Communication on Oct. 2
| * Archdiocese of Seoul 'Opens New Door' The 4-years diocesan synod of the Archdiocese of Seoul was concluded on September 28 with the promulgation of the post synodal Letter of the Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul, titled "With hope to God". In the Letter, Archbishop Cheong expressed strong will to strive for evangelization of Korea on the basis of the Letter. With the closing of the 4-years synod the Archdiocese of Seoul entered new era and opened new door. The post synodal Letter, the final fruit of the diocesan synod contains seven concrete themes to be realized from now on: the laity, the religious, the clergy, the youth, the mission, the education of faith, the administration of the church and social evanglization. "Four years of journey of the synod during which priests, religious and laity sat together to plan the future of the Archdiocese were truly precious time and time we have experienced the grace of God as community," Archbishop Cheong said in his homily and added "we will try to build a participatory Church based on the Words of God and the will of the parishioners." "Accepting humbly that God's will is to realize the proposals of the faithful contained in the Letter, I will continue my journey with the parishioners" Archbishop said asking prayers and collaboration. The closing Mass of the synod was offered with the Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk presiding. Concelebrating were His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese, Most Revs. Peter Lee Han-taek, Yeom Soo-jung, Lucas Kim Woon-hoe and Paul Kim Ok-gyun including other bishops. His Eminence Crescenzio Cardinal Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelizatin of the People, sent on this occasion a congratulatory message and wished that the end of the synod to serve as an opportunity to open a new era, and thanked the Archdiocese for all the efforts made for successful synode. Many prominent figures from the other religions were invited to the ceremony and wished abundant blessing of God for the prosperity of the Archdiocese of Seoul. * 'Church is Responsible for Military Mission' On the occasion of the 36th Military Mission Sunday, the Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, Bishop of the Military Ordinariate, issued a message on October 6. "Supporting the military mission is an excellent way of communion with Christ," he said. "Leading soldiers to be reborn as people of God and teaching them the words of life and communion in Christ is truly the responsibility of the Church." the message read and continued, "If the eighty military chaplains dedicate their lives for the young soldiers who are spending their youth, the most important moment of their lives, in military service it is because these soldiers keep true treasure in their hearts." Bishop Lee invited all the Catholics to the communion that the military chaplains share with the soldiers in Christ. "The military chaplains have made this year their best pastoral efforts to make journey in prayer with young soldiers." he said. * 'Let Us Proclaim the Gospel in Our Everyday Life' On the occasion of the Mission Month, October, the Most Rev. Joseph Kyeong Kap-ryong, President of the Biblical Committee of the CBCK, issued a message titled "Mission is Evangelization" and invited the faithful to make active participation in the mission saying, "Missionary task is not exclusive right of the clergy or religious but it is for all people of God." "Jesus Christ is the example of the mission of Christians," he said and added that "The communion and love in God, the Trinity, are the source of power for mission and the mercy and love of God incarnated in Jesus Christ are the foundation of the mission." Bishop Kyeong insisted the role of the faithful for mission through practice of Christian virtues saying, "Christians should live in such a way that seeing them the neighbors feel the presence of God." |