Korean Catholics remember late Cardinal Cheong

South Korea

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong is hailed as a deeply spiritual leader, efficient administrator and outstanding scholar

Catholics in South Korea have attended a memorial Mass and a special exhibition to pay tribute to late Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk on his first death anniversary.

Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul and Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, former archbishop of Seoul, concelebrated a memorial Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in the national capital on April 27.

About 800 Catholics including family members of late prelate joined the Mass, according to a press release from Seoul Archdiocese.

Archbishop Chung hailed Cardinal Cheong for his illustrious life both as a deeply spiritual leader and an outstanding scholar who wrote valuable books for the Church that left a glorious legacy.

“He had dedicated his life to the service to others, influencing his people not only through his words but actions. Let us dedicate our determination through this Mass that we will love one another just as the prelate has loved us all,” Archbishop Chung said during his homily.

Following the Mass, Archbishop Chung launched a special exhibition on the life and works of Cardinal Cheong along with Cardinal Yeom and the bishops of Seoul.

As a pro-life advocate, he strongly opposed abortion. He made the life issue a central theme of pastoral affairs in both dioceses he served

Seoul Archdiocesan Catholic History Museum has organized the exhibition with the theme Omnibus Omnia (All Things to All Men), the coat of arms of the late prelate, that will run to Oct. 30. The exhibition features 160 relics of Cardinal Cheong including his baptism and confirmation certificates and the miter worn at his installation mass as archbishop of Seoul in 1998.

Nicholas Cheong was born on Dec. 7, 1931. He studied chemical engineering before joining priestly formation. He was ordained a priest on March 18, 1961. He studied canon law at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome.

At the age of 39, he became the youngest bishop of Korea and led Cheongju Diocese from 1970 to 1998.

He was appointed archbishop of Seoul in 1998 where he served until his retirement in 2012. Simultaneously, he made laudable efforts for peace with North Korea as the administrator of Pyongyang. Unification, reconciliation and peace on the Korean Peninsula were a major priority for him.

From 1998 to 2004, he was head of the Korean bishops’ Commission for the Reconciliation of Korean People. He pioneered the creation of the National Reconciliation Center in Paju, near the border with North Korea, in 2014 to foster better relations with North Korea and promote peace, reconciliation and evangelization.

Archbishop Cheong served as a member of the CBCK’s executive committee from 1975-99 and as president of its committee for canonical affairs from 1983 to 2006. He was the CBCK president from 1996-99.

In Cheongju Diocese, he helped establish Kkottongnae (Flower Village), the largest church-run social welfare facility in South Korea

From 2007-12, he was a member of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational and Economic Affairs of the Holy See. From 2006-12, he was a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Cardinal Cheong prioritized evangelization and authored and translated some 60 books, mostly related to canon law and catechism.

As a pro-life advocate, he strongly opposed abortion. He made the life issue a central theme of pastoral affairs in both dioceses he served.

He launched Seoul Archdiocese’s Committee for Life in 2005 and initiated the annual Mass for Life to spread the culture of respect for life and to emphasize the need for a movement for life.

Cardinal Cheong also extended helping hands to disadvantaged people. In Cheongju Diocese, he helped establish Kkottongnae (Flower Village), the largest church-run social welfare facility in South Korea.

Cardinal Cheong died on April 27 last year at the age of 89 due to old age ailments.

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