ASIA/NORTH KOREA - “The window to reconciliation between the North and South is being opened,” the General Minister of the Order of Friars Minor tells Agenzia Fides

Monday, 17 November 2008

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Rome (Agenzia Fides) - “It is a cause for great joy for the Order of Friars Minor and for the entire Church, that a Franciscan friar is able to live and work in a Center in North Korea, at the service of the poor. It is a presence that shows and announces peace, reconciliation, and solidarity.” These were the words of Fr. Jose Rodriguez Carballo OFM, the General Minister of the Order of Friars Minor, in comments released to Agenzia Fides, on the news of the inauguration of the new “Service Center for Peace” located in the area of Pyongyang, in the presence of Fr. Paul Kim Kwon-soon, OFM, of the Province of South Korea (see Fides 10/11/2008).
“The Center where Fr. Paul will be working will open its doors in January 2009. It will offer meals to 1500 workers without means of self-support, in addition to their families. The Friar will also run a clinic offering free medical assistance, especially for the smallest and most vulnerable of society,” the OFM General Minister told Fides.
“It is an important act of solidarity on the part of the Church of South Korea, towards our brothers in the North,” and it is also “a good sign of openness on the part of North Korean authorities, which is cause for new hope.” It is called the “Service Center for Peace,” to place emphasis on the fact that, “in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi, we hope to be messengers of peace and reconciliation, announcing the Gospel with a testimony of life and with our humble presence,” he said.
Fr. Carballo continues: “This 'mission' – in the broad sense of the term – is in the typical Franciscan style, in that it embraces many elements of our charism: service to the poor, the announcement of peace, fraternal presence and welcoming one's neighbor. Thus, we are truly glad that another Friar will be able to aid Fr. Paul, so that the mission can truly be one carried out in fraternity.”
The initiative, the Minister says, “is a small sign that we hope can become ever more important. It is like a window of reconciliation opened between the two Koreas. We are accompanying this project and its progress with our prayers and we ask all the faithful of the world to join us: the Lord will listen to the prayerful voice of the Korean people who implore Him with a sincere heart, asking for peace, reconciliation, unity. We are sure that there will be fruits. It is not up to us to say when; maybe we will not seem them in their fullness today, but we are sure that the Lord looks fondly upon this initiative and blesses all the people of North and South Korea.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/11/2008)