Relief Work

Do You Work in Islamic Countries, Too? From the Catholic Times. Text by Han Bi-ya – International Relief Expert and Author

It is a question I hear often as a relief team leader for a Protestant organization. Of course I do. In fact, over the past 25 years, the vast majority of my relief work has taken place in Muslim regions. My experience ranges from Afghanistan in 2002—including post-war reconstruction in Iraq and the earthquake in Iran—to Somalia and Mali in Africa, and most recently, the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.

The fundamental principle of relief work is clear: “Saving lives and alleviating suffering takes top priority in any situation.” To achieve this, we adhere to four key principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. We protect lives and dignity out of humanity, maintain political neutrality, and provide aid impartially based solely on need—regardless of religion, race, or gender.

True to these principles, we rush to disaster sites within 48 hours, even in Islamic countries. However, because religions and cultures differ significantly, we must exercise extra caution. Respecting religious leaders, being considerate of prayer times and fasting periods, and observing local attire, etiquette, and gender norms are essential practices.

Allahu Akbar (God is Great).”

When the *Adhan* (the Islamic call to prayer) rings out from the mosque, locals stop what they are doing to pray; they strictly observe these five daily prayer times. This happened in Mosul, Iraq. I needed to deliver documents regarding a visa extension to the pilot of a military helicopter bound for Baghdad, but printer trouble caused a delay in our departure. Anxious because being late was absolutely not an option, I kept making the Sign of the Cross as we drove—until the vehicle suddenly came to a halt.

"Oh no!" Just as I was about to scream, thinking the car had broken down, the driver and staff stepped out, spread a small blanket on the ground, and began to pray. I ended up missing the helicopter that day—a harsh lesson learned.

This is especially true during Ramadan. As it is a month-long period of fasting during which no food or water is consumed while the sun is up, schedules for supply distribution and meetings are adjusted accordingly. During the relief operations following the earthquake in Pakistan, Ramadan coincided with the height of summer. The fifty or so local army engineers working with our team restored collapsed mountain roads all day long under the scorching sun without taking a single sip of water. By afternoon, I felt hesitant even to drink water in front of the soldiers, whose lips were parched white and trembling.

"As-salamu alaykum" (Peace be upon you).

The success of relief efforts hinges on relationships with local religious leaders. That is why meeting them is the first item on the agenda. During these encounters, female personnel cover their heads, wear loose-fitting clothing, and refrain from taking the initiative unless the other party offers a handshake or speaks first. Male personnel must avoid any physical contact with local women and steer clear of situations where they might be alone with a woman in an enclosed space, such as a vehicle.

"Is it really necessary to go to such lengths to help?"

My answer is clear: We must help, no matter what. These are the people who need help the most, and they, too, are precious human beings created by God. In 1965, through the Declaration *Nostra Aetate* (Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions), the Catholic Church proclaimed that Muslims are neighbors—descendants of Abraham in God—and that God’s grace of creation and love extends to them as well. The guiding principle is not to shun others because they are different, but rather to respect them all the more for those differences and to reach out with a hand of love.

This is why I am truly proud to be a Catholic.

Public and Private Devotion in Catholicism

Contribution by Fr. Kim Hak-soo] The Difference Between ‘Public Worship’ and ‘Private Devotion’ appeared in the Catholic Press.

Recently, welcome news has been arriving in the Korean Church, stirring the hearts of the faithful who have long yearned for the beatification and canonization of certain figures. The preliminary inquiry for the beatification of the ‘Servant of God’ Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan has reached the stage of on-site investigation. Meanwhile, the healing case submitted for the beatification of the ‘Witness of Sweat,’ Venerable Father Thomas Choe Yang-eop, has passed the review of the Medical Board of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, thereby clearing the first hurdle in the examination of the miracle.

For the faithful who have long loved and remembered these figures—and others awaiting beatification—there could hardly be better news. How, then, can we nurture this joy and affection in a way that aligns with the Church’s intentions, and properly prepare for the day of their beatification and canonization?

