ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Conversion means turning our hearts to God: Lenten Message from Cardinal Nicholas Cheong, Archbishop of Seoul

Saturday, 3 March 2007

Seoul (Fides Service) - ‘Convert your hearts and believe in the Gospel’ is the title of a Lenten Letter issued by the Archbishop of Seoul Cardinal Nicholas Cheong focussed on conversion, repentance, prayer, works of charity and respect for human life. “We must demonstrate our love for God with acts of loving care for the poor - the Cardinal writes -. Like any other spiritual sacrifices Lenten fasting has meaning if it leads to works of charity to help our neighbour. Catholics must listen to those who suffer and help heal their wounds. An act of charity is spiritually enriching both for the giver and the receiver affirms” the Cardinal adding, “conversion means not simply repentance for sins but ‘converting’ or turning our hearts to God. Let us make this Lent a Season of grace through repentance, obeying the Gospel and bearing witness to love and respect for human life” the Cardinal concluded.
The Cardinal referred to the theme of respect for life because the question of bio-ethics is highly topical in Korea. In fact the Pro-Life Commission of the archdiocese of Seoul recently issued a statement reaffirming the Catholic community’s firm ‘no’ to any form of medical experiment or abuse of the human embryo. Whereas the Commission confirmed Catholic support for research using adult stem cells, and urged Korean society to respect human life when making decisions of a social, cultural or political nature. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 3/3/2007 righe 25parole 256)


Share: