Communication on May 23
* Auxiliary Bishop of Suwon Ordained
The episcopal ordination of the Most Rev. Matthias Ri Iong-hun, who was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Suwon on the March 19, took place on May 14, the feast of St. Matthias the Apostle, with the Most Rev. Victorinus Youn Kong-hi, the fisrt Bishop of Suwon, presiding.
Some 3,000 participants including His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, the Most Rev. Paul Choi Duk-ki, Bishop of Suwon, the Most Rev. Andrew Choi Chang-mou, Archbishop of Kwangju and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea(CBCK), the Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini, Apostolic Nuncio in Korea, other Bishops, priests, religious and the laity congratulated the consecration of new Bishop and prayed for the development of the Diocese of Suwon.
The Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini said in his congratulatory message, "The intrinsic duty of a Bishop is to serve for the Holy Church. For a bishop, to live is Christ. With Apostle Paul, a bishop should be able to confess everyday, 'For to me, living is Christ'(Phil. 1,21). As a witness to Christ, he should generously commit himself to apostolic ministry toward everyone."
The Most Rev. Andrew Choi Chang-mou complimented the new bishop on his living spirit of poverty according to the Gospel, and asked him to become a beacon of this world where selfishness, violence, materialism and hedonism prevail.
Expressing gratitude to God for granting a new bishop, the Most Rev. Paul Choi Duk-ki asked the faithful to pray for the new bishop.
H.E. Stephen Cardinal Kim and the lay representative also expressed hope for the new bishop, noting his sincere, modest and humble personality.
Responding to this, the new Bishop said, "I think I do not deserve this important position in every aspect, but I earnestly prayed to God and accepted the episcopacy in obedience to God. I pledge to serve God with all my heart and mind, and dedicate myself to serving especially for the abandoned and marginalized."
Born in 1951 in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, the Most Rev. Matthias Ri graduated from the Catholic University of Seoul and was ordained a priest in 1979. From 1980 to 1982, he served as assistant pastor and pastor in various parishes and taught at high schools. In 1988, he graduated from Pontificia Universita Lateranense and obtained a doctorate in Moral Theology. Returned to Korea in 1988, he held various posts in succession; Instructor, Professor and President of the Catholic University of Suwon. Since last year he served as the dean of the graduate school of the University.
* 2003 Message for Day for Life Calls for the Promotion of the Culture of Life
For the Ninth 'Day for Life' the Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, President of the Committee for Family Ministry of the CBCK and Moderator of the "Life 31 Movement", issued a message for the Day for Life of May 25 with the theme of "Let Us Promote the Culture of Life" and urged the faithful to participate actively in the "Life 31 Movement" to build a new culture of life. In the message the Most Rev. Peter Lee reconfirmed that the life begins at the moment of conception, thus the abortion is the "beginning of all murders" and source of disregard for human life.
The message insisted that the human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception, thus from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life.(cf. Evangelium Vitae 60) "Not only those who are born but also a fertilized egg, an embryo and a fetus are human beings," the message read.
The Most Rev. Peter Lee underlined also the meaning of the nation-wide pro-life campaign "Life 31 Movement" to build a new culture of life that was launched this year as it was decided at the 2003 Spring General Assembly of the CBCK, and invited the Catholics to become "people of life" by participating positively in the campaign.
As a part of the campaign the Headquarters of the "Life 31 Movement" hosted the Concert to Build a New Culture of Life on May 16 at Yeoido Hall of the KBS(Korea Broadcast System) that had attracted attention from home and abroad including the Apostolic See.
Pope John Paul II sent a message for the event and encouraged the Korean Catholics to "create a new culture of life inspired and sustained by the confidence that comes from knowing that the Gospel of life, like the Kingdom of God itself, is growing and producing abundant fruit"(Evengellium Vitae 100) and invoked the divine gifts of joy and peace upon all those working toward a renewed society which respects life in all its stages.
Also, His Eminence Crescenzio Cardinal Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, sent a congratulatory message to the Most Rev. Peter Lee. It said, "Your initiative is indeed very opportune in our today society where human life is violated by legislation from its very inception."
The Headquarters expects this cultural event to be a momentum to explore effective programs to publicize the Movement and to awaken personal consciousness and responsibility of individuals for human life.
The Headquarters envisions to develop eventually the "Life 31 Movement" to the international pro-life campaign in solidarity with other religions, especially with domestic and international NGOs.
In the presence of His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, the Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini, Apostolic Nuncio in Korea, Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, and Rev. Casimir Song Yul-sup, Secretary General of the CBCK, other initiators of the Movement and some 1500 people enjoyed the Concert.
* Priests in Andong Issue "Mission Statement"
The priests in the Diocese of Andong had a workshop from May 12 to 14 at Nongeun Training Center in Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and issued a "Mission Statement" in which they resolved to proclaim the Kingdom of God to local people through pastoral ministry of sharing and service.