Such preparation does not mean diminishing one’s love, but rather expressing that love in the correct manner taught by the Church. To this end, it is necessary first to understand the distinction the Church makes between ‘public worship’ and ‘private devotion.’ Public worship refers to acts offered in the name of the Church by a legitimately designated person, through actions approved by Church authority (Canon 834 §2). Such public veneration of saints and blesseds is permitted  for those officially recognized by the Church. As stated, “Only those Servants of God who have been inscribed in the list of saints or blesseds by the authority of the Church may be venerated with public worship” (Canon 1187). Therefore, while private veneration—offered spontaneously by the faithful—is encouraged for “Venerable” figures and “Servants of God” who are still undergoing the beatification process, such veneration must not cross the line into public worship.

For instance, dedicating a church in someone’s name—that is, selecting a patronal name—clearly falls under the category of public worship. Section 4 of the guidelines for the Rite of Dedication (Chapter II of the *Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar*) explicitly states that the patronal name of a church to be dedicated must be one of the following: the Most Holy Trinity; a mystery or title related to the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ; the Holy Spirit; a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the holy angels; or the name of an officially recognized saint listed in the *Roman Martyrology* (*Martyrologium Romanum*). It adds the following stipulation: “The name of a Blessed may not be used without permission from the Apostolic See.” If even a “Blessed” requires special permission, it is all the more impossible to use the name of a “Venerable” or a “Servant of God”—stages preceding beatification—as a church’s patronal name.

What, then, can we do for a beloved “Servant of God”? There is much we can do. The Church encourages various forms of devotion within the realm of private veneration. According to the document “Forms of Veneration for Servants of God Undergoing the Beatification Process,” issued on September 12, 2025, by the Special Episcopal Committee for Beatification and Canonization of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, one may celebrate a Mass in honor of the Servant of God and include a prayer for their beatification within the Universal Prayer (Prayer of the Faithful) or at the conclusion of the Mass. One may visit gravesites or historical locations to pray for their beatification and canonization and to seek their intercession; recording the graces received in a visitor’s log is also encouraged. It is also possible to hold symposia or seminars in their honor, dedicate buildings, schools, or streets to them, and distribute prayer cards containing prayers approved by the competent ecclesiastical authority. There are so many ways to express our love. Yet, the Church asks us to hold back on that one final step—saying "not yet."

This is not a refusal, but a time of waiting. Just as the light of dawn draws nearer as the night deepens, and a well-crafted bamboo flute produces a deeper, richer sound, so too does patience yield fruit. On the day when the beatification and canonization of the Servants of God—including the Venerable Father Thomas Choe Yang-eop—are finally realized, we will at last be able to proudly and openly honor their names as patrons of our churches.

For the sake of that day, our task now is to slightly slow our eager steps of love and prepare for that holy, radiant morning in union with the Church. Reflecting on the timeless wisdom that love is often most fully realized through the ability to wait, we look forward with great longing to that day, in accordance with the teachings of the Church. Amen.

Care Of Creation

Welcoming the Mass for the Care of Creation was recently posted in the Window of the Ark column of the Korean Catholic Times by Sister Moon Jeom-sook (Marie Lucia), Sisters of Notre Dame (Seoul Notre Dame Retreat Center).

Finally! Masses for the Care of Creation, featuring their own specific liturgical texts, were celebrated for the first time in various locations across Korea on September 1st. When I first heard the news in 2025 that Pope Leo XIV had celebrated the "Mass for the Care of Creation" ('Missa pro custodia creationis' using these specific liturgical texts and readings, I felt quiet joy and even relief.

This was because it represented an official declaration by the Church—emphasizing that the consciousness of overcoming the climate crisis and preserving the order of creation was not merely the struggle of a few activists, but a matter for the liturgy of the People of God. Even though it was an optional Mass, the significance remained.

