South Korea’s first overseas missionary community celebrates 50 years

The Archdiocese of Seoul in South Korea marked a historic milestone with the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their first missionary community abroad.

The Korean Missionary Society celebrated half a decade of foundation on February 26.

Seoul Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taek led a Thanksgiving Mass for the overseas community at the Myeongdong Cathedral.

"I bow my head and express my deep gratitude for the sacrifices and hard work of the many senior missionary priests who have worked hard to train missionaries until today,” he said during his homily.

The society is responsible for organizing vocation programs beyond South Korea, particularly where Catholics are a minority.

Archbishop Chung, who also serves as president of the Korean Missionary Society, revealed that the community currently has 83 priests and two laypeople.

Six priests are in the Archdiocese of Seoul, while 11 seminarians are being trained as missionaries. The rest are assigned overseas.

Moreover, the archbishop said the society will send 85 missionary priests and laypeople to nine countries this year, including Papua New Guinea and Cambodia.

"This growth has given me a deep spirituality and confidence in my mission inside, which is meaningful,” said Archbishop Chung.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, sent a message of congratulations for the society's anniversary, read by Archbishop Giovanni Gasparri, Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Korea.

“Pope Francis is confident that the missionaries of the Korean Foreign Mission will boldly and consistently proclaim the truth of the Gospel so that the goodness and light of the heritage of faith will penetrate intimately into their hearts and bring them into a deeper encounter with Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word,” wrote Cardinal Parolin.

The Korean Missionary Society was founded in 1975 by then-Bishop Emeritus of Busan John Choi Jae-seon to spread the Gospel across the world and as South Korea's expression of gratitude to the countless missionaries who brought Catholicism to their country.

In 2005, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea formally adopted it as the Catholic Society of Korea for Foreign Missions.

Their efforts are vital in transforming South Korea from a “receiving church” to a “sharing church.” 

Aside from pastoral work, these Korean missionaries are also involved in social action and healthcare projects.

The Korean Missionary Society will also publish a booklet for its 50th anniversary and hold a concert at the Shrine of Our Lady of Namyang in the Diocese of Suwon, the first shrine in South Korea, this October.