Communication on July 18
* Bishops Appointed for Taejon and Kwangju
Pope John Paul II has appointed Rev. Lazarus You Heung-sik as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Taejon and Rev. Hyginus Kim Hee-joong as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Kwangju, the Apostolic Nunciature in Seoul announced on July 9.
The bishop-designate You, who will be the first Coadjutor Bishop of Taejon having the right of succession, said at the press conference on July 10, "Though I am well aware that I am unworthy of the episcopate, I will do my best accepting it as an opportunity to love the Church and people of God all the more."
The Most Rev. Joseph Kyeong Gap-ryong, Bishop of Taejon, thanked God for granting a new bishop and asked the bishop-designate to serve the faithful and priests of the diocese, saying, "The episcopate is a position for service."
The bishop-designate You, currently rector of the Catholic University of Taejon, was born in 1951 in Nonsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do and was ordained a priest in 1979 in Rome. Having obtained a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, he came back to Korea and worked for a retreat house, diocesan educational center, etc. and has taught at the major seminary of Taejon since 1994.
Meanwhile, the bishop-designate Kim said, "In accordance with the pastoral guide of the Archbishop, I will work for the development of the diocese, respecting the opinions of priests and considering the desire of the faithful."
The Most Rev. Andrew Choi Chang-mou, Archbishop of Kwangju, also thanked God and the Pope for granting a new bishop who has both learning and virtue and said, "I believe that he will conduct well his duty as a bishop with the grace of God."
The bishop-designate Kim was born in 1947 in Mopko-si, Jeollanam-do and was ordained a priest in 1975 after graduating from the Catholic University of Kwangju. Having obtained a doctorate in history of Church from the Pontifical Gregorian University, he had taught seminarians at the Catholic University of Kwangju from 1983 to 2001. He has been the pastor of Geumho-dong parish in Kwangju since February 2002.
The episcopal ordinations for the Dioceses of Taejon and Kwangju are scheduled for August 19 and 18, respectively.
* Message on the Eighth Farmers' Sunday Issued
On the occasion of the Eighth Farmers' Sunday on July 20, the Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun, President of the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" of the CBCK, issued a message titled "Rice is Our Life" and asked the faithful to join the Save-Our-Farm Movement.
He said, "Korean farming community and agricultural industry now face serious crisis" and "this crisis is influencing the whole nation as well as the farmers."
"Rice, the primary crops which 74.9 percent of Korean farm households hold on to and accounts to 54 percent of total farm income, is the basis of the Korean farm economics and has been the life and culture for Korean people," he emphasized.
"Saving rice and the farm community is also the way to overcome the problems of life, environment and agriculture and to restore the creation order of God," he said.
He also explained, "The Church develops Save-Our-Farm Movement since the agricultural community is the grounds for life where all living things exist and live together according to the order of creation."
Pope John Paul II has appointed Rev. Lazarus You Heung-sik as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Taejon and Rev. Hyginus Kim Hee-joong as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Kwangju, the Apostolic Nunciature in Seoul announced on July 9.
The bishop-designate You, who will be the first Coadjutor Bishop of Taejon having the right of succession, said at the press conference on July 10, "Though I am well aware that I am unworthy of the episcopate, I will do my best accepting it as an opportunity to love the Church and people of God all the more."
The Most Rev. Joseph Kyeong Gap-ryong, Bishop of Taejon, thanked God for granting a new bishop and asked the bishop-designate to serve the faithful and priests of the diocese, saying, "The episcopate is a position for service."
The bishop-designate You, currently rector of the Catholic University of Taejon, was born in 1951 in Nonsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do and was ordained a priest in 1979 in Rome. Having obtained a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, he came back to Korea and worked for a retreat house, diocesan educational center, etc. and has taught at the major seminary of Taejon since 1994.
Meanwhile, the bishop-designate Kim said, "In accordance with the pastoral guide of the Archbishop, I will work for the development of the diocese, respecting the opinions of priests and considering the desire of the faithful."
The Most Rev. Andrew Choi Chang-mou, Archbishop of Kwangju, also thanked God and the Pope for granting a new bishop who has both learning and virtue and said, "I believe that he will conduct well his duty as a bishop with the grace of God."
The bishop-designate Kim was born in 1947 in Mopko-si, Jeollanam-do and was ordained a priest in 1975 after graduating from the Catholic University of Kwangju. Having obtained a doctorate in history of Church from the Pontifical Gregorian University, he had taught seminarians at the Catholic University of Kwangju from 1983 to 2001. He has been the pastor of Geumho-dong parish in Kwangju since February 2002.
The episcopal ordinations for the Dioceses of Taejon and Kwangju are scheduled for August 19 and 18, respectively.
* Message on the Eighth Farmers' Sunday Issued
On the occasion of the Eighth Farmers' Sunday on July 20, the Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun, President of the Committee for "Caritas Coreana" of the CBCK, issued a message titled "Rice is Our Life" and asked the faithful to join the Save-Our-Farm Movement.
He said, "Korean farming community and agricultural industry now face serious crisis" and "this crisis is influencing the whole nation as well as the farmers."
"Rice, the primary crops which 74.9 percent of Korean farm households hold on to and accounts to 54 percent of total farm income, is the basis of the Korean farm economics and has been the life and culture for Korean people," he emphasized.
"Saving rice and the farm community is also the way to overcome the problems of life, environment and agriculture and to restore the creation order of God," he said.
He also explained, "The Church develops Save-Our-Farm Movement since the agricultural community is the grounds for life where all living things exist and live together according to the order of creation."