Korean's China Mission

After the Mass of sending: Bro. Stephen Lee (이영재) just left of center; Bro. John Woo (우비호) center; Fr. Timothy Kim just right of center.

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At the March 3-17 2001 visitation to Korea of General Fr. David Fleming and Japan Provincial Fr. Louis Shimizu and the Koreans considered a Marianist Foundation in Asia.

A hint about this foundation was given in a sermon by Provincial John Russi at the Mass of Christian Burial for Bro. John O'Donnell on September 12, 2001 at the Marianist Center Chapel. (PAC Sept 15 2001): Provincial Fr. John Russi gave the homily which touched on a possible foundation in China:

"Just recently, our Society had its General Chapter in Rome. As we were looking toward the future, one of the areas that we saw as being very important for the future of the Church and the mission of Mary, is for the Society of Mary to expand in places where the gospel is not preached and not well known. And so we are looking into China, Eastern Europe, Cuba, India, Africa, Mexico and elsewhere..."

Years later China was chosen for the Asian foundation. At last on August 15 2004 a Missionary Blessing Mass was held for Bro. Stephen Lee (이영재) and Bro. John Woo (우비호) who were to implant the Order in China.

ACEMS August 2011 Seminar

"From August 8-20 2011, an all-Asia Marianist seminar was held under the auspices of ACEMS (the Asian Center of Marianist Studies) on the Deepahalli campus at Bangalore, India. ACEMS was founded in 2008 by the SM zonal conference of Asia, with encouragement from the General Administration."

"For the first time in history, religious and lay Marianists, men and women, from all countries of Asia, were invited to come together to become better acquainted with Marianist themes, as well as pray and reflect on them."

"There were 35 participants sent by the leadership councils of each Asian branch of the Marianist family:

Daughters of Mary Immaculate

5 from Korea, 3 from Japan. and 1 from India, One sister from Japan was of Vietnamese origin.

Society of Mary

6 from Korea, 4 from Japan, 9 from India, 2 from the USA, and 2 from the Philippines. Three of the brothers from Korea have lived in China. and one of those from India works in Nepal.

Marianist Lay Communities

1 from Korea and l from India.

Five additional participants and resource persons"

"The participants tirelessly served as simultaneous translators, allowing everyone to be able to express themselves freely in Japanese, Korean or English."

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"Resource-persons and speakers included the team of Marianist - Bro. Ray Fitz, Bro. Tom Giardino, Fr. Dave Fleming, and Mr. Savio Franco (MLC-Bangalore); assisted by Fr. Jacop Parappally (MSFS), Fr. Ambrose Pinto (SJ) and Fr. Emmanuel Uppamthadathil (MSFS). Bro Jack Ventura, SM, Executive Director-Designate of the ICMF was also present."(Via Latina #208 - November 2011)

Independent Region of Korea 2005

District Fortieth Anniversary

On Thursday May 25 2000 the Korean District appointed Bro. Matthew Woo (우상선 미태오) as Dependent Regional Superior. At the celebration Bro. Peter Shin was to be honored for 25 years of Marianist life.

Concurrently the Provincial visit took place from May 22nd to June 4th. The provincial visitors were Fr. John Russi, Assistant Provincial Gary Morris and Temporalities Assistant Bro. John Haster. Everyone gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Marianist presence in Korea...

Independent Region

On May 15 2005, The District of Korea became the independent Region of Korea. This event was solemnized at a Mass with the presence of US Bro. Provincial Stephen Glodek, US Assistant Fr. John Russi, Fr. Eugen Mensdorff-Pouilly of Austria, the Regional Superior of Japan and US Bro. Dennis Schmitz.

Ordinary of Seoul Archdiocese

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk was born on Dec. 7, 1931 in Seoul. He was ordained a priest on March 18, 1961, and appointed Bishop of Cheongju on June 25, 1970. The episcopal ordination was on Oct. 3, 1970. He has been appointed Archbishop of Seoul since May 30, 1998. His installation was on June 29, 1998. He was also appointed Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang Diocese on June 6, 1998. Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the rank of cardinal on March 24, 2006....