Never before have I participated in a Mass while waiting so anxiously to see if the specific liturgical texts corresponding to the day's theme would be used. I was even secretly disappointed that the specific prayers for the Mass for the Care of Creation were nowhere to be found in the September issue of the *Daily Mass* booklet.

Perhaps that is why the meaning embedded in the specific prayers of this Mass—organized by the Bishops' Conference Committee on Ecology and Environment and celebrated at the Familia Chapel in Myeong-dong, Seoul—felt so profound and earnest to me. 

To care for all creation—the works fashioned by the Father’s hands—as expressed in these prayers, we must first feel the meaning of creation in our hearts. The encyclical 'Laudato Si' describes creation as a book written by God, a form of revelation and a place where God is present. 

To grasp this, we need to set aside time to contemplate creation. In other words, for believers, contemplating creation means "hearing a message and listening to a paradoxical, silent voice." 

I would like to share a brief experience. It happened during an ecological spirituality retreat. A first-year middle school boy, after contemplating the gravel scattered on the path, explained his reason: "It’s because God seems to be always by our side, just like these stones—the things we encounter most easily around us." In that moment, I saw how even a mischievous boy could instantly become a person of deep spirituality through contemplating nature.

Another adult retreatant remarked, "It seems that when God created human beings, He gave us eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth so that we could see, hear, and smell all the creatures He had created beforehand." Once again, I found myself nodding in agreement.

Come to think of it, the God of the Bible also frequently appears alongside created things—such as clouds, fire, and the sea—to unfold His history with humanity. Did not Jesus, too, fulfill His mission by being nailed to the wood of the cross—a part of creation? It almost seems as though God intends not to carry out His work without the elements of creation.

I believe that our own humanity grows when we properly respect the value of creation. The Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is not only a time to pray while caring for creation but also a day to give thanks for how creation has protected us, in accordance with God’s will.

With this mindset, I hope that Christians across the globe will unite in prayer and translate that spirit into action—at least during the "Season of Creation," the month-long observance spanning from the Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1st to October 4th. Might this not be a way to respond, however slightly, to the groaning of creation as it awaits the revelation of the children of God (cf. Romans 8:19)?

Seoul World Youth Day

The 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD) is taking a step forward in becoming an event shaped by the global Church, moving beyond preparations led solely by the host nation. Youth ministry representatives from around the world will gather in Korea to share the event's vision and the status of preparations and discuss concrete measures to encourage youth participation in their respective countries. 

This article appeared in the Korean Catholic Times.

The "2nd International Preparatory Meeting" for the 2027 Seoul WYD will be held at an Incheon hotel from September 14 to 17. This conference is jointly hosted and organized by the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (DLFL), the Seoul WYD Organizing Committee, and the Archdiocese of Seoul, with sponsorship from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Approximately 400 people will attend, including youth ministry representatives from dioceses and organizations across 190 countries, members of the Holy See’s International Youth Advisory Body (IYAB), organizing committee officials, and volunteers. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the DLFL, will also attend to review preparations and meet with the participants.

The conference agenda includes a variety of sessions and programs. 

The "DID EXPO" will be held on the 15th. This expo serves as a venue to introduce representatives from various countries to the programs planned for diocesan-level gatherings across Korea leading up to the main 2027 Seoul WYD event. Dioceses will set up booths to showcase their welcoming programs and details regarding their respective local gatherings. Currently, 13 of the 15 dioceses are scheduled to participate.

On the 16th, participants will travel to Seoul to attend Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral. Archbishop Peter Chung will preside over the Mass in English, accompanied by the Seoul WYD choir and orchestra.

Through this International Preparatory Meeting, participants are expected to gain firsthand insight into the concrete preparations and programs for Seoul WYD and experience the local Church and culture, thereby heightening their anticipation and commitment to the event.

The Organizing Committee plans to use this meeting to share the current status and vision of Seoul WYD with youth ministry officials from around the world. By actively incorporating diverse opinions from participating nations, the committee aims to further refine preparations to ensure the event's success.

