Communication on Nov. 28
* 2004 Pastoral Letters Focus on Evangelization of Family and Animation of Christian Life Based on the Word of God
With the beginning of the liturgical year, Novenber 30, 2003, the diocesan bishop of each diocese has issued the 2004 pastoral letter and paved the pastoral orientation and proposed major pastoral plans of the diocese for the year to come.
The pastoral letters reflect the major concern of the Church in Korea such as evangelization of family community, Christian life based on the gospel, renewal of the Church, option for the poor and alienated in local society.
The Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul who just concluded the diocesan synod invited the faithful to collaborate with the Archdiocese in realizing the decisions of the synod that he proposed in his post-synodal letter, "Together with each parishioner, we will march toward transformation and renewal so as to build the future of our Archdiocese that will please to the Lord." he said.
The Most Rev. Paul Ri Moun-hi, Archbishop of Taegu, declared 2004 a year of the family and appealed to the faithful "to make the family a community of love by understanding that the family has an important role to play for evangelization."
The Most Rev. Andreas Choi Chang-mou, Archbishop of Kwangju, focused on the conversion of each parishioner, and worship of God by liturgical life and invited the faithful to study the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council.
The other pastoral letters focused on the sanctification and evangelization of the family, animation of the ecclesial basic community, evanglization of farm villages and faithful Christian life, and proposed pastoral orientations according to the characteristics of each diocese.
* The Apostolic See Approves Opening of the Process of the Beatification of the 124 Korean Martyrs
The Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, His Eminence Cardinal Francis Aringe, approved opening of the process of the beatification of Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 martyr companions.
The Special Episcopal Commission to Promote Beatification and Canonization of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) (President: The Most Rev. Michael Park Jeong-il) made public on November 20, 2003 that the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, after reading the brief biography of 'Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions', sanctioned Nihil obstat and sent an official notice of approval to open of the process of beatification of the 124 martyr candidates as of October 6, 2003.
With this step the Commission established a Committee of Experts in History according to article 14, paragraph 2 of the regulation of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for beatification and canonization stipulating that it is necessary to consult with experts in history for the candidates of old times.
Most Rev. Michael Park appointed the members of the Committee and Rev. Tae-gon Andrea Kim Jin-so, Director of the Honam History Research Center, to the president.
The newly established Committee's work will examine and judge, on the basis of the brief biography, the fact of martyrdom of each candidates, the sanctity and personal human nature of each candidates, location of grave and opinions of local people around their grave, and report it to the court for preparatory examination of beatification of the 124 martyrs.
* Beyond Religion Wall, 'We are One'
On November 20, 2003 Catholic and Anglican seminarians had exchange meeting at the Catholic University of Incheon and heard a lecture on the Anglican Church from Rev. Lee Jeong-gu, President of Graduate Theologian School of the Anglican University.
Catholic and Protestant Seminarians' Exchange Program was launched by the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue of the CBCK (President: Most Rev. Boniface Choi Ki-san) and the Korean National Council of Churches (KNCC) in 2002 as an effort to animate interreligious exchanges.
The first exchange meeting was held last year between Catholic seminarians and Protestant seminarians at the Catholic University of Incheon.
Some 50 participants including Rev. Lee Seok-jae, President of Graduate Theologian School of the Catholic University of Incheon, and Rev. Lee Jeong-gu confessed that they are brothers in God and resolved to work for Christian unity and reconciliation.
Following the lecture the young seminarians of the two Churches had football game and shared good food after word.
"I had kind of prejudice and invisible wall about the Anglican Church in my heart, but, today, I experienced that we have the same faith and common purposes. I hope what I experienced and learned today will serve for my future pastoral work," said Peter Soh In-seok, a Catholic seminarian.
"I hope such wonderful opportunity for interreligious exchange continues and extends to the clergy and laity," said Gabriel Lee Dae-song, an Anglican seminarian.
"So far, our interreligious activity has remained on the level of making effort to understand each other's religion, but, hereafter, we have to promote it in collaboration by diverse ways," said Rev. John Bosco Hong Chang-jin, Secretary of the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue of CBCK.
