Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Catholics in Korea gave their heartfelt and moving farewell to Cardinal Stephen Kim, who passed away at 87 years of age, this past February 16. He was remembered as a “giant” of the Korean Church, a Pastor who knew how to give a significant thrust to the Christian presence and the evangelization of the country.
Over 20,000 Koreans – Catholics and non – came to pay their respects to the Cardinal.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated in the Seoul Cathedral on February 20, presided by Cardinal Nicholas Choung, current Archbishop of Seoul. During the celebration, a message from His Holiness Benedict XVI was read. In it, the Pope said that he recalled “with gratitude Cardinal Kim’s long years of devoted service to the Catholic community in Seoul and his many years of faithful assistance to the Holy Father as a member of the College of Cardinals” (see Fides 17/2/2009).
Cardinal Cheoung, in his homily remembered Cardinal Kim as “apostle of love and peace” towards all Koreans, not only the Catholic faithful: “His presence was for all a motive of spiritual comfort, especially for the people in difficulty,” he said, giving thanks to the Lord for having given the Church in Korea a man like Cardinal Kim.
The celebration was also attended by political figures and authorities from the world of culture and academics. The Prime Minister of Korea, Han Seung-soo, mentioned that “with his words and actions, the Cardinal left a message of charity and solidarity for the entire nation.”
Cardinal Kim was born into a Catholic family in Daegu in 1922, the youngest of 8 children. He was ordained a priest in 1951, during the Korean War, standing out for his apostolate of peace and reconciliation. He was appointed bishop in 1966 and in 1969 was created Cardinal by Pope Paul VI.
From the beginning of his pastoral ministry, he was a symbolic figure in Korea, a reference point and a moral authority for the entire population, winning the respect of the public authorities even during the time of the military dictatorship, from the 60s to the 80s.
His remains were laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery in Yongin, next to those of his predecessor, Archbishop Paul Marie Ro Ki-Nam, who died in 1984. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/2/2009)
