Communication on May 28
* Message for the Day of Life Emphasizes the Right to Life
The Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, President of the CBCK Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, issued a message on the occasion of the tenth Day of Life on May 30, 2004 and urged the faithful to take and serve for the "way of life" to respond to the will of God, the Lord of Life.
In the message, titled "I am the Life," Bishop Lee called on the faithful to take the lead in building the Culture of Life "by resisting the challenges to God's precious gift of life, such as abortion, suicide, euthanasia, domestic violence, cloning, genetic manipulation, war, terrorism and environmental pollution."
He said, "The most fundamental right of human being is the right to life," and added that since this right belongs to all human beings from the moment of conception, fertilized eggs, embryos, fetuses also enjoy equal rights. He also resolutely condemned the act of committing suicide as an "anti-life, immoral and inhuman behavior" because it is a denial to the love of God.
* "Exodus Program" to Seek Proper Ways for Pastoral Care of Migrants in Korea
A training program was offered for pastors and workers involved in pastoral care of migrants to draw from the Bible the elements necessary for establishing theology on migration and to set proper directions for pastoral care of migrants in Korea.
The CBCK Committee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants arranged the "Exodus Program" from May 17 to 21, 2004 at the One Heart Youth Center in Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, in which 67 people participated from some 40 migration-related organizations nationwide. The participants also included the Most Rev. Peter Kang U-il, Bishop of Cheju and President of the Committee.
In particular, the Rev. Fabio Baggio of Scalabrini Migration Center in the Philippines, a non-profit research institute of human migration and refugee movements from and within Asia, was invited as instructor and gave a presentation on the "Exodus Program."
The Exodus Program, first prepared four years ago and conducted annually in the Philippines, is an educational course to study theology on migration and the social teachings of the Church on migration. It was the first time to be held outside the Philippines.
The participants heard lectures such as "Migration in View of Theology" and "Migration in Asia Today" and discussed pending issues including the situation of migrant workers in Korea, collaborative efforts of the Catholic Church for migrants with other religions or the government and giving support to migrants' associations.
Citing the example of Mary and Joseph who migrated to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus there, the Rev. Fabio Baggio said, "We can discover in the Bible the image of migrants as the objects of hospitality and respect. These thus constitute the duty of Christians."
Bishop Kang said, "Hopefully, this and future training courses and meetings can enable the pastors and workers in charge of migration to become good supporters for the hopeless migrant workers."
At the request of the Philippine instructors of Exodus Program, the participants also agreed to make and distribute an English directory of migrants' centers in Korea for some 10,000 Philippine workers who are expecting the Work Permit System to start in Korea from August 2004.
* Laity to Promote the "Movement for Beautiful World and Family"
The Lay Apostolate Council of Korea (Chairman: Mr. John Bosco Son Byeong-du) held the first meeting of its Permanent Council from May 22 to 23, 2004 in Changwon-si, in the Diocese of Masan, and decided to promote the "Movement for Beautiful World and Family."
Some 60 participants, including the chairpersons of diocesan lay apostolate councils, reaching consensus on the need of overcoming the family crisis and building sound family life, decided to animate the "Movement for Beautiful World and Family" according to the circumstances of each diocese. For this, the Council will provide for the dioceses the information about the family-related movements being conducted on the diocesan level and also formulate the Prayer of Family.
They also agreed to form a research team which will study the nature and functions of lay apostolate councils, the ways to activate the creativity and commitment of lay faithful, the ways the Church can contribute to the development of society. The research result will be presented to the CBCK Committee for the Lay Apostolate by early August.
The Rev. Jacobus Yoo Young-bong, Vicar General of the Diocese of Masan, presented a special lecture and stressed, "The family can be what it should be when it lives out the mystery of the Church."
The Most Rev. Peter Lee Ki-heon, President of the CBCK Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, issued a message on the occasion of the tenth Day of Life on May 30, 2004 and urged the faithful to take and serve for the "way of life" to respond to the will of God, the Lord of Life.
In the message, titled "I am the Life," Bishop Lee called on the faithful to take the lead in building the Culture of Life "by resisting the challenges to God's precious gift of life, such as abortion, suicide, euthanasia, domestic violence, cloning, genetic manipulation, war, terrorism and environmental pollution."
He said, "The most fundamental right of human being is the right to life," and added that since this right belongs to all human beings from the moment of conception, fertilized eggs, embryos, fetuses also enjoy equal rights. He also resolutely condemned the act of committing suicide as an "anti-life, immoral and inhuman behavior" because it is a denial to the love of God.
* "Exodus Program" to Seek Proper Ways for Pastoral Care of Migrants in Korea
A training program was offered for pastors and workers involved in pastoral care of migrants to draw from the Bible the elements necessary for establishing theology on migration and to set proper directions for pastoral care of migrants in Korea.
The CBCK Committee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants arranged the "Exodus Program" from May 17 to 21, 2004 at the One Heart Youth Center in Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, in which 67 people participated from some 40 migration-related organizations nationwide. The participants also included the Most Rev. Peter Kang U-il, Bishop of Cheju and President of the Committee.
In particular, the Rev. Fabio Baggio of Scalabrini Migration Center in the Philippines, a non-profit research institute of human migration and refugee movements from and within Asia, was invited as instructor and gave a presentation on the "Exodus Program."
The Exodus Program, first prepared four years ago and conducted annually in the Philippines, is an educational course to study theology on migration and the social teachings of the Church on migration. It was the first time to be held outside the Philippines.
The participants heard lectures such as "Migration in View of Theology" and "Migration in Asia Today" and discussed pending issues including the situation of migrant workers in Korea, collaborative efforts of the Catholic Church for migrants with other religions or the government and giving support to migrants' associations.
Citing the example of Mary and Joseph who migrated to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus there, the Rev. Fabio Baggio said, "We can discover in the Bible the image of migrants as the objects of hospitality and respect. These thus constitute the duty of Christians."
Bishop Kang said, "Hopefully, this and future training courses and meetings can enable the pastors and workers in charge of migration to become good supporters for the hopeless migrant workers."
At the request of the Philippine instructors of Exodus Program, the participants also agreed to make and distribute an English directory of migrants' centers in Korea for some 10,000 Philippine workers who are expecting the Work Permit System to start in Korea from August 2004.
* Laity to Promote the "Movement for Beautiful World and Family"
The Lay Apostolate Council of Korea (Chairman: Mr. John Bosco Son Byeong-du) held the first meeting of its Permanent Council from May 22 to 23, 2004 in Changwon-si, in the Diocese of Masan, and decided to promote the "Movement for Beautiful World and Family."
Some 60 participants, including the chairpersons of diocesan lay apostolate councils, reaching consensus on the need of overcoming the family crisis and building sound family life, decided to animate the "Movement for Beautiful World and Family" according to the circumstances of each diocese. For this, the Council will provide for the dioceses the information about the family-related movements being conducted on the diocesan level and also formulate the Prayer of Family.
They also agreed to form a research team which will study the nature and functions of lay apostolate councils, the ways to activate the creativity and commitment of lay faithful, the ways the Church can contribute to the development of society. The research result will be presented to the CBCK Committee for the Lay Apostolate by early August.
The Rev. Jacobus Yoo Young-bong, Vicar General of the Diocese of Masan, presented a special lecture and stressed, "The family can be what it should be when it lives out the mystery of the Church."