Korea' s Flower Village

50th Anniversary of ‘Kkotdongne’… Blooming ‘Flowers of Love’ in a Sanctuary for the Homeless

Started with a 1976 meeting with the late Choi Gwi-dong; grew into a welfare community embracing the homeless, the elderly, and the disabled; commemorative event to be held at Kkotdongne in Eumseong on the 8th.

The Kkotdongne Foundation (hereinafter "Kkotdongne"), which began with a meeting on September 12, 1976, between Father Oh Woong-jin (John the Apostle; Brothers of Kkotdongne of Jesus) and the late Choi Gwi-dong (birth name Gyeong-rak; Peter), is marking its 50th anniversary. Over the past five decades, Kkotdongne has stood as a friend to the poor and marginalized, dreaming of a world where "not a single person is cast aside." We share the story of the "miracle of love" created by humble hearts—tracing the journey of Kkotdongne from its inception to the present day—along with a message from its founder, Father Oh Woong-jin.

Marking its 50th anniversary this year, the Kkotdongne Foundation has cared for the poor since its establishment on September 12, 1976, striving to create a world where no one is abandoned. Pictured are founder Father Oh Woong-jin (right) and the late Choi Gwi-dong. Catholic Times archive photo

A Miracle That Began with 1,300 Won

After being ordained as a priest in May 1976, Father Oh was assigned to the Mugeuk Parish (now the Mugeuk Outstation of Geumwang Parish) in Eumseong, within the Diocese of Cheongju. On September 12 of that same year, he encountered an elderly man passing by the church. The man, who was walking with a limp, was Grandpa Choi Gwi-dong.

Curious, Father Oh followed him and witnessed Grandpa Choi sharing food—begged from others—with beggars inside a makeshift shack at the foot of Yongdamsan Mountain. Despite his own disability, Grandpa Choi had been caring for 18 beggars—people in even more dire straits than himself—for over 40 years.

That night, Father Oh realized that "even having the strength to beg for food is a grace from the Lord." The next day, he used his entire fortune of 1,300 won to buy cement and began making bricks. His goal was to build a home where those with nowhere else to turn could stay.

The house, completed with the help of parishioners, was named the "House of Love." Following a blessing ceremony on November 15, 1976, Grandpa Choi and the beggars moved into their new home. This act of love, born from one person's humble charity, became the seed that would eventually grow into the community known as Kkotdongne.

Making Someone Happy Daily

How to Make One Person Happy Each Day was the advice of an International Relief Expert and author writing in the Korean Catholic Times, who explains:

Is the desire to help others innate? In my experience, while that might be true in childhood, as we mature, we tend to help because of the sense of fulfillment it brings. Even in academia, the consensus is that while there are genetic differences regarding empathy and prosocial behavior, environmental factors, education, and life experiences also play a combined role.

I took charge of running household errands from the time I was six or seven years old. Once, I asked my mother why she always singled me out—the third child—for these tasks. Her answer was simple: "You always did them willingly without a word of complaint. If I told you to go to the store, you’d dash out the door before I’d even finished speaking." In short, I was the daughter who was easiest to send on errands.

One of those tasks involved relaying telephone messages. In the 1960s, when telephones were a rarity, our house had the only one in the neighborhood. Although it was for my father’s work as a journalist, it received far more calls containing important news for the neighbors. Whenever there was news of a daughter-in-law giving birth, a son getting into university, or a grandfather passing away, I would run all over the neighborhood to deliver the message. The neighborhood elders adored the "third daughter from the house by the well."

After entering elementary school, I was paired as a desk-mate with a friend who used crutches due to polio. Since we lived in the same direction, I simply carried her shoe bag on our way to and from school, yet I was showered with praise from her mother and our teachers. "What exactly did I do so well?" I wondered, feeling a mix of surprise, pride, and happiness.

A turning point in my "life of helping others" came during high school. As penance following confession before Easter, I was assigned to pray ten decades of the Rosary and perform ten acts of "sacrifice." When I asked the nun what "sacrificial penance" meant, she explained it as "willingly making a concession." From that day on, I began giving up my seat to the elderly on the bus, letting my younger sibling have the side dish I liked best, and yielding my turn for the restroom to a friend in a rush. People were grateful, and my mother even gave me extra allowance money, so the side income was quite nice, too.

The greatest gain from that "sacrificial penance" was discovering the "secret formula of helping": that making others happy makes me happy, too. Eventually, during my senior year of high school, I set a life goal to "make one person happy every day"—a practice I have continued ever since. There are countless ways to achieve this goal. A simple compliment—telling a friend an outfit looks great or praising a customer service agent for their kindness—works wonders. Helping a mother with a stroller or paying the bus fare for a student with insufficient funds on their transit card makes me feel even better.

On nights when I haven't managed to make anyone happy, I scroll through my phone contacts, pick someone, and send a message with an emoji asking how they are. Nine times out of ten, I get a delighted reply asking, "What brings this on so late at night?" In that moment, I’ve achieved the day's goal—just in the nick of time.

Over the past 50 years, I’ve brightened the day of at least 18,000 people—one person at a time—and felt a deep sense of fulfillment myself. Having brought joy to so many through small concessions, compliments, and minor acts of help, is there any other activity that offers such incredible value for the effort? That is why I intend to keep doing it for as long as I can. After all, you can do it regardless of whether your legs are weak or your pockets are empty.

That said, the Bible tells us, “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3), so I wonder if it is really okay to speak about this so openly. Still, if even one person smiles while reading this, then today’s goal of “bringing joy to one person” has been successfully achieved.

Living By Faith

Tuning In to Faith

Everyone Lives by Faith

Even those who reject faith live by their own beliefs.

If we examine our lives closely, we realize that we cannot live without faith. We drink coffee because we believe it contains no poison; if we believed it did, we would not drink it. We drink coffee, converse with others, and travel by plane—all because of faith.

If we believed that a terrorist had planted a time bomb on a plane bound for Israel, we would not board it. Thus, in our daily lives, we do not live by verifying every single detail, but rather by trusting and believing.

The more we distrust medication or a doctor, the slower the healing process becomes; conversely, the more we trust them, the faster the recovery. The more we place our trust in others, the closer we grow to them; the more we distrust them, the more distant the relationship becomes. Whether we are conscious of it or not, faith forms the deep foundation of our lives and constantly influences us.

Therefore, faith is a fundamental human act.  Some might counter this by arguing, "In reality, there are both believers and non-believers in the world; don't communists live well without believing in God? Therefore, it is possible to live without faith."

However, while this may be theoretically possible, it is impossible in actual life. If we broaden our perspective on human existence and examine it closely, we see those non-believers and communists alike live based on their own forms of faith.

Non-believers live with the firm conviction that "faith is a delusion—an act of believing in something that does not exist," while communists live with the certainty that "the God spoken of by Christians does not exist."

Thus, non-believers and communists are ultimately living by faith as well. No human being can stand outside the realm of faith; paradoxically, their vehement rejection of faith reveals that they, too, live by believing in something.

Today, there are countless non-believers and many who profess atheism. Following Nietzsche’s proclamation of the "death of God," indifference toward religion has steadily deepened in modern times. There are many aspects of this phenomenon that we, as believers, must deeply reflect upon and acknowledge. This situation has arisen because believers have failed to bear witness to the invisible God through their actions and lived practices in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian sage, pointedly addressed this reality: "I love Jesus. But I dislike Christians. Because they do not resemble Jesus."

