SEOUL: 4th February 2005 -- Fr Steven Yang Soon Guk SDB, Rector of Dae Rim Dong community in Seoul, has published a collection of essays from a House which is entrusted with a prison apostolate, a boarding facility for 70 young people at risk, aged 12-20, and which is also the mother house of the Korean Province.

    Fr Steven subtitle his work 'essays of a happy Religious priest'.  Born 1959 and ordained in 1994, Fr Steven studied at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome, gaining his licentiate in spiritual theology.  He is currently also the Youth Ministry delegate for the KOR Province. 

    The essays are based on his experience at Dae Rim Dong with young people in difficulties and fall into three sections: Diary of a pastor, Faith diary and Spiritual diary.  These are not the only items Father has published.  After coming to Dae Rim Dong he began to share his scriptural reflections on the local Salesian website, and also writes and publishes poetry.

    The 80 or more personal essays in the present collection are effectively a natural textbook of a lived, enculturated experience of the Preventive System.  They contain enticing titles like: In the internet cafe; Education is a matter of the heart; War-like Eucharistic celebration; Youth who lack 2%; Fortunately he looks like mother; What is happiness?  Most of these titles have arisen out of day-to-day experiences with the young people at Dae Rim Dong, with all the unexpectedness and surprise they bring.  The author attempts to make sense of the cross, and the abandonment of young people as represented in the youngsters he works with, and seen through Salesian, Korean eyes.

    The collection - in Korean, understandably, is published by Bible and Life Publishing House run by the CSM (Caritas Sisters).  IT runs to 176 pages.