Pope reflects on apostolic journey to Korea

August 20, 2014

Pope Francis devoted his August 20 general audience to his recent apostolic journey to Korea, during which he beatified 124 martyrs and celebrated the closing Mass at the 6th Asian Youth Day.

South Korea “is a country that has had a remarkable and rapid economic development,” he said to those assembled at Paul VI Audience Hall. “In this situation, the Church is the custodian of memory and hope: a spiritual family in which adults pass the torch of faith that they themselves have received from the elderly on to the young people.”

“In the history of the faith in Korea we see that Christ does not erase cultures, does not suppress the pilgrimage of peoples, who, through the centuries and millennia, seek truth and practice love for God and neighbor,” he continued. “Christ does not abolish what is good, but brings it to fulfillment.”

“The Church took root in Korea and grew largely because of lay people, who saw the attractiveness of the Gospel and sought to live like the first Christians, in equal dignity and solidarity with the poor,” he added.

Pope Francis concluded by praying for the Korean people and by thanking those who prayed and offered condolences following the death of his nephew’s family in an automobile crash.

 

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Further information:

• Pope on Korea trip: memory, hope, witness (Vatican Radio)
• Il grazie di Papa Francesco per le preghiere per i suoi familiari scomparsi (Vatican Radio)
• Pope mourns nephew's family, killed in auto crash (CWN, 8/19)