austraLasia #2876 "Don Bosco of Tonj, not a Korean Schweitzer!" Salesians take firm hold of John Lee legacy
SEOUL: 25 June 2011 -- The phenomenon of Fr John Lee,
Salesian Korean missionary to an area that will soon be
known as an independent nation, South Sudan, has taken Korea
by storm. Sometimes, despite much goodwill, the enthusiasm
his life has generated has been caught up in so many things
that are plainly secondary to who and what he was for the
poor and the sick of Tonj. Fr John Lee Taesok, sdb,
died of cancer in January 2010 after 8 years of missionary
life as a priest, medical doctor, and outstanding witness to
the Gospel. It is estimated that more than 10 million people
have already watched the film "Don't Cry Tonj", a
documentary produced by Mountain Pictures on the life of Fr
John Lee Taesok. Many thousands have banded together to
continue his legacy, and that is where there is a need for
firm direction.
The Salesians in Korea, who are rightly
proud of this outstanding Salesian's achievements, held a
Symposium on 24 June 2011 under a title that makes it very
clear where they stand on the issue: "Don Bosco of
Tonj, the life and the spirituality of Fr John Lee Taeseok".
The symposium was held in the auditorium of the Salesian
Provincial House in Seoul.
The Salesian Provincial, Fr Stephen Nam,
said in his opening address that "when we commemorate
someone, we have to know what was the real foundation of his
life and activity. It is very important, then, to discover
the roots of the life and spirituality of Fr John as a
religious and priest missionary instead of imagining some
artificial figure formed around other interests"
Retired bishop
Paul Choi, from
Suwon Diocese not too far from Seoul, visited Tonj. Bishop
Choi was looking for a mission outlet for his diocese in
southern Sudan when Fr
John was still working at full strength. Speaking
now at the Symposium Bishop Choi argued that "this Symposium
might be a good chance to see Fr
John's life with God's
eyes; this man who gave us such a wonderful example
for a better understanding of the mystery of the
incarnation".
Fr Marcelo Baek, who was John's companion
more than 10 years through and beyond initial formation,
said that “it is a huge mistake to think of him as a Korean
Schweitzer”, which the Korean media have so often dubbed him
as. "In some respects”, he continued, “Fr John was an even
better missionary than the Franco-German doctor and
theologian. Schweitzer was a great man, but is often charged
with having an attitude towards Africans that could never be
said of Fr John, who is regarded by the southern Sudanese as
a healer, friend and now their intercessor in heaven".
"The best title for him", Fr Marcelo
continued, "follows from his choice to imitate Don Bosco in
his life as a Salesian. He is Don Bosco of Tonj".
It is estimated that some 750 people
attended the Symposium, Salesian family members as well lay
people who loved Fr John and want to follow his spirit in
helping the poor. The four main speakers were Fr Marcelo
Baek, Rector of the Provincial House, Dr Teresa Shin, who
worked for one year as a volunteer at the Don Bosco School
in Tonj during Fr John's final months there, and Professor
Bosco Moon, who was Minister for Education and currently
chairman of the Korean Catholic Education Commission, and Fr
Stephen Yang, Vice Provincial.
Doctor Shin testified that "he never
turned away in sorrow, never lost his mischievous sense of
humour even when he had to physically carry severely ill
patients, or deal with unbelievably poor people living in
smelly dugouts".
Professor Moon, for his part, spoke of
the documentary, 'Don't cry Tonj', adding that the "Fr
John phenomenon that has swept the country leads to a
positive 'obsession', something that means people cannot
just stay quiet. It gives them the sense of urgency to do
some thing good for others".
"Fr John was a really great friend of
young poor people in Tonj, a true master for his disciples,
a strong bastion for patients, a healer of souls through the
sacraments. Despite the shortness of his life he was able to
do everything he could and wanted to do", Fr Stephen Yang
noted as he spoke of Fr John Lee's spirituality, and added
that "we can say that Fr John was a man of God who
faithfully put Jesus' teachings into practice as a Salesian
of Don Bosco in everyday life. So we might rightly call him
"Don Bosco of Tonj".
The symposium concluded with a viewing of
a DVD narrating Fr John's life in Tonj and comparing this to
Don Bosco's Oratory in Valdocco.
The CEO of Mountain Pictures gave a
substantial donation to the Salesian missions in Africa to
the Provincial. _________________ AustraLasia
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