austraLasia #3129
Korea takes up John Lee for national branding
SEOUL 6 September 2012 -- One often hears the word 'brand', 'branding' in Salesian circles these days, or corporate image or whatever, and the steps we need to take in a world that regards 'brand' very highly.
Considering that Catholics only make up a tiny percentage on the Korean religious spectrum, it has been extraordinary to note the way the life and death of Salesian missionary Fr John Lee has become a national symbol. Some of this has been very much as the Salesians would want, some of it not. These things can attract people and groups who eventually distort the true picture of who this man was and what he stood for, along with his Salesian community.
So it has been good to see this latest effort which came at the request of the Presidential National Branding Council of Korea. Bro Hilario Seo SDB, who is in charge of Social Communication for the KOR Province, wrote the text and the translation was done professionally under the auspices of the Presidential Council. It has currently been translated into English and Japanese and the Chinese version is due shortly.
Significantly this presentation of John Lee goes well beyond the usual 'social-worker' aspect that has sometimes been the case. through text and image, it becomes clear that John Lee was the 'Don Bosco' of Tonj, that he worked with other missionaries, Salesian and other.
You can click on either of the above images to follow the text in the language of your choosing (so long as it is Korean, English or Japanese!). Or go directly from here:
http://www.koreabrand.net/net/kr/book.do?kbmtSeq=2085
This effort is a very good reminder too, for the Salesian 143rd mission expedition that has just begun its month of preparation in Rome. Interestingly enough, of the 45 participants, 23 are either from or coming to the EAO Region in a missionary capacity. That's 50%! One of these is from KOR Province, currently working in PNG-SI.
Korea takes up John Lee for national branding
Considering that Catholics only make up a tiny percentage on the Korean religious spectrum, it has been extraordinary to note the way the life and death of Salesian missionary Fr John Lee has become a national symbol. Some of this has been very much as the Salesians would want, some of it not. These things can attract people and groups who eventually distort the true picture of who this man was and what he stood for, along with his Salesian community.
So it has been good to see this latest effort which came at the request of the Presidential National Branding Council of Korea. Bro Hilario Seo SDB, who is in charge of Social Communication for the KOR Province, wrote the text and the translation was done professionally under the auspices of the Presidential Council. It has currently been translated into English and Japanese and the Chinese version is due shortly.
Significantly this presentation of John Lee goes well beyond the usual 'social-worker' aspect that has sometimes been the case. through text and image, it becomes clear that John Lee was the 'Don Bosco' of Tonj, that he worked with other missionaries, Salesian and other.
You can click on either of the above images to follow the text in the language of your choosing (so long as it is Korean, English or Japanese!). Or go directly from here:
http://www.koreabrand.net/net/kr/book.do?kbmtSeq=2085
This effort is a very good reminder too, for the Salesian 143rd mission expedition that has just begun its month of preparation in Rome. Interestingly enough, of the 45 participants, 23 are either from or coming to the EAO Region in a missionary capacity. That's 50%! One of these is from KOR Province, currently working in PNG-SI.
