1595 Bishop Van Looy visits US based Korean ministry
austraLasia 1595

US-based Korean Salesian Ministry initiative gets boost from Van Looy visit

NEW YORK: 26th June 2006 --  There are more than a million young Koreans living in the US, and faithful to a long tradition of chaplaincy presence amongst immigrant peoples, the Salesians of the Eastern USA Province, with the help of Korean born Salesians, are fully committed to ministry amongst those who have now made the US their home.  Thus it was that a former Superior of the Korean Vice Province (as it was then) Bishop Luc Van Looy, included the Korean ministry in his recent 5 day visit to the Province.  On Sunday 25th he presided at the first Don Bosco Festival of the Reborn Young Christ (RYC) movement, a Salesian initiative for effective youth ministry amongst young Korean-Americans
    Pastor in charge, Fr Gus Baek, who is based in the Rockland Korean Catholic Apostolate, one of 98 USA based Korean Catholic parishes, is himself Korean born but completed all his Salesian formation in the USA.  He is assisted now by Fr Raphael Lee, a former novice director from the Korean province and on loan to this ministry in the US.  There is a third Korean Salesian in Tampa, FL, Fr Bernard Lee.
    The first Don Bosco Festival was aimed at launching the spirit and practice of Salesian youth ministry amongst US Korean Catholics.  One particular aim was to make known the new Youth Ministry Research Centre.  On this occasion Korean Catholic youth and their parents were invited, and more than 500 took part.  The morning Eucharist was presided over by Bishop Van Looy, followed by an Agape-Bazaar-Food Festival as a fund-raiser for the Centre, a mini concert and youth events, the day concluding with Benediction.
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