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DAEGU PRIORY NEWSLETTER ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

DPN 404 Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, Daegu Priory, South, KOREA November 2016

“Stay Awake!” Matthew 24:42

Waiting!

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Sunday, November 20:

The Bible Week Celebration

The five junior sisters who are in the preparation of their final

profession, prepared the Bible Week Event with the theme of

the Jubilee Year of Mercy “Merciful Like the Father” in Luke.

In the beginning of November the junior sisters displaced the

introductory study items on the front windows of refectory;

and each sister was invited to write her favorite verses of the

bible. At the same time each group of sisters and the novitiate

members transcribed the bible. All those activities were

displaced on the walls of the auditorium; and the verses of the

bible written by each sister were made to book-marks and

gave to each sister as a present.

The opening of the celebration of the Bible Week was started

in praying the Prayer for Divine Mercy. Then followed

the main program “Quiz” on Luke, and before answering the

quiz each group must say the group name. The prize was given

to winning group. Sisters were very grateful to enjoy the

privilege to have God’s Word and celebrating this blessing and

privilege in the community at least once a year. At the end of

the celebration, the 3 junior sisters from Manila Priory

performed their traditional dance in gratitude to Daegu Priory.

Wednesday, November 2:

All Souls’ Day

November is the month to remember and pray for the deceased souls; and

the 2nd

of November is the All Souls’ Day! After lunch the whole community

commemorated our departed sisters in the cemetery; and we prayed and

commemorated of all the faithful departed.

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Friday, November 11:

The Prayer for Divine Mercy-St. Faustina Prayer The Hour of Great Mercy – 3 O’clock Prayer

St. Faustina prayed and recommended,

the community of Daegu Priory started

to pray the Prayer for Divine

Mercy-St. Faustina Prayer in

intention of the peace of our country

and the issues of Archdiocese of Daegu

at 3 O’clock in the afternoon, every day.

In Priory House, when the bell is

ringing at 3 PM, sisters pray at the

place where they are; and if sisters have

time, they go to chapel and pray

together.

Thursday, November 17:

The Installation of Sr. Germana Kim to Local Superior

In November 17, the installation ceremony for Daemyeongdong Local House Superior, Sr.

Germana Kim was held by Prioress Sr. Maoro Sye. A number of sisters from Priory House and

the members of the Daemyeongdong Local House attended the ceremony.

Sunday, November 27:

The Liturgical Season of Advent

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1)

We lighted the candles to thank God for He sends His Son our Savior

Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace and the Light of the World; and Jesus is the way and

brings us great joy!

In the evening the final professed sisters gathered in a big recreation room and the junior

sisters and novitiate members gathered in their own recreation rooms and had the Liturgy of

Advent Season. After the liturgy each sister drew the Advent Card and shared each other.

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Monday-Wednesday, November 28-30:

Baking the Christmas Bread “Stollen”

This is the fourth year to bake the Christmas bread “Stollen”.

Sisters stopped their given assignments and gathered together to

help in baking the “Stollen” and enjoyed in baking our own stolen.

Sisters baked the Christmas Stollen as our present to express our

sincere congratulation and gratitude with prayer to priests, sisters,

benefactors, employees, friends, and many others.

Thursday-Saturday, November 3-5:

Korean Benedictine Formators Meeing

The Korean Benedictine Formators Meeting was held at the St. Joseph Monastery in

Namyangju attending 20 Formators from 6 Benedictine Monasteries. In his lecture, Father

Pachomio Choi, the Prior of the St. Joseph Monastery, stated that the “training is intended to

be changed to total education; and in here the each person and the main object of the training

is needed the spontaneity. He stressed that above all it is important to know what the religious

life is in order to establish the identity.” The next meeting will be held at the Olivetan

Monastery in Busan.

Monday-Tuesday, November 7-8:

Autumn Mission Subcommittee Meeting

The Autumn Mission Subcommittee Meeting was held at the Teachers Training Center in

Chungju. The 42 sisters were participated at the meeting; and they were happy to have Sr.

Bethania Lee, Sub-prioress with them. On the first day the sisters divided into profession age

groups and had discussion on the topic “Challenges and Solutions of Parish Ministry”; and

each group presented their sharing. Since the Teachers Training Center is located by the Lake

Chungju, they enjoyed the summit of autumn beauty of the lake.

