Jesus the Light of the World!

DAEGU PRIORY NEWSLETTER DPN 405 Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, Daegu Priory, South, KOREA December 2016 Jesus the Light of the World! - John 8:12-1 - Back Hill of Daegu Priory House -

Saturday-Sunday, December 24-25: Christmas and the Celebration of Christ s Birth The Star in the high came down to us! The celebration of the Birth of Christ was started from the first Vespers and after the Vespers the sisters marched with joy to the community chapter room following two postulants holding lantern and a group of sisters playing the flute to listen M. Angela s Christmas message. The Christmas Matutine was started at 10 PM and followed by the Christmas Midnight Mass. The priory chapel was packed by many guests to attend the Midnight Mass and at the end of the Mass the sister sang the Transeamus usque Bethlehem! Once again we experienced the joy of welcoming the Christ Child on Christmas night and day! With love and great imagination the uncountable cribs are trying to represent what Luke s Gospel tells us about the place and conditions of this holy birth: in Bethlehem, the city of David, yet in the nowhere, near shepherd fields, maybe in an animal shelter since the only indicated sign of the place is a manger. Shepherds in the fields near by receive the joyful announcement of this birth. And what an announcement! This day a Savior has been born to you, the Christ, the Lord.. How can they recognize the child announced to be born? The sign given was such an ordinary one: a new-born child wrapped in swaddling clothes.., there was however a strange distinguishing feature: they would find this child laying in a manger. The shepherds find Mary and Joseph with the baby lying in the manger. They relate what they had been told about the child and ALL who hear it are ATONISHED. Who are these ALL? According to the text only Mary and Joseph and the child are there. If we believe that the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mk 1:1) is for us, then we are among the ALL around the manager. We are in contact with the holy WORD, with the Eucharist every day; we are in contact with people, simple shepherds, with old people like Simeon and Anna. Today, with ALL our Sisters we are standing around the manger. Dear Sisters, we ALL meet around the MANGER. Let us listen to the Message and be filled with WONDER! - A part of the Christmas Message 2016 of Mother Angela Strobel, OSB, Prioress General - 2

Saturday, December 31: The Year Out, Year In Liturgy of the Word! The Liturgy of the Word for the Old Year Out and the New Year In was held at 7:30 PM on the last day of the year 2016 at chapel of the priory house. We looked back thanked to God for His mercy bestowed upon us in the year 2016, and we interceded with God on behalf of the Church, the world and our country, our congregation and priory, and entrusted our need to the faithful and loving God in the year 2017. After the Liturgy of the Word, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and adored by the sisters until the 5 AM. Monday-Tuesday, December 5-6: Making Convent Kimchi Preparation for coming winter months, sisters made convent kimchi, the traditional fermented Korean side dish made of main ingredients of cabbage, radish, garlic, dried red chili peppers and a variety of seasonings. The cabbage and radish, garlic and chili peppers were grown in the convent farm by our sisters. This year we used 500 cabbages to make kimchi. Saturday, December 17 The 2 nd Exhibition of Art Work and Bazaar of Scholastica House The Sisters of Scholastica House prepared with their utmost heart to have the 2 nd exhibition of art works and bazaar to help the neighboring poor and marginalized. 3

Friday, December 30: Fire Drill The two public markets, South Gate Market and Paldal Market, were burned down lately, and they brought warning to us. Therefore, we had the fire drill in the convent learning how to use the equipment to extinguish of a fire before it spread and how to cope in the event of a fire and/or other emergency. We practiced that every sister in the convent are aware of how to exit the building in the quickest, easiest and safest way possible if a fire, smoke, carbon monoxide or other emergency did occur and will help the elderly and sick sisters. Responsorial Psalms by Sr. Emmanuela Seo, OSB You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. - Acts 2:28, Psalm 16:8-11 - Finally, the fruit of the community life Missa Responsorium was compiled into a one book! First, I would like to give thanks to God and the sisters of the community for offering this newly rearranged Publication of Responsorial Psalms to the altar; for we sang together the Responsorial Psalms for a long time during the Liturgy of the Word and surrounded around the Table of Eucharist. Due to the correction of the Church Liturgical Text, this publication was delayed a lot. On the other hand, it was the time of reflection in arrangement, for at the celebration of Eucharistic Mass and the Word of the Lord was heard and the joyful answering Responsorial Psalms were garmented by melody and harmony. As the confession of St. Augustine as long the psalm is in mouth, Christ is living in me, it is my wish that may all those be received the energy from our good Lord and be filled with His love during the singing! - From a part of Preface Sr. Emmanuela Seo, OSB 4

