Mission World - July, 2008
Number of priests up, church stresses ‘steady efforts’ to promote vocations
Seoul (UCAN) - Although the number of priests and seminarians in South Korea increased from 2006 to 2007, Church officials say steady efforts to promote vocations are more important than numbers.
The number of priests exceeded 4,000 last year for the first time, according to statistics the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK) issued on May 15. They say that as of December 31, 2007, the country had 4,116 priests, up 142 from 2006, apart from 32 bishops.
The number of seminarians also increased after five years of decline, according to the statistics.
Among the priests, 3,373 belong to dioceses, and 55.8% of the diocesan priests are pastors in parishes, while 21.8% work in Church ministries such as education, communications, health and social welfare. Other diocesan priests are studying in or outside the country, serving in the Military Ordinariate or on overseas mission.
The Church has 1,511 parishes in 15 dioceses. The CBCK statistics put the number of Catholics in 2007 at 4,873,447, an increase of 2.2% from the 2006 figure, or 9.7% of South Korea’s 50,034,357 people.
Church empowers cyclone volunteers with practical and listening skills
Yangon (UCAN) - Training is an important part of the Catholic Church’s volunteer relief program, which is sending mostly young people to help cyclone survivors.
According to Rose Mary, a social worker and organiser of the training run by the Church’s Myanmar Disaster Relief Committee (MDRC), it is vital to offer practical skills and orientation before the volunteers set off for the Irrawaddy River delta. Cyclone Nargis, which struck southwestern Myanmar on May 2, hit the delta region hardest.
Two hundred volunteers have already left on relief missions. They all have to do general cleanup that includes removing felled trees. They also distribute medicine and perform many other tasks, including trimming children’s nails.
Mary said at the volunteer hall that the training program covers five basic areas: health, logistics and distribution, needs assessment, water and sanitation and psychological counselling.
One of the most important skills they try to teach, she said, is basic counselling. The volunteers need to listen and show sympathy.
Rural Catholics in quake-hit areas try to resume normal life, harvest crops
China (UCAN) - Despite fears of continuing aftershocks, Catholics in this quake-hit area of Sichuan province are in good spirits and optimistic about rebuilding their homes soon, according to a local priest.
Fr Joseph Ye Yong of Chengdu diocese has visited all eight churches in Guangyuan parish, traversing mountainous areas about 260km northeast of Chengdu on his motorbike. Chengdu, the provincial capital, lies 1,530kms southwest of Beijing.
Fr Ye, the assistant parish priest, was relieved to confirm no fatalities among his 20,000 parishioners.
Most of them are farmers who now live in relief tents, their houses having collapsed in the earthquake, but they have returned to work in their terraced fields, because the wheat-harvesting season has begun, he said. Some are still nervous, he acknowledged, especially when aftershocks hit.
"The disaster is a cross God has given us, be it rich or poor," the 35-year-old priest said, noting that "all are equal and small when facing the natural disasters.” They expect to rebuild as soon as possible.
Chinese Catholics continue working to help earthquake victims, following the Pope’s example
Beijing (FIDES) – The Catholic relief effort working to meet the needs of the victims from the quake that hit Sichuan continues. In fact, it has begun to intensify following the indications and example of Pope Benedict XVI.
The Diocese of Beijing, it has been reported, as of today has collected among all its parishes and ecclesial base communities: 498,578.80 Yuan (about 50,000 Euros) for first aid, already being sent to the Red Cross in China. Bishop Giuseppe Li Shan of Beijing has personally donated 2, 000 Yuan (200 Euro). The aid collection continues with full steam throughout the entire Catholic community.
