ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Religious in Korea, “the yeast of society”: assembly for male and female religious institutes

Monday, 16 November 2009

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Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Religious men and women in Korea are called to be salt, light, and leaven in society and in this spirit live their mission. This is a summary presented to Fides, of the conclusions of the two special meetings that brought together, in recent days, representatives of religious men and women present in Korea.
The Conference of Major Superiors of Religious Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life, held in Seoul, also elected its new President: Fr. Stephen Nam Song-woo, Provincial Superior of the Society of St. Francis de Sales.
Among the challenges and tasks facing the new president for the future of religion in Korea is an urgent need to “find new ways to present the charism of consecrated life in the reality of the Korean church and society.”
A priority has been identified in young people, to be recipients of special programs of evangelization and youth ministry which the religious are called to carry out. The Conference also decided to observe annually, each October 1st, the Feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, a special "World Mission Day for Religious," which will focus on religious life and the mission and will be an opportunity to disseminate initiatives and vocational programs.
The assembly of the Association of Superiors of Religious Institutes of Women, which was also held in recent days in Suwon, examined the challenges of the mission for sisters on Korean soil.
The assembly appointed President Sr. Aquina Youn Jeong-ok, Provincial Superior of the Sisters of Notre Dame, which said: "For our mission we must return to the intrinsic nature of religious life, given that our society faces now strong temptations of secularization." The Sister continued: "Christ spent his life with the poorest of the poor: we must also turn our attention to the most marginalized.
The Assembly has issued a final communique, sent to Agenzia Fides, which calls all sisters in Korea to "live in the radical nature of Christ, and to promote creative initiatives to strengthen the mission in Asia and Oceania.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/11/2009)