Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - To give a soul to Korea's secularised society, pervaded by new technology which often dehumanises inter-personal relations: this is the vocation and mission of the Franciscans who recently celebrated 70 years of presence in this country, evangelising in poverty and simplicity in keeping with the life of their founder St Francis of Assisi.
From the beginning the Franciscan presence in Korea has been eminently spiritual activity teaching to give first place to “things of heaven”, relationship with God, often penalised in societies of consumerism and efficiency: through catechesis, celebration of the Sacraments (Confession especially), organisation of retreats and days of reflection.
Besides spiritual direction for many faithful and families, priests and sisters, the Franciscans have not neglected evangelisation, works of social assistance as a video made for the 70th anniversary shows. Friars and lay people are seen at work caring for lepers, serving disabled people, working in homes for poor and abandoned people, ever more numerous in Korea today.
The first two Franciscans who came to Korea from Canada arrived in 1937 and the first local Franciscan community was opened in Daejeon in 1938. Twenty years later the friars founded a home for people with leprosy 300 km south of Seoul in the province of Gyeongsangnam, which they still run and where today they care for over 200 patients.
The friars gradually grew in numbers thanks to local vocations and in 1987 the Order of Friars Minor created the Franciscan Korean Province which has today 150 religious and has contributed to mission ad gentes sending friars to China, Israel, Japan, Russia and Kazakhstan.
Franciscans here have begun another area of mission: spiritual care and evangelisation among immigrants (many from the Philippines), an ever larger part of Korean society, with problems of cultural adaptation, logistic accommodation and spiritual direction. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/9/2007 righe 25 parole 256)