Such consequences arise when believers fail to live according to their faith and instead allow their faith to be shaped by the way they live. Therefore, we must now move beyond a faith consisting merely of words and become true Christians who bear witness—through love in our daily lives—to the faith we profess.

Written by Fr. Peter Kim Seok-tae  in the Catholic Times (Pastor, Doryong-dong Parish, Diocese of Daejeon)

The Bible Says:

The Window of the Ark column in the Catholic Times offers some thoughts to mull over in a recent piece by the Religious Peace Studies Lecturer at The Catholic University of Korea.

An expert on TV analyzes the political situation and concludes with the phrase, “You could view it as…” Instead of simply stating, “It is…” they say, “You could view it as…” Why do they speak this way? Fundamentally, this is a rhetorical strategy that defers judgment to the viewer, thereby suspending or evading the speaker's own responsibility. It is a form of linguistic self-defense designed to blur accountability by leaving an escape route open, effectively shifting the burden of final interpretation onto the person who “views it that way.”

It is also a style of “flexible authoritarianism”—maintaining control over the discourse while appearing to grant the other party a choice. It can be an expression of arrogance— “I set the standard, so you just need to accept what I say”—or it can appear as a tacit admission that “actually, even I am not certain.” Such a speaking style can undermine the credibility of the speaker's own words.

A similar issue lies in the phrase “I offer the words…” (e.g., “I offer the words of apology”). For instance, saying “I offer the words of apology” focuses on the *act* of saying sorry rather than the *feeling* of remorse itself. It resembles the outsourcing of emotion—like a third-party observer, the speaker brackets off their genuine feelings and merely adopts the form of an apology to fulfill a formal obligation. It may also be an unconscious manifestation of a desire to maintain a certain distance from the person receiving the apology, despite the words being spoken. This sense of distance makes the listener wonder, "Is that person truly apologizing?"

At this point, a question of faith arises: what is the difference between saying "You can view it as..." and "The Bible says..."? Christians often quote Jesus—for instance, saying, "Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself." Yet, beneath such words, might there not be a subtle disbelief or avoidance—a feeling that "I couldn't possibly go that far" or "That’s something only Jesus could do; for an ordinary person..."? After all, someone who has truly believed or gained insight would not rely on others or on texts; instead, they would clearly state in their own words that one "must love one's neighbor."

The phrase "The Bible says..." can carry an underlying intent: "I am merely conveying a fact; it is up to *you* to accept what the Bible teaches." Even if the speaker does not fully agree with the Bible's content or live according to its teachings, they have not lied. They have simply conveyed the information that "it is written in the Bible." It is a way of speaking that maintains a certain distance between the Bible's message and the speaker's own life.

The problem is that while statements like "The Bible says..." may convey information, they fail to move the listener’s heart and mind. In contrast, a definitive statement—simply saying "It *is*..."—might strike some as arrogant or haughty; yet, paradoxically, one might also sense the power of truth emanating from the speaker’s inner self. This is because someone who has truly grasped the truth does not stop at conveying information alone.

A fortune teller does not speak vaguely to a client, saying, "It could be this way, or it could be that way." They speak with a fair amount of confidence. Even if a fortune teller’s prediction might ultimately prove incorrect, the client finds a basis for judgment and comfort in the practitioner’s clear words. If convinced of the accuracy of the judgment, the client may come to place their trust in the fortune teller personally. New religious movements sometimes emerge from this very psychology.

Language rooted in the Bible or church texts offers a sense of stability, yet it often lacks significant power. The ability to move a listener to voluntary action stems from the speaker’s clear sense of agency and humble confidence. When someone speaks assertively—stating things directly—and the listener senses an aura of truth in those words, a change occurs within the heart, prompting physical action. If a person speaks with urgency and vigor, while the listener perceives both confidence and humility, is that not the very mode of conversation through which truth operates? After all, that was precisely how Jesus conversed.

'Season of Creation'

Korean Church Unites for Ecological Conversion During ‘Season of Creation’

Diverse events across dioceses, including Masses for the protection of creation and climate justice marches, were reported by the Catholic Times.

The Korean Church is observing the "Season of Creation"—spanning from the "World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation" on September 1 to the "Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi" on October 4—through prayer and practical actions to preserve the order of creation. The theme for 2026 is "Living Water." The Bishops' Conference Committee for Ecology and Environment, along with ecology-related organizations in each diocese, are reflecting on the significance of protecting the created world through a variety of programs, such as commemorative Masses, ecological tours, and climate justice marches.

In solidarity with Catholic Climate Action, the Committee for Environmental Pastoral Care of the Archdiocese of Seoul will hold an ecumenical prayer meeting on September 4 and organize an ecological tour of Naeseong Stream over two days starting on the 7th. 

The Department for Ecology, Environment, and Pastoral Care for Farmers and Fishermen of the Archdiocese of Daegu will celebrate the opening Mass for the Season of Creation on September 1 at 7:30 PM at Naedang Catholic Church, presided over by Coadjutor Archbishop Simon Kim Jong-kang. Protestant pastors and members of the "Big Forest Church"—a community dedicated to practicing an ecological lifestyle—have been invited to the Mass, which will take place at Naedang Catholic Church, a building designed to embody the spirit of the Second Vatican Council.

Additionally, on September 19 at 11:00 AM, an ecumenical prayer meeting will be held at the Palhyeon Wetland Ecological Park along the Geumho River in Daegu, bringing together people of various faiths to share ecological values. During the Season of Creation, a photo exhibition comparing the Nakdong River—plagued by algal blooms—with the Geum River—where the ecosystem is recovering—will be held in the lobby of the diocesan headquarters.

The closing Mass will be celebrated on October 3 at 11:00 a.m. at the diocesan headquarters' St. Mary’s Grotto. Following the Mass, a "Saturday Table" event for sharing sustainable food and seasonal produce, along with an organic market, will be held in the headquarters' plaza.

The Ecology and Environment Committee of the Diocese of Daejeon is launching a fundraising campaign to support neighbors suffering from the climate crisis. On September 19 at 2:00 p.m., a Mass for Climate Justice will be celebrated at the Catholic Cultural Center, presided over by Father Kim Dae-geon (Peter), the committee chair. This will be followed by the 4th Daejeon Climate Justice March on Euneungjeongi Street, held under the theme "Stop the Runaway Train Burning the Earth."

A "Mass for the Protection of Creation" during the Season of Creation will be celebrated on September 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Cheonan Ssangyong 3-dong Catholic Church. 

The Ecology and Environment Committee of the Diocese of Suwon will host an "Environmental Festival" on September 5 at 11:00 a.m. at Pyeongtaek Seojeong-dong Catholic Church. Various booths offering environmental experiences will be operated, covering topics such as the climate crisis, resource circulation, biodiversity, and energy conservation. Afterward, at 4:00 p.m., a Mass for the Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation will be celebrated, presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Moon Hee-jong (John the Baptist). On September 2 at 10:30 AM, the Diocese of Busan will celebrate Mass for the "Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation" at Namcheon Cathedral, presided over by Vicar General Bishop Shin Ho-chul (Pio).

Conversation in the Spirit

The training course for “Conversation in the Spirit” facilitators, organized by the Council of the Lay Apostolate of Korea, has concluded with the final session for the Daegu Ecclesiastical Province and was reported in the Catholic Times.  The initiative is significant as it trained lay facilitators—with laypeople taking the lead—to guide “Conversation in the Spirit” sessions within their respective dioceses, parishes, and organizations.

