Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kwangju (Fides Service) - The young people it has educated in civil, moral and spiritual values in 50 years of service to education are numerous. Some have entered the priesthood, others the religious life and in fact for the local Church Kwangju Salesian High School, which recently marked its 50th anniversary, is a seedbed of vocations. The anniversary was an occasion to highlight the important contribution offered by Catholic schools and training colleges in South Korea to educate students in the main contents of Korea’s national culture and also the values of the Gospel, as the Korean Catholic Bishops Commission for Education states. “Catholic education - the Commission said - is important not only for the Catholics but for the whole country because it offers a patrimony of values which help build peace loving citizens with upright consciences and a balanced personality, respectful of the common good. The main reason for which the Church is so deeply committed to education is to fulfil her mission of love for all humanity”.
Special guests invited to celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Kwangju Salesian High School - according to ANS new agency - included 52 ‘old boys’ one bishop and 51 priests, all former pupils. The city of Kwangju has a population of 1,400,000 of whom 250,000 are Catholics. Most of the 51 ‘old boy’ priests (7 are Salesians) work in one of Korea’s seven dioceses, a few are abroad in Melbourne, Australia, and Tampa, United States
Kwangju Salesian High School, listed among the best schools in South Korea, is run by seven Salesians. The institute has about 100 teachers and 1.600 pupils, Christians and non and plays a leading role in Youth Pastoral and Education to the Faith. Every year, at the end of two years of instruction in the faith, an average of 60 pupils are received into the Church.
The anniversary Mass was presided by Archbishop Andreas Choi Chan-mou of Kwangju and concelebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Hyginus Kim Hee-jong, also a former pupil. In his homily Archbishop Choi Chan-mou said the school’s motto - “healthy mind, healthy body, healthy environment” - represented the inculturation of Salesian spirituality in Korean society.
In 2004 the Salesians themselves celebrated 50 years of service in Korea. They came at the end of the Korean War to help care for and educate poor children in keeping with the Don Bosco charisma. They are active in the fields of education, education to the media, technical training, social assistance as well as evangelisation. (Agenzia Fides 10/5/2006 righe 28 parole 289)
