DAEGU PRIORY NEWSLETTER

DPN 436 Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, Daegu Priory, July-August 2020

Painted by Sr. Lucas Kwon, OSB

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In the evening of July 23, the community of the Priory House gathered together with the sisters of Scholastica house and Benedict Spirituality Center and celebrated the Nameday of Prioress, Sr. Chrisitna Moon. The celebration was held under the host of Sr. Vianney Park, sub-prioress and was full of a festive mood with pleasant and creative stages of each group.

The congratulatory performance of the celebration after the gift offering began with an ensemble of the recorder and keybord by ‘Dolce Sisters’. Then the group 3 of final professed sisters performed chorus and traditional dance. Group 6 prepared a card section with a message of support to the song ‘Your Meaning’. Group 5 presented ‘Conte’ with the traditional fairy tale ‘The Elf and the Woodcutter,’ and the novices performed dance and a song excitingly which had been prepared even during their annual vocation. The postulants put on a short play as ‘The Virgin Couple, Lutgarda and John, Korean Martyrs.’ Group 4 danced to the trot, A Good Match’, and the junior sisters marked the end of the festival with an exciting dance to the life chant 'Wake'.

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Nameday Celebration of Sr. Vianney Park, Sub-Prioress – August 4:

In the evening of August 3, the community held the nameday celebration of Sr. Vianney Park. The sisters including the novitiate members and junior sisters expressed their gratitude and love for her generous service.

Initiation Ceremony into the Novitiate – August 14:

Initiation ceremony of the Postulant Hae Jin Sophia Oh(R) and Chan Mi (L) into the novitiate was held at 5:40 PM in the chapter room of the Priory House.

Renewal of Profession – August 14:

Sr. Marie Angelo Park, after the annual retreat, renewed her vows during the mass, presided by Fr. Romualdo

Novices’ Annual Vacation - July 13~22:

Sr. Zeno Sagong, Novice Mistress, Clotilda Kim and Elia Jung had their annual vacation at ‘the Molundae Vacation House’ in Busan.

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African Junior Sisters’ Vacation - July 6~12: -Sr. Maria Goretti

On August 6, we African sisters and Junior Mistress Sr. Lumen went on holidays to the vacation house near the Priory House. During the holidays we celebrated Liturgy of Hours in English after a long time. On Thursday and on the feast day of St. Benedict, we had a graceful time with Holy Mass at our Priory House. On the 8th, we visited ‘the Daegu Fatima Station.’ Sr. Caridad, the superior of the station, took a tour of the house which has been under renovation since last June, so we couldn't go through the whole. We ate lunch after having a mid- day prayer together. We were very grateful for the hospitality of all the sisters in the community. During our vacation, we were given an opportunity to visit ‘Gyeongju City’, so we visited the Gyeongju National Museum where historical relics of ‘ Dynasty’ are well-preserved, and went to several famous places including the ancient royal tombs of Silla Dynasty. On another day, we also visited ‘Hanti’, the shrine of martyrdom in Daegu Archdiocese. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Prioress Sr. Christina, Sr. Lumen and Sr. Salem who drove for us, Sr. Rose Marie and workers at kitchen for preparing the delicious food, and to all the beloved sisters in the Priory House. Thanks to generous support, we were able to have a happy vacation. May we, who are different but one, remain in God's love...that in all things God may be glorified!

Intensifier Sisters’ Holidays- August 26~31

Sr. Lumen Choi, Junior Mistress and three intensifier sisters - Consilia An, Terra Lee, and Maria Goretti (Windhoek Priory) - had a vacations together at ‘the Molundae Vacation House’.

Penance of Renewal Chapter

After the renewal chapter in June, all the sisters of the Priory House took part in separation of recyclable items from wastes and garbage as the first step towards actual action to preserve the earth, in facing the climate crisis which seemed to be a cause to bring COVID-19 Pandemic. Through this work, we came to realize how much garbage we're producing and what we need to

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make an effort more to preserve recyclable things. . Separation of waste is not just the penance of the renewal chapter, but a part that requires constant attention and effort at the community level. Against the consumption-oriented world, that is the culture of easy-to-use and easy-to-dispose, it is more important that we make an effort to create less waste in daily life.

LECTURES, SEMINARS AND RETREATS

The 4th Annual Retreat – August 5~14:

Under the guidance of Benedictine monk, Father Romualdo Heo (Seong Seok,Waegwan Abbey), 57 members of our priory and 2 postulants who were preparing for their novitiate had the annual retreat on the theme of ‘John Climacus's Ladder to Heaven’.

Monday Conferences:

-Sr. Bonaventura Lee, Presentation of Her Thesis – July 6: Sr. Bonaventura Lee presented at the chapter room the summary of her doctoral dissertation, ‘on the Linguistic Analysis of Jonathan's Story in Samuel’. She received a doctorate from The Graduate School of Biblical Literature at the Vatican. It was an opportunity to learn about various ways of reading and interpreting the Bible, although her presentation was too professional to understand. .

-Watching the Documentary about the COVID-19 Situation – July 13:

The Priory House community watched the documentary film on ‘The Great Blockade: The World Made by Viruses.’ The film highlights the worsening economic situation and the rapid change of international atmosphere, which the virus has been brought to the world. Many countries around the world closed their borders to curb the spread of the virus, but locking the countries created other problems, causing people to lose their homes and jobs, suffering from extreme hunger, which made people confused. Many people came out on streets protesting calling for the lifting of the blockade. By watching this film, we seriously felt that countermeasures and practical actions are strongly required from not only an individual but also community-level in order to cope with the disasters and crises by the virus, while we keep praying to our Lord for the end of COVID-19 pandemic.

