SEOUL (SE): Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul and apostolic administrator of Pyongyang, together with the faithful of the archdiocese responded to the call of Pope Francis to pray and fast for peace in Ukraine on Ash Wednesday, the archdiocese said in a press release on March 10.
In a March 3 letter to the Church in Ukraine, Archbishop Chung wrote, “People around the world who wish for peace, including me, feel a deep shame for the current situation in Ukraine, as the impact of the invasion to civilians, especially children, women and the elderly are severe.”
The archbishop said, “My heart ached as I was watching the video of Ukrainian children gathering in a subway station, shivering in cold and fear. It simply showed how dangerous and terrifying war is. As the prolonged war is expected to cause more damage to the citizens of Ukraine, the Catholic Church, and the faithful sincerely pray that it will end as soon as possible and peace will be restored.”
I am saddened about the fact that so many people have been killed as a result of the invasion, and I pray with all my heart that God may give his peace to Ukraine
Cardinal Yeom
The retired archbishop of Seoul, Andrew Cardinal Soo-jung Yeom, the Archbishop Emeritus of Seoul, also expressed his concern and closeness to the suffering people of Ukraine. “Whenever I met with the bishops of Eastern Europe [Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia] we often talked about the road to peace by resolving disputes and conflicts,” he recalled.
“I am saddened about the fact that so many people have been killed as a result of the invasion, and I pray with all my heart that God may give his peace to Ukraine,” Cardinal Yeom said.
The Nicholas Cardinal Cheong Missionary Support Foundation is slated to donate US$50,000 [$390,960] in emergency aid to the Church in Ukraine.
Father Matthias Young-yup Hur, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Seoul, remarked that it is the providence of God that the first activity of the foundation would be to send a crisis relief fund to Ukraine.
He expressed his hope that “it will be delivered to the Ukrainian Catholic Church as soon as possible and will provide support, especially for children and the elderly.”