“Conversation in the Spirit” is a method rooted in prayer and meditation; it involves listening attentively to one another and collectively discerning what the Holy Spirit is saying to the community. The "Final Document" of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops presents "conversation in the Spirit" as a "rich tool" for listening to and discerning what the Holy Spirit is saying to the various churches. In particular, the roles of facilitators—such as those who guide the conversation and those who record and organize the shared content—are crucial for ensuring that "conversation in the Spirit" proceeds smoothly.

To master these roles, participants spent three weeks prior to their respective provincial workshops reading the "Final Document" online and experiencing "Conversation in the Spirit" firsthand in small groups. Subsequently, during a one-day intensive workshop, they practiced the roles of facilitator and recorder and received guidance from researchers at the Institute for the Lay Apostolate.

The "Final Document" emphasizes the need for lay men and women to participate more broadly in the Church’s processes of discernment and decision-making and calls for the creation of formation opportunities—and the training of those who can support them—to spread a culture of ecclesial discernment within small communities and parishes.

Hate Speech Era

Living the Gospel column of the Korean Catholic Times offers some thoughts on 'An Era of Hatred'. What Should the Church Say in the Face of Hatred? Freedom of expression acts as a license to mock... We must spread the "Gospel's ripple effect" regarding human dignity.

Hatred is turning into a form of play. Historical tragedies are being repurposed as marketing slogans, and mockery directed at the deceased is widely consumed online. Derogatory remarks targeting specific regions, generations, or groups are tossed around casually, as if they were mere jokes. However, hate speech is not simply a matter of "words." It is an act that turns someone's suffering into a laughingstock and degrades human beings—stripping them of their dignity—to mere objects of ridicule. As discussions regarding societal responses to hate speech and discrimination gain momentum once again, what message should the church convey in this era of hatred?

With the easy use of hate speech and discriminatory language online, one can—often unwittingly—participate in spreading hatred and undermining someone's dignity simply by posting a comment or clicking "like."

Hate Speech Becomes "Play"

Campaigns related to the May 18 Democratization Movement in May and to the incident in which a High School baseball team used cheers that mocked the May 18 movement have seen a recent succession of expressions that use historical events to ridicule specific groups and further fuel social prejudice.

Hate speech differs from mere abusive language or offensive remarks. It refers to expressions that insult, disparage, or show contempt for specific individuals or groups—or justify and incite discrimination and violence—based on factors such as gender, disability, religion, age, region of origin, race, or sexual orientation. Therefore, determining whether a statement constitutes hate speech requires looking beyond the harshness of the language to consider whom it targets and what discriminatory effects it produces.

The nature of hate speech has also changed recently. A professor in a University Law School noted, "In the past, hate speech was often deliberate and purposeful, but today, we are seeing a spread of hate speech disguised as humor, mockery, or play." He added, "People tend to too easily join in on hate speech without realizing the implications."

Social media and algorithms are accelerating the spread of such expressions. Hate speech and discriminatory language are frequently consumed casually and encountered repeatedly in the form of online parody content or (short, shareable internet images). In this process, individuals may undermine someone's dignity without even realizing the nature of their own words. Repeated mockery fosters a habit of viewing specific people or groups as objects of ridicule, which can lead to further acts of hatred.

A "Catholic POLL" survey, jointly conducted by this publication and the Seoul Archdiocese’s Good News Team, revealed that the faithful also recognize the spread of hate speech as a serious social issue. In the survey, conducted among 471 believers from August 5 to 19, 425 respondents, (90.2%) stated that the spread of hate speech has a serious impact on society. Essentially, nine out of ten believers viewed the proliferation of hate speech as a grave problem. However, there was a gap between recognizing the issue and taking actual action. When encountering a culture where hate speech is consumed as memes, buzzwords, or jokes, 68.8% of respondents stated they viewed it negatively or blocked the content because it was offensive. In contrast, only 15.1% said they felt offended but took no specific action, while just 9.3% reported the expression or raised an objection.

A professor at The Catholic University of Korea—identified the normalization of online hate speech and the mindset that "it’s not my problem" as the causes of this gap. "As encountering hate speech in the form of brief comments or memes has become commonplace online and in daily life, our sensitivity toward hate has naturally become dulled." He added that unless the attack is directed at oneself or one's own community, people tend to step back and consume the hate speech merely as a form of content.

As social issues stemming from hate and discrimination escalate, the government is implementing policies based on strict punitive measures—such as penalizing mockery and hate speech, imposing punitive damages, and shutting down websites that tolerate or encourage such behavior.

In the "Catholic POLL" regarding the government's and society's response to the spread of online hate speech, 34.8% of respondents advocated for active regulation through laws and systems, while 45.4% called for a certain level of sanctions and management. Combined, these figures show that 80.2% of respondents recognized the need for government and societal intervention through sanctions and oversight. On the other hand, 19.1% of respondents stated that government intervention should be minimized or avoided altogether. This suggests that while there is a consensus on the need to address hate speech, there is also significant apprehension that state regulation could infringe upon freedom of expression or lead to excessive control.

The university professor argued, "It is true that hate speech taking the form of mockery is more difficult to regulate legally. Because the manifestations of discrimination and hate have become more diverse, we need to establish basic social norms defining what constitutes discrimination and hate before resorting to punitive regulations. We also need to enact an anti-discrimination law as a minimal institutional mechanism to heighten society's sensitivity to human rights."

Modern Korean Martyrs

[Centennial Special Feature – With the Church, With the Nation] Selection of 215 Modern Korean Martyrs as reported in the Korean Times.

“A list has been compiled of Korean ‘modern martyrs’ who sacrificed their lives to bear witness to their faith and conscience amidst the turbulent modern history of Korea, including the Korean War. On December 1, the Standing Committee of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea met and decided to finalize—in English—a list of 215 Korean ‘modern martyrs’ (prepared by the Secretariat using data gathered from dioceses, religious orders, and the Anglican Church of Korea) and send it to Rome. This list, compiled at the request of the Commission for New Martyrs under the Holy See’s Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, will be combined with lists from churches worldwide in Rome to create a ‘Martyrology of Modern Times’ in time for the Great Jubilee. The compiled list comprises 209 Catholics and six Anglicans; it does not include Protestants.” 

The Third Millennium and the New Era of Martyrdom

It is no exaggeration to say that the history of the Korean Church is a history of martyrdom—a sanctuary built upon the blood of martyrs. Yet, in the 20th century, Christians once again faced an era of persecution and martyrdom. This was a period marked by religious persecution that was more widespread and horrific than at any other time in human history. Events such as two world wars, the spread of totalitarian ideologies like communism and fascism, and conflicts with dictatorial regimes during the process of democratization demanded that countless Christians bear witness to their faith through their own blood. In preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, Pope Saint John Paul II issued the apostolic letter *Tertio Millennio Adveniente*, in which he declared that "at the end of the second millennium, the Church has once again become a Church of martyrs." He urged local churches worldwide to identify witnesses of the faith who had shed their blood during the 20th century, compile a list of their names, and ensure they were remembered forever.

