ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - The example of John Paul II, a boost for the “new evangelisation”

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – By meditating on and making the life and work of John Paul II her own extraordinary experience, the Church in Korea can draw “new force to go forward with the new evangelisation.” This is what Fr Thaddaeus Lee Ki-Rak, Executive Secretary of the Bishops' Conference of Korea told Fides, in view of the ceremony of Beatification of the Servant of God John Paul II, to be held on 1 May at St Peter's.
The term “new evangelisation”, recalls Fr Lee Ki-Rak in a message sent to Fides, “was used for the first time by John Paul II and refers to the practice of communicating the Gospel with new passion, in new ways and with new expressions which proclaim freedom, towards a better world”. This is this spirit with which the Church in Korea is proceeding for 2011,” notes the Secretary, “and with which we are preparing for the Beatification of Pope Wojtyla.
The Church in Korea, informs the priest, “is looking for new ways, new methods and new paths to evangelise effectively.” For this we need to remind all faithful Catholics, priests, men and women religious and the laity, that they are “descendants of the Korean martyrs”, and that they should be “leaders in evangelisation within and outside the Church.” All the Korean Bishops, said the Secretary of the Episcopal Conference, have mobilised, beginning “reflections and new practices to renew the missionary spirit of the entire ecclesial community”, called to live the new evangelisation “starting with the testimony of life.” With this momentum, with this renewed spirit that animates the local community, the Church in Korea invokes the protection of Pope John Paul II, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, St Joseph and all the Korean martyrs. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/2/2011)