The second day the sisters visited Anlimdong parish church and the local house of our sisters to

see the various pastoral activities at the parish

and the apostolic works of our sisters. At the

parish our sisters exist so that they may learn

to live the joy of the Lord who is their strength

and share the joy with the parishioners and

outsiders. The meeting was closed in making

decision to live each one faithfully to the given

work that is not easy at present time.

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Monday-Tuesday, November 14-15:

Autumn Local Superiors Meeting

The Autumn Local Superiors Meeting was held at the Benedict Spirituality Center in Daegu. In

the first day Sr. Maoro Sye, Prioress delivered the lecture of the summary and decisions of the

49th

Annual General Meeting of the Association of Major Superiors of Religious Women in

Korea based on the same topic of the International Union Superiors General 2016 (UISG 2016)

Meeting. Also Sr. Virginia Lee delivered the lecture on the topic “Listening” that was given

during the Korean Benedictine Formators Meeting in last May. In the evening session the

superiors were divided into groups and discussed the problems at the local houses and searched

the ideas and ways to solve the problems. On the second day the groups presented their results

of sharing; and Sr. Bethania Lee, Sub-prioress instructed a few regulations to be observed

during the vacation and hospitalization.

Weaving Global Solidarity for Life “Crossing the Threshold and to Become a Living

Icon of Our Lady!”

Tuesday-Friday, November 22-25:

Priory Government Intensive Meeting

The Priory Government Intensive Meeting was held at the Benedict Spirituality Center for

four days and three nights. The 2017 strategic plan was set and the 27th

Daegu Priory Chapter

will be held from March 27 to April 3, 2017 at the Benedict Spirituality Center, Daegu.

Thursday, November 3:

Visit of Father Heonho Jeon and Ten Seminarians

Father Heonho Jeon and 10 Seminarians who are in the preparation of deacon class visited the

priory house at 11 AM. They watched the video on information of Daegu priory and looked

around the priory history exhibition hall. Then they were invited to the rosary and noon prayer;

and after prayer they had lunch with the sisters at the convent refectory.

Saturday, November 26:

Preparatory Meeting for the CIB Meeting 2017

The CIB (Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum) Meeting 2017 will be held from

September 5 to 19, 2017 at the Benedict Spirituality Center of Daegu Priory. For the

preparation of the CIB Meeting, the three Women Benedictines held the meeting at Daegu

Priory; and the participants were Prioress Sr. Rose Marie Hwang and Sr. Philippa Cheong of

the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing Seoul Priory, Former Prioress General Sr.

Cecilia Jeon and Sr. Nathanael Kim of the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters of Busan, and Prioress

Sr. Maoro Sye, Sr. Luna Park and Sr. Mary Daniel Park of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters

of Daegu Priory.

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Thursday-Sunday, November 24-27:

Annual Seminar of Postulants

The annual seminar of eight postulants was held from

November 24 to 27 at the Priory House. The first event

of seminar was to visit Haein Temple and walk the

Sori road, but on the way to Haein Temple, they

visited the Chojeon Parish and the Yongbong Sacred

Heart Clinic and the Hansen Patient Village where

they were welcomed by the parish priest and our sister

who is in mission at the parish.

The postulants had the Holy Mass in the Hansen

Village and after Mass they were oriented the heroic

and angel doctor, Sr. Diomedes Meffert who loved

lepers and treated them since March 1, 1962; and Sr. Enatha Metzger assisted Sr. Diomedes

until her last days in life.

On the second and third days of the seminar the postulants were given lecture on the topic:

“Communication” by Sr. Pia Theresa from Yeonhwari Retreat House; and they had

discussion on the topic. What they learned during the seminar, the postulants hoped to live in

the community; and they were very grateful to the community for the time and prayer for them.

Comings & Goings

November 1:

November 3:

November 4:

November 5:

November 15:

November 21:

November 22:

November 29:

Sr. Margaret Kim returned to visit her brother who is severely ill; and Sr.

Sabina who is in the mission at Sao Paul, Brazil visited to renew her visa.

They returned to Sao Paul on November 17.

Sr. Hyoju Agnes Park returned from Sydney, Australia after months of the

language course .

Sr. Lea Yu returned in finishing her Language Program