Previous Ordinaries

Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, LL.D., D.D.(1968-1998)
Bishop Victorinus Youn Kong-hi (apostolic administrator), S.T.D., D.D. (1967-1968)
Archbishop Paul Ro Ki-nam, D.D. (1942-1967)
Bishop Adrien Larribeau, M.E.P., D.D. (1933-1942)

Chaminade House

Retreat Center Renovation

On October 2nd 1984 the Chaminade Retreat Center was completed. As time went on many changes were made in the mission of the House. Following the dictum of Father Chaminade, It was decided that a renovation was needed more fitting to the new “Signs of the Times”. The Korean Retreat Center would be remodeled as a Senior Center called “Chaminade House”. (노인전문요양원)

Ground Breaking Ceremony

Initial remodeling began on September 1st 2005 ending March 29th 2006. Further changes were needed to construct the building as a Senior Center. A ground breaking ceremony was opened by a talk by Regional Superior Fr. Timothy Kim.

Blessing of Chaminade House

On Nov 29 2007 Bishop of Incheon Boniface Choi presided at the blessing of the Chaminade House. By this time other buildings on the property such as a new community house had been completed.

Bishop Boniface Choi

Bishop Boniface Choi was ordained a priest on Dec. 6, 1975 and appointed as Coadjutor Bishop of Incheon on Oct. 29, 1999. He was installed as Bishop of Incheon on April 25, 2002 on the same day that Bishop McNaughton resigned.

Final Olympic Medals

LONDON (Yonhap News) ― At this year’s Summer Olympics, which wrapped up Sunday (August 5 2012), South Korea finished in fifth place with 13 gold medals ...easily meeting its stated goal of finishing in the top-10 with at least 10 golds. Gold medals came from seven different sports, led by three each from archery and shooting.... (The Korean Herald August 8 2012)

Holy Family Parish

Korean Parish in 1970

At the time of this photo of the Holy Family Parish (인천 교구 산곡동 성가정 본당 - Sangok Church in Incheon), the Pacific Province foundation in Korea was still just beginning in Korea. The two Korean communities moved into their respective community houses in Seoul and Mokpo on October 10th 1970.( Fr. Mifsud letters)

The Austrian Province Foundation had been taking another path. The first Austrian Missionary, Fr. Paul Schmidt arrived at the Korean port town of Pusan on October 18th 1963. On January 5th 1970, the first Annual General Meeting of Marianists was held in Mokpo. Both Pacific and Austrian Marianists attended. At the Second Annual Meeting (October 16, 1971) Father Paul Schmidt was given permission to start a new parish.

Father Paul Schmidt went to Germany for fund raising. He returned from his trip on April 4 1970. He made several such trips. Paul was interested in building his own parish in Incheon as well as helping in working with other parishes such as the Holy Family Parish.

In 1983, General Fr. Quentin Hackenwerth and his team made a prolonged visit to Korea. (July 12-20). The District had not yet decided on the location of the proposed Chaminade Retreat House (Education Center) At one point District Superior Vianney Ahn visited Incheon Bishop McNaughton. After the General Administration left for Japan, the District decided to build the Chaminade Retreat House next to the Sangok Church (Holy Family Parish) starting August 22nd 1983. The Dedication ceremony of the Chaminade Retreat House took place on October 2 1984.

The renovation of the Holy Family Church was still in process. Fr. Paul Schmidt and his donors had given much support to this endeavor. (50th Anniversary book p. 350). By March 31 1985 there were a new rectory, kindergarten and convent.

Meanwhile, Fr. Augustine Song tried to get a visa to the United States so he could study English there. Soon Vianney Ahn sent a letter (Sept. 23 1983) to Provincial Jack Russi: "If Fr. Song cannot get a visa to the USA by December, we prefer to assign him to work in Korea. We would assign him to the Sangok parish located behind the Retreat Center."

Soon Bishop McNaughton asked that Fr. Song be assigned to the Sangok parish. He asked that Fr. Song would take over as pastor on Sunday, November 20 1983 and would be living in an apartment until the new priest house was built at the parish.

Parish in 2000

Parish in 2009

Church Address: Sangok-dong 5-15, Bupyeong-gu,Incheon, South Korea (인천 부평구 산곡동 5-15)

Fr. Paul Schmidt

Photo of Fr. Paul Schmidt taken in July 1963 after a Blessing of Missionaries Mass in Fulda, Germany. The Mass was held at the St. Elizabeth Church. Fr. Paul is holding his Missionary Cross. He began his Mission when he arrived at the port of Pusan, Korea on October 18, 1963.

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The Marianist Province of Austria sent Fr. Paul Schmidt (심재성 신부) to Korea in 1963 to begin missionary work to implant Marianist life in Korea.

