Communication on Dec. 19
* Message on the Week for Sanctification of the Family Issued
On the occasion of the Week for Sanctification of the Family on December 28, 2003 the Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry of the CBCK (President: Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon) issued a message and invited the faithful to be the protector and sentinel of the family.
The message of the Week for Sanctification of the Family laid stress on following points: the family is the future of the Church and the world; Church is the sentinel of the family; Christian family makes people in the love of God; Christian family has to serve Jesus Christ as the center of the family; Family has to be a domestic Church that preaches the gospel.
The message titled "Family, Our Future" pointed out that the recent move of the Church in Korea toward the family and her high interest in the issue of family with her dynamic activities reflect the serious crisis that the family faces today. It also said, "It helps us to understand that the Family is the most important foundation that the future of the Church and the world depend on."
* Interreligious Welfare Network Required
The representatives of the welfare institutes of different religions including the Caritas Coreana of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea and the Protestants and Buddhists discussed on December 9, 2003 the possibility to form an interreligious association of social welfare institutes at the Christian Building in Seoul. In this meeting the participants agreed upon the need to set up an interreligious welfare network.
"In many cases, problems arise because religion institutes participate in the social welfare task on individual base without an accurate information about the local welfare requirement and without connection with other facilities of different religions," Dr. Kim Mi-suk of the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs pointed out in the symposium.
"In a local society, the human and material resource needs can be effectively met when religion welfare institutes collaborate together," she said. She also stressed the need for religions to participate in the conference groups of local welfare activities.
* Joy of Coming of Our Savior Jesus Christ Shared in Diverse Ways
The Christmas season is a special time for the Christians to share the joy of the birth of Jesus Our Savior with all, especially with people in need and the suffering. Many church groups and individual faithful are committed to the charity activities. Following cases are some examples:
- Every Monday, the Daybreak Village family enjoys Chinese noodle party.
"It's been two months that the owner of a small Chinese restaurant in the village of Gungpyeong, Gyeonggi-do, offers us noodle dishes every Monday. He is not a Christian either. Thanks to his charity our Daybreak Village family enjoys Monday noodle party," said Sister Kim Yeong-ja who is in charge of the community."
"A Kimchi company has provided us Kimchi for two years now," she said and added "they are hidden Santa Claus."
- Maria Park Yong-suk, a volunteer at the Migrant Workers' Counselling Center of the Archdiocese of Seoul, is offering free counselling to the migrant workers who suffer from different kinds of human rights abuses in Korea. She shares her friendship with migrant workers and does not hesitate to share her havings with those in financial difficulty.
_ A medical service team of the diocese of Deajeon makes regular visit to St. Mary's Village for severely handicapped people in Nonsan. They offer free medical services in 8-9 sections including internal treatment and dental service. Also the members of the medical group takes care of immigrants workers who cannot afford for.
- Michaela Lee Seon-hui makes weekly visit to an old handicapped woman, 78, who is living by herself in a shanty neighborhood, Seoul.
"She cannot move at all. She suffers from severe dementia and anemia. So once a week I try to be her hands and feet. I lost my mother last year. She is like my Mom now. I love her and serve her as my mother." Michaela said.
In every visit Michaela gives her bath and provides food, but the most precious gift is to be her company of dialogue.
"I am not lonely anymore," said the granny with smile.
- The Committee for Labor Pastoral Ministry of the Archdiocese of Seoul (director: Fr. Ho Yun-jin) will celebrate a Mass for migrant workers and invite them to Christmas parties.
On December 24, 2003 Vietnamese workers and those from Latin America will be invited to the Mass and Christmas party at Pastoral Center of Migrant Workers in Bomun-dong, Seoul. In the meanwhile, Hyehwa-dong Church will offer a Mass for Philippine workers and invite them to a party on December 25. From December 15 to 23 the Philippine workers gather every evening to prepare for Christmas in prayer and friendship.
- Jinju Welfare Center in the Diocese of Masan will offer Christmas party to homeless people on December 26, 2003. Music, entertainments and foods are prepared for them. Over 230 members of the Center will receive Christmas presents they wish.
- On December 25, 2003 the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue and the National Council of Churches in Korea of the Protestant Church will offer a joint concert at the Concert Hall of Art Center in Seoul.
