INCHEON (UCAN): Two groups of Japanese priests visited South Korean dioceses aiming to strengthen friendship and cooperation between Churches on various issues including undocumented migrants, catechesis for the elderly and children, and a decline in religious vocation.
The group of priests from the Diocese of Fukuoka, Japan, led by Bishop Josep Maria Abella Batlle paid visits to Incheon from June 5 to 9. They joined a training programme at the Social Pastoral Centre of the Diocese of Incheon.
On June 6, they held meetings with the clergy of the diocese, to share pastoral activities on issues such as migration, catechesis, and religious vocation. During the meeting, the priests of both dioceses pledged to promote cooperation despite challenges like language barriers.
Prior to the meeting, the Japanese delegation attended the Eucharistic Exaltation Mass and the Eucharistic Procession presided over by Bishop John Baptist Jung Shin-chul of Incheon at the Eucharistic Pilgrimage Shrine in the Gimpo Catholic Church.
They also visited the Dapdong Catholic Church and the Incheon Diocese History Museum.
Bishop Jung presented a statue of the Korean Virgin Mary and an unknown martyr to Bishop Abella.
“I hope that the two countries, having their first meeting as a group of priests, may speak different languages, but become one in God and achieve a greater unity that helps each other.” Bishop Jung said.
Bishop Abella expressed the gratitude of the Diocese of Fukuoka or the Diocese of Incheon for sending priests to serve in the diocese.
Earlier, from May 24 to 27, another Japanese delegation of 10 people, led by Bishop Paul Yoshinao Otsuka of the Diocese of Kyoto, visited the Diocese of Jeju.
They visited diocesan offices and attended a prayer service dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The group met with Bishop Pius Moon Chang-woo of and discussed the history of the diocese and its cooperation with Kyoto dating back to 2005.
Since then, the Diocese of Kyoto has been sending pilgrims to the Blessed Virgin Mary shrine in Jeju. On the other hand, young people from the Diocese of Jeju have been participating in Hiroshima Peace Camp hosted by Kyoto.
The cooperation between the two dioceses halted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Church leaders say promoting friendship and cooperation between Churches in the two countries is important as many Koreans still hold a negative attitude towards Japan for its colonisation of Korea [1905-45] and various forms of oppression and abuses.
In April, a group of Korean Catholics made a “pilgrimage of reconciliation and peace” and visited several cities in Japan that hold memorial sites related to the Japanese occupation and persecution of Koreans.
* This report is brought to you in partnership with the Catholic Times of Korea.
