Five South Korean missionaries sent abroad.

A special Mass in Myeongdong Cathedral on Feb. 22 was celebrated by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, auxiliary bishops and priests to mark their missions.

The priests are being sent to Mexico, Japan, Spain and the United States to follow the teaching of Jesus: “Go and proclaim the kingdom of God (Lk. 9:60).”

In his homily, Cardinal Yeom said: “I, as archbishop of Seoul, now dispatch five of you as witnesses of God’s love to places where the love is sincerely needed. Please be beautiful priests who proclaim the Good News of God.”

He added: “Whenever you feel unfamiliar with the new environment, please don’t forget to ask for God’s consolation, just like babies who are comforted in the arms of their moms. Most of all, please keep the valuable experience to encounter God in different cultural backgrounds and share them with the Korean Church and faithful when you come back.”

Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Yu Gyoung-chon told the priests that it would not be easy to deliver the gospel because of various challenges including language barriers.

“However, please love the people you meet with the love of pastors, with the love of apostles. If you try your best to be together and love one another, they will certainly be moved by the time they share with you. And the time will certainly give you joy and gratitude,” he said.

A priest who is being sent to the Archdiocese of Madrid in Spain said: “As I have been studying in Spain for more than three years, I have found a lot of differences in the Spanish Church. I believe that by sharing the specific characteristics of the Korean Church, the churches in both countries can win and flourish.”

The Archdiocese of Seoul sent its first missionary priest to France in 1989 and has sent 58 priests to 21 countries.