Communication on Apr. 25
* Bishop of Ch'unch'on Issues Pastoral Letter on Family
The Most Rev. John Chang-ik, Bishop of Ch'unch'on, issued a pastoral letter on the occasion of the Easter Sunday on April 20, and asked the faithful to endeavor to "make genuine family", because "only integrated family can help people to become upright and make a healthy society."
In the pastoral letter titled "Toward a Family Living out Gospel Every Day," the Bishop said, "The root of pain caused by confrontation and division lies in our mind and the seed of evil sprouts from the thought of people who do not take even the family members like themselves." He emphasized the importance of restoring family, saying, "The crisis of family collapse is more fundamental than the matters of politics, economics and national defense," and he stressed that we should try to restore true meaning of family.
He also pointed out, "When people consider the children not as the gift of God but as a kind of products at their disposal and see the weak and the elderly burdensome based on the principle of efficiency and achievement, the future of the society is dark."
For family evangelization, he proposed practical aims such as; family praying with family members; family with ecclesial communities; family proclaiming the faith in resurrection.
* Diocese of In'chon Issues Message on the 2003 Diocesan Labor Sunday
The Most Rev. Boniface Choi Ki-san, Bishop of In'chon issued a message on the occasion of the second diocesan Labor Sunday on April 27, and said, "We want to put in action the major concern and committment of the Catholic Church for both Korean and immigrant workers who are deprived of their human rights and voices under the shade of the economic development."
"The Christian understanding on the labor issues of our society should get out from the superficial understanding. Instead it is need to have a genuine value of the labor and a fundamental change of understanding toward the Gospel. It means that we must first of all recall 'a principle that has always been taught by the Church: the principle of the priority of labor over capital.'(Laborem exercens, 12), and put it in action." he stressed.
The message pointed out, "The Catholic Church has declared the sacredness of the labor in the name of Jesus Christ, however, the humanization of the human rights of workers is not realized yet, but still caught in the conflicts and threats of the capital-centered viewpoint.". He invited the faithful "to show positive concern and support for the labor pastoral ministry of the Diocese."
The Diocese of In'chon has established the Labor Sunday in 2002 for the first time in the Catholic Church of Korea, and decided to situate it in the nearest Sunday of May 1st, the World Labor Day and the feast day of St. Joseph, the patron of the laborers. The Labor Sunday aims at protecting the human rights and the dignity of laborers, and helping the labor and the capital to coexist in collaborating relationship.
The Most Rev. John Chang-ik, Bishop of Ch'unch'on, issued a pastoral letter on the occasion of the Easter Sunday on April 20, and asked the faithful to endeavor to "make genuine family", because "only integrated family can help people to become upright and make a healthy society."
In the pastoral letter titled "Toward a Family Living out Gospel Every Day," the Bishop said, "The root of pain caused by confrontation and division lies in our mind and the seed of evil sprouts from the thought of people who do not take even the family members like themselves." He emphasized the importance of restoring family, saying, "The crisis of family collapse is more fundamental than the matters of politics, economics and national defense," and he stressed that we should try to restore true meaning of family.
He also pointed out, "When people consider the children not as the gift of God but as a kind of products at their disposal and see the weak and the elderly burdensome based on the principle of efficiency and achievement, the future of the society is dark."
For family evangelization, he proposed practical aims such as; family praying with family members; family with ecclesial communities; family proclaiming the faith in resurrection.
* Diocese of In'chon Issues Message on the 2003 Diocesan Labor Sunday
The Most Rev. Boniface Choi Ki-san, Bishop of In'chon issued a message on the occasion of the second diocesan Labor Sunday on April 27, and said, "We want to put in action the major concern and committment of the Catholic Church for both Korean and immigrant workers who are deprived of their human rights and voices under the shade of the economic development."
"The Christian understanding on the labor issues of our society should get out from the superficial understanding. Instead it is need to have a genuine value of the labor and a fundamental change of understanding toward the Gospel. It means that we must first of all recall 'a principle that has always been taught by the Church: the principle of the priority of labor over capital.'(Laborem exercens, 12), and put it in action." he stressed.
The message pointed out, "The Catholic Church has declared the sacredness of the labor in the name of Jesus Christ, however, the humanization of the human rights of workers is not realized yet, but still caught in the conflicts and threats of the capital-centered viewpoint.". He invited the faithful "to show positive concern and support for the labor pastoral ministry of the Diocese."
The Diocese of In'chon has established the Labor Sunday in 2002 for the first time in the Catholic Church of Korea, and decided to situate it in the nearest Sunday of May 1st, the World Labor Day and the feast day of St. Joseph, the patron of the laborers. The Labor Sunday aims at protecting the human rights and the dignity of laborers, and helping the labor and the capital to coexist in collaborating relationship.