For two years Paul studied the Korean language. Archbishop Han (한 주교) asked that the Austrian Marianists take over the Tokjin Parish in Chungju. Fr. Schmidt went to live and work there.

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Left to Right; Bro. Wally Wong, Fr. Paul Schmidt, Fr. James Mifsud, Bishop William McNaughton ...

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In 1969 Paul hoped to build his own church in Incheon. He contacted the Bishop of Incheon, Bishop William McNaughton. Father Paul's wish was authorized at the Second Annual General Meeting of Marianists in Korea (April 16,1971).

The dedication ceremony of the Sosa church took place on December 8, 1971.(오정 본덩) The Church was on the 2nd floor of a building there. Paul worked in the Sosa Parish until 1975 after having expanded the property with the help of donors in Germany. Paul left Korea in August 1976 for a home visit.

(Gossenreiter Interview - History of the Austrian Province in Korea- Pacific Archives Box 4 - C159.)

District of Korea

Up to this point Fr. Paul was working as a member of the Austrian Province. The General Chapter of 1976 (July 1 - August 15) brought all missionary works into the Marianist District of Korea.

Paul continued working on the the development of various parishes. My notes mentioned a visit to Bishop McNaughton about a contract for the Korean District about the Sankok Parish. (June 24 1979). This fact shows that the District was involved the 1884 dedication the Education Center.

Paul often made trips to raise funds some of which was used for the upgrade of the Sankok Parish (Holy Family Parish) in 1984. On September 5, 1988 a district council was held in Incheon. Paul decided to go his to his own parish in Incheon and finish his time in Korea there in November 1988. (50th anniversary in Korea book).

Ordained by Bishop McNaughton

Marianist Ordinations

On June 28th 1997 Bros. Timothy Kim and Pascal Lee were ordained to the priesthood at the Sangok Dong Parish in Inchoen. Left to Right: Fr. Timothy Kim, Bishop William McNaughton. Fr. Pascal Lee.

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On January 22nd 1998 Bro. Louis Cho took perpetual vows. On September 7th 1998 he was ordained to the priesthood at Sangok Dong Parish by Bishop William McNaughton. The photo was taken after the ordination. In attendance were Bishop William McNaughton, Pacific Province Provincial Jack Russi and members of his council Bros. Gary Morris and John Haster. Father Shimizu of the Japan Province also attended.

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Biographical History

Jun. 13, 1953 Ordained to the Priesthood

Aug. 24, 1961 Consecrated as Bishop

Mar. 10, 1962 Bishop of Incheon

1962 - 1965 At Second Vatican Council

Apr. 25, 2002 Resigned as Bishop of Incheon

REF:Bishop McNaughton

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Marianist Region of Korea 1994

The District

The 1976 General Chapter was held at Pollanza, in Northern Italy from July 1 - August 15, 1976. The plan prepared for Korea by the Austrian and Pacific Provinces for the Chapter was approved. Among the chief points was: The Korean Mission is designated a "district" of the Province and a local "district superior" will be named by the (Pacific) Provincial Council...(PAC No 7).

Fr. Jim Mifsud was appointed by the Pacific Province Council as District Superior in mid March 1974 (Letters of Jim Mifsud) which was made official after the 1976 General Chapter.

The 1983 Rule of Life states: A District is a territorial community composed of religious who live in local communities and work at a common mission under the leadership of a District Superior.

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First meeting of the Regional Chapter. Bro. John Ko was named Regional Superior; Provincial Fr. John Bolin was in attendance.

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The Dependent Region

"We received word on May 24 1994 that the Region of Korea has been established by the Superior General with the consent of the General Council. With this step the Society of Mary in Korea has reached a new level of maturity and autonomy, and a final step before becoming a Province.

The Charter of the Region, while continuing to recognize Korea as an integral part of the Pacific Province, establishes areas of self- governance, direction and representation.

Among those things that will change with Korea's Regional status is the right to send a delegate to the General Chapter and the General Leadership assembly, and the recognized legislative authority of the Regional Chapter." (PAC June 1 1994)

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At the establishment of the Region, the Marianists of Korea number 23 professed members, with 17 Perpetually professed. This year there are three novices and three aspirants.

The works of the Region include: two high schools, Marianist High School in Mokpo and Daegon High School in Inchon; The Chaminade Retreat House and Holy Family Parish in Inchon; and the Formation House and the Family of Mary Center in Seoul.

Work with Marianist Lay Communities has grown remarkably in the last five years. There are now close to 200 members in Inchon and Seoul. (PAC June 1 1994)