Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The visit of Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran in Korea is "an impulse to the Korean Church to continue the path of dialogue": states His Exc.Mgr. Peter Kang, Bishop of Cheju and President of the Episcopal Conference of Korea, and the outcome of the Cardinal`s visit was very positive . "In Korea we traditionally have good relations with other religious communities. The visit of the Cardinal confirms the kindness of our approach. It also gives a signal and leaves a very favorable impression in the other religious communities who have expressed feelings of appreciation and gratitude to the Catholic Church for these steps, " explains the Bishop, underlining that" the entire Korean press highlighted the news of the Cardinal`s visit as being a very positive event for the attention towards other religions. "
Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran and Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, respectively President and Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, are in South Korea from May 23 till 27, they were invited by the Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue . The Vatican delegation met the President of the Republic, the Minister of Culture and the Director of Religious Affairs. Meeting the Cardinal, the President of Korea, Lee Myung Bak, expressed the hope of religious freedom in North Korea, while the Cardinal pointed out that the issue of unification is important, and it is a journey that can be achieved through friendship, cultural and religious exchange.
The Cardinal and Archbishop visited the "Jogye Order" (highest representative of the traditional Korean Buddhism), the Center of Korean Buddhism and the Centre of Korean Confucianism, concluding the visit with the celebration of the Holy Mass at the Shrine of the Korean Martyrs' Cheoldusan " . (PA) (Agenzia Fides 27/05/2011
