Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New York (Agenzia Fides) - During a special anniversary Mass celebrated in New York to mark the 80th anniversary of the Catholic diocese of Pyongyang, capital city of North Korea, prayer intentions included a desire to be able to give new life to the Catholic community in north Korea.
The Mass was celebrated at the church of Maryknoll Missionaries, who in the past contributed greatly to the evangelisation of Korea, suffering also a loss of missionaries and expulsion from North Korea with the coming to power of the communist regime.
The Catholic Church in South Korea hopes the recent agreement for more economic, social and political cooperation between the two governments will allow Christians in Korea to express their faith more openly and Christians from the South to help them.
The anniversary Mass attended by a large crowd of faithful, Korean and other nationalities, was presided by Cardinal Nicholas Cheong, Archbishop of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang. Many priests concelebrated. In his homily the Cardinal said it was necessary to realise the difficult situation in North Korea and to pray for the people: “It is our duty to pray for and support the tiny Catholic community in North Korea which has lived in silence since the peninsula was divided” he said recalling the generous contribution of 92 Maryknoll missionaries who dedicated their lives to evangelising North Korea.
The Apostolic Prefecture of Pyongyang created in 1927, became an Apostolic Vicariate in 1939. In 1962 with the institution of the Catholic hierarchy in Korea it was raised to the rank of diocese.
For many years the Catholic community in the south has promoted a national Day of Unity and Reconciliation and sought to keep contact with the north with visits by Catholic delegations, activity of cooperation and humanitarian aid through Caritas. All this while hoping to be able one day to spread the faith among the people of North Korea. To encourage reconciliation and reunification Seoul has an episcopal vicar for the diocese of Pyongyang. Many priests from the south have offered to give pastoral service in Pyongyang and to promote national reconciliation.
In the north there has been timid new flourishing of Catholic community since 1989, with the establishment of the government controlled North Korean Catholic Association. However today North Korean Christians still worship in homes since there is only one church and it is in the capital Pyongyang. Families are visited regularly by members of the North Korean Catholic Association. Catholic sources in the South say that there are about 3,000 Catholics in North Korea. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/10/2007 righe 35 parole 359)
