Still no news from Korea missions

" Naturally special orders to tell the missionaries in Korea to
remain where they are have not been sent, nor are such orders necessary."
The spirit of the Catholic missionaries now in Korea was revealed in this statement by a Vatican spokesman answering questions by pressmep last Monday.
But Vatican officials are said to be greatly concerned for the safety of the missionaries and nuns in view of the war situation there.
It has been officially announced that there are grave fears for the safety of Bishop Byrne, Apostolic Visitor, who was iii Seoul at the time of its fall.
The Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. which directs missioo activity, said that its last report from Northern Korea was that the central house of the Maryknoll Sisters at Sopho, near Pengyang, had recently been confiscated by the Communists.
139 churches
The Korean sisters of the order took refuge in their convent at Yengyou, 45 miles farther north. where they are in a precarious position and await a second expulsion.
The Congregation said that it had no more recent infomiation to indicate further action against Catholic missions since the Korean war began.
Since the war broke out in Korea and the Communists captured Seoul. no news has been received about the Catholic missionaries and priests in the capital. Seoul had a large Apostolic Vicariate with 139 churches, 46 parishes, 81 priests and 78 seminaries, keeping alive and spreading the Catholic faith among the 65.000 Catholics.