Korean Catholics pass 10 percent milestone

[Habesha]

The number of Catholics in South Korea has passed 10 percent for the first time since the faith was established here in 1784.

According to the latest figures from the Catholic Bishops´ Conference of Korea, Catholics numbered a little over five million, or 10.1 percent of the national population of 50,643,781, at the end of 2009.

The figures are part of a comprehensive set of statistics on today’s Catholic Church in Korea:

• Females represent 2,992,774, or 58.5 percent, of all Catholics.
• The figure for male Catholics stands at 2,119,601.
• 52.3 percent are aged 30-59, 28.3 percent are under 30 and 19.2 percent are over 60.
• There are now 4,404 priests, an increase of 200 from 2008.
• 4,193 of the priests are native Koreans.
• There are presently 30 bishops including one cardinal.
• There are 10,073 female religious, a small increase from 9,951 in 2008.
• There are 1,555 male religious, an increase of just two from 2008.
• There are 1,571 parishes, an increase of 28 compared to 2008, but 1,017 mission stations, a decrease of 20.
• Finally, there are 15 dioceses plus one military ordinariate.

ucanews.com/2010/06/07/koreas-catholic-population-passes-10-percent-milestone/

 

[Digitonomy]

Any idea what accounts for this? Has there been significant evangelization and conversion, or a higher birth rate in Catholic families than non-Catholics, or immigration from countries with large Catholic populations?

 

[Habesha]

Any idea what accounts for this? Has there been significant evangelization and conversion, or a higher birth rate in Catholic families than non-Catholics, or immigration from countries with large Catholic populations?

According to Wikipedia:

Part of this growth could be attributed to the Church’s relatively positive perception by the general public for its role in the democratization of South Korea, its active participation in various works of social welfare, and its respectful approach to interfaith relationship and matters of traditional Korean spirituality.

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The professor Kim Jong-seo, who teaches science of religion at the Seoul National University, analyzed the reasons for the success of Catholic evangelization in Korea. According to the teacher, there are six key points that have enabled this result:

Unity and hierarchical organization. The South Korean Catholic Church is organized into sixteen dioceses led by ordinary bishops, which all respond to the Conference of Bishops. This, in turn, is divided into six commissions and 20 committees. The Whole Church functions as an organic body under hieratical leadership, which has made a favourable impression on the Korean people.

Integrity living a life of integrity is important for Korean clergy and consecrated persons. Administration of financial affairs of the dioceses and parishes is conducted in a transparent way at all levels, which has given good image of Catholic Church to Korean people.

The commitment to justice and peace The Korean Catholic Church has played an important and prophetic role during almost three decades of democratization, under the persecution of the military regime since 1960s. Numerous priests, religious and lay faithful including the late bishop Daniel Ji Hak-sun were imprisoned and tortured for fighting against injustice and siding with the weak in society. Nowadays, the whole Church including the Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice (CPAJ) and other Catholic NGOs are very much involved in environmental, ethical and social issues and the promotion of the human rights.

Tolerance towards ancestral rites. In 1742, Pope Benedict XIV prohibited devotion to ancestral rites condemning them as superstition, thus providing China and Korea an excuse to persecute Christians. But in 1939 pope Pius XI decided to allow the Confucian ancestral rite under the condition all superstitious elements were removed. Something the Protestant Church does not allow.

An open attitude toward the other religions. While some religions are unfriendly to other religions the open attitude of Catholic Church to other religions gives favourable impression to non-Catholics. This is the result of Vatican II which opened the Korean Chuch to others. During the military different religions collaborated for the democratisation of the nation.

Social commitment. Under the guidance of their bishops Korean Catholics are committed to the poor and this has given much impetus to evangelization. The fact that this commitment is open to all - irrespective of nationality, race or creed - shows the goodness of primary teaching that is the basis of Catholicism.

To these six points, concluded Professor Kim, “must be added the important influence of figures such as the Korean martyrs and the late Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, the undisputed star of his era.”

asianews.it/news-en/Church-growing-stronger-in-Korea-17958.html

 

[MercyMia]

How awesome!

 

[EphelDuath]

I thought liberal democracy destroyed religion – it’s pleasant to finally see a counter-example.

 

[TempleofTheSoul]

This is fantastic to know. I have always held the belief that the renewal in the Catholic Church will come from Africa and Asia.

God bless them all.

 

[MugenOne]

Vietnam’s Catholic still carries many of Confucius traditions. Vietnam, China, Korea, and Japan all have similar Catholic history. All were persecuted and killed in the thousands.