VATICAN – Cardinal Filoni for the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Suwon: "Jesus sends forth and is present even today in this beloved Church of Suwon"

Thursday, 3 October 2013

Suwon (Agenzia Fides ) - "It does not belong to the Church’s nature to weep over a past that changes, but rather to be concerned with the task of placing Jesus Christ once again at the center of our mission, so that a Christological Church is truly a sign of reconciliation and of hope within society, and never ceases to preach the time of the Lord's grace". These are the words Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples expressed during the homily of the Mass he presided today, October 3, for the 50th anniversary for the diocese of Suwon (see Fides 28/09/2013) .
Tracing the history of the diocese, the Cardinal recalled that it was established by Pope Paul VI on October 7, 1963, while the Second Session of the Second Vatican Council unfolded in Rome and, "within the course of a few weeks, the Fathers approved the liturgical reforms and prepared the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church", and he continued: "We can thus affirm that the Diocese of Suwon was born from the side of the Council". Reflecting on some aspects of the life of this local Church, the cardinal recalled that "the mission of the particular Church consists in, and indeed is derived from, the same mission of Jesus that He left the Apostles...Jesus, therefore, sends forth and is present even today in this beloved Church of Suwon, accompanying her with great care".
Reflecting on the readings of the Mass, Cardinal Filoni highlighted " the profound social and economic changes" that touch upon delicate issues, such as the family, young people, and the loss of religious and moral values and concluded: "The considerable increase in the Catholic community in these years has prompted and encouraged you to understand just how much people have need of God and how few workers there always are in His vineyard".
Before the Mass, during the commemoration of the 50-year history of the diocese, Cardinal Filoni read his Message for the Jubilee celebration, where he recalled the milestones of birth and life of the diocese, including persecutions and successes, and defined the coincidence of the jubilee of Suwon with the conclusion of the Year of Faith as "providential", and this blessed time should be marked by "grateful remembrances of the countless people who gave their lives for the gospel in this glorious land". Finally, before imparting his apostolic blessing on behalf of Holy Father, Pope Francis, he called for a renewed missionary commitment: "Let this time of celebration be a source of true joy for every faithful believer in the Diocese of Suwon, and a strong motivation to continue being beacons of light and a ray of hope to the people of Korea". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 03/10/2013)


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