THE CHURCH IN SOUTH KOREA

May I draw the attention or your readers to a little known hut very needy part of the Mystical Body? The Church in Korea was started by Korean laymen whose interest in Catholicism was aroused when they came across religious Catholic hooks in Chinese whilst on an embassy to Peking towards the end of the 18th century.
Subsequently. the C Misch in Korea has matured through bitter persecutions the very first Korean priest to be ordained. Blessed Andrew Kim, being martyred in 1846. The heroic efforts of the missionaries. drawn from China and several Western countries. culminated in the canonical institution of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in Korea by the late Pope John XXIII in March last year.
This part of Christendom is divided into three ecclesiastical provinces covering II dioceses, of which two are in Communistdominated North Korea, without any bishops to govern them. Four of the dioceses south of the 38th parallel are being governed by Korean bishops. North Korea has 10 million and South Korea 23 million inhabitants. From the religious point of point of view. the influence of Sharnianism. which is based on the worship of nature and of spirits, is predominant in South Korea. Nevertheless, a seventh of the population is Buddhist; and there are about one and a quarter million Protestants. and well over half a million Catholics.
The Soviet invasion of 1945, and the subsequent division of the country into two mutually hostile parts, followed by the aggression of North Korea in 1950. resulted in the death and deportation of many priests and lay people. At the present time, over 50,000 Korean Catholics belong to the Church of Silence. In the South, however, there has been a tidal wave of conversions to the Faith since the Armistice was signed in 1953. More than half of the clergy are Koreans. Yet. although the Church is expanding at a rate which is perhaps unique in the world. She is hampered by lack of adequate material support. What couldn't he accomplished. with God's help, were there enough money to pay and train more Korean catechists! There is widespread unsatisfied spiritual hunger in Korea today. Having recently worked as a layman in the archdiocese of Taegu, South Korea. for 18 months, I have first-hand awareness of missionary needs in that war-torn country. The formation of sound, well-instructed Catholic laymen is essential for the future of the Church in Korea. The Legion of Mary and the young Christian Workers are already doing line missionary work; but many more well-trained and adequately paid lay Korean catechists are essential if all the potential Catholics are to be instructed. This is why I should like to make an appeal. on behalf of Archbishop John B. Sye of Taegu. who is a Korean. to the generosity of English Catholics. The work of lay catechists is something very dear to Archbishop Syc's heart: he has to forego opportunities of converting numerous Koreans simply because he cannot afford to train and support sufficient catechists. Seventy per cent of the population of South Korea live in the villages; and few villages can have a resident priest. Therefore, leadership and instruction for the villagers rmist come from the lay catechist, with the priest visiting periodically to offer Mass and administer the Sacraments.
Readers willing to contribute to the training and support of lay catechists in the Archdiocese of Taegu. South Korea, arc asked to forward their contributions to Miss M. C. McGlade, Hon. Secretary. Catholic Mission to Korea, 10a Nascot Street, London. W.I2. Miss McGlade will gladly forward them to Archbishop Sye in Korea.
Timothy Williams Solihull.