10th Anniversary of Canonization

Mother Teresa Marks 10th Anniversary of Canonization; Her Legacy of Love Endures. Article reproduced from the Korean Catholic Times.

On September 4, 2016, the Catholic Church canonized Mother Teresa, presenting her as a disciple of Christ and a model of one who received God's mercy and shared it with her neighbors.

Although a decade has passed since Saint Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa) was canonized, her spirit of love and mercy toward the poor and abandoned continues to live on in corners of the world today.

The Catholic Church canonized Mother Teresa on September 4, 2016. The Church proclaimed her a saint not because of the external achievement of growing the Missionaries of Charity into a global religious order, but because of a life spent surrendering herself to God's will and sharing His mercy with the most marginalized.

At the age of 18, Mother Teresa left her hometown—present-day Skopje, North Macedonia—to join the Sisters of Loreto. Later, while working as a teacher in Kolkata, India, she experienced a life-changing moment on September 10, 1946, while aboard a train bound for Darjeeling. It is said that through this experience—which she later described as a "call within a call"—Jesus Christ asked her to leave the school, go out into the streets, and personally care for the poor and the abandoned.

After leaving her convent in 1948, Mother Teresa began caring for the dying on the streets, washing children, and distributing food to the hungry. On October 7, 1950, the Missionaries of Charity was officially established as a religious congregation within the Archdiocese of Kolkata.

The Missionaries of Charity grew rapidly thereafter; by the time of Mother Teresa’s passing in 1997, the order had over 4,000 members active in 610 locations across 123 countries. Although she became a global figure—receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, among other honors—she always emphasized that all the fruits of her and the order's labor originated from God.

Mother Teresa often said, "Let us love one another just as God loves each one of us." For her, love did not remain merely in words or thoughts; it was expressed through concrete actions—washing, holding the hands of, and smiling at those whom society had turned away.

Mother Teresa was not a perfect human being, and her work faced criticism. Yet, she sought and accepted valid criticism and, above all, never wavered in her calling to share God’s love and mercy with the humblest and most abandoned people.

Even today, as we mark the 10th anniversary of her canonization, the ongoing work of the Missionaries of Charity invites us to reflect on the message left by her life: that God’s mercy is revealed through small acts of love extended to the most marginalized. 

Rohingya Refugees

In the Window of the Ark column of the Korea Times, the Director of the Jesuit Center for Human Rights Solidarity gives us some understanding and background to the Rohingya massacre: "Until Everyone Is Safe".

Not long ago, marking the ninth anniversary of the Rohingya massacre, various civil society groups standing in solidarity with Rohingya refugees gathered to host a screening of the film *Lost Land*. The film chronicles the journey of a sister, Somira, and her younger brother, Shafi, as they leave a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh and travel thousands of kilometers toward Malaysia, where their uncle lives. Enduring rough seas, scorching heat, and thirst, their boat eventually reaches the coast of southern Thailand. 

Their journey was far from simple. At every stage of their escape, local brokers extorted money from them; those unable to pay were beaten to death. Even in a Thai border village, residents who initially appeared kind and helpful ultimately sold the refugees to brokers.

Amidst the harsh realities of forced displacement and the struggle for survival, the children play hide-and-seek, singing the "Mugunghwa Has Bloomed" song with playful gestures. The sound of children’s laughter echoing from within an abandoned house is like a soft light spreading gradually through the deep darkness. These children are striving to reclaim the time that was stolen from them. Such moments are not merely breaks; they represent the resilience that keeps the children moving forward. Drawing upon cozy memories of the past and creative survival strategies that seem beyond the reach of ordinary people, the children gradually begin to assert their humanity—declaring "we, too, are people"—in the face of a world intent on stripping them of everything.

