Tuesday, August 14, 2012

STOMPED ON THE BODY OF CHRIST

 Father Mun picks up the sacred "body of Christ" after police stomped on the Eucharist" on August 8 during a mass in front of Navy base
 On August 13 the Catholic community gathered in Seoul for a protest mass calling for President Lee to apologize for the Eucharist incident days before in Gangjeong village.  They also demanded that Navy base construction be halted.


Regina Pyon reports from Gangjeong village:

Korean Catholic Priests' Association for Justice held a mass on August 13 near Seoul city hall and said, "the Eucharist damage incident (of August 8 at the gate of Jeju military base building site) is the incident that President Lee should apologize to Korean Catholic church....Police has destroyed thoroughly the dignity of Christ, the core of our faith."

National Justice and Peace Commission of Korean Catholic Bishops' Conference issued a statement in the name of Bishop Lee Yong-hoon, chairperson of the commission, on August 10, regarding "the trampled Eucharist" at Jeju naval base building site. It said that the damage of the Eucharist is "a serious challenge and outrage toward Catholic church" and urged the apology by those responsible, prevention of recurrence, and immediate stop of Jeju naval base building. 
In the process of Catholic mass on August 8 [in Gangjeong village], the Eucharist was trampled by the police, and Fr. Mun, who officiated the mass, didn't leave the place for two hours until the priest of Jeju, Fr. Koh Byong-Su, has come to collect the "trampled Eucharist."
Fr. Koh is co-chair of Korean Catholic Solidarity for the Peace Island Jeju which all the 15 justice and peace commissions at diocesan level participate since last October. Catholic Confederation for Justice, one of the largest lay umbrella group belonging to the Solidarity, also issued a statement. 

You can watch a video that tells the story here

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