The Korean Church has achieved remarkable results in honoring early martyrs, notably with the canonization of 103 martyrs during Pope Saint John Paul II’s visit in 1984 and the beatification of 124 martyrs during Pope Francis’s visit in 2014. However, a challenge remained regarding the history of the Church: research into the "modern witnesses of the faith"—those who sacrificed their lives to uphold their beliefs amidst the turbulent modern history of the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War—had been relatively insufficient.

In response to the Holy See’s request, the Korean Church began an official investigation in 1997 to compile a martyrology of the 20th century. On December 1, 1998, the Standing Committee finalized the initial list of 215 Korean "modern martyrs" and submitted it to the Holy See on December 4. As the investigation continued, the names of 24 additional victims of the Korean War were submitted in two batches—on August 25 and December 10, 1999—bringing the total number of "modern martyrs" submitted by the Korean Church to the Committee for the New Martyrs (under the Great Jubilee Committee) to 239. 

Advancing the Beatification of Modern Martyrs

This list primarily focused on Christians martyred during the Korean War and the Jeju Persecution; it included six Anglican believers but did not include any Protestant believers. At the time (1998), the list was not considered final; it was understood that martyrs who had not yet been identified could be added, while those already on the list who did not meet the necessary criteria could be removed.

Of the 215 individuals on the list, the vast majority—162—were Korean, while 53 were foreign nationals. The largest group of foreigners came from Germany (29), followed by France (13), Ireland (6), the United States (3), and Belgium (2). Laypeople constituted the largest group at 121 (more than half the total), followed by 57 priests, 26 religious (men and women), 3 bishops, and 2 seminarians.

A breakdown of the 209 Catholic martyrs reveals the significant sacrifices made by members of religious orders. The Order of Saint Benedict had the highest number of martyrs (33), followed by the Paris Foreign Missions Society (12) and the Missionary Society of St. Columban (8). Among the religious sisters, the group includes four members of the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters, three from the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, two each from the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Carmelite Sisters, and one from the Maryknoll Sisters.

The reason Germans constitute the overwhelming majority—29 out of the 53 foreign missionaries—is that Benedictine monks from the German St. Ottilien Congregation, who were active in North Korean regions such as Tokwon, Wonsan, and Hamhung, became prime targets of the communist regime and were dragged off to internment camps.

This list is based on two major historical events. The first involves the 51 Catholic believers who perished during the Sinchuk Incident (also known as the Jeju Catholic Persecution) on Jeju Island in 1901. This incident was a large-scale popular uprising fueled by public resentment against shamanistic beliefs, local power elites, and the exploitative tax collection practices of government officials; this discontent became intertwined with the misconduct of certain Catholic believers, resulting in a tragedy where approximately 600 believers were massacred at sites such as Gwandeokjeong Pavilion.

The second group consists of victims who were executed or died after being forced into internment camps by the North Korean communist regime, the invading People's Army, and leftist forces around the time of the Korean War. These individuals were not merely political victims; they can be regarded as quintessential modern martyrs who were killed—branded as "pro-American reactionary forces" or "imperialist stooges"—simply because they refused to renounce their Christian faith under a communist system that espoused materialistic atheism. 

Full-Scale Push for the Beatification and Canonization of Modern Martyrs

The compilation of the list of modern martyrs in 1998 was distinct from the beatification and canonization process pursued by the Korean Church itself. The 1998 initiative was part of a project by the Universal Church to commemorate "witnesses of faith" in anticipation of the Great Jubilee; the Korean Church used this as an opportunity to launch a formal canonical process for the beatification and canonization of modern martyrs.

Through its regular general assemblies in 2007 and 2009, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) resolved to consolidate the beatification inquiries regarding modern witnesses of faith under the jurisdiction of the CBCK’s Special Episcopal Committee for Beatification and Canonization. Concurrently, in 2007—two years prior to the centennial of its arrival in Korea—the Benedictine Abbey of Waegwan decided to independently pursue the beatification of its monks who had suffered heavy casualties in the Deokwon and Hamhung regions.

During the CBCK's consolidated process, the 1998 list of modern martyrs was significantly narrowed down to 81 individuals after applying strict criteria to verify martyrdom. In March of the following year, the cause was officially titled "Bishop Francis Borgia Hong Yong-ho and 80 Companions," and their photographs and names were released in August 2015.

Notably, out of the 51 victims of the *Sinchuk Gyoan* (the 1901 Jeju uprising/persecution), only one individual remained on the list while the others were excluded; this decision was made because the *Sinchuk Gyoan* involved complex factors characteristic of a popular uprising, making it difficult to attribute the victims' deaths solely to martyrdom in defense of the faith. Consequently, the cause for the beatification of "Bishop Francis Borgia Hong Yong-ho and 80 Companions"—promoted by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea—and the cause for "Abbot Boniface Shin Sang-won and 37 Companions"—promoted by the Order of Saint Benedict—have both officially commenced; having completed the review process at the level of the Korean Church, they are now undergoing evaluation by the Holy See.

WYD Journey Together

A Preview of the WYD Journey Together: Archdiocese of Gwangju Youth Gathering: Pre-WYD

Dioceses have been holding preliminary events leading up to the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD) diocesan gatherings. The Archdioceses of Gwangju and the Dioceses of Jeonju and Uijeongbu presented various events and programs tailored to their unique characteristics, engaging both young people and parishioners. Young people with no prior WYD experience were able to get a taste of the WYD spirit as pilgrims, while also previewing the 2027 diocesan gatherings—each reflecting the specific themes of peace, ecology, community, and pilgrimage unique to their respective dioceses. Here is an overview of the journeys undertaken by each diocese from August 15 to 17.

From August 15, the Archdiocese of Gwangju held the "2026 Gwangju Archdiocese Youth Gathering: Pre-WYD" (themed "Path of Encounter for Young Pilgrims") at Gwangju Catholic University for two days and one night. This event was designed to allow young people who had never experienced WYD to become pilgrims and get a preview of the event, while also meeting and communicating with one another within their faith.

Attended by approximately 500 young people, the gathering featured a diverse range of programs, including catechesis, Eucharistic Adoration, and Taizé prayer.  Additionally, the "One Candle" program offered Taizé prayer. 

Gwangju Catholic Peace Broadcasting (CPBC) also met the young participants through a special live broadcast of its program, "Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) Gift Shop." CCM artists such as D.E.S. Worship and Jubirus took the stage to sing hymns with the crowd, adding to the festive atmosphere of praise. At night, a "Pilgrims' Night" event provided an opportunity for participants to share their personal experiences of faith and get to know one another better. 

During the event, a Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was celebrated, presided over by Archbishop Simon Ok Hyun-jin of the Gwangju Archdiocese. Archbishop Ok remarked, "Just as this pilgrimage route may face challenges—such as weather, language barriers, food, or crowds—so too might the journey to next year's World Youth Day (WYD) not always be smooth." He added, "Walking this path together now will help the young people prepare for the journey ahead next year." He continued, "Walking alone might be difficult, but by walking together, we can overcome any obstacle."

Can We Become One?

"Becoming One"... What It Takes to Make That Reality. The question posed by the Catholic Times and the theme of Jeonju Diocese Youth Day (JYD) presented itself as: "Can we truly become one?"

Held at the Hall of Peace within the Martyrs' Shrine  in Jeonju starting August 15, the JYD served as a precursor to the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD). The young participants came from various parishes, differing in age and life background; international youths also joined the gathering.

Although there were moments when language barriers arose, no one viewed these differences as a source of discomfort. Participants took the initiative to share information, strike up conversations with strangers, and choose hospitality over awkwardness. The theme of "becoming one" was manifested more clearly through the young people's actions than through any homily or lecture.

