Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Suwon (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church in Korea looks to Africa and has at heart the continent's most martyred regions and peoples. This is why yesterday 3 April three young Korean fidei donum priests departed for Sudan, where they will offer pastoral service. These first fidei donum priests from the diocese of Suwon show the vitality of that local Church. The priests' names are Rev John of God Han Man-sam, aged 36; Rev Anthony Kim Tae-ho, aged 39; Rev Alex Lee Seung-joon, aged 37. The three received the mission mandate and said goodbye to the church community of Suwon during a Mass in Suwon cathedral in the presence of 200 diocesan priests and at least two thousand people.
“Following the example of St Paul, who lived every day as if it were his last, may you too live for the people of Sudan, witnessing God's love ”, said Bishop Paul Choi Deong-ki of Suwon, in his homily reported by Eglises d’Asie news agency of the MEP missionaries.
During the Mass the three missionaries promised obedience to Bishop Cesare Mazzolari, Bishop of Rumbek (Sudan), the diocese where they will spend their three years of fide donum pastoral service.
Bishop Mazzolari spoke about the possibility of having some fidei dunum priests, in a meeting with Fr. John Moon hee-jong, head of the Evangelisation Service of the diocese of Suwon, during the latter's visit to Sudan in 2004. The request was addressed to the local priests and today after special preparation and spiritual, cultural, technical and linguistic formation, the request has been answered by Fr Johni, Fr Anthony and Fr Alex.
Rumbek has an area of 58,000sq km and a population of 3.8 million. The three fidei donum priests will undertake evangelisation in Sudan and offer material and spiritual care. According to statistics issued by the Korean Catholic Bishops Conference, the diocese of Suwon has a population of 6.9 million of whom 672,000 are Catholics assisted by 386 priests, diocesan and religious. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 4/4/2008 righe 27 parole 273)
