ASIA/KOREA - 30.000 members of the Korean Catholic Health Association recently instituted with the support of the local Bishops’ Conference

Friday, 11 March 2005

Rome (Fides Service) - It was approved in September 2004 during the general assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea under the aegis of the national Caritas and charged with the task of dealing with problems connected with the Bishops’ Commission for Caritas of the Pontifical Council for Health. On March 5 the Korean Catholic Organisation for Health became operative and held its first general assembly.
About 60 participants, including the president of the Bishops’ Conference Commission for Caritas Korea, Bishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik, offered a Holy Mass and committed themselves “to serve the sick and the afflicted keeping in mind the figure of Jesus”. They also released a declaration of commitment to collaborate for the development of Catholic medical services and of the Organisation, to recognise that serving in the name of Christ is part of daily life, to bear witness to the love of God and to proclaim the Gospel through service of the sick.
The Organisation has about 30,000 members of the Associations of Catholic Hospitals, Catholic Doctors and Nurses and Catholic Pharmacists. Outstanding initiatives include, Catholic teaching, pro-life campaigns, overseas medical missions, local health service supplied at the parish level and formation of members.
Bishop Hu said “it is significant that this organisation, which can be proud of its story of 20 years, is united on one common objective”. (AP) (11/3/2005 Agenzia Fides; Righe:22; Parole:242)


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