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COMING AND GOING

Sr. Eun Hye Cha, Departure for Rome– August 5:

Sr. Eun Hye Cha was given a mission in the generalate house in Rome through the last transfer, but was unable to leave Korea due to the COVID- 19 and various circumstances. At the last, she received the missionary dispatch ceremony and the travel blessing during the morning mass on August 4, and the next day, she safely left for Rome for her new assignment.

Sr. Sabina Park (August 18), Sr. Victoria Kim (August 31), Coming back to Home-Priory Sr. Sabina Park (Korean parish mission at Sao Paulo Kim Dae-Geon Catholic Church, Brazil) and Sr. Victoria Kim (House St. Benedikt, Germany) came back to home-priory from their assignment, and after self-segregation for two weeks, they returned healthily to the Priory House community.

Holy Mass by Newly- ordained Priest of Jesuit – July 30

On July 1, five Jesuit priests who had been newly-ordained visited our convent and celebrated the evening mass together. Four of them had the exposure at Daegu Fatima Hospital during their novitiate period. The presider Fr. Stephan shared his experiences to serve at the hospital. It was a blessed time for our community to receive the blessings from the new priests, who were full of God's grace through ordination.

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VOCATION MINISTRY NEWS

St. Benedict's Liturgical Retreat - July10~11:

We prepared for the liturgical retreat of St. Benedict which was a two-day program, to celebrate the Solemnity of St. Benedict. However, due to the sudden re-spread of COVID-19, the retreat was urgently canceled in the morning of the day. Two of the retreatants had already departed for Daegu before hearing the news of cancel. Thus, they had a retreat carefully while following the quarantine guidelines. We, along with two pretty young women whom even the virus couldn’t stop from visiting, read the ‘Rule of Saint Benedict’ who thought nothing better than Christ. We all took this verse to heart. It was a blessed time for all of us to ask for the saint's intercession.

Entrance Retreat – August 8~10:

Candidate Lilian, Sun Young Park (Haengsin 2- dong Parish, Uijeongbu Diocese), who was about to join our community, had a retreat to prepare for entrance. In the midst of God's delicate arrangement, she had a time of gracious retreat, cherishing the life and 'Vocation' from the Lord. All the community sisters prayed for Lilian who gladly answered ‘Yes’ to God's call. May God strengthen her with his love and power, who is going to just step in religious life. The entrance ceremony is on Saturday, September 5th at 3:30p.m.

Bene Youth Meeting for Reading - August 25:

As the number of COVID-19 confirmed again increased, 'the Bene Youth Meeting for Reading’ in August was held as an untact meeting on video using a Zoom, the first attempt to have non-face-to-face meeting. It was a new way to have a meeting naturally by seeing each other's faces and saying hello through video. The book we read for August was Father Anselm Gruen's 『 Crisis is a Gift. We were serious about what it meant to 'Faith is completed through trust' (184p.) It was a precious time to think and share.

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INTUS MONACHUS, FORIS APOSTOLUS

Hamchang Catholic Church, ‘Zelkova Tree, Young Forest’ Organ Presentation

Sr. Theodora Ku On August 15, the day of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Liberation Day of Korea, the Hamchang parish held an organ concert. Those who have been officially taking organ lesson or about from a month and a half to three years have shown their honed skills. In addition to Sr. Theodora, our sisters of Hamchang community also attended giving them great joy. It was a quiet, beautiful, and precious time with about 50 people, including the parish priest, families, and relatives.

Video of Sr. Marie Enoch Kim's Self- composed Performance

Sr. Marie Enoch Kim, who is studying at Scholastica's College in Manila, Philippines, sent a video of her self- composed playing, ‘Take Me Receive Me’ with students studying together at the music school. The song gives a message of comfort and support to those suffering from COVID-19. The video also includes greetings from Sr. Christine Pinto, dean of St. Scholastica's College, Manila Priory and photoes showing the situation of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

HEARTH MINISTRY

Blessing Ceremony for the Completion of the East Building Extension - July 15

On July 15, a blessing ceremony was held on the 1st floor of the ‘East Building Extension’ to commemorate the completion. The extension building consists of two basement floors and eight ground floors with the state of art facilities in the departments of ophthalmology, otolaryngology and the intensive care unit. The employee rest area was also newly established. Sr. Anita Park, the head of the hospital, said in her congratulatory speech, “we expect to increase the satisfaction of patients and visitors, providing a pleasant environment and high-quality medical care as a representative medical institution in Dong-gu area, Daegu, continuing to accomplish our healing ministry, entrusted by Jesus Christ."

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5th 5th Ambitious Project, Giving Warm Love to Night Workers

The F. Harmony, formed voluntarily to create Christian culture in hospital, delivered heartfelt snacks to console and encourage those on a night duty. Sr. Anita and nursing staffs joined this event.

Farewell & Inauguration Ceremony of the Executive Officer of Daegu Fatima Hospital

On Tuesday, August 25, at the Link Hall, the main auditorium, the farewell ceremony of Sr. Anita Park(L), the 8th president of the hospital, and the inauguration ceremony of Sr. Columba Kim(R), the 9th director of the hospital, were held.

Fever Check and Questionnaire to Prevent Continuous COVID-19

Employees and sisters are on duty to check the fever for all visitors to the hospital. The employees by turn are checking fever at all the entrances to the parking lot. In fact, to check fever for all the visitor was a very hard work which makes them sweat, but a meaningful service helping to prevent people from the possibility of COVID-19 infection. We thank all the employees and medical staff who do their best, hoping that COVID-19 ends as soon as possible.

“…that in all things God may be glorified” (Phil. 4:11)

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