Catholic Church of Korea

1. Statistics

Laity
As of December 31, 2013, Catholics in Korea total 5,442,996 or 10.4% of the nation’s population (52,127,386). Over the past decade, the Catholic proportion of the total population has slowly but steadily increased and remained over 10% since 2009. The biggest age group is 50-54 years, which accounts for 10.1% of the Catholic believers. The Catholic youth population (10-19 years) is 465,007 or 8.5% of the total. The age group of 65 years or over amounted to 15.9% of the total.

Parishes and Stations
The Catholic Church in Korea operates 1,668 parishes and 791 stations.

Sacramental Pastoral Care
In 2013, a total of 118,830 were baptized, and the annual average is over 100,000. Of the 2013 figure, 21.5% was for infants, 73.3% for adult and 5.2% conditional. In the same year, the average Sunday Mass turnout was 21.2% of the Catholics in Korea, down 5.1% from a year ago. Compared with 2012, the newly baptized in 2013 dropped 10.0%, and the number of marriages also slid 6.2%. In 2013, 38.3% of the marriages were sacramental and 62.4% was administered with a dispensation.

Clergy and Religious
In Korea, the Church has 36 bishops, including two cardinals, and a total of 4,865 priests: 4,695 Korean and 170 non-Korean. Among the priests, 3,995 are diocesan, 697 religious and 173 missionary.

The ratio of priests to laity is one to 1,119. Among diocesan priests, 2,125 (53.2%) are in charge of parishes, 910 (22.8%) special ministry, 187 (4.7%) studying in Korea or overseas, 173 (4.3%) overseas Korean ministry, 92 (2.3%) military chaplains, 82 (2.1%) on mission to foreign nations according to Fidei Donum published in 1957 and 269 (6.7%) retired.

Religious orders total 165: 46 for men and 119 for women. Their members altogether stand at 11,737: 1,564 male and 10,173 female. Compared with 2012, the total number of members remained unchanged, but the number of orders for women added eight.

2. Characteristics of the Catholic Church in Korea

Started by laymen’s faith
In Korea, the Church was started by lay believers’ study, which is unheard of elsewhere, and grew very fast, thanks to the martyrdom of numerous early Catholics. In early 17th century, Catholicism was transmitted to Korea through related books that were available in China and in the Chinese language, thanks to the Jesuit presence there. Carried by Korean envoys to Beijing, the books prompted a wave called “Western learning” in Korea. A study that started out of simple curiosity evolved into a practical spirit for Koreans to adopt Western technology based on “practical learning”. Then, it further spread and became a religious movement. Likewise, what Yi Byeok (later christened John the Baptist) initially had was an interest in the Western learning, but it turned out to be the starting point for a journey of faith. Upon his recommendation, Yi Seung-hun (Peter), brothers Gwon Cheol-shin (Ambrosio) and Il-shin (Francisco Xavier), and Jeong Yak-jong (Augustine) embraced the Gospel. Finally, Yi Byeok sent Yi Seung-hun to Beijing in 1784 to get baptized. Upon his return, Peter Yi Seung-hun performed baptism to his colleagues at Yi Beok’s place. In this manner, Catholics in Korea grew to 4,000 in five years without a single priest or a missionary. Then, the Korean Catholic community requested the bishop of Beijing to send a priest, and strictly followed the teachings of the Church, such as respecting human dignity and equality despite the deep-rooted social stratification and abiding by the ban on traditional ancestral rites. As their faith stirred strife, the early Catholics became a target of severe suppression and persecution. However, they bravely stood by their faith and protected the Church community at the risk of their life or imprisonment.

Growth with Help of the Church around the World
In 1950-1953, the Korean War left the nation with deep scars at many levels including the Church and its people. For Koreans who were left with nothing but despair, the Church around the world gave a helping hand. The practice of charity provided a stepping stone for the Korean Church and Koreans to recover religious and social vitality.

At that time, the Catholic Church in Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere sent a number of priests, nuns and missionaries to Korea. And, financial assistance from Catholic Relief Services in the U.S., Misereor in Germany, Catholic Women’s Organization in Austria, Caritas Internationalis, etc. fueled growth of the Church in Korea.

It is true that, in the beginning, the Korean Church played a limited role by portioning out assistance from overseas religious communities as a maintenance allowance. As time passed, however, the Church began to cooperate with Misereor and others to do more than that and began development projects that would people to stand on their own. Thus, the Church used overseas support to assist maturation of Korean society and help Koreans to build their social, cultural and economic capacities.