The liturgy was already performed and we participate in the heavenly liturgy. The Song was not made by human being, but they were delivered by the angel to human being. - A NEW SONG FOR THE LORD by Pope Benedict XVI - This book was used during the Liturgy of Word in the religious community of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing Daegu Priory, and these songs of souls draw from the well of the liturgy. This book will lead to sing with one voice with the homily of priest during the Eucharistic Mass. - By Thaddeus Cho Hwan-gil, Archbishop of Daegu Practical Guidelines to Care for God s Creation by JPIC Committee of Daegu Priory (Chair Person Sr. Johann Kang, OSB) At last, the practical guidelines to Care for God s Creation was published and distributed to the sisters at this Christmas time. Sr. Johann said she was happy to give each sister this book and she hopes that we all to take care for God s Creation, the gift He gave to us. Saturday, December 3: Graduation Ceremony of the Parent Bible School The 32rd Graduation Ceremony of the Parent Bible School was held at the Junbang Neighbor Parish. Sr. Bethania Lee, Sub-prioress and some other sisters attended the ceremony and congratulated the graduates. Sunday, December 18: Donation to the Mission in India by Oblates The amount of $4,000.00 was donated by our Oblates for the education of children of the Benedict English School in Punalur, India. The school is operated by Punlar Community of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing. Monday, December 19: Sharing the Kimchi with Neighbors As one of the practices of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016, the Sisters of Group 4 and 5 made Kimchi, the traditional cabbage seasoned and fermented Korean side dish to share with poor neighbors. Since, the sisters couldn t meet each one of the neighbor, the Kimchi was delivered to the social workers of the district office to distribute them to the neighbors. 5

Saturday and Monday, December 24 and 26: Christmas Party for Elders of the Senior Citizens Center The Sub-prioress Sr. Bethania Lee, Sr. Carola Lee and five other sisters organized the Christmas Party for elders of two places of the Senior Citizens Center located near the priory house. Sisters served the delicious Christmas goodies and the elders enjoyed the party. During the party the elders sang the old songs and danced with the music, and in return the sisters sang a song for them. April 10-December 29, 2016: The Completion of Domestic Official Visitation The Domestic Official Visitation of Prioress Sr. Maoro Sye was started at Bongduri Local House in April 10, 2016 and completed lastly visitation at the Benedict Spirituality Center, thus the 32 local house visitations were completed. Sr. Maoro commented that she is very grateful for it was the occasion to encounter the realities of local houses and recheck the directions for the future. The visitation dates for overseas local houses in Los Angeles, USA and Sao Paulo, Brazil are not scheduled yet. Thursday-Sunday, December 29, 2016-January 29, 2017: The 30-Day Retreat for Ongoing Education Program The 13 sisters were started their 30-Day Retreat for Ongoing Education Program in December 29, 2016, and it will be concluded in January 29, 2017. The topic of the retreat is the Prayer of Jesus (Ceaseless Prayer) and Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Comings & Goings November 11: November 29: December 17: December 29: Sr. Bernardo Ahn returned from the 8 years and 3 months mission service in Punalur, India. Sr. Seraphia Jeung returned from the 4 years and 6 months mission service in Peramiho, Tanzania. Sr. Lumch Choi returned from one year ongoing education program in the United States of America. Sr. Columba Kim returned from 4 years mission service in Ndanda, Tanzania. 6

Saturday-Sunday, December 24-25: The Christmas Liturgy Retreat of Youth with Religious The two days of the Christmas Liturgy Retreat of 15 youths with religious was held at the priory house guided by the Vocation Promotion Ministry Team. In the sharing hour they said that they experienced the love of God and love of each other during their retreat. They returned home becoming new apostles to proclaim the Love of God! Friday, December 23: The Novitiate Members Sing Christmas Carols in Daegu Fatima Hospital The novitiate members from the priory house took parts the ceremony of rounding and visiting in and outpatients by CEO and Santa delivering the Christmas presents to patients. The novitiate members sang Christmas carols with recorders and ukuleles. The patients and families and staffs of the hospital enjoyed alike. 7

