Last August an exchange programme brought together young people from mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong on the Korean island of Jeju. In all 47 people including priests, religious and lay missionaries together with the young people participated in this gathering as part of preparations for World Youth Day [WYD] in Korea in 2027.
Fr. Peter met the group of young students at Jeju airport and brought them to the Columban house, which is situated close to one Jeju island’s tourist attractions, the famous ‘Dragon’s Head Rock’. After the opening Mass all the participants moved to Blessed Kim Ki-Ryang’s Memorial Hall in Hamdeok, his hometown. Blessed Kim Ki-Ryang was born in Jeju in 1816 and was martyred in 1867. “I was deeply moved as I listened to the life of Jeju’s first martyr. There is a wooden cross in the hall where the young people participated in a ritual in which they wrote down the particular crosses they are carrying in their lives and nailed them to the cross. They were able to connect their particular difficulties with those of the Lord, and realise they are never alone in their suffering,” Fr. Peter recalled.
“Next morning we listened to a lecture by Columban Missionary Fr. Michael Riordan who is currently in charge of the farm complex at St. Isidore’s. He spoke to us about the life and work of Fr. PJ McGlinchey from Ireland who founded St. Isidore’s Farm. Fr. PJ was appointed to Jeju in 1954, immediately after the Korean War (1950-53) when the place was completely destroyed. However, he did not despair amid the ruins and devastation but instead launched his ministry with the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did to me”. For Fr. PJ it was not enough to just preach the gospel; it was important to fulfil it practically by engaging with people’s economic difficulties, their health issues, the lack of education for young people and women, and address the quality of life of the elderly, for whom he established a hospice. He saw the farm, where he raised pigs, sheep and cattle, as a way to help islanders improve their war-torn economy and improve their nutrition.”
“Fr. Michael introduced us to the farm, the racehorses and the retired older horses explaining that racehorses run from three to five years. When their racing days are over, they are expensive to take care of with the result that nowadays many of them are put down. He explained that as we humans have lives so also do horses and at St. Isidore’s good care is provided for sick or aging horses until they die of natural causes. We were invited to reflect on the relationship between people and heaven, with each other, as well as between people and nature. It is only when we understand and look after each other that true coexistence takes place. In the Garden of Grace was walked with Columban Fr. Joseph Yang who is the current director of the St. Isidore’s retreat centre. We reflected on Jesus’s journey from the Annunciation to his Ascension.”
“On the third day we visited Yongsu Shrine where Fr. Kim Dae-gun [Andrea] celebrated his first Mass in Korea.” He is also known as St. Andrew Kim Taegon. He was the first Korean-born Catholic priest, and he is the patron saint of Korean clergy. He was martyred in 1846 during a period of intense persecution in Korea. On the 17th of August in 1845 Fr. Kim was ordained a priest in a church near Shanghai in China and later he set forth for Korea on a ship called ‘Raphael’. After three days a storm blew up, and the ship drifted for 28 days before ending up stranded in Yongsuri in Jeju. “On our faith journey when we sometimes come up against rough seas we need to hold each other’s hands and stand shoulder to shoulder, so that no storm defeats us and we set sail again confidently,” Fr. Peter explained.
On the fourth day of the programme, the group visited the April 3rd Peace Park. It was built in 2008 to commemorate the South Korean state’s atrocities towards civilians on Jeju Island before and during the Korean War. “We heard of the wounds and profound pain Jeju endured. The names of those who lives was taken and are buried there will never be forgotten but hopefully will produce peace.”
“That night we celebrated a Cultural Night in which we sang songs in the same language, shared similar memories and while standing shoulder to shoulder we shared joy as we held each other’s hands. It was a moment when our hearts were connected with heaven and earth becoming one. Our seeds of friendship and faith began to take root. I believe that this meeting will surely yield ‘Autumn Fruits’. We will become pilgrims of hope with our hearts on fire as we convey this hope to all around us.”
