Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - “On Mission Sunday with Missionaries” was the title of a Meeting for representatives of male and female religious congregations in South Korea held in Seoul Cathedral on 24 October Mission Sunday, organised by the Union of Superiors Major of Korea. The meeting offered participants, Korean missionaries working in Korea or abroad and foreign missionaries engaged in pastoral work in Korea, an opportunity to exchange impressions and experiences.
Sr. Giustina Hong Eun-hwa, a Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, spoke about the tragic situation of many families in Kenya, where she takes care of street children and people who are terminally ill with AIDS, and she asked those present for their prayers and their help. “Very often all I can do is to sit beside them and pray. And when I see their deep trust in the Lord despite their poverty and suffering they are bearing witness for me and this brings me closer to God”.
The meeting closed with the celebration of Mass presided by Bishop Rene Dupont, emeritus Bishop of Andong, who said: “Missionaries are people who have been captivated by the true love and true happiness offered by Jesus Christ. And as channels of God’s grace they lead others to true happiness”. The Bishop encouraged those present, young people especially “to be docile to the will of God and to proclaim the Gospel”.
“The mission of the Church in Korea - said Bishop Lazzaro You Heung Sik, coadjutor of Daejeon - is founded on the Korean martyrs who offered their lives for the Lord and for the people. We are keenly aware that we must proclaim the Gospel to those who have yet to hear it, but as Evangelii Nuntiandi says, first we must become authentic Christians who live the Gospel in everyday life: on then the life of every Christian will be witness and leaven in society”. Our mission here is Korea is “to reach out to those who are not Christians but also to revive the faith of those whose faith has become lukewarm who accepted the Christian message but fail to make it bear fruit in daily life. We need to evangelise also our own Catholics to make them missionaries. The authentic Christ, as Redemptoris Missio says, is always missionary”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/10/2004 righe 33 parole 385)
