ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - CHURCH FOCUSES ON PASTORAL CARE FOR POLICEMEN: MORE THAN 200 OFFICERS RECEIVE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

Wednesday, 9 July 2003

Seoul (Fides Service) – To be a professed Christian but with a job which often requires the use of arms is the spiritual challenge lived daily by members of police and security forces all over the world. In Korea, in 2000, anxious to give special attention to this situation, Seoul archdiocese set up a Commission for Pastoral Care of Security Forces which organised catechesis, prayer meetings and courses of preparation for the Sacraments for the Catholic members of Seoul city police force.
Three years of pastoral deeply appreciated and popular with the officers, has produced its first fruits. At the end of June a group of 200 policemen were confirmed in Seoul Cathedral by Auxiliary Bishop Lucas Kim Woon-hoe.
This was the first time in the history of the Church in Korea that such a large number of police officers received the Sacrament of Confirmation in the presence of chief members of the Force and many lay faithful.
In the archdiocese there is satisfaction for the work of the past three years. In his homily Bishop Kim Woon-hoe told the men: “I pray that God will give consolation and grace to each of you, that he may heal the wounds in your heart and enable you to carry out your duty”.
Leo Cheong Tae-su, one of the men confirmed told Fides Service: “I was baptised as an adult while in service. Today I have been confirmed. I know that in every difficult situation I face I must never forget that I have been born again in Jesus Christ and I am a child of God. I will strive to be a good Christian and live in the light of Christ my daily service as a policeman.” PA (Fides Service 9/7/2003 EM lines 26 Words: 310)


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