ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Two dioceses start investigations for beatification of Witnesses to the Faith martyred in the 20th century

Monday, 23 July 2007

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The diocese of Chunchon and Hamhung have begun investigations in view of opening the diocesan stage for the beatification of Korean Catholics put to death during the last century. The respective Bishops said the process involved priests and religious killed between the years 1940 and 1950 while evangelising and ministering in the areas of Gangwon-do and Hamgyeong-do. Rev. Thomas Shin Ho-cheol has been appointed Postulator of the Cause
The diocese of Chunchon has given the names of five parish priests who saved the lives of their parishioners by offering themselves for arrest by the North Korean regime. The diocese of Hamhung will also present a list of names of priests who made the same courageous act.
Calling on Korean Catholics to help with the investigations and to pray, Postulator F. Shin, said: “Preparation for the beatification of our witnesses to the faith of the 20th century will be like a pilgrimage along which we will rediscover what the faith meant to those who gave their lives for the faith in our day”.
The cause does not include 36 Religious of the Order of St Benedict of Wagwan who died in prison camps and labour camps during the Korean War 1949 - 1952, for whom the process has already been opened. Even while detained, the courageous and committed religious continued to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Korea has more than 10,000 martyrs killed in various waves of persecution. A group of 103 martyrs was canonised in Seoul in 1984 by John Paul II, in the first canonisation held outside Rome: a memorable event for Korean Catholics.
In 2004 Seoul archdiocese opened the diocesan stage of the beatification of the servant of God Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions tortured and put to death for the faith in 1791 in the early years of Christianity in Korea. Last year 2006 Incheon diocese opened the beatification process of lay man John Song Hae-bung martyred in the Korean War (1950-1953). This is the first beatification cause for a lay Catholic in a period successive to the Japanese colonial times. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/7/2007 righe 27 parole 278)


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