Korean Church urges peace on
peninsula on anniversary of start of Korean War
 |
| The two Koreas, divided along the 38th parallel, are technically still at war with each other |
Korean Catholics along with their bishops celebrated a
special peace Mass on June 25 in Imjingak, on the occasion of the 69th
anniversary of the start of the Korean War.
By Robin Gomes
The Korean Catholic Church this week prayed for peace on the
divided peninsula as it commemorated the 69th anniversary of
the outbreak of the Korean War.
South Korea’s bishops and 20,000 Catholics participated at a
special memorial Mass on June 25 at Peace World Park in Imjingak, near the
demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea.
Koreas still at war
Following the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II,
in 1945, the U.S. and the Soviet Union had provisionally divided the Korean
peninsula along the 38th parallel. However, when China, Great Britain and
the US recommended a plan to reunify the peninsula in 1947, the Soviet Union
that occupied the north, refused to cooperate.
Soon with tension building between the divided peninsula,
the north invaded the south on June 25 1950, an aggression that was repulsed by
the allies. The war ended on July 27, 1953, with a truce, but not a peace
treaty. Hence the two neighbours are technically still at war.
Peace and dialogue
Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul, who is also
apostolic administrator of Pyongyang Diocese in North Korea, presided over the
Mass organized by the Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People of
the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK).
The entire Catholic Church including Pope Francis is
“praying for the seeds of peace to be planted in our painful history,” Card. Yeom
told the faithful at the start of the Mass.
The Mass on the theme, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” was
dedicated to those who died and sacrificed themselves in the Korean War.
“In particular, let us remember the separated families and displaced
people who still suffer from the pains of war,” the cardinal said.
Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, CBCK
president, Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-jong of Kwangju and Archbishop Thaddeus
Cho Hwan-kil of Daegu concelebrated Mass.
The bishops’ committee released a message for the occasion
asking all Koreans to avoid struggles and confrontations and seek peace.
Committee president, Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon of Uijeongbu,
said, “We need to maintain dialogue between the two Koreas and the faithful
should support it,” adding that the South Korean government should keep
offering humanitarian aid to the North and encourage inter-Korean exchanges.
Reconciliation
In his homily, Archbishop Kim appealed to leaders of the two
Koreas to work for the common goal of the Korean people, for reconciliation and
for prosperity rather than their personal pride or political causes.
“For peace, there should be no preconditions. We need to
repent the history of using the force of arms against each other.”
He wished that the 70th anniversary of the
Korean War next year will result in signing the formal end of the war and an
agreement for peace.
Since 1995, a Mass has been celebrated in Seoul's Myeongdong
Cathedral every Tuesday for the reconciliation and unity of the Korean people.
(Source: UCANEWS)
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