Communication on April 16, 2004
| * Pastoral Directory of the Diocese of Taejon Published On March 25, 2004, the Diocese of Taejon (Bishop: Most Rev. Joseph Kyeong Kap-ryong) published a 70-page diocesan pastoral directory, which is composed of 82 provisions in seven chapters, such as the faithful, religious institutes, priestly formation, priests, hierarchy, sacred ministry and pastoral administration. Based on the Documents of Vatican Council II, the Code of Canon Law, the Pastoral Directory of the Catholic Church in Korea, and the directives of the Apostolic See on priestly life, the Pastoral Directory of the Diocese of Taejon, as a local canon law, is expected to guide the Christian life of the diocesans and enhance their participation and cooperation in the life of the Church. In particular, the Directory defines the "lethargic" faithful as the baptized who are aged 14 or over but do not take the first confession and the first communion and those who have not received any sacrament for three years after their first communion. It also recommends the diocesan priests to have the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation every month and recite the Rosary everyday. Bishop Kyeong asked all priests, religious, lay faithful in the diocese to "understand and follow the spirit of this pastoral directory and practice it positively and voluntarily." * Statistics of the Overseas Korean Catholics Published The CBCK Committee for the Pastoral Care of the Migrants and Itinerants (President: Most Rev. Peter Kang U-il) recently published the Statistics of the Overseas Korean Catholics in 2003. According to the Statistics, as of December 31, 2003, there were 133,853 overseas Korean Catholics in 151 parishes in 60 countries throughout the world and among them were 172 priests, 121 sisters and two brothers. Over half of the overseas Korean Catholics live in North America (81,999 persons in the U.S.A. and 14,840 in Canada) and others live in Oceania (10,310 in Australia and 4,567 in New Zealand), South America (3,600 in Brazil), and Europe (3,385 in Germany). * Diocese of Masan Set a Long-term Plan for Renewal to Prepare Its 40th Anniversary On 2004 Easter Sunday, the Diocese of Masan set to a 900-day movement of renewal to prepare its 40th anniversary of the institution of hierarchy in October 2006, for the purpose of inner renewal and active evangelization. Under the theme "With Jesus Christ," all the 63 parishes in the diocese will promote three practical campaigns together, such as reading and transcribing the Bible, bringing lukewarm faithful back to the Church, and guiding non-believers to Christ. It also aims at doubling the number of Mass attendants in three years. This movement, decided at the special meeting of the Lay Apostolate Council of the Diocese on March 27, 2004 and ratified by the Diocesan Bishop, is more meaningful because it was initiated by the laity. In this regard, it also expects positive participation of the lay faithful. The Rev. Jacobus Yoo Young-bong, Vicar General of the Diocese, explaining, "the current rate of the Mass attendants to the total faithful in the diocese is only 21 percent," hoped this movement "to pave a new way for progress and development of the diocese and also to be a good opportunity for each diocesan to seek their inner evangelization." |