Death of humble and respected leader of the Church

Being an American living in Korea is life giving for it opens many more windows that I did not know existed. Life is the same in many ways from the West but often seen in a different way. The recent death of Cardinal Stephen Kim the Ordinary Emeritus of the Seoul Diocese who died at the age of 87 on March February 16th is a case in point.

He was a very popular Leader of the Church in the Seoul Diocese and had a great influence on the whole of Korea. Over 400,000 thousand people viewed his body and not all Catholics. The media for a number of days gave coverage both from the right and left that would have been difficult to imagine. He was a man for all seasons and one who heard the cry of the weak and was respected for it.

The Cardinal studied in Germany, at the University of Munster in Sociology and was very familiar with some of the weaknesses of the Church in Germany during the Hitler years. He did not want that to be the story of the Korea Church during our own years of totalitarianism. He made this very clear during those difficult years and become a hero to many. He will be missed and continued to be loved for the great humble leader that he was.

Section of Korean Newsletter

This was a recent account from a news letter. A very well dressed member of the congregation came to the pastor of the church to mention the difficulties of one of the poor. "Father, this woman just experience the death of her husband and she has four children she has to feed.
When the children are sick it is very difficult to take them to the doctor and to make matters all the worse the rent will be raised next week. Already she has not paid her rent for the last three months. Father isn't there some way the parish can help her?" "Such a person should be helped. I am certain we can find a way. May I ask you what is your relation with her?" "I am the owner of the house in which she is living."