With the beginning of the liturgical year, Novenber 30, 2003, the diocesan bishop of each diocese has issued the 2004 pastoral letter and paved the pastoral orientation and proposed major pastoral plans of the diocese for the year to come.
The pastoral letters reflect the major concern of the Church in Korea such as evangelization of family community, Christian life based on the gospel, renewal of the Church, option for the poor and alienated in local society.
The Most Rev. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul who just concluded the diocesan synod invited the faithful to collaborate with the Archdiocese in realizing the decisions of the synod that he proposed in his post-synodal letter, "Together with each parishioner, we will march toward transformation and renewal so as to build the future of our Archdiocese that will please to the Lord." he said.
The Most Rev. Paul Ri Moun-hi, Archbishop of Taegu, declared 2004 a year of the family and appealed to the faithful "to make the family a community of love by understanding that the family has an important role to play for evangelization."
The Most Rev. Andreas Choi Chang-mou, Archbishop of Kwangju, focused on the conversion of each parishioner, and worship of God by liturgical life and invited the faithful to study the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council.
The other pastoral letters focused on the sanctification and evangelization of the family, animation of the ecclesial basic community, evanglization of farm villages and faithful Christian life, and proposed pastoral orientations according to the characteristics of each diocese.
* The Apostolic See Approves Opening of the Process of the Beatification of the 124 Korean Martyrs
The Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, His Eminence Cardinal Francis Aringe, approved opening of the process of the beatification of Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 martyr companions.
The Special Episcopal Commission to Promote Beatification and Canonization of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) (President: The Most Rev. Michael Park Jeong-il) made public on November 20, 2003 that the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, after reading the brief biography of 'Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions', sanctioned Nihil obstat and sent an official notice of approval to open of the process of beatification of the 124 martyr candidates as of October 6, 2003.
With this step the Commission established a Committee of Experts in History according to article 14, paragraph 2 of the regulation of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for beatification and canonization stipulating that it is necessary to consult with experts in history for the candidates of old times.
Most Rev. Michael Park appointed the members of the Committee and Rev. Tae-gon Andrea Kim Jin-so, Director of the Honam History Research Center, to the president.
The newly established Committee's work will examine and judge, on the basis of the brief biography, the fact of martyrdom of each candidates, the sanctity and personal human nature of each candidates, location of grave and opinions of local people around their grave, and report it to the court for preparatory examination of beatification of the 124 martyrs.
* Beyond Religion Wall, 'We are One'
On November 20, 2003 Catholic and Anglican seminarians had exchange meeting at the Catholic University of Incheon and heard a lecture on the Anglican Church from Rev. Lee Jeong-gu, President of Graduate Theologian School of the Anglican University.
Catholic and Protestant Seminarians' Exchange Program was launched by the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue of the CBCK (President: Most Rev. Boniface Choi Ki-san) and the Korean National Council of Churches (KNCC) in 2002 as an effort to animate interreligious exchanges.
The first exchange meeting was held last year between Catholic seminarians and Protestant seminarians at the Catholic University of Incheon.
Some 50 participants including Rev. Lee Seok-jae, President of Graduate Theologian School of the Catholic University of Incheon, and Rev. Lee Jeong-gu confessed that they are brothers in God and resolved to work for Christian unity and reconciliation.
Following the lecture the young seminarians of the two Churches had football game and shared good food after word.
"I had kind of prejudice and invisible wall about the Anglican Church in my heart, but, today, I experienced that we have the same faith and common purposes. I hope what I experienced and learned today will serve for my future pastoral work," said Peter Soh In-seok, a Catholic seminarian.
"I hope such wonderful opportunity for interreligious exchange continues and extends to the clergy and laity," said Gabriel Lee Dae-song, an Anglican seminarian.
"So far, our interreligious activity has remained on the level of making effort to understand each other's religion, but, hereafter, we have to promote it in collaboration by diverse ways," said Rev. John Bosco Hong Chang-jin, Secretary of the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue of CBCK.