The fourth cardinal of the Korean Catholic Church was recently announced. It is an auspicious occasion to rejoice and celebrate together.
When Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Yoo Heung-sik as a cardinal, congratulations poured in from inside and outside the church. Cardinal Su-jeong Yeom, the only cardinal in the Korean church, "asked for a lot of pastoral attention for the world church, especially in the poor and marginalized regions of Asia and Africa", and Archbishop Jeong Sun-taek, the Archbishop of Seoul, also said, "I pray that the voices of the poor and marginalized will be heard." Both Cardinal Yeom and Archbishop Jeong's messages call for concern, solidarity, and activity for the 'poor and marginalized.
What about ordinary people? What kind of words are expressed in the well-wishing on occasions of this type? On the morning of the new year, the wishes from adults are usually to stay healthy or earn a lot of money. Money always seems to be high on the scale of values no matter what.
It's a vulgar world where money is everything, but the church continues to talk about the 'poor and marginalized. The world seems to be all about money, but the more it is, the more desperate it is to take care of those who are kicked out and pushed out just because they don't have money.
He is grateful to the Catholic Church, which speaks of the poor and marginalized in congratulatory greetings that might otherwise be ceremonial. But it is not just words, but concrete actions. The key is what the Korean Catholic Church is doing for the poor and marginalized here and now. This is not limited to special pastoral fields such as social welfare. It is important to embody the spirit of the gospel in everyday life, such as what you did today, who you met, and who you ate with.
An important key in the daily life of the gospel is for the clergy, who can be the face of the church, to set an example. Therefore, it would be good to look at how the bishops and priests of the Korean church spend their daily lives in terms of 'poor and marginalized people'. It would be good to establish a standard such as visiting a nearby correctional facility at least once or twice a month. It would be good for them to freely enter the world, not just among themselves or the few. If it's difficult to go out every time, it would be nice to invite others to share a meal together with them
For example, the Seoul Archdiocese alone employs quite a few workers at the parishes, offices, and institutions. Thousands of people work in various forms of employment. Many people are dedicated to things not easily seen, such as security, maintenance, and cleaning. What if the diocesan bishop invited these people just a few times a year to share a meal together? There will be many people who regard the meal itself as a blessing. In addition, it will be a good opportunity to talk to the person in charge of the various problems that the parish is facing without filtering. If there are people who are suffering from the heavy workload and thin wages, they may be able to find real answers to improve working conditions.
As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan's birth, let's think about why Cardinal Kim remains in our hearts to this day. The first cardinal? Leading the development of the Seoul Archdiocese? Because of social influence? There are many answers, but the most convincing one is probably because he constantly tried to be with the poor and marginalized.
The world's logic is pretty much the same. Some follow it and some don't. It won't be too difficult if you start changing your daily life and begin relating with the poor and marginalized.