Looking at the reality outside the event, the atmosphere is quite different. Politicians speak of unity while simultaneously spewing mockery and abusive language, trading words of blame and hatred. Daily life is much the same; the casual consumption of hate speech—both online and offline—has become a common sight. It seems easier to push away differences than to understand them.

That is why this Youth Day felt so meaningful. "Becoming One" did not begin with grand slogans. It starts with the courage to reach out first, the willingness to acknowledge each other's differences, and small acts of extending a helping hand to those in need. Young people demonstrated that such small acts of practice can unite diverse individuals into a single community.

As we look ahead to WYD Seoul, it is not merely the event itself that requires preparation. More importantly, Christians must first embody "oneness" within the world. When the hospitality and respect shown by the young participants and volunteers at the gathering extend beyond the church and into our daily lives, the phrase "we are all one" will finally transcend being a mere slogan and become a lived reality.

Medicalization of Human Life

Doctors and Patients: Text by a Professor in the Graduate School of Life Sciences  at the Catholic University of Korea, reported in the Korean Times' Window of the Ark column. 

One of the defining characteristics of modern society is the medicalization of human life. We are born in hospitals, receive care in hospitals, and meet our deaths in hospitals. It seems that no one questions this state of affairs anymore.

However, the role of the doctor—and the expectations placed upon them—has grown correspondingly. Demands to legalize physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia reveal a tendency to entrust doctors with decisions regarding the very disposition of life. Yet these demands arise alongside calls for respecting the patient's right to self-determination. While it may initially appear that everything is being entrusted to the doctor, the ultimate result is to reduce the doctor to a mere executor of the patient's wishes. Legalizing euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide essentially serves only to absolve doctors of legal liability for such actions.

Consequently, modern medicine is becoming increasingly commercialized; medical professionals are transformed into service providers, while patients become customers receiving those services. It seems that the doctor's own will and judgment are increasingly losing their place.

Of course, this was not always the case. In ancient times, the physician was viewed as someone wielding god-like powers; because they held unilateral authority over the treatment process, the patient's preferences were considered unimportant. This was because the physician alone was deemed to know best what the patient needed and what served their best interests. This attitude is known as "paternalism." However, in modern society, where individual dignity and freedom are highly valued, such a unilateral attitude is not desirable.

In reality, it is difficult for the doctor-patient relationship to be truly equal. Doctors possess far greater knowledge than patients. Yet, simply resolving this imbalance by deferring absolutely to the patient's wishes does not seem appropriate either; for a doctor, that could amount to a highly irresponsible attitude.

Of course, the patient bears ultimate responsibility for their own life and health. However, a patient is, by definition, someone who is ill. They are burdened by the loss of vitality caused by disease, diminished mental clarity, physical pain, anxiety, and a sense of disconnection from others. Under these circumstances, it is difficult to expect a patient—who lacks medical expertise—to make the most beneficial choice on their own.

This is where the doctor is called upon to fulfill multiple roles. They must convey the necessary information regarding the patient's condition and appropriate treatment options, ensuring the patient fully understands them. Furthermore, they must strive to restore the patient's capacity to make sound decisions. And when, in good conscience, a doctor believes a patient is making a decision that could be harmful to themselves, it is necessary to try to persuade them; after all, persuasion is not coercion.

Persuasion is a process of helping the patient come to their own understanding of what constitutes a good choice. Naturally, this process requires the doctor to understand the patient's values. A process that respects the patient's values ​​while guiding them toward choices that serve their life and health allows the doctor to remain faithful to their professional duty without infringing upon the patient's freedom.

In this sense, the doctor-patient relationship can be described as a "therapeutic alliance." An alliance is a contract freely entered into by both parties. Doctors and patients are partners collaborating toward the shared goal of the patient's life and health. Within this relationship, both the doctor and the patient have the right to be respected and protected as individual persons. Medical care is not merely an opportunity to apply medical knowledge; it is an encounter between persons. Within this interpersonal relationship, both doctor and patient move toward fulfillment through communion with God.

True Love

Asking St. Thomas Aquinas About the Path to Happiness. A philosophy professor at the Catholic University in Korea gives the readers his answers in the Catholic Times. His answer is that happiness is attained through Love, the mother of All Virtues.

True love must not remain merely an internal change but must manifest in outward actions. "True Love" Conveyed Through the Holy Spirit: A Spiritual Friendship Between God and Humanity Inspires joy, peace, and mercy; leads to the practice of good deeds and charity

In modern society, love is often dismissed as a mere personal emotion or a fleeting passion. However, in his *Summa Theologica*, Thomas Aquinas defines true love (*caritas*) not as a simple passion or a moral obligation, but as a supernatural virtue and habit (*habitus*) infused into the human soul through the Holy Spirit. This is something that cannot be attained through human nature’s power alone; rather, it is a spiritual friendship (*amicitia*) between God and humanity, established when God imparts His own true happiness to human beings.

Aquinas clearly distinguishes true love from *eros*—a natural desire—and emphasizes that "true love is friendship, but with the added distinction of being friendship directed toward God, the most precious and cherished of all beings" Ultimately, true love is a participation in the divine essence that transcends human effort; it is a gift of *communicatio*—a sharing of life—between God and humanity.

Furthermore, Aquinas emphasizes that true love is the "mother of all virtues" and the "form of all virtues". Any moral act lacking true love fails to reach the ultimate human goal: union with God. Such an act is merely a "false likeness of virtue" and, strictly speaking, carries the risk of degenerating into vice (II-II, 23, 7).

However, Aquinas does not stop at this theoretical systematization; he also analyzes the concrete effects that the virtue of true love has on a person's inner self and outward actions. Through this analysis, we can discover valuable guidance on how individuals in a fragmented modern society can restore true peace and communal bonds.

Aquinas identifies joy (*gaudium*) as the primary effect that true love produces within the human soul. This delight is the result that arises when the good one loves is present.

In modern society, many people suffer from constant anxiety and depression because they base their happiness on mutable goods, such as material achievements or the recognition of others. However, Thomas explains that because the goodness of God—the object of true love—never changes, the spiritual delight derived from it becomes a steadfast joy, unshaken by any external circumstances.

Meaning of the East in the Liturgy

 

The Korean Times gives us the reason Catholic churches, in history, have often been built facing East.

"The East is a symbol of light and a symbol of Christ—the sun rising anew in history." 

We use the term "orientation" to describe the training that helps newcomers—whether at school or work—adjust to their new environment. But did you know that this word was originally widely used in the context of church architecture?

"Orientation" derives from the word "Orient" (meaning East) and originally signifies the act of determining direction. In church architecture, the practice of positioning the church's central axis—where the altar is located—to face East is referred to as "orientation."

So, why were churches built to face East? This is because praying toward the East has long been a tradition of the Church.

The tradition of facing East while praying can be traced back to records from as early as the 2nd century. Throughout history, various Church Fathers and saints have taught about the significance of this practice. Saint Thomas Aquinas, in his *Summa Theologica*, summarized the meaning of this tradition into three points. For one thing, the rising of the sun in the east serves as a sign revealing God’s majesty. Another reason lies in the biblical record, which states that the Garden of Eden—the paradise created by God—was located in the east.

