By Paul Dobbyn
THE outpouring of faith and emotion from Pope Francis’ visit to South Korea has come as no surprise to Columban Father Trevor Trotter.
Pope Francis’ visit to South Korea for five days from August 14 was the first papal visit to Asia in 15 years.
Brisbane-based Fr Trotter, who was vicar general of the Columban’s general council, said he last visited the country in 2012 and described the Catholic faith there as “exciting and dynamic”.
“South Korea is actually the second most missionary country in the world after the US,” he said.
“One of the most important things the Pope did was to beatify the 124 Korean martyrs.
“This is because the South Koreans are very proud of the fact – and rightly so – that their Catholic faith was founded by lay people rather than foreigners.
“Their own people went to China and brought the faith back from there.”
South Korean Catholics living in Brisbane supported Fr Trotter’s view.
Susan Min, a Mass-goer and adorer at Fortitude Valley’s Villa Maria Centre, said her English was almost insufficient to express her feelings about Pope Francis’ visit to her home country.
“For me his visit was as though Jesus had visited and was walking in my home country,” she said.
Pope Francis’ visit was “a big event” linking to other big events in South Korea this year.
“For example, there was the tragedy when the Sewol (ferry) sank in April and around 300 died,” Ms Min said.
“The Pope’s visit was a kind of healing … he has expressed love and compassion for the victims, unlike the country’s government who are still fighting between themselves over who is to blame.”
Ms Min said her mother, Moonja Choi, was raised in a Catholic orphanage from the age of eight, having lost both her parents in fighting during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.
“My mother became a Catholic at the age of 17, shortly after leaving the orphanage and becoming independent,” she said.
“When I was eight, my father, a Buddhist at that time dying of cancer, and my sister and brother … we were all baptised as Catholics.
“Last year my mother visited Brisbane and came with me daily to Mass and adoration at Villa Maria.”
Junik Seo, 35, a member of Brisbane’s South Korean community, which meets at Jubilee Parish, said she had never expected anything of the magnitude of a pope’s visit to happen in her home country.
“This is the biggest Catholic event I have heard of in my home country,” she said.
“The Pope has visited very significant places in Korea including very poor people; he wasn’t thinking about the rich or the ‘no problem guys’.
“I’m sure the Catholic faith there will be made even stronger by Pope Francis’ visit.
“I would love to have been there too.”
