Wednesday, November 20, 2013

SVD KOREA REGION: BIBLICAL APOSTOLATE IN KOREA

Fr. PAIS Jacob, has been serving as Divine Word religious-missionary in South Korea for over than 25 years. He especially focuses his ministry on Bible Ministry with concern for Korean Family and Youth.
He also gives retreats and courses, charismatic meetings and conferences, and have a constant regular group who come to our community for Marian Devotion, Holy Hours and Spiritual direction
The writing below,was his sharing report during the ASPAC Biblical Coordinators meeting held in Nagoya, Japan, last 2010.

 Bible Course and study:

I started the Bible course and education in the month of April 2010. Once a month about 20 to 25 people participate in this course. Most of the participants are women, since the course is conducted during the day time from 1 p.m. to 5. I began with a thorough study, commentary, application to daily life, meditation and wind up with the Eucharist. The participation is genuine and deep. There is a lot of deep sharing and questions, searching, and answers. The study will go on in a slow and deep manner till the end of the Bible.

Bible retreat/recollection:

I have been doing this for the past 20 years. Most of the retreats were for the religious nuns. The main retreats are for 8 full days. The retreats are centered on the Word of God. Occasionally I conducted one month’s retreat on Ignatian Spiritual exercises. But I centered those exercises on the Word of God. I changed the title from Ignatian Spiritual exercises to Bible Retreat. At an average five to nine recollections per month were conducted for the lay people in all over Korea. Most of the recollections were centered on the Word of God.
These recollection were conducted during the day time, hence most of the participants were women. Occasionally recollections were conducted on week-ends and in the evenings for male participants. Most of the recollections were conducted in various parishes. Rest of the recollections was conducted in retreat houses or in summer resorts. This is was at the invitation of the parishes or by the leaders of the various prayer groups at the parish, diocesan and national level.

Contemplative Retreats and Courses:

I started the contemplative retreats initially for the religious people. Gradually it was directed to the lay people. These retreats are based on a combination/harmony between Eastern and Western spirituality. Eastern methods are used for contemplation and Western input is given based on the Bible. There is a deepening contemplation on the Word of God. There are five groups at various stages coming once a month to our SVD house in Seoul for contemplative recollection and workshop.
Since the Korean Catholic Church is very Roman, most of the activities are centered on the parish level at the direction of the parish priest. It is very rubrical and formal. Generally there is no deeper spiritual experience at this level. Hence the people are searching for deeper spiritual learning and experience. Such kinds of people come for contemplative recollection and workshop.

Charismatic meetings and conferences:

In the course of my involvement in directing retreats and recollections at the parish and diocesan level for the past 20 years, the charismatic prayers groups started inviting me for their prayer meetings and seminars. The main purpose of inviting me for such meetings is the Word of God. Since I centered my recollections and retreats on the Bible the charismatic groups wanted to have their prayers centered on the Word. At an average five to 8 charismatic prayer meetings I participate every month at the parish, diocesan and national level. Most of the prayer meetings are held at night and some the whole night.


 Marian Devotions:

Korean has the highest number of devotees for mother Mary in the world. Practically every big parish has got a Curia or Commission of the Legion of Mary. The lay people are almost fanatic to this devotion. The participation is excellent. Occasionally these groups invite for a day’s recollection at the parish level. They invite me for such Marian recollection precisely because I center my conferences on the Word of God.
Once a month there is a half day Marian devotion in our SVD house in Seoul. It is held on first Saturdays of every month from 9 am to 1 pm. About 20 to 30 people participate in this devotion.

Challenges:

Place: Until the month May last year we had a retreat house to conduct various recollections, retreats and prayer meetings. Now that we had to sell the retreat house during a special project from the neighboring University there is no appropriate place to conduct the various spiritual activities. At present I am conducting these activities in our formation house in Seoul. We have priests, seminarians and brothers living in this house. But they are quite open and tolerant towards these groups. But this is not the ideal place for such spiritual activities. We need a proper place.
Challenges from the Korean Catholic Hierarchy:
The Korean Catholic Church is very Roman and conservative. At times it could be fundamental and fanatic. My retreats, recollections and prayer meetings are not conservative, at times very radical. Sometimes it is hard to go the way I preach, teach and share on a deeper level.

         Activities planned for the future:

I will continue the same activities which I am involved now.
I will coordinate these activities with the diocesan and religious leaders, who are involved in similar activities.
I will involve the SVD confreres in these activities. So far I was doing these activities all by myself. Now that a few confreres are interested and trained in these activities I will form a team. One of the Korean confreres is actively involved in giving recollections and charismatic retreats. We are already started working hand in hand.




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