A Korean Catholic church turned out for a Mass on Aug. 16 to honor 40 years of continuous service and devotion from a priest who is not from Korea, or even the Diocese of Brooklyn. Since 1985, Father Joseph Veneroso, a Maryknoll Society priest in Ossining, has spent his weekends helping at St. Paul Chong Ha-sang Parish in Flushing.
While the purpose of Pope Francis’s trip to Geneva on Thursday was spiritual diplomacy, he also engaged in a bit of global peacemaking when he greeted a delegation of North and South Koreans earlier today.
Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon of Uijeongbu has been waiting years for this moment, with the leaders of the two divided Koreas poised to meet for a historic summit just inside South Korean territory April 27.
Church leaders seeking peace on the Korean Peninsula emphasized the need for “repentance and atonement” between North Korea and South Korea.
A local Korean pastor is concerned about how decisions made by President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un will affect his life in Queens.
The president of the Korean bishops’ conference has welcomed President Moon Jae-in’s peace initiative, saying it matches the Church’s views on how peace can be achieved on the peninsula.
Celebrating a Mass in his native El Salvador, newly created Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez said his first major assignment will be to travel to South Korea for a meeting on how to achieve peace with North Korea.
A French Catholic priest working with North Korean refugees in China said conditions have worsened for Christians under Kim Jong Un and urged the Chinese government to shelter fugitives from the communist-ruled country.
When Pope Francis travels to South Korea, Aug. 14-18, he is ready to find a Catholic Church that exemplifies much of what he hopes for the Church around the world, including a highly active laity.
Pope Francis is visiting South Korea Aug. 14-18 and will celebrate Mass at Asian Youth Day, beatify Korean martyrs and preside at a Mass for national reconciliation. You can see the highlights on NET-TV.
