Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – The determination to give more attention to families and clergy emerged from the recent annual Autumn Assembly of the Catholic Bishops of Korea held in Seoul.
The Bishops will soon issue a Pastoral Letter on the Family to serve as a basis for intervention at a meeting of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) on the Family in August 2004. Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon and Bishop Lazarus You Heung-sik will be standing participants at the FABC Meeting. In fact the Korean Bishops’ Conference has decided to strengthen the role of the Church in society giving new impulse to the Family Renewal Movement to help Christian families become ‘leaven’ in society.
The Bishops also discussed their ministry towards clergy and religious. In view of preparing “Norms for the Pastoral Ministry and life of Priests” as requested by the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, they will ask for opinions and advice from their own priests and religious men and women .
Another decision reached during the Bishops’ Autumn Assembly this year was to establish a national Caritas Day (the last Sunday in January) to promote correct information and increase awareness on the question of humanitarian aid. During the assembly the Bishops also celebrated a Special Mass for the 25th Year of Pontificate of Pope John Paul II recalling “the Holy Father’s outstanding contribution to history in the 20th century to put an end to the Cold War and Marxism”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 27/10/2003 lines 24 words 220)