A doctor who provided child psychotherapy in the Gaza Strip once remarked that he found it utterly incomprehensible how children could laugh in such circumstances. And indeed, it is hard to fathom. If I were to imagine being arbitrarily cast into a strange and perilous place—a place where I belonged nowhere and was welcomed by no one—could I possibly endure and survive for even a single moment? That is why refugees require a very special life skill: the capacity to endure situations in which they do not truly belong. Amidst the chaos, vulnerability, and exposure to raw terror, they must hold fast to a perspective that still seeks out moments of wonder. They must harbor a tenacious resilience that allows them to sustain a dignified, human life in defiance of a world that refuses to see them as human. The laughter of Somira and Shafi was precisely that kind of resilience.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention, observed under the theme "Until Everyone Is Safe." While the world’s refugee population is often tallied in terms of scale and numbers, the actual lives of these individuals remain rarely understood. By the end of last year, over 117 million people had been forced to leave their homes; of these, more than 30 million were refugees. Yet, behind these statistics lie the human faces—and the families and stories—of those who fled war, persecution, and starvation. Refugees possess a "million stories." 

The Refugee Convention is increasingly being rendered ineffective, creating an inhumane world that confines human worth within the narrow boundaries of utility and citizenship. Refugees are treated not as people deserving of protection, but as threats to prosperity and security. Their faces and life stories are erased, and they are shuffled like mere objects between nations and detention camps. Such inhumanity ultimately serves only to spread alienation, prejudice, hostility, and violence. 

Pope Leo XIII also reminds us that if we are to truly "remain human," we must resist the tendency to succumb to fear and treat others as alien "others." He urges us to "engage in sincere dialogue, meet face-to-face with those who have become targets of fear and exclusion... and constantly raise our voices" 

A few years ago, I visited a Rohingya refugee camp. Endless rows of shacks stood packed together on a vast, dust-covered plain. The difference between living in a comfortable home in Seoul and staying in a shack at a Rohingya refugee camp is, quite simply, a matter of chance. There is no reason why any specific person *must* be in one place rather than the other. In the deepest sense, we are all displaced wanderers, still searching for the place where we truly belong. Standing in solidarity with the displaced helps us find that very place where we ought to be. I wonder what other path for humanity could possibly exist.

* The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group in Myanmar, have long suffered from discrimination and violence. They were stripped of their citizenship in 1982, rendering them all stateless. In August 2017, the Myanmar military launched a massive operation in Rakhine State—home to the Rohingya people—causing over 700,000 people to flee to Bangladesh within two months. The United Nations characterized this crisis as "genocide."

Talk Concert with North Korean Defectors

Seoul Lay Apostolate Council to Host Talk Concert with Young North Korean Defectors on September 5, as reported in the Korea Times. 

An event is being organized for young people from both South and North Korea to share their lives and reflect on the meaning of "community living together." 

The Seoul Lay Apostolate Council will host the "2026 Talk Concert: Unification Arrived Early—Living Together as One" on September 5 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the auditorium on the 7th floor of the Catholic Center in Myeong-dong, Seoul.

Organized by the Seoul Council’s Youth Committee, this talk concert aims to highlight the lives of young North Korean defectors as they settle into South Korean society and to foster mutual understanding between young people from the South and North, demonstrating that they are already living together within a single community.

The event will begin with a presentation by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee for National Reconciliation of the Archdiocese of Seoul, followed by an introduction to "Ttiatmeori" A musical performance by the young members of Ttiatmeori is also scheduled.

Subsequently, the representative of Ttiatmeori will join young people from both the South and North for a discussion. They will share stories about their experiences—meeting and building relationships despite growing up in different environments, and the realities of living together.

Ttiatmeori is a mentoring community for young people from South and North Korea, established in 2011 under the Congregation of the Korean Martyrs (Clerics of the Korean Martyrs). Young people from both North and South Korea are coming together—transcending religious boundaries—to discuss issues such as employment, career paths, settlement, and daily life, and to share their personal stories.

The Chair of the Youth Committee at the Seoul Lay Apostolate Council stated, "I hope young people from North Korea feel genuine interest and love—free from prejudice—and are able to settle successfully into society and lead healthy lives." She added, "I hope this gathering serves as an opportunity for us to view these young people as fellow members of our community."