Above all, the east symbolizes the direction in which we await the return of Christ. Jesus taught, "For just as lightning comes from the east and is seen as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 24:27).  Pope Benedict XVI also explained the significance of the east during his 2010 Easter Vigil homily, stating, "The east is a symbol of light, and a symbol of Christ—the sun rising anew in history."

The tradition of orienting churches toward the east became particularly prominent during the Middle Ages. Famous cathedrals built in that era, such as Notre-Dame de Paris and Cologne Cathedral, positioned their apses—where the altars are located—to face the sunrise. In some cases, the altar's orientation was determined by precisely calculating the point of sunrise on the feast day of the church's patron saint; for instance, at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Austria, the sun rises along the cathedral's central axis on December 26, the feast of its patron, Saint Stephen.

Of course, not all churches face east. Major basilicas like St. Peters and the Lateran have altars facing west, and many other churches are oriented away from the east due to factors such as topography, road layouts, or the location of a saint's tomb. Modern church architecture also employs various orientations based on a range of considerations. This is because the symbolism of praying toward Jesus is what matters, not the east itself.

In this way, the concept of "orientation"—originally referring to facing east—has expanded in meaning today to encompass the act of setting a direction before undertaking any task. The Apostle Paul teaches us, "You are God’s temple" (1 Corinthians 3:17).

As we greet the sun rising in the east each morning, why not "orient" ourselves—as temples of God—so that the direction of our day is set toward Jesus, who is the Light?

Camino de Santiago

In an Era of Declining Religiosity, Why Do Young People Seek the Camino de Santiago? This was the question the Korean Catholic Times asked its readers.

Encounters, reflection, and spiritual experiences along the path serve as a bridge to the Gospel... The Seoul World Youth Day (WYD) could also become an invitation to a pilgrimage of life.

Despite the trend of young people drifting away from organized religion, the Camino de Santiago in Spain continues to draw them. Even as their sense of religious affiliation wanes, these young people seek to reflect on themselves and discover the meaning of life and inner fulfillment through the pilgrimage. 

While an increasing number of young people are distancing themselves from religion, the Camino de Santiago in Spain continues to attract them. A weakening sense of religious affiliation does not mean the yearning to reflect on one’s life and find meaning and inner fulfillment has vanished. The phenomenon of the Camino demonstrates that "pilgrimage" can serve as a point of connection between the Church and young people in this era of declining religiosity. This aligns with the potential held by the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD).

According to a survey by Gallup Korea, the proportion of religious individuals among those in their twenties fell by 8 percentage points over a decade, dropping from 32% in 2015 to 24% in 2025. During the same period, the number of Korean church members in their twenties also dropped by 30.1%, falling from 771,251 to 539,482.

In contrast to the trend of young people drifting away from religion, the number of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago is rising. The number of Koreans visiting the pilgrimage route more than doubled from 4,073 in 2015 to 8,224 in 2019. Even after the pandemic, the figure has remained steady at between 7,500 and 8,200 annually. This represents the highest number not only in Asia but also among non-Christian nations. The fact that approximately half of all pilgrims are aged 45 or younger suggests that the route remains an attractive destination for the younger generation.

Notably, the motivations of Korean pilgrims reveal a pursuit of inner and spiritual fulfillment, even when religion is not the primary driver. A study by Ko Jin-hyun and Gu Won-il titled "A Study on the Tourism Motivation and Travel Behavior of Walkers on the Camino de Santiago" which surveyed 368 Korean pilgrims, identified "self-reflection" as the leading motivation for the journey. Other research findings also indicate that Korean pilgrims who set out without religious intent often experienced spiritual moments during their pilgrimage.

One pilgrim, who completed the 713-kilometer Camino de Santiago this year, said, "I had always wanted to walk it someday, and I decided to do so for the sake of my health." He added, "Although I am not religious, the sense of spiritual fulfillment I felt while entering cathedrals alongside other pilgrims was a truly transcendent experience." 

Father Hong Sa-young (Paul), in charge of youth and pilgrimage pastoral care for the Archdiocese of Seoul, stated, “The pilgrimage path is a journey where one is naturally invited to the Gospel while enjoying the road and meeting people, without anyone explicitly telling them to ‘believe.’” He added, “Even young people with no religious affiliation encounter Jesus indirectly as they come across numerous Christian symbols and acts of goodness and mercy along the way.”

This is precisely where the Camino de Santiago and World Youth Day (WYD) intersect. WYD is not merely a gathering for young people who already possess faith; it is a “pilgrimage” where young people from diverse backgrounds meet, walk together, and reflect on their lives and faith. In particular, the Seoul WYD—held in a region with a non-Christian cultural background—offers an opportunity for young people who are distant from religion to encounter the Gospel through experiences of meeting, companionship, and reflection.

The decision by the Seoul Archdiocese Youth Department’s WYD promotional team to visit the Camino de Santiago in August and invite pilgrims from around the world to the Seoul WYD also carries the significance of linking these two pilgrimages.

The head of the promotional team, said, “We refer to the young people coming to WYD as ‘pilgrims’ rather than just participants,” adding that “[the team’s activities] demonstrated that the Camino pilgrimage and our pilgrimage are not separate journeys, but are connected.”

He also noted, “Pilgrims often say that the true pilgrimage begins only after arriving at Santiago,” expressing his hope that “the Seoul WYD will also serve as a process leading young people toward a true pilgrimage—a pilgrimage of life.”

Protestant Response to the Climate Crisis

Protestant Community Responds to Climate Crisis: Planting Trees in Mongolia. This was reported in the Catholic Times.

In August 2025, members of Seoul Central Methodist Church planted trees at the "Korean Church Forest" in Töv Province, Mongolia. 

The Protestant community has made responding to the climate crisis a priority and is conducting environmental mission activities to create forests in areas of Mongolia affected by desertification.

Mongolia is one of the countries most severely affected by climate change. While the global average temperature has risen by 1.2°C, Mongolia’s average temperature has increased by 2.22°C, and desertification is underway across 78% of its territory. Additionally, approximately 50% of the permafrost—ground that remains below 0°C for two or more consecutive years—has disappeared over the past 40 years. These environmental changes impact not only Mongolia but also the climate and the risk of infectious disease spread across Asia, including the Korean Peninsula.

Amid intensifying climate disasters such as heatwaves and abnormally high temperatures, the Protestant organization "Tomorrow Planted by Trees" is collaborating with various churches, businesses, and citizens to carry out forest creation and community support projects in Asian regions suffering from desertification. 

Established in 2024, the organization creates "Forests of the Korean Church" in Mongolia and supports climate refugees displaced from their homes by extreme weather and natural disasters. In addition to providing forest and ecosystem services through afforestation, the group carries out community support activities to help local residents rebuild their livelihoods.

In its inaugural year, the organization established the "First Forest of the Korean Church" in Bayankhangai Soum, Tuv Province, Mongolia, covering 10 hectares (approximately 30,000 pyeong) and comprising 4,000 trees. Currently, it is developing the "Second Forest of the Korean Church" in  Selenge Province, spanning 12 hectares (approximately 36,000 pyeong).

. Liberation Day Address by Korean President Lee

The Address of the  Korean  President Lee at the ceremony marking the 81st Liberation Day on the 15th. Blue House Press Corps News. Reported by the Korean Peace Weekly.

Marking the 81st anniversary of Liberation Day, President Lee Jae-myung proposed, "Let us begin discussions among the concerned parties to end this very long-standing war."

