Pope's issues messages for victims of train disaster
Seoul (AsiaNews) - The pope was said to be "deeply struck" upon learning about the tragic loss of so many lives after the railway accident and explosion in the North Korean town of Ryongchon.
John Paul II issued two messages to express his sincere condolences. The first was sent to Archbishop Andrew Choi Chang-mou, president of the Korean Bishops' Conference, in which the pontiff assured that he was near in thought and prayer to the suffering victims and their families and begged for God's generous mercy for the deceased. The second message was addressed to Kim Yong-nam, president of the North Korean parliamentary standing committee in which the John Paul II expressed his closeness and condolences for all those affected by the catastrophe.
The news of John Paul II's message, signed by the Vatican secretary of sate Cardinal Angelo Sodano, was given by Archbishop Choi Chang-mou.
By way of his own initiative the Archbishop of Seoul, Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk (who is also apostolic administrator of the diocese of Pyongyang) has asked Catholic faithful to make extra efforts to gather funds for help their North Korean neighbors, who are already suffering a downward spiraling food crisis a plight that has only worsened since the train disaster.
The archbishop of Seoul stressed that normally North Korea does not allow people living outside its territory know what's going on inside the country. However, this time, he said, North Korean has officially asked for help from other countries around the world and reminded South Korean faithful that "easing people's suffering is the real reason the Church exists."
The Seoul Diocesan Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People announced its plans to begin a fundraising program which will get underway next week with the help of the Catholic press. However, the crisis is so urgent that the Committee is immediately sending 80,000 dollars worth of food, clothing and construction materials, which the North Korean Church had asked to have as soon as possible.
Even Msgr. Gabriel Chang, president of Korean Charities, has launched a national campaign to raise emergency funds for the victims. Msgr. Change has also decided to work in close cooperation with Caritas Internationalis, which has already sent 200,000 dollars in aid over to North Korea.
Chang Jae-eon, chairman of the North Korean Catholic Association, thanked all South Korean Catholics for their generous and thoughtful solidarity and asked them to send anything they could to alleviate the victims' suffering, such as food, cloths, construction materials and machines, like diggers, trucks, cranes and electric cables.
.png)
