Communication on June 20
* International Cooperation Needed to Prevent Human Trafficking - Archbishop G.B. Morandini Says
On June 17, the Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini, Apostolic Nuncio in Korea, stressed at the 42nd General Assembly of the AALCO (Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization) the need of international cooperation to prevent human trafficking of women and children now prevailing in the world.
“In order to stop human trafficking we need international cooperation, and we have to make effort to improve the life style of people oriented to consumerism and pleasure, and to prevent the development of pornographic business," he said.
Archbishop G. B. Morandini who participated in the capacity of observer of the Holy See in the 42nd Plenary Assembly of the AALCO held at the Westin Chosun Hotel, Seoul, from June 16 to 20, pointed out, "Mass media including the internet, development of new technology and pleasure enterprise, and military bases are elements that promote the infra exploiting women and children."
"The economic unbalance at home and abroad is one of the causes of human trafficking. Therefore, the under-developed countries must help the victims so that they can adjust themselves to the society, and the developed countries must apply their development policies and programs to prevent it," he said.
"Old slavery system is ended. However, 1-2 million of women and children are sacrificed every year by the human trafficking which is the new form of slavery," he said and added "the human trafficking is a shocking sin against human dignity."
The delegations of 32 countries and observers of 29 countries participated in the 42nd AALCO General Assembly held in Seoul.
* Message Issued for the Day of Reconciliation and Unity of Korean People
The Most Rev. Lucas Kim Woon-hoe, President of the Committee for the Reconciliation of Korean People, issued a message for the Day of Reconciliation and Unity of Korean People on June 22, and stressed that we should clean out animosity and the wounds of division through genuine fraternal forgiveness and bear tolerance to each other so as to avoid war in the Korean Peninsula and bring the reconciliation and unity to this land.
He said, "The desire of the Catholic Church in Korea is permanent settlement of peace and evangelization of the Korean Peninsula," and stressed, "To this end, we need prayer, repentance, unconditional forgiveness and practice of love." He also noted, "It is unacceptable to declare a war under the name of peace and at the cost of many innocent lives."
"We should be grateful for exchange and cooperation between two Koreas can continue despite the growing difficulties around the Korean Peninsula," and he added, "Above all, I want to make a special mention regarding the re-connection of the Gyeongui railroad. With the re-connection ceremony of June 14, we can expect that the days will come soon when we can go to Pyeongyang and Sinuiju via Dorasan and Gaeseong stations."
He also said, "The peace will sprout in our mind and grow up when we recognize humbly the infinite love of God and make self-reflection that we did not accept our North Korean brothers and sisters as they are and share their suffering."
He appealed the faithful to pray for the reconciliation and unity of Korea people until the peace of Christ ultimately settles in this land.
* Bishops Urge Fair Execution of Justice in Relation to Kkottongnae Affairs
The bishops of the Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs of the CBCK (President: Most Rev. Augustine Cheong Myong-jo) issued a statement June 16 to urge fair investigation and execution of the justice, in advance of the summon of Rev. Oh Ung-jin, the former chairman of Kkottongnae.
In the statement titled 'The Position of the Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs of the CBCK regarding the Affairs of Kkottongnae,' bishops revealed, "We believe that law should be equally applied to everybody and it is for this reason that prosecutors exist and take pains," and added, "hoping a fair execution of law and justice in our society, we also urgently wish that the misconception can be removed that the Catholic-run Kkottongnae has committed injustice."
After expressing their regret over the scandal related to Kkottongnae, the bishops said, "Unfortunately, the doubt that Kkottongnae might be involved in corruption in its management spread through mass media in critical tones and because of this many people came to be disappointed by the Catholic Church. Thereupon, we the bishops cannot but feel deep sorrow."
The bishops continued, "We ask those who have joined and contributed to the Catholic-led social welfare work to pray for fair and early settlement of this matter."
The Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs is a permanent organization of the CBCK for social pastoral ministry and composed of five bishops of national committees such as the Committee on Education (President: Most Rev. Paul Ri Moun-hi), the Committee for Social Communications (President: Most Rev. Augustine Cheong Myong-jo), the Committee for Catechesis (President: Most Rev. James Kim Ji-seok), the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" (President: Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun) and the Committee for Justice & Peace (President: Most Rev. John Choi Young-soo).
* Caritas Coreana Looks Back Its Ten-year Foreign Aid Work
The Committee for "Caritas Coreana" (President: Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun) celebrated a special Mass June 15 to mark its ten years of foreign aid work and praised the growth of the Catholic Church in Korea "from receiving Church to sharing Church." The Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun presided at the Mass.
The Most Rev. Chang said in his homily, "To share material love with the poor is to share life in itself," and expressed gratitude to the faithful for having great concern in the foreign aid work of the Church.
Since the 1992 Autumn General Assembly of the CBCK instituted social welfare week (the last week of January) and decided to allocate special offering of the day's Mass to foreign aid, Caritas Coreana has assisted some 10 billion won to 330 projects in 72 countries. There are some 4,000 contributors of Caritas Coreana at present. This year, Caritas Coreana decided to allocate 500,000 US dollars for foreign aid including the aid to North Korea and Iraq for the first half of the year. This aid will be sent to Caritas International in Rome and then be delivered to countries in need.
* 40 Catechists Dispatched
The Catholic Catechetical Institute of Jeonju (President: Rev. James Kim Gwang-tae) conferred certificates to 40 catechists who completed 2-year of course on June 10 at the Chung-ang Cathedral of Jeonju.
The Most Rev. Vincent Ri Byong-ho, in his homily, asked the new catechists to follow the example of the Apostles who announced the Kingdom of God with courage, and be equipped with prayer and Word of God so that they may overcome difficulties and keep the fire of Holy Spirit lit within them along the way.
