ASIA/KOREA - Resignation of the Bishop of Masan and appointment of successor

Tuesday, 19 April 2016

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On 19 April 2016, the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Masan (Korea), presented by His Exc. Mgr. Francis Xavier Ahn Myong-ok, in accordance with can. 401 § 2 of the Code of Canon Law. The Holy Father appointed Rev. Constantine Bae Kihyen, Vicar General and Chancellor of the same diocese as Bishop of Masan (Korea).
Rev. Constantine Bae Ki Hyen was born on February 1, 1953, in Masan. He obtained his Baccalaureate in Theology and a Masters in Philosophy at the Catholic University of Gwanju. He was ordained a priest on January 28, 1985 for the diocese of Masan.
Since his ordination he has served the following pastoral and academic roles: 1985-1989: Pastor of Namhye in Kyongnam, Diocese of Masan; 1989-1996: Studies for a Licentiate in Philosophy and, then, for a Degree in Innsbruck, Austria, and in Munich, in Germany; 1996-1998: Professor at the Major Seminary in Pusan; 1998-2001: Pastoral Ministry in the United States (Denver, Colorado), as Chaplain of the local Korean Community; 2002-2003: Sabbatical Year; 2003-2005: Pastor of Sachen in Kyongnam, Diocese of Masan; 2005-2008: Pastor of Ducksan in Jinhae, diocese of Masan; 2008-2014: Pastoral Ministry in the United States (Los Angeles, California), serving the local Korean Community; 2014-2015: Sabbatical Year; since 2015: Vicar General and Chancellor of the Diocese of Masan.
The Diocese of Masan, erected in 1966, is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Daego, it has an area of 9,054 square kilometers and a population of 2,561,683 inhabitants, of whom 172,949 are Catholics. There are 73 parishes, 211 priests (162 diocesan and 49 religious), 316 nuns and 40 seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 19/04/2016)


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