Cardinal Yu Heung-sik: "We Must Accept the Life Given to Each of Us as a Grace..."

Seoim Thanksgiving Mass "The Lowly Seat Is Truly a Privileged Place Close to God"
Cardinal Yeom Su-jung "Hope You Also Fulfill Your Role Well for Peace on the Korean Peninsula..."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

"All misfortunes begin with comparing oneself to others. The era's trend that demands winning in competition goes against the life of the Gospel."

Cardinal Lazarus Yoo Heung-sik (70) said this on the 28th (local time) while celebrating a thanksgiving mass at the Pontifical Korean College in Rome, Italy. He preached, "When someone invites you, do not sit in the place of honor, but go and sit at the lowest place. The lowly seat is the privileged place closely connected to God." He continued, "Accept the life given to each of you as a grace," and said, "The rest is what God thinks about and lifts up."

The thanksgiving mass proceeded in a solemn and reverent manner. Cardinal Yoo lightened the atmosphere by sharing an anecdote related to Pope Francis. When he heard the news of his cardinal appointment on May 29 and felt overwhelmed, the Pope told him, "Cardinal, sometimes when you wear the red clothes (the color of a cardinal's attire), you look handsome, so wear them well." He also introduced three daily resolutions: having a heart that knows how to let go, living in the present moment, and looking at Jesus nailed to the cross amid difficulties and suffering.

The thanksgiving mass was attended by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, Chairman of the Korean Catholic Bishops' Conference Bishop Lee Yong-hoon, Archbishop of Seoul Jung Soon-taek, Bishop Kim Jong-su of Daejeon, and others. About 300 people, including government representatives such as Jeon Byung-guk, First Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a delegation of ruling and opposition party members led by Rep. Lee Myung-soo of the People Power Party, domestic Catholic faithful pilgrimage groups, and Korean believers in Rome, also participated. In his congratulatory remarks, Cardinal Yeom explained, "Cardinal means 'hinge on a door,'" and said, "As the Pope's highest advisor, he will play a role in guiding the faithful on the path to heaven." He added, "There are many tasks for cardinals, such as the worldwide decline in vocations," and urged, "I hope you will also fulfill your role for peace on the Korean Peninsula."

Chairman Lee Yong-hoon said, "We expect Cardinal Yoo, who has been passionately serving the universal Church, to fulfill important duties not only for the Korean and Asian Churches but also within the universal Church through his appointment as cardinal." Rep. Lee Myung-soo said, "Ahead of the 60th anniversary of Korea-Holy See diplomatic relations next year, this is a great honor and celebration for the Korean Catholic Church," and prayed, "I hope he will shine as a great star and light in the history of not only Korean but also world Catholicism." He added, "I think Cardinal Stephen Kim Soo-hwan (1922?2009), who has passed away, is watching today's thanksgiving mass from somewhere."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Cardinal Yoo officially became a member of the College of Cardinals of the Roman Church on the 29th, presided over by Pope Francis. He is the fourth cardinal of the Korean Catholic Church, following Stephen Kim Soo-hwan, Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk (1931?2021), and Andrew Yeom Soo-jung (78). A cardinal is an honorable position with authority and prestige second only to the Pope in the Catholic Church. The College of Cardinals, to which all cardinals worldwide belong, is the Pope's highest advisory body under canon law. Cardinal Yoo will begin his full activities as a cardinal by attending meetings presided over by the Pope on the 29th and 30th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.