On June 17, the Most Rev. Giovanni Battista Morandini, Apostolic Nuncio in Korea, stressed at the 42nd General Assembly of the AALCO (Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization) the need of international cooperation to prevent human trafficking of women and children now prevailing in the world.
“In order to stop human trafficking we need international cooperation, and we have to make effort to improve the life style of people oriented to consumerism and pleasure, and to prevent the development of pornographic business," he said.
Archbishop G. B. Morandini who participated in the capacity of observer of the Holy See in the 42nd Plenary Assembly of the AALCO held at the Westin Chosun Hotel, Seoul, from June 16 to 20, pointed out, "Mass media including the internet, development of new technology and pleasure enterprise, and military bases are elements that promote the infra exploiting women and children."
"The economic unbalance at home and abroad is one of the causes of human trafficking. Therefore, the under-developed countries must help the victims so that they can adjust themselves to the society, and the developed countries must apply their development policies and programs to prevent it," he said.
"Old slavery system is ended. However, 1-2 million of women and children are sacrificed every year by the human trafficking which is the new form of slavery," he said and added "the human trafficking is a shocking sin against human dignity."
The delegations of 32 countries and observers of 29 countries participated in the 42nd AALCO General Assembly held in Seoul.
* Message Issued for the Day of Reconciliation and Unity of Korean People
The Most Rev. Lucas Kim Woon-hoe, President of the Committee for the Reconciliation of Korean People, issued a message for the Day of Reconciliation and Unity of Korean People on June 22, and stressed that we should clean out animosity and the wounds of division through genuine fraternal forgiveness and bear tolerance to each other so as to avoid war in the Korean Peninsula and bring the reconciliation and unity to this land.
He said, "The desire of the Catholic Church in Korea is permanent settlement of peace and evangelization of the Korean Peninsula," and stressed, "To this end, we need prayer, repentance, unconditional forgiveness and practice of love." He also noted, "It is unacceptable to declare a war under the name of peace and at the cost of many innocent lives."
"We should be grateful for exchange and cooperation between two Koreas can continue despite the growing difficulties around the Korean Peninsula," and he added, "Above all, I want to make a special mention regarding the re-connection of the Gyeongui railroad. With the re-connection ceremony of June 14, we can expect that the days will come soon when we can go to Pyeongyang and Sinuiju via Dorasan and Gaeseong stations."
He also said, "The peace will sprout in our mind and grow up when we recognize humbly the infinite love of God and make self-reflection that we did not accept our North Korean brothers and sisters as they are and share their suffering."
He appealed the faithful to pray for the reconciliation and unity of Korea people until the peace of Christ ultimately settles in this land.
* Bishops Urge Fair Execution of Justice in Relation to Kkottongnae Affairs
The bishops of the Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs of the CBCK (President: Most Rev. Augustine Cheong Myong-jo) issued a statement June 16 to urge fair investigation and execution of the justice, in advance of the summon of Rev. Oh Ung-jin, the former chairman of Kkottongnae.
In the statement titled 'The Position of the Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs of the CBCK regarding the Affairs of Kkottongnae,' bishops revealed, "We believe that law should be equally applied to everybody and it is for this reason that prosecutors exist and take pains," and added, "hoping a fair execution of law and justice in our society, we also urgently wish that the misconception can be removed that the Catholic-run Kkottongnae has committed injustice."
After expressing their regret over the scandal related to Kkottongnae, the bishops said, "Unfortunately, the doubt that Kkottongnae might be involved in corruption in its management spread through mass media in critical tones and because of this many people came to be disappointed by the Catholic Church. Thereupon, we the bishops cannot but feel deep sorrow."
The bishops continued, "We ask those who have joined and contributed to the Catholic-led social welfare work to pray for fair and early settlement of this matter."
The Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs is a permanent organization of the CBCK for social pastoral ministry and composed of five bishops of national committees such as the Committee on Education (President: Most Rev. Paul Ri Moun-hi), the Committee for Social Communications (President: Most Rev. Augustine Cheong Myong-jo), the Committee for Catechesis (President: Most Rev. James Kim Ji-seok), the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" (President: Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun) and the Committee for Justice & Peace (President: Most Rev. John Choi Young-soo).
* Caritas Coreana Looks Back Its Ten-year Foreign Aid Work
The Committee for "Caritas Coreana" (President: Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun) celebrated a special Mass June 15 to mark its ten years of foreign aid work and praised the growth of the Catholic Church in Korea "from receiving Church to sharing Church." The Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun presided at the Mass.
The Most Rev. Chang said in his homily, "To share material love with the poor is to share life in itself," and expressed gratitude to the faithful for having great concern in the foreign aid work of the Church.
Since the 1992 Autumn General Assembly of the CBCK instituted social welfare week (the last week of January) and decided to allocate special offering of the day's Mass to foreign aid, Caritas Coreana has assisted some 10 billion won to 330 projects in 72 countries. There are some 4,000 contributors of Caritas Coreana at present. This year, Caritas Coreana decided to allocate 500,000 US dollars for foreign aid including the aid to North Korea and Iraq for the first half of the year. This aid will be sent to Caritas International in Rome and then be delivered to countries in need.
* 40 Catechists Dispatched
The Catholic Catechetical Institute of Jeonju (President: Rev. James Kim Gwang-tae) conferred certificates to 40 catechists who completed 2-year of course on June 10 at the Chung-ang Cathedral of Jeonju.
The Most Rev. Vincent Ri Byong-ho, in his homily, asked the new catechists to follow the example of the Apostles who announced the Kingdom of God with courage, and be equipped with prayer and Word of God so that they may overcome difficulties and keep the fire of Holy Spirit lit within them along the way.