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| JSA Roman Catholic Church/Courtesy of Military Ordinariate in Korea |
By Do Je-hae
The recent completion of a new Catholic church near the inter-Korean border has captured worldwide attention as the newest symbol of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The JSA Roman Catholic Church in Camp Bonifas in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, replaces the existing one which was first built back in the 1950s, only a few years after the 1950-53 Korean War.
Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il, bishop of Military Ordinariate in Korea, officiated the Mass to celebrate the completion of the new church on Aug. 21 with dignitaries and guests from the military and the Roman Catholic Church, including Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, the Apostolic Nuncio to both South Korea and Mongolia and former first private secretary of Pope Francis.
The bishop, who has led the Military Oridinariate of Korea since 2010, said in a recent interview with The Korea Times that the new church has a special significance as the closest South Korean church to North Korea.
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| Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il, bishop of Military Ordinariate in Korea/ Courtesy of Military Ordinariate in Korea |
"I am really happy about the church and would like to thank those who have helped with its opening," the bishop said. "Located just 4 kilometers from North Korean territory, it is closest to the North among all the Catholic churches in South Korea. It is a symbol of our hope and prayer for the peaceful unification of the two Koreas. We hope it will serve as the religious cradle for the believers among Korean and U.S. officers who serve in the Joint Security Area (JSA). It will also serve as a place of rest and meditation for visitors to Panmunjeom regardless of their religious backgrounds. The church also honors the 22 countries that fought with us or provided aid during the Korean War."
The bishop explained that the church is modeled after a small church, the Santa Maria degli Angeli, in Assisi, Italy, that was favored by Saint Francis of Assisi, one of the most venerated figures in the Catholic faith. "It has more than 800 years of history and is renowned worldwide as a place of prayer. The current Pope chose his papal name after the saint. I am very moved that we modeled the church after the one in Assisi as I belong to the order that the saint founded. I believe the church is a miracle of love from God and hope visitors to the church will experience His grace, particularly inner peace and blessing."
As the head of the Military Oridinariate of Korea, he said he always prays for the health of mind and body of the nation's soldiers and for inter-Korean peace. "We need to change, but I also pray for change in North Korea."
