By Bro. Hilario Seo, SDB
Seoul, Korea, October 18, 2015 - In celebration of the World Mission Sunday, the Korean Salesian Family has celebrated 3rd Mission Day at the Provincial House in Seoul. It was participated by 300 members of the Salesian family and started with Holy Mass presided by the Provincial, Fr. Stefano Yang.
The Mission Procure, Fr. Peter Kim defined in his homily during the opening Mass that Jesus was the first missionary, examining the aspects of His work as incarnation, expectation and kenosis, urging to set this day in following Jesus' missionary example.
A delicious Lunch had been provided to all the participants followed by various activities related to the mission. Through the initiative of various groups like the ‘Fr. John Lee Memorial Foundation’, ‘We All Love Africa’, ‘Love for Cambodia’, ‘Love for Mongol’ and others who substantially supported the work of the mission places, they sold their products or goods donated to the flea market. Among those that called an attention was the blanket corner donated by a company which was thought to be due to the influence of the changing season.
The missionary places, where Korean confreres are presenting, were introduced leading to a bingo game filled with prizes that made the participants overjoyed. Yuna Kim, figure skating champion in Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, who joined the project of building 100 village schools in South Sudan and donated a school, also sent autographed skating shoes for selling in this market. An oil painting by the late Father Choi Andrea, who had expressed his great desire for missions activity during his lifetime, was also auctioned.
Father Mark Yang, who was having his vacation, delivered his vivid missionary experiences in Cambodia. He said that there are many hardships to be encountered on a mission and they could all be overcome through time. He felt the most difficult thing was becoming companion with the natives by emptying oneself. A missionary is a messenger of the Gospel and more, a bridge that provides the help for each other connecting two different cultures. He also expressed his hope that the Christians in the Church have to understand this aspect and help or participate in the mission's activity.
In the mission day event there is a special moment in prayer for the 6 confreres working in the silence Church, which could not be revealed, asked to Mary Help of Christians’ protection.
The celebration of this year was held indoors, and the scale was smaller compared with the other events of Don Bosco's 200 Birthday and though formalities were reduced as a usual in previews two years, the meaning of true mission was ruminating in the calm atmosphere and it was also a day that we felt our participation in spreading the Gospel of Christ in our own small ways.