The Mission Statement titled "With Joy and Pride" read, "We will lead simple life with open mind in our place, and respect life and build the Kingdom of God through sharing and service."
Having been committed to the pastoral care for farmers since its establishment in 1969, the Diocese of Andong on this occasion officially formulated its volition to become a open Church that shares the suffering of the times; a Church that is for the poor and with the poor; a Church that respects life and values the small things; a Church that lives according to the will of God by sharing and serving each other. This statement is expected to be a reference point for pastoral ministry of the Diocese.
During the three-day workshop, the priests talked about the pending questions of the Diocese such as farmers in secondary station, the aged, social welfare, pastoral ministry of the youth, and reeducation of the faithful etc.
Collecting opinions from the discussion, the Diocese will make future-oriented pastoral plans which is based on the Statement mentioned above.
The Most Rev. John Chrisostom Kwon Hyok-ju, Bishop of Andong, lectured on "Pastoral Vision of the Diocese of Andong" and said, "As our Diocese has positively and actively accepted our condition, that is, being small and indigent farming diocese, God transformed it into blessing."
He also asked the priests to "live out the spirituality of poverty, conduct pastoral ministry in harmony with the community, and show the image of open Church."
* Fraternal Sharing of Korean Catholics for Iraqi People Continues
Korean Catholics' concern for Iraqi people who are suffering in the aftermath of U.S.A.-led war in Iraq.
On April 12, the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" of the CBCK and the Catholic Times launched a joint campaign for the relief of Iraqi people; the Archdiocese of Seoul began to offer weekly Mass on Tuesday for the Reconciliation of Korean people and for Iraqi people in suffering at the Myeongdong Cathedral and all the parishes from April 8 to June 24; the Committee for Justice & Peace of the Archdiocese of Kwangju hosted 3-day march of 76km on April 14 from Yeondong Parish in Mokpo City to Namdong Parish in Gwangju City to pray for Iraqi people and share their suffering. Beside it, fraternal efforts to help Iraqi people are made in big and small groups and organizations throughout the country.
The Committee for "Caritas Coreana" said that the amount of collection for Iraqi people reached 33,000,000 won(US$27,500) as of May 14.
The Committee for "Caritas Coreana" also plans to send medical teams, volunteers and construction technicians to Iraq if necessary.
"To save our neighbors is to save ourselves, and it is a way to participate in the Resurrection of Christ," said Rev. Paul Jeremiah Hwang, Executive Secretary of the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" of the CBCK.
The episcopal ordination of the Most Rev. Matthias Ri Iong-hun, who was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Suwon on the March 19, took place on May 14, the feast of St. Matthias the Apostle, with the Most Rev. Victorinus Youn Kong-hi, the fisrt Bishop of Suwon, presiding.
Some 3,000 participants including His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, the Most Rev. Paul Choi Duk-ki, Bishop of Suwon, the Most Rev. Andrew Choi Chang-mou, Archbishop of Kwangju and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea(CBCK), the Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini, Apostolic Nuncio in Korea, other Bishops, priests, religious and the laity congratulated the consecration of new Bishop and prayed for the development of the Diocese of Suwon.
The Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini said in his congratulatory message, "The intrinsic duty of a Bishop is to serve for the Holy Church. For a bishop, to live is Christ. With Apostle Paul, a bishop should be able to confess everyday, 'For to me, living is Christ'(Phil. 1,21). As a witness to Christ, he should generously commit himself to apostolic ministry toward everyone."
The Most Rev. Andrew Choi Chang-mou complimented the new bishop on his living spirit of poverty according to the Gospel, and asked him to become a beacon of this world where selfishness, violence, materialism and hedonism prevail.
Expressing gratitude to God for granting a new bishop, the Most Rev. Paul Choi Duk-ki asked the faithful to pray for the new bishop.
H.E. Stephen Cardinal Kim and the lay representative also expressed hope for the new bishop, noting his sincere, modest and humble personality.
Responding to this, the new Bishop said, "I think I do not deserve this important position in every aspect, but I earnestly prayed to God and accepted the episcopacy in obedience to God. I pledge to serve God with all my heart and mind, and dedicate myself to serving especially for the abandoned and marginalized."
Born in 1951 in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, the Most Rev. Matthias Ri graduated from the Catholic University of Seoul and was ordained a priest in 1979. From 1980 to 1982, he served as assistant pastor and pastor in various parishes and taught at high schools. In 1988, he graduated from Pontificia Universita Lateranense and obtained a doctorate in Moral Theology. Returned to Korea in 1988, he held various posts in succession; Instructor, Professor and President of the Catholic University of Suwon. Since last year he served as the dean of the graduate school of the University.