Koreans are well aware of these efforts. When asked about contributors to Korea’s modernization, formation directors of seven religions in Korea listed Korean Catholic priests followed by foreign missionaries, Catholic relief agencies overseas and religious orders on top. This indicates Korean society has a beautiful memory of how overseas Catholic communities’ charity contributed to the nation’s enlightening and revival.

After receiving overseas assistance until the mid-1980s, the Korean Church began to change its role. The Church provided emergency relief overseas and cooperated in international development projects in Asia (North Korea, Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Myanmar and Mongolia,) and Africa. Since 1993, the Church has supported 655 projects.

Evangelization of local community through social welfare ministry
According to the above-mentioned survey, the biggest contribution made by the Catholic Church to the nation’s modernization was social welfare. Indeed, the Church’s social works have been closely related with overseas relief agencies since the Korea’s liberation through the 1990s and even until recently. This testifies the charity of the Church overseas has steadily influenced development of the Church and society in Korea.

The Korean Church’s caring ministry has been well known through its works in Sorokdo, St. Luzurus Village and Ggotdongne. Its work is highly regarded, which has been illustrated by the survey above where the Church ranked first among contributors to Korea’s modernization in said survey. Indeed, the Church-affiliated social work organizations have won public confidence as an entity that brings about healthy social welfare. And, the Korean Church has been faithful in its role of evangelical communication with the local community.

In this context, a noteworthy point is the One-Body One-Spirit Movement (OBOS) that was launched by the Seoul archdiocese during the preparation process for the 44th International Eucharistic Congress which took place in Seoul on October 4-8, 1989. The basic goal of the movement was to incarnate Jesus Christ’s serving and sharing in today’s world by realizing the mystery of the Eucharist in our daily lives. Once approved by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK) in October 1988, the movement spread nationwide led by the archdiocese.

Beginning with adoption and blood donation services, OBOS expanded to a life sharing campaign (e.g., organ donation, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and umbilical cord blood donation), environmental efforts to preserve the creation order, life respect projects (e.g., treatment fee assistance for patients with incurable or rare diseases, abortion and suicide preventions) and international cooperation (overseas relief and volunteer services). By doing so, OBOS has laid the groundwork for culture of life respect and sharing for the Church and society. The movement was dedicated to help the poor in and outside Korea to enjoy the blessing of human dignity as God’s image, regardless of their race, religion, ideology and nationality. Along the way, OBOS has integrated segments of social care ministry. The movement firmed faith of Korean Catholics as they practiced it in their everyday life.

The Church that Participated in the Fate of the People
In Korea’s modern history of ~60 years, the Catholic Church has lefts its marks as the light and salt of society and enhanced its social position along the way.

The Yong Christian Workers (Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne or JOC in French) of Korea organized a national committee and popularized Catholic labor movement by protecting workers’ rights and interests during the bleak years of the military dictatorship. Of note, Korean bishops’ manifesto condemning the government in the 1970s delivered a message of hope to Korean society that was choked by the dictatorship. At the same time, the statement powered the nation to turn its path around to democracy. Bishops also released a pastoral letter to disclose toxic provisions of the Mother and Child Health Law in 1973 and announced its position against artificial abortions in 1976. In hindsight, the bishops were far sighted as 30 years later, the country struggles with a low birthrate. The Korean Church steadily made efforts to improve democracy of the nation. For example, priests of the Incheon diocese started a fast to oppose the government’s refusal to amend the Constitution which had been revised by the strongman’s administration and gave him dictatorial powers, and call for democracy. In the same year, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan and Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice divulged how the government had covered up police torture and consequent death of university student Park Jong-chul. In 1989, the Korean Church organized an all-diocese committee to protest against the National Security Law.

In Korea, farmers’ movement began with establishment of the Korean Catholic Farmers Movement (renamed as Corean Catholic Farmers Movement) in 1966 and expanded with a campaign center to support Korean farmers opened during the 1990s. The movement catalyzed Korean society to reflect on the realities of the nation’s farming and support farmers and their produce in every step from cultivation to processing and to distribution.

The Korean Church has materialized the image of Church that is united and engages in social justice by serving a prophetic role, thereby gaining a moral authority. For example, the Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea called for withdrawal of the Mother and Child Health Law in 1992. In the same year, the Prison Apostolate of the Seoul archdiocese launched an anti-capital punishment movement. In 1994, the CBCK Committee for Justice and Peace voiced its opposition to abortions in July 1994. The CBCK formed a Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People in 1995 to promote the two Koreas to make peace with each other. Along the way, the Korean Church has earned the public’s trust.