In his address at the 81st Liberation Day ceremony held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on the 15th, President Lee stated, "We will embark on a journey to end the war and transform the unstable armistice regime on the Korean Peninsula into a peace regime." He added, "Through this process, we can also discuss effective measures to halt the advancement of North Korea's nuclear capabilities."

This follows his Liberation Day address last year, in which he outlined principles regarding North Korea—respecting its system, eschewing unification by absorption, and refraining from hostile acts—and marks a shift toward presenting a concrete blueprint this year.

President Lee emphasized, "The Republic of Korea's prosperity cannot be achieved through economic growth alone; it must be underpinned by a stable and peaceful global order."

He then presented three key pillars for this blueprint: inclusive peaceful coexistence, stable peaceful coexistence, and responsible, peaceful coexistence. "Inclusive peaceful coexistence" entails the two Koreas respecting each other, ceasing unnecessary confrontation, and gradually reducing hostility across perceptions, norms, and institutions. President Lee stated, "I hope the two Koreas will sit down together for peaceful coexistence and shared growth," adding, "This will mark the starting point for coexistence, not merely a concession."

"Stable, peaceful coexistence" involves taking proactive, sustained measures to advance peace, based on a comprehensive review of the security landscape surrounding the Korean Peninsula. President Lee pledged, "I will elicit a positive response from the North to build a stable Korean Peninsula."

"Responsible, peaceful coexistence" is a vision in which peace on the Korean Peninsula fosters stability and cooperation in Northeast Asia and serves as a milestone toward a nuclear-free world. To this end, President Lee proposed, "Let us set aside mutual threats and begin discussions among the parties concerned to bring an end to the war."

A Peaceful World Free of Nuclear Weapons

Abbot Park Hyun-dong: “Halt Nuclear Power Expansion and Pursue a Just Energy Transition” is the statement from the CBCK Committee for Ecology and Environment. “Towards a Peaceful World Free of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Power Plants”

The Abbot Chairman of the CBCK Committee for Ecology and Environment issued a statement dated August 15 titled “Towards a Peaceful World Free of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Power Plants.” He emphasized, “We must reject nuclear weapons, which threaten human survival, and halt plans to construct new nuclear power plants as well as attempts to extend the operational lifespan of existing ones.”

Referring to the visit made in late June by the Korea-Japan Nuclear-Free Peace Pilgrimage Group to the Hapcheon Atomic Bomb Victims Welfare Center—where they met with domestic victims of the atomic bombings and their descendants—Abbot Park stated, “These individuals have endured layers of suffering, including colonial rule, forced mobilization, the aftereffects of radiation exposure from the atomic bombings, poverty, and social discrimination.” He added, “Nuclear weapons and nuclear power raise common ethical questions regarding the long-term risks posed by radioactive materials, the irreversibility of the damage caused, and the fact that the impact is concentrated on specific regions and future generations.” 

Regarding the government’s announcement to proceed with plans to build two new nuclear power plants and one small modular reactor (SMR), Abbot Park pointed out, “Although two rounds of public forums and opinion polls were conducted, one cannot help but ask whether the public was provided with balanced information—covering site selection, construction costs, transmission grid conflicts, accident risks, and alternative scenarios centered on renewable energy—and whether a sufficient process of social deliberation took place.”

Noting that only about 31 countries worldwide operate commercial nuclear power plants, Abbot Park emphasized the need to shift the energy system toward a focus on renewable energy. He added, “To move toward a new world centered on life, we must choose a path that achieves global peace—encompassing humanity and the countless lives within our ecosystem.” He further stated, “The Catholic Church in Korea will join in prayer and solidarity on the journey toward a peaceful world free of nuclear weapons, a just energy transition, and a society free from nuclear power.”

Peace School and Peace Forum

The Catholic Northeast Asia Peace Research Institute of the Diocese of Uijeongbu is organizing the "Youth Ahn Jung-geun Peace School" and the "International Youth Ahn Jung-geun Peace Forum." These programs aim to explore the challenges regarding peace facing the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, drawing upon the life and philosophy of the patriot Ahn Jung-geun (Thomas).

The basic lectures will cover topics such as nonviolent communication and peace empathy, the geopolitical situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula and peace in East Asia, Ahn Jung-geun’s theory of "Oriental Peace," the division of Korea and the Armistice Agreement, and the case of German reunification. Lecturers will include former Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and Peace Studies Professor Lee Dae-hoon.

The overseas study tour will include visits to Port Arthur (Lüshun) and sites related to the Russo-Japanese War, the suspected burial site of Ahn Jung-geun’s remains, Zhaolin Park (formerly Harbin Park), and Harbin Station—the site of Ahn’s historic act of patriotism. 

The "International Youth Ahn Jung-geun Peace Forum" will be held on November 7–8 at the Center for National Reconciliation in Paju, under the Diocese of Uijeongbu. The forum will provide an opportunity to share visions for peace in Northeast Asia from the perspective of young people and will feature comprehensive discussions involving participants, experts, and citizens, as well as the drafting of a peace declaration. Participants who complete the entire program will be issued a certificate of completion for the peace education course.

The institute stated, “This journey will be more than just an educational program; it will be a valuable learning process where young people grow into agents of peace and experience international solidarity.” They added, “We hope young people will come together to envision and build—within today’s reality—the ‘East Asian Peace Community’ based on cooperation and coexistence that the patriot Ahn Jung-geun dreamed of.”

Liberation Day Special

The ‘Korean Flag" Signed by Kim Koo’ and Father Meus. Reported by the Catholic Times. 

A blue-eyed priest who interacted with Kim Koo during the anti-Japanese movement and aided Korea’s independence and evangelization. 

The Korean Flag Signed by Kim Koo, as State-Designated Cultural Heritage Treasure No. 2141. In the upper-right section, there is an inscription and a signature by Baekbeom Kim Koo, entrusting the flag to Father Meus. Unlike standard Taegeukgi (Korean Flag) , the *Taegeuk* (yin-yang) emblem is oriented vertically, and the positions of the four trigrams (*Geon, Gon, Gam, Ri*) are reversed. Korea Heritage Service.

The ‘Taegeukgi Signed by Kim Koo’ (Treasure No. 2141) was created in 1941 by Baekbeom Kim Koo (1876–1949), the President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, to be presented to the Korean-American community in support of the anti-Japanese movement. In the upper right section of the flag, there is a handwritten inscription by Kim Koo, which reads as follows: “I make a request of Father Meeus. As you wholeheartedly support our movement for national liberation, please convey this message of righteous resolve to any Koreans you encounter during your travels: If we wish to escape the sorrow of a lost nation and enjoy freedom and happiness, let us dedicate our energy, manpower, and resources to the Liberation Army; let us overthrow our enemy, Japan—a power whose strength is waning like the spent force of an arrow—and achieve the independence of our motherland. March 16, 1941, Chongqing. From Kim Koo.”

“Father Meeus” refers to the Chinese name of Father Charles Meeus (1909–1974), a Belgian priest who delivered this Taegeukgi (Korean national flag) to the Korean-American community. Father Meeus handed the flag to Mrs. Lee Hye-ryeon, the wife of Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, in Los Angeles in 1942. The flag, subsequently preserved by the family, was donated to the Independence Hall of Korea in 1985 and designated as Treasure No. 2141 in 2021.

