SEOUL (SE): The 60 years of diplomatic relations between South Korea and the Vatican is a sign of hope and collaboration, said Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States on November 21.
Archbishop Gallagher made the remarks during a November 20 to 23 visit to South Korea to attend the “Korea-Vatican Relations History Discovery Project” at the Franciscan Education Centre in Seoul as a part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of Vatican-Korea diplomatic ties, Vatican News reported.
He noted that in Korean culture, the number 60 has a special significance, evoking “the passage to a new cycle of life and a phase of greater fullness.”
The archbishop also said that in the Bible “this number indicates the preparation for a full fulfillment and expresses ‘the idea of mutual support and interconnection’.”
In his symposium address, Archbishop Gallagher recalled how the anniversary coincides with the conclusion of an archival research and preservation project supported by the government and bishops of Korea UCAN News reported.
They discovered faith within the context of their administrative and academic work, a testament to the deeply rooted public aspect of being disciples of Christ in Korea
Archbishop Gallagher
It concerns documents preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Archive, the Apostolic Library, and the Pontifical Representation in Seoul relating to the help given by then-Archbishop Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII, to the Korean delegation to the United Nations in 1948 for the recognition of Korea as a legitimate state by the UN.
Following the symposium, Gallagher presided at a special Mass at the Seosomun Shrine History Museum.
Archbishop Gallagher, whose last visit to Korea was in 2018, concelebrated the Mass with Archbishop Peter Soon-taek Chung of Seoul and Bishop Matthias Yong-hoon Ri, president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea. Attendees included 17 delegates from various embassies in and members of the National Assembly of Korea, the Committee for Communications, Archdiocese of Seoul, said in a press release.
The Seosomun Shrine holds historical importance as a site commemorating the early Korean martyrs.
In his homily, Archbishop Gallagher drew from the rich history of the Korean Catholic community, expressing gratitude for their contributions to the civic, social, and integral well being of the nation.
The industrious and dynamic trait that sets the Korean Catholic community apart is a valuable resource, profoundly shaping life through associations, charities, and educational institutions. Let us treasure this rich heritage and continue the legacy of those who, under the banner of the Catholic faith, laid the foundation for our enduring commitment to society.
Archbishop Gallagher
“The first evangelisers of the ‘Land of Morning Calm’ were laypeople and scholars who learned Christian doctrine without the help of foreign missionaries,” the archbishop noted.
“They discovered faith within the context of their administrative and academic work, a testament to the deeply rooted public aspect of being disciples of Christ in Korea,” he said.
The archbishop further added, “The industrious and dynamic trait that sets the Korean Catholic community apart is a valuable resource, profoundly shaping life through associations, charities, and educational institutions. Let us treasure this rich heritage and continue the legacy of those who, under the banner of the Catholic faith, laid the foundation for our enduring commitment to society.”
The press release from the Archdiocese of Seoul said the event served as a powerful testament to the enduring friendship and collaboration between the Holy See and South Korea, setting the tone for continued diplomatic relations.
Archbishop Gallagher said, the gospel has taken root with great vitality in Korea, which has gone “from a land of mission, to a place of departure for numerous missionaries.”
He also emphasised that Church diplomacy provides resources to face “the hopes and challenges of the future.”
In the face of what Pope Francis calls “the third world war fought piecemeal”, of phenomena such as the arms race, the nuclear threat, and terrorism, “the Church and the structures of diplomacy are united by the same task: to be a sign of hope. A sign, that is, that war is not inescapable but that, on the contrary, it can be overcome through dialogue,” he said.
The collaboration between the Holy See and South Korea will continue “in facing the great challenges that loom over the present and future of the world, particularly in the East Asian region,” he added.
