Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Mgr Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, Seoul's
new archbishop, visited the Museo Missionario di Propaganda Fide, located in a
narrow street near the Spanish Steps. The prelate is in Rome where he received the
pallium from Benedict XVI last Friday. In the museum, he inaugurated the Korean
version of the audio self-guide system. He was accompanied by South Korean
Ambassador to the Holy See Thomas Han Hong-soon, who sponsored the translation
of the audio self-guide into Korean.
The Museum, which opened a few years ago, holds some
Western works of art (paintings and sculptures) as well as works from countries
of mission and precious documents about world evangelisation. "I am happy to
have seen this place where the Church's mission in the Far East began," the newly
appointed archbishop told AsiaNews
after his visit.
Propaganda Fide was set up in 1622 to promote
evangelisation in the new lands found in the west as well as in the Indies. It was
designed to free them from the patronage (padraodo in Portuguese) of colonial
powers.
"With the new self-guide system, Korean Catholics [visiting
Rome] will be able to learn more about the mission's duties and vision," Mgr
Yeom said.
Noting that Korean "is the first non-Western language"
available in the museum, Ambassador Han said he hoped that Korean pilgrims would
be inspired by the fourth meaning of the faith, which is "not only to serve the
Church's development, but also to build a better world for faith constitutes an
essential part of a more humane world."
The Korean Church has one of the largest contingents
of missionaries in Asia. Its priests operate in many other Asian nations but
also outside of Asia.
One of the closest missions is the one to North Korea.
When he met the pontiff during the pallium ceremony, Mgr Yeom asked for "prayers
for North Korea".
In addition to being the new archbishop of Seoul, he serves
as apostolic administrator of Pyongyang.
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