Archbishop Chung Soon-taek was installed on Dec. 8th, as the new ordinary of the Seoul Archdiocese. He said in his sermon: "We will think, share, listen and search together on how the church should act as light and salt in the world, following in footsteps of our ancestors." He asked the priests to pray and cooperate with him, and said he would think, seek, and cooperate together and be concerned about how to increase the vocations in the archdiocese. He said he would share with all of God's people with an open mind, listen, and try to move forward together.
There were unusually loud voices wishing Archbishop Chung not to forget his neighbors in need, but to be with them and take care of them. One woman said: "I know that the socially underprivileged, marginalized, disabled, and young people were invited to this mass. Thank you so much. Young people are the future and hope of this society," she continued. "Young people are in a very difficult situation right now. I hope you will play a big role in making the world a place where we can all live well and walk together."
A religious sister director of a Welfare Hospital said: "I hope that like Jesus while on this earth was with the poorest, weakest, and forgotten, you will always extend a warm hand to those forgotten in society."
Another layman mentioned the many realities of conflict, pain, and those living in the shade, saying: "I hope the archbishop will help heal the conflicts and lead people to have a warm heart to help each other out of pain."
The members of the Archdiocesan Knights Association, who were in charge of the management of the parking for the Mass also agreed that they wanted believers to live harmoniously with each other and follow the Lord zealously. An 80-year-old member of the Knight's Association, said: "There are many believers who want to come to the church but cannot come because they are poor" and added, "Please don't forget these children of the Lord." A woman said: "I don't know why I cried so much during the Mass," adding, "I hope you can be with us as a bishop who thinks of the weak in the world."
Archbishop Chung, in his sermon, selected spirituality, youth, and synod as the concerns for the Archdiocese of Seoul. Regarding young people, he said, "We will try to become a church that works to accompany young people who are the leaders of the future and main concern of today."
A young woman who participated at the Mass as a student representative and presented a bouquet of flowers to Archbishop Chung, said: "I know Archbishop Chung is a person who cares a lot about teenagers and young people and hope he continues to do so."
A priest currently the director of the Catholic Youth Movement recalled, "The archbishop, participated at the opening and closing Masses at 14 universities, and visited students fervently like Jesus on his visit to the various villages." He then said, "I hope the Archbishop will continue visiting the teenagers and young people to meet, listen, and be with them."
A young man in his 30s asked the archbishop to remember the generation in their 30s and 40s. He said: "The faith has weakened due to COVID-19, so I hope that 30s and 40s can be comforted and cheered up in the faith."
Religious and priests wanted the archbishop to lead them on the path of spirituality. The former Korean provincial of the Carmelite Order said: "As a bishop from the Order, I hope you will enrich the Korean church with academic and spiritual views. I hope you will create an environment where the rich spiritual assets and treasures of the Religious Orders, such as the Franciscans, Jesuits, Carmelites, Salesians, and the many others, can penetrate deeply and melt into the church and parish, bloom and bear precious fruit."
A newly ordained priest said: "During the homily of the Mass today, you said the church should be spiritually reformed to respond to the times, I hope that such spirituality and spiritual reform will be implemented in all the individual parishes of the diocese."
The head of the Religious superiors Association said: "We hope that the spirit of 'Synodalitas', will permeate the relationship with all in the diocese as we walk together towards Jesus, and it will bear concrete fruit through the friendship of Archbishop Chung and all the priests of the Seoul Diocese.