On the occasion of the Week for Sanctification of the Family on December 28, 2003 the Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry of the CBCK (President: Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon) issued a message and invited the faithful to be the protector and sentinel of the family.
The message of the Week for Sanctification of the Family laid stress on following points: the family is the future of the Church and the world; Church is the sentinel of the family; Christian family makes people in the love of God; Christian family has to serve Jesus Christ as the center of the family; Family has to be a domestic Church that preaches the gospel.
The message titled "Family, Our Future" pointed out that the recent move of the Church in Korea toward the family and her high interest in the issue of family with her dynamic activities reflect the serious crisis that the family faces today. It also said, "It helps us to understand that the Family is the most important foundation that the future of the Church and the world depend on."
* Interreligious Welfare Network Required
The representatives of the welfare institutes of different religions including the Caritas Coreana of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea and the Protestants and Buddhists discussed on December 9, 2003 the possibility to form an interreligious association of social welfare institutes at the Christian Building in Seoul. In this meeting the participants agreed upon the need to set up an interreligious welfare network.
"In many cases, problems arise because religion institutes participate in the social welfare task on individual base without an accurate information about the local welfare requirement and without connection with other facilities of different religions," Dr. Kim Mi-suk of the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs pointed out in the symposium.
"In a local society, the human and material resource needs can be effectively met when religion welfare institutes collaborate together," she said. She also stressed the need for religions to participate in the conference groups of local welfare activities.
* Joy of Coming of Our Savior Jesus Christ Shared in Diverse Ways
The Christmas season is a special time for the Christians to share the joy of the birth of Jesus Our Savior with all, especially with people in need and the suffering. Many church groups and individual faithful are committed to the charity activities. Following cases are some examples:
- Every Monday, the Daybreak Village family enjoys Chinese noodle party.
"It's been two months that the owner of a small Chinese restaurant in the village of Gungpyeong, Gyeonggi-do, offers us noodle dishes every Monday. He is not a Christian either. Thanks to his charity our Daybreak Village family enjoys Monday noodle party," said Sister Kim Yeong-ja who is in charge of the community."
"A Kimchi company has provided us Kimchi for two years now," she said and added "they are hidden Santa Claus."
- Maria Park Yong-suk, a volunteer at the Migrant Workers' Counselling Center of the Archdiocese of Seoul, is offering free counselling to the migrant workers who suffer from different kinds of human rights abuses in Korea. She shares her friendship with migrant workers and does not hesitate to share her havings with those in financial difficulty.
_ A medical service team of the diocese of Deajeon makes regular visit to St. Mary's Village for severely handicapped people in Nonsan. They offer free medical services in 8-9 sections including internal treatment and dental service. Also the members of the medical group takes care of immigrants workers who cannot afford for.
- Michaela Lee Seon-hui makes weekly visit to an old handicapped woman, 78, who is living by herself in a shanty neighborhood, Seoul.
"She cannot move at all. She suffers from severe dementia and anemia. So once a week I try to be her hands and feet. I lost my mother last year. She is like my Mom now. I love her and serve her as my mother." Michaela said.
In every visit Michaela gives her bath and provides food, but the most precious gift is to be her company of dialogue.
"I am not lonely anymore," said the granny with smile.
- The Committee for Labor Pastoral Ministry of the Archdiocese of Seoul (director: Fr. Ho Yun-jin) will celebrate a Mass for migrant workers and invite them to Christmas parties.
On December 24, 2003 Vietnamese workers and those from Latin America will be invited to the Mass and Christmas party at Pastoral Center of Migrant Workers in Bomun-dong, Seoul. In the meanwhile, Hyehwa-dong Church will offer a Mass for Philippine workers and invite them to a party on December 25. From December 15 to 23 the Philippine workers gather every evening to prepare for Christmas in prayer and friendship.
- Jinju Welfare Center in the Diocese of Masan will offer Christmas party to homeless people on December 26, 2003. Music, entertainments and foods are prepared for them. Over 230 members of the Center will receive Christmas presents they wish.
- On December 25, 2003 the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Interreligious Dialogue and the National Council of Churches in Korea of the Protestant Church will offer a joint concert at the Concert Hall of Art Center in Seoul.