* 2003 Message for Day for Life Calls for the Promotion of the Culture of Life
For the Ninth 'Day for Life' the Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, President of the Committee for Family Ministry of the CBCK and Moderator of the "Life 31 Movement", issued a message for the Day for Life of May 25 with the theme of "Let Us Promote the Culture of Life" and urged the faithful to participate actively in the "Life 31 Movement" to build a new culture of life. In the message the Most Rev. Peter Lee reconfirmed that the life begins at the moment of conception, thus the abortion is the "beginning of all murders" and source of disregard for human life.
The message insisted that the human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception, thus from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life.(cf. Evangelium Vitae 60) "Not only those who are born but also a fertilized egg, an embryo and a fetus are human beings," the message read.
The Most Rev. Peter Lee underlined also the meaning of the nation-wide pro-life campaign "Life 31 Movement" to build a new culture of life that was launched this year as it was decided at the 2003 Spring General Assembly of the CBCK, and invited the Catholics to become "people of life" by participating positively in the campaign.
As a part of the campaign the Headquarters of the "Life 31 Movement" hosted the Concert to Build a New Culture of Life on May 16 at Yeoido Hall of the KBS(Korea Broadcast System) that had attracted attention from home and abroad including the Apostolic See.
Pope John Paul II sent a message for the event and encouraged the Korean Catholics to "create a new culture of life inspired and sustained by the confidence that comes from knowing that the Gospel of life, like the Kingdom of God itself, is growing and producing abundant fruit"(Evengellium Vitae 100) and invoked the divine gifts of joy and peace upon all those working toward a renewed society which respects life in all its stages.
Also, His Eminence Crescenzio Cardinal Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, sent a congratulatory message to the Most Rev. Peter Lee. It said, "Your initiative is indeed very opportune in our today society where human life is violated by legislation from its very inception."
The Headquarters expects this cultural event to be a momentum to explore effective programs to publicize the Movement and to awaken personal consciousness and responsibility of individuals for human life.
The Headquarters envisions to develop eventually the "Life 31 Movement" to the international pro-life campaign in solidarity with other religions, especially with domestic and international NGOs.
In the presence of His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, the Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini, Apostolic Nuncio in Korea, Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, and Rev. Casimir Song Yul-sup, Secretary General of the CBCK, other initiators of the Movement and some 1500 people enjoyed the Concert.
* Priests in Andong Issue "Mission Statement"
The priests in the Diocese of Andong had a workshop from May 12 to 14 at Nongeun Training Center in Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and issued a "Mission Statement" in which they resolved to proclaim the Kingdom of God to local people through pastoral ministry of sharing and service.
The Mission Statement titled "With Joy and Pride" read, "We will lead simple life with open mind in our place, and respect life and build the Kingdom of God through sharing and service."
Having been committed to the pastoral care for farmers since its establishment in 1969, the Diocese of Andong on this occasion officially formulated its volition to become a open Church that shares the suffering of the times; a Church that is for the poor and with the poor; a Church that respects life and values the small things; a Church that lives according to the will of God by sharing and serving each other. This statement is expected to be a reference point for pastoral ministry of the Diocese.
During the three-day workshop, the priests talked about the pending questions of the Diocese such as farmers in secondary station, the aged, social welfare, pastoral ministry of the youth, and reeducation of the faithful etc.
Collecting opinions from the discussion, the Diocese will make future-oriented pastoral plans which is based on the Statement mentioned above.
The Most Rev. John Chrisostom Kwon Hyok-ju, Bishop of Andong, lectured on "Pastoral Vision of the Diocese of Andong" and said, "As our Diocese has positively and actively accepted our condition, that is, being small and indigent farming diocese, God transformed it into blessing."
He also asked the priests to "live out the spirituality of poverty, conduct pastoral ministry in harmony with the community, and show the image of open Church."
* Fraternal Sharing of Korean Catholics for Iraqi People Continues
Korean Catholics' concern for Iraqi people who are suffering in the aftermath of U.S.A.-led war in Iraq.
On April 12, the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" of the CBCK and the Catholic Times launched a joint campaign for the relief of Iraqi people; the Archdiocese of Seoul began to offer weekly Mass on Tuesday for the Reconciliation of Korean people and for Iraqi people in suffering at the Myeongdong Cathedral and all the parishes from April 8 to June 24; the Committee for Justice & Peace of the Archdiocese of Kwangju hosted 3-day march of 76km on April 14 from Yeondong Parish in Mokpo City to Namdong Parish in Gwangju City to pray for Iraqi people and share their suffering. Beside it, fraternal efforts to help Iraqi people are made in big and small groups and organizations throughout the country.
The Committee for "Caritas Coreana" said that the amount of collection for Iraqi people reached 33,000,000 won(US$27,500) as of May 14.
The Committee for "Caritas Coreana" also plans to send medical teams, volunteers and construction technicians to Iraq if necessary.
"To save our neighbors is to save ourselves, and it is a way to participate in the Resurrection of Christ," said Rev. Paul Jeremiah Hwang, Executive Secretary of the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" of the CBCK.