Having aided Korea’s anti-Japanese resistance, he later formed a deep bond with the country upon being dispatched there. Who was Father Meeus—known in Korea by the name “Cha Mae-u”—who carried out a mission of love? He was a Belgian seminarian and member of the *Société des Auxiliaires des Missions* (SAM), he formed a connection with Bishop Simon Chu Kai-min of the Haimen Diocese in China by chance in 1935; he was ordained as a priest in China in 1936 and subsequently became a naturalized Chinese citizen. This is because the purpose and distinctive characteristic of SAM members is to live under the same conditions as the local people while remaining obedient to the diocesan bishop of their assigned region.

In China, Father Meeus served as a missionary spreading the Gospel; following the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, he also participated in the anti-Japanese resistance movement, forging friendships with figures such as Bishop Yu Bin (1901–1978). It was through Bishop Yu Bin that Father Meeus came to know Kim Koo.

Song Myeong-ho, a former expert committee member on modern cultural heritage at the Cultural Heritage Administration who has long researched and published papers on Father Meeus, explained: "Father Meeus respected Chairman Kim Koo and built a bond of comradely trust with him through multiple meetings—often serving as an interpreter for Ahn Jun-saeng (Matteo, 1907–1952), the son of patriot Ahn Jung-geun (Thomas, 1879–1910)." Song added, "Father Meeus was more than just the person who delivered the Taegeukgi signed by Kim Koo; he was a genuine supporter of Korea's liberation movement who backed the cause of independence and empathized with the suffering of the Korean people while in China during the Japanese colonial period." He further remarked, "In many respects, the Taegeukgi signed by Kim Koo deserves to be designated a National Treasure," and expressed his hope that "Father Meeus be posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Patriotic Medal)."

However, following the end of World War II, Father Meeus faced persecution by the Chinese Communist Party—which had taken control of the country—and was expelled in 1955, forcing him to return to Belgium.

In 1957, Father Meeus began a second chapter of his connection with Korea after being dispatched as a priest to the Archdiocese of Daegu. Father Meus, appointed as a chaplain for the U.S. Eighth Army, frequently traversed rugged paths to celebrate Mass for soldiers stationed at the wireless relay station atop Mt. Geumo in Gumi. Known for his wit, he even appeared on the U.S. military broadcasting network, performing humorous one-man skits. From 1961 until shortly before his passing, he served as the spiritual director for the Carmelite Convent in Daegu.

When the convent chapel briefly functioned as a quasi-parish, he acted as a parish priest for the local community, carrying out a ministry of love. Those who remember him speak of a man who was always cheerful and open-minded, becoming a vital neighbor to everyone—regardless of religious affiliation. An avid motorcyclist, he served as a swift means of transport for locals and often volunteered as a delivery person on market days.

Father Meus maintained close friendships with prominent Korean artists—acting as both a spiritual father and an intimate friend—such as Kim Ik-jin (Francis, 1906–1970), a lay pioneer and editorial contributor to the *Catholic Sibo* (now the *Catholic Times*), and Park Bong-su (Nicodemus, 1916–1991), an artist known by the pen name Jihong and a master of abstract ink-wash painting.

He shared a particularly deep intellectual and emotional bond with Kim Ik-jin. When the renowned Chinese scholar Dr. John C.H. Wu (Wu Jingxiong, 1899–1986) sought a Korean translator for his spiritual autobiography, *Beyond East and West*, it was Father Meus—an acquaintance of Dr. Wu—who facilitated the connection with Kim Ik-jin. This collaboration sparked a profound friendship; the two men met frequently for conversation and tended the rectory garden together. Kim Hwa-young (Therese of the Child Jesus), a member of the Jesus Caritas Fraternity and daughter of Mr. Kim Ik-jin, recalled, “Laughter never ceased whenever Father Meus and my father met.” She added, “Father Meus dedicated himself to the poor in the local community and made great efforts, particularly to provide educational opportunities for impoverished children.”

Father Meus, who quietly yet steadfastly shared the love of Christ with God’s people, passed away in 1974 at the age of 65 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His remains are interred at the Maryknoll Cemetery in Westchester County, New York, USA.

Wise Water Habits

View From the Window of the Ark Column from the Korea Catholic Times. Text by Sisters of Notre Dame (Notre Dame House of Ecological Spirituality)

Wise Water Habits:

There are countries where people must spend five hours a day fetching just three liters of water—water of such poor quality that it causes illness, yet they have no choice but to drink it. According to the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, as of 2023, these include nations such as Ethiopia and South Sudan in Africa, as well as countries in North Africa. The situation is truly dire.

According to Paragraph 30 of the encyclical *Laudato Si’*, access to safe drinking water is a basic and universal human right. Pope Francis further appeals: “This world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity. This debt can be paid partly by an increase in funding to provide clean water and sanitary services among the poor.” (*Laudato Si’*, 30)

I first became aware of the importance of water conservation in 2012 after reading a leaflet from an eco-center. It stated that Koreans consume in a single day the same amount of water that Africans use in an entire month. Looking at our daily water usage habits, the claim seemed all too accurate.

I looked around my home to see where the most water was being used. While activities like dishwashing, laundry, and showering came to mind, the toilet particularly caught my attention. Depending on the model, a toilet tank holds roughly 10 to 13 liters of water, which is flushed away after every use. Considering the frequency of bathroom visits, this means the average person consumes about 100 liters of water daily just for toilet use. The very design of the system makes water waste inevitable.

That was when I began my journey toward a wiser way of using water. I started using a cup for brushing my teeth and—reviving an old habit—began using a receptacle for urine so that I would only flush the toilet once or twice a day. I also switched to hand-washing my laundry whenever possible.

Later, another incident made me rethink my water usage. A nun from Africa came to stay for a while at the Motherhouse of our Sisters of Notre Dame in Rome. Upon seeing the restrooms there, she expressed great indignation. She was outraged by the unfairness of it all: people in her home country had to endure such hardship just to fetch water, yet here, high-quality water was being squandered on flushing away waste.

Her anger sparked a profound change of heart in me. "I could just as easily have been born in Africa; instead, I was born in South Korea, where I’ve been thoughtlessly using clear water that pours out like a waterfall at the slightest touch..."

Thanks to this, the restroom became a sacred space for me—as holy as the chapel. While I might not think of the people of Africa every day in the chapel, whenever I step into the restroom, images of their lives play out in my mind like a documentary, prompting me to be mindful of how much water I use.

Although South Korea is not yet classified as a water-scarce nation, certain regions and seasons experience severe droughts. Due to the climate crisis, this phenomenon is becoming increasingly pronounced year after year. Following the disaster declaration in Gangneung last year, residents in southern regions—such as Suncheon and Daegu—are suffering from severe drought conditions this year. It is said that the government, civil society, and the industrial sector must cooperate to address water-related issues through measures such as efficient water distribution, recycling, and the application of advanced technologies.

Ensuring access to safe drinking water is also a practical step toward the primary goal of the "Laudato Si’ Seven-Year Journey": responding to the cry of the earth. A notable example of this involves Kenya, where people previously had to walk 10 kilometers to fetch water; the South Korean government stepped in to install water supply facilities at some 70 locations, using solar energy to pump up groundwater.

I believe that at the private level, too, we must repay the "debt" we owe to those suffering from water scarcity—not only through donations to provide water but also by adopting water-saving habits in our daily lives. This is because wasting water ultimately contributes to the climate crisis, and we all inhabit a single ecosystem where water waste in one place inevitably leads to shortages elsewhere.