DAEGU NEWSLETTER

______DPN 374 Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, Priory, KOREA May 2014 ______

Wednesday, May 7:

May 7 was a special day for the whole community of Daegu Priory. A bright celebration was held for the Golden Jubilarians Sisters Laetitia Lee, Scholastica Kim, Barnaba Bae, Franziska Cheong and Agatha Kim; along with the Silver Jubilarians, Sisters Emiliana Kang, Marie David Kim and Genovefa Shin. They renewed their monastic vows during the Holy Mass presided over by Blasio Park at 11 o’clock at the main chapel of Sasudong House. Family, friends, oblates and community members rejoiced with the Jubilarians in the great love of God. A festive lunch was served after Mass at the basement Hall and a small commemoration took place in the evening in the refectory.

Congratulations on your Jubilee, Sisters!!

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Thursday, May 1:

Following the monastic tradition, the night devotion in honor of our Holy Mother was held in the Chapel on May 1 evening. The theme of the night was “Mother with us! Pray for us!” A map was posted in front of the refectory with information about the poor nations in the world. Each day of May was dedicated to one country. Rosary prayers, flowers, crown, candles, musical performance and a dance was offered to the Blessed Mother in prayer for the poorest nations.

Thursday, May 8:

Four junior Sisters in preparation for the perpetual vows along with their directress Sr. Zeno Sagong left to Suwon on May 8 to participated in the 30-day St. Ignatius Spiritual Exercises. Many prayers are requested for them during their retreat.

Sunday, May 11:

More than 400 people attended the Holy Mass in memory for the victims of the Sewol Ferry Disaster held on May 11 at Daegu Holy Mother Shrine. Among them were Mother Lumen Choi with Sisters of Priory House and Fatima Hospital.

Monday, May 12:

The 2014 celebration of the Daegu Archdiocese Marian Mass of Religious Orders was hosted by Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing. Sr. Hugo Kim, the chief chantress of Daegu Priory House, organized the liturgy with her new composition of Magnificat.

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Tuesday - Wednesday, May 13 - 14:

36 Benedictine Brothers and Sisters joined the 36th Korean Benedictine Federation Meeting held at the Benedict Spirituality Center from May 13 to 14. Among them were Abbot Blasio Park from ; Rev. Pachomio Choi, of St. Joseph ; Rev. Jacob Yoo Superior of Olivetan Monastery; Mother Rose Marie Hwang, Prioress of Priory; Camaldolese Sr. Martha Choi; Anglican Sister Michaela Kim who follows the Rule of St. Benedict and Sr. Benedicta Yeo, missionary in Uganda. The keynote speaker was Sr. Hyun Min from Charity of Seton Hill Congregation, well-known author and professor at Sogang Catholic University. She spoke on ecological matters of life based on “Entropy and Society” and “Ecology from St. Benedict’s perspective”. The conference was opened to the community of Priory House as well.

Monday - Wednesday, May 19 - 21:

In an effort to put into practice the decisions made during the Priory Chapter in 2013, which aimed to build up active communities filled with animation through continuous formation and cordial relations, the first gathering of Sisters according to the years of their vows was scheduled from May 19 to 21 at the Benedict Spirituality Center to the Sisters over age 70. About 70 Sisters participated in the meeting. The topic was “The sunset of life: Thanksgiving and Blessing”. A very positive energy came out from each Sister bringing new hope to the community.

Monday - Wednesday, May 26 - 28:

63 Sisters between ages 50-60 attended the “Stages of our life” gathering held at Benedict Spirituality Center from May 26 to 28 under the direction of Prof. Kwnag Suk Noela Kim from Association Fraternelle Internationale. She spoke on “Freedom and Responsibility”.

Sunday, May 11:

“It was awesome!” This was enthusiastic expression of most of the children who participated in the “Welcome to the School of the Lord!” a vocational Sunday program held on the 4th Easter Sunday,

3 traditionally called “Good Shepherd Sunday”, a day to pray for priesthood and religious vocation. More than 430 children from 8 different parishes visited our Priory House and spent the whole day playing games, painting and having fun. In the afternoon, a special performance was prepared by the Novitiate in the Parlor for those interested in religious life, and a Holy Mass was celebrated to conclude the day. Two groups of Sisters were also sent off to Waegwan Abbey and Andong Diocese with the same purpose. May our Lord send out laborers for His harvest!

Comings & Goings Wednesday, May 7: Arrival of Sr. Lugarda Park from Angola for home vacation. Wednesday, May 7: Arrival of Sr. Lidwina Shin from U.S.A. after working at St. Paul Korean Catholic Church in Los Angeles. Saturday, May 17: Departure of Sr. Electa Lim to Germany after one month home leave vacation. Tuesday, May 20: Departure of Sr. Isaac Bae to Chicago, U.S.A. Friday, May 30: Departure of Sr. Benedicta Yeo to Seoul after one month of retreat.

Apostolate News

Sunday, May 25:

15 Social Worker Sisters participated in the meeting held at the Auditorium of Benedict Spirituality Center on May 25. In the morning, a report of the construction course of the Nursing Care Center was presented by Sr. Hostia Park with a short visit to the location. In the afternoon, a lecture on Catholic Social Doctrine was given by Prof. Michael Park.

