CBCK News
2009-08-24 14:01
2009-08-24 14:02
7,097
Communication on Mar. 21
* Pastoral Care of Foreign Residents to Be Activated

The Committee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (President: Most Rev. Peter Kang U-il) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea(CBCK) decided to spur the activities of the Department of Pastoral Care of Migrant Workers, one of its affiliated bodies, to provide pastoral care for foreign residents in more systemic and effective way.
This decision came from the first national meeting of representatives working in the field of pastoral care of migrant workers in Korea, held on March 14. The Committee is to report this decision to the coming Spring General Assembly of the CBCK slated on March 24 and to ask each diocese to dispatch representatives for the operation of the Department of Pastoral Care of Foreign Residents.
Regarding the government's plan of labor permit system for migrant workers, the Committee decided to prepare future plans of pastoral ministry in matters of  labor relations, human rights, family life and children education of migrant workers including education on Korean culture etc.
At the meeting, 25 working-level representatives from 10 organizations working for migrant workers asked the Most Rev. Kang that well-structured channel within the Church to build solidarity with foreign workers and stressed the need of support and cooperation at the level of the episcopal conference and diocese.
The Most Rev. Kang said, "each diocese and parish need to treat migrant workers equal to Koreans, and this requires each organization concerned work in collaboration with each other rather than act individually.


* 'Life - Saving Hands are Beautiful'
  
  Obstetricians who have refused to perform illegal operation joined the "Life 31 Movement", a national pro-life campaign launched by the CBCK and pledged solidarity with the movement.
  Fifteen obstetricians were invited to the dinner for the "health care professionals who care for life" co-sponsored by the Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry of the CBCK and the Protestant Anti-Abortion Coalition on February 15 and pledged to participate in pro-life movement actively for the enforcement of preventive law of abortion and to education on the dignity of the human person.
   They agreed to join their efforts with the Life 31 Movement to amend the Mother and Child Health Care Law and to make a law that the government provides to single mothers financial assistance for children's raising and their living costs.
   They proposed sex education of teenagers for conscientize about the dignity of the human life, the preciousness of family and the fact that the baby is a gift from God.
   The health care professionals who came from different cities said, "If we, though  minority of doctors, are firmly united to save lives, it is sure that our society will change to a good place to the eyes of God."
   The Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, President of the Family Pastoral Ministry of the CBCK, said that "the difficulties that one has to face for the cause of human life is a 'martyrdom' in modern meaning," and added "life saving hands are beautiful."
   What is required the most to root out the culture of death and to promote the culture of life is the spirit of "martyrdom", he said.