, the Council decided to develop and support campaigns for the abolition of the Article 14 of Mother and Child Health Law and for death penalty and participation in social teachings of the Church.
The participants resolved to contribute to realization of peace as apostles of peace and adopted a statement "Appeal for the Peace in the Korean Peninsula and the World".
* The 9th Korea-Japan Youth Exchange Meeting Held
The Korea-Japan Youth Exchange Meeting aiming at promoting the friendship in the faith and broadening mutual understanding of culture and society between the youth of Korea and Japan was held from February 18 to 24 at Mariapoli Center in Uiwangsi, Gyeonggi-do, Korea with theme of "Light and Salt".
In the Exchange Meeting held under co-auspices of Archbishop Paul Ri Mun-hi, President of the Committee on Education of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, and the Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, Bishop of Military Ordinariate, participated 30 delegates from Korea and 15 delegates from Japan.
The participants experienced they are brothers and sisters in the faith and reaffirmed their mission of the youth Christians to evangelization of Korea and Japan.
Visit to the tunnel no.3 the North Korean infiltrators have secretly dug under the Demilitarized Zone[DMZ] was a special opportunity for them to understand better the confrontation situation of the divided Korea.
Mr. So-o Junichi, studying economics at Sangji University, Tokyo, said "Thanks to this meeting I got a clear feeling of Korean culture and learned from Korean friends how to approach to people," and added "When I was alone, Korean friends came to me to talk."
"I extended my major to Korean economy and horizon of my thought is broaden; Now, I'm interested in other countries, and this is truly a radical change in myself." he said.