Saturday, May 31:

Daegu Fatima Hospital hosted the 19th Hannam Ophthalmology Symposium. The Symposium took place in the auditorium of the Hospital from 9 a.m. to the afternoon on Saturday, May 31. More than 300 ophthalmologists across the country attended to the meeting consisting of six sessions focusing on retina-uveal, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Plastic eye, glaucoma, external eye and cataract-refractive. 4

Friday, May 2:

Fun and enjoyment marked the Children’s Day celebration for the patients of Changwon Fatima Hospital on May 2. “Hennart” face paintings, games, storytelling program and magic performances were held on the 7th floor and in the main hall of the Hospital. Not only children, but also adults had fun on this day. Children are surely loved by Changwon Fatima Hospital.

Thursday, May 15:

Changwon Fatima Hospital hosted a Charity Bazaar in the parking lot on Thursday, May 15. Various products such as instant food, beverages, dried fish and domestic products were sold to raise money to contribute to medical assistance for under privileged children. A corner “Don’t be afraid of talking about pain!” was also posted to promote understanding about the cancer.

Tuesday, May 20:

A free medical check-up was hosted by Changwon Fatima Hospital at Milyangsi Multicultural Family Support Center, Milyang City for multicultural families on Tuesday, May 20. The exams included laboratory tests, chest x-rays, pulmonary function testing, pressure and blood examinations. Immigrant women living in rural areas were the most privileged in this event.

A little bit of knowledge from one of our pioneers

On February 10, 1926, Sr. Chrysostoma made her final profession and Mr. Lu Pae-Hong sent words that he was going to finance all the construction expenses for the new Wonsan Immaculata Convent including the Novitiate building, to honor and congratulate her final profession. In return, he asked Sisters to offer perpetually the Gregorian Holy Mass and the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament for him on the first Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, each month. Sr. Chrysostoma and the Community accepted gratefully his offer and promised to fulfill his request.

After the construction of the new Immaculata Convent and Novitiate through this great benefactor, Sr. Chrysostoma could use the old and small convent as their little “School of the Holy Guardian Angel.” She taught the poor children who couldn’t go to school and the older children who couldn’t go to school because they were too old to enter the elementary school.

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The Japanese planned to obliterate the Korean Language on this earth. The Korean students were kept under strict supervision at all the levels of schools so that they shouldn’t use Korean at school at all times. But Sr. Chrysostoma taught Korean language, above everything, averting the Japanese surveillance system. Whenever the Japanese came to check on her school, she taught children Japanese with Japanese textbooks. She also learned Japanese language as fast and well as the Korean. She also taught catechism to the Parish young adults so that they could be baptized. She couldn’t be a regular school teacher due to the Japanese strict regulations but she taught music and catechism to the school children, courageously evading the Japanese surveillance.

At the Convent, Sr. Chrysostoma tutored the postulants and novices in organ, piano, violin, etc. well and thoroughly. She, realizing Koreans have a natural aptitude for music, taught them various instruments closely and strictly so that all the novices could play organ at any given time.

Sr. Chrysostoma received funds from her two friends, Maria and Elisabeth from Germany, and helped to feed and clothe the starved, the oppressed and the marginalized. These two German friends were the school alumnae of Sr. Ambrosia and Sr. Chrysostoma. They didn’t enter any convent but promised to help out their missionary religious alumnae by sending them mission funds. They never married but taught at schools. They thus helped the Sisters until these Sisters were put into the prison and the labor camps in May 1949.

In August 1945, Korea was delivered from the Japanese grips. But Korea was divided into North and South by the 38th parallel. As soon as the Japanese left the country, the North was occupied by the Soviet communist army and all the Convent’s properties were laid under requisition. Now the Sisters were in great difficulties even for the daily living. Then, the wives of the Soviet soldiers, recognizing that there were foreigners among the Sisters, came to ask to make Western clothes for them. Sr. Chrysostoma, using her quick learning skill of foreign languages, learned very fast the Russian and helped out Sr. Eva who made those clothes. From the income from Sr. Eva’s sewing, the Community could continue to have daily meals and to provide the basic necessities. Meanwhile, Sr. Chrysostoma continued to teach the catechism classes to make the catechumens be baptized without any delay.

But the communist regime tightened their grip and oppressed the Sisters and their mission. Sr. Chrysostoma tried her best for the lost sheep. At last, in 1949, she with the other Sisters imprisoned and then sent to the Oksaduk hard labor camps in the deep mountains. She and the other German Sisters and Brothers endured all kinds of hardships of hunger, malnutrition, oppression, extreme physical hardships and psychological persecution, for four years and 10 months. While there, she composed poems in little pieces of paper and hid them in her body. At times, she told them her own mind against their apparent oppression and injustices. As the eldest of the Community she helped out the young Superior without thinking her own safety. -Sr. Veronica Lee- Responsible for Daegu Priory Archives (Translated by Sr. Maria Paul Sung)

“…that in all things God may be glorified” (Pt 4,11)

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