Incheon Diocese in South Korea has established a new committee to revitalize mission activities and evangelization through culture and arts.
The initiative is a part of the diocese’s programs to mark its 60th foundation anniversary and the 200th birth anniversary of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first Korean priest who was martyred in the 19th century.
The diocese established the six-member culture and arts committee on Nov. 5 with Father Kim Il-hoe as chairman, reports Catholic Times of Korea. All the members have background and expertise in culture and arts including music.
The committee is entrusted with the preparation and implementation of cultural projects including exhibition and performance spaces in order to allow both believers and non-believers to participate in activities to express their love for Catholic culture and arts.
Father Kim, chairman of the committee, said the new body is timely as the diocese has been organizing a range of cultural and artistic events this year, not just for Catholics but for all in collaboration with public authorities in Incheon city.
“We have plans to prepare a variety of events in which both the believers and citizens in the territory of Incheon Diocese can participate together, such as art and photography exhibitions,” Father Kim said.
The committee will organize the Sea Star Culture and Arts Festival and Peace All Together Festival in June 2022
The formation of the committee follows the establishment of Peter Lee Yi Seung-hun Memorial and History Park in Jangsu-dong in Incheon in collaboration with the city authorities. Lee (1756-1801) was among the first Catholic martyrs of Korea.
The committee will organize the Sea Star Culture and Arts Festival and Peace All Together Festival in June 2022 at St. Mary’s Hall in the diocese. In October, in collaboration with the Catholic Artists’ Association, the committee will arrange a photography exhibition at Incheon Arts Center that will be open to all citizens.
In November, a concert has been planned to celebrate the establishment of the Peter Lee Yi Seung-hun Memorial in Incheon Arts Center and a musical festival for young and adults (aged 19-45) at Boniface Auditorium of Incheon Diocese.
Incheon Diocese was established as an apostolic vicariate by Pope John XXIII on June 6, 1961. It was elevated to a diocese on March 10, 1962.
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It covers Incheon, a bustling port city of 2.8 million residents and a business and transport hub that features the ultramodern and huge Incheon International Airport, the largest and one of the busiest in the country.
Incheon is one of the largest dioceses with an estimated 500,000 Catholics in some 122 parishes.
About 56 percent of an estimated 58 million South Koreans have no religion, 20 percent are Protestant, 8 percent are Catholic and 15.5 percent are Buddhist, according to government records.
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