December Sharing Love with Poor Neighborhood 1. Sharing Coal Briquettes for Poor Neighbors: As celebrating the Christmas and New Year, Daegu Fatima Hospital held the love fund-raising campaign for coal briquettes for poor neighbors and obtained funds of $10,000 which is $3,000 more than last year. The parts of the fund were used to buy coal briquettes to help the poor living in confined rooms and need of coal briquettes to spend the cold winter. And the rest of the funds were used to support the resting shelter for married migrant women, childbirth delivery fees of illegal immigrant families, and necessities of life for poor in blind spots. 2. Year-End Volunteer Service of Departments: In celebrating the 60 th anniversary, the Daegu Fatima Hospital supported each department for the Year-End Meaningful and Useful Activities for sharing love to the poor and marginalized people. There were 26 departments and 28 nursing units and each department and unit planned and visited the needy to share love. The employees of each department and unit served in various activities: House remodeling of the elderly people living alone, presenting winter hats and serving dinner to homeless people, for long hours knitting wool hats for babies in participating the Save the Children activity, visiting SOS village, rehabilitation center, and prison sharing the happiness of Christmas, sending Christmas presents to the poor children in Dong-gu regional district, having Christmas party with patients and families, and sharing warm hearts with the hospital sanitation workers. This was the first event to support each department and unit to have the meaningful Year- End Love Sharing Celebration and employees experienced joy and happiness more than what they expected. Many departments and units expressed that they wish and will continue the event year after year, so that they would like to express their love to neighbor as themselves. 8

Wish Tree Bear Love Fruits On the Christmas tree in the refectory of the hospital, surrounding the children of poor families and children of the institutions wrote a wish cards to Santa for Christmas presents. The 50 wish cards were hung on the Christmas tree. Their wishes were various, I wish to eat cookies heartily, I wish to have books, I need bicycle, etc. Each Employee Santa picked one wish card and prepared and wrapped the present and delivered to each child. One boy received the bicycle and he was happy! His grandmother said the boy has changed his behavior and attitude good way after he received his wished present. Thursday, December 8: The Heating Articles and Supplies Sr. Johannes Shin, Assistant Administrator of the hospital and employees visited the District Office to entrust the heating articles and supplies of US $1,000 for 140 families. The employees make fund raising campaign to help the lower income groups and marginalized; and they supports the expenses and fees of treatment and hospitalization for them. Saturday, December 10: Making and Sharing Kimchi to the Marginalized The 60 employees of the Changwon Fatima Hospital and the Sister Institute, the South Changwon Lions Club gathered together and made kimchi with 1,000 cabbages. The Kimchi was entrusted to the District Office to distribute them to nursing homes and marginalized in the region. Kimchi forms an essential part of Korean meals. 9 Tuesday, December 20: Baptism of Employees The ceremony for baptism of 7 employees and 2 children of employees was held at 6 PM in the sisters convent chapel. They attended the catechumen class every Wednesday right after lunch. The newly baptized employees were happy to become the children of God. We pray that their baptismal promises are to be lived out every day, and can be renewed every day.

Sr. Seraphia Jeung, OSB Sr. Seraphia Jeung was assigned the mission to Peramiho Priory, Tanzania in May 2012 and she was returned completing her mission assignment as a Directress of Junior Sisters after four and half years. She loved the people and looked back the people who don t have much and yet they liked festive in singing and dancing. The people loved to say pole pole (slow, slow) and Hakuna shida (It s OK). Sr. Seraphia recalled every morning one can see the sun rise in the vast open field, trees bloom the original color flowers in black continent, and at nights one can see the stars as decorated Christmas ornaments shining brightly. She said the four and half year mission in Peramiho became a special part in my life. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who were with me and all those who supported me both materially and spiritually. May our dear Lord bless all of you and be with you always! that in all things God may be glorified (Pt 4:11) Newsletter: daegupriorynews@daum.net Homepage: www.benedictine.or.kr 10