VATICAN – Cardinal Filoni at the Sanctuary of Choltusan: "Even today, the Korean people and the Church in Korea need the example of their own Martyrs to find vigor and strength"

Saturday, 5 October 2013

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - "A few days before the conclusion of the "Month of Martyrs", as proclaimed by the Archdiocese of Seoul in commemoration of all the Korean martyrs who laid down their lives for the Gospel, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, on Saturday, October 5th presided over the Eucharistic celebration at the Sanctuary of the Martyrs of Choltusan. "Here - the Cardinal said in his homily - the very beginnings of the history of the Church in Korea are sanctified by the martyrs and the blood of so many witnesses of the Faith has become the seed of a multitude who, welcoming with joy the Word of God and believing in the name of the Lord, have glorified the Church in this Country". Then he pointed out: "Here in Korea, we can observe the importance not only of the missionaries coming from afar to bring the Gospel, but above all the lay people whose hearts and minds the Lord opened to the grace of the Word of God, becoming themselves instruments of Divine Providence in the work of evangelization".
The Prefect of the Congregation emphasized the importance of "preserving the memory" and mentioned "some splendid expressions of our Martyrs" and highlighted "the invitation today that our Martyrs and the innumerable Confessors of the Faith address to us is an invitation to sanctity and generous fidelity to Christ, the Lord Whom they placed at the center of their lives".
After noting that "the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Church speaks clearly of the universal call to holiness, from which no one is excluded", the Cardinal said that holiness "is neither an accessory to faith nor is it imposed" and, citing one of Pope Fransis’ tweets, "there are three fundamental tools for advancing in holiness: prayer, humility, and charity towards all". The experience of those who have preceded us on the path of holiness was no different, such as St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Andrew Kim.
Concluding his homily, Cardinal Filoni expressed this recommendation: " Even today, the Korean people and the Church in Korea need the example of their own martyrs to find vigor and strength ... In the midst of this noble Korean people, the Church Catholic is called to become leaven and to ferment; to be an instrument of communion and of goodness, the builder of peace in Christ. This is your mission". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 05/10/2013 )


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