The General Government conducted a Fraternal Visitation of the Region of Korea from the 23rd to the 29th of September 2025. Fr Josep Ivel Mendanha, C.Ss.R., General Consultor led the visitation accompanied by Fr Yoakim Ndelo, C.Ss.R., (Kimi) Conference Coordinator for Asia Oceania. Fr Peter Jittapol Plangklang C.Ss.R. (Provincial of Thailand) also participated in the first few days of the Visitation.
The Visitation began in the Region House in Seoul with a meeting with the Regional Council consisting of Fr Casimiro Oh Sang Kwon, the Regional Superior, Fr Michael Hyo Young Kim the Vicar and Bro John Young-Ho Kim. The Regional Council shared with the Visitors the present situation of life and mission of the Congregation in Korea as well as the detailed plan of the visitation. Fr Peter Jittapol also shared about the status of the Region at present as a Region of the Province of Thailand.
The next day the visitors left for Jido which is a mission community down in the South of South Korea. The Community consists of two confreres, Fr Marcario John Hoon Lee and Fr Geovanne Quibol from the Cebu Province of the Philippines serving a small quasi parish as well as another small mission station in Imja. The thrust of the community is Migrant ministry to Filipinos, Indonesians, Malaysians with as many as 4 migrant stations taken care of with sacramental ministry, counselling services, social and cultural programs, and other assistance. The ministry is headed by Fr Geovanne Quibol and assisted by Fr Marcario. This ministry has the approval of the Archbishop of Gwagju in whose archdiocese the community of Jido is present. This is a vibrant mission community serving the needs of the most abandoned.
The next day the visitors spent the day in Seoul with the confreres who form the community of Seoul, Frs. Casimiro Kwon, Paul Sang-Woo Han, Michael Hyo Young Kim, Thomas Young-hoon Park and Pheeraphat Khanla from the Province of Thailand. The Community takes care of the OLPS Shrine with daily mass and Saturday novena, the St Clement Coffee shop which is part of the tradition and culture of Korea, offering a space for people to gather and share, ministry for religious and priests, and notably a migrant mission for migrant workers from Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines offering them Korean Language classes every Sunday along with social, cultural, religious and counselling services.
The Visitors then met with the Lay Associates, Collaborators and Benefactors who shared with them about their work, their plans for the future and sought to offer their services for the mission of the Redemptorists in Korea.
The Final day the Visitors visited the community in Hongcheon consisting of Frs. Joseph Yo Sep Kang, Bro Johyn Young Ho-Kim, Andrew Hyeon Cheol Daegun Park, and Paul Luc from the Province of Vietnam. This community has the OLPS shrine with the novena every Saturday and also conducts retreats and seminars in the present retreat house. The Region is building a new Retreat house which will be ready by Spring next year in order to carry forward the novena preaching, retreat preaching and other services that the retreat centre will offer for priests, religious and lay people. The thrust of the community is Migrant ministry to Vietnamese Catholics with as many as 6 migrant stations taken care of with sacramental ministry, counselling services, social and cultural programs, and other assistance. The ministry is headed by Fr Paul Luc who travels nearly 500 kms each weekend for ministry and assisted by the confreres of the community. This ministry has the approval of the Bishop of the Chuncheon Diocese in whose archdiocese the community of Hungcheon is present. This is a vibrant mission community serving the needs of the most abandoned through a variety of apostolates.
The highlight of the visitation was the Assembly where all the confreres gathered in Seoul on the 24th of September for a day of sharing, discussion, planning and celebration. Fr Rogério Gomes, Superior General addressed the Region online and encouraged the confreres to continue to go ahead with courage proclaiming plentiful Redemption in a very secular society and reminded the confreres that despite the challenges of drop in vocations and a small number of confreres the ministry to Migrant People is the hallmark of the Region as it is the face of the Redeemer through the confreres serving so many migrant people in South Korea. Both Frs. Ivel and Kimi addressed the confreres and encouraged them to keep up with the mission of the Redemptorists in this the year dedicated to Mission citing the new Communicanda. The Assembly concluded with mass celebrated by Fr Ivel for the feast of Bl Stanggassinger and Fr Ivel reminded the confreres of the holiness and zeal of Bl Stanggassinger despite the challenges he faced and the few years he lived, he gave himself to the mission entrusted to him, the formation of young students and Redemptorists.
The Fraternal Visitation was a time of celebration of Redemptorist life and mission in the Region of Korea.
Fr. Casimiro Kwon, C.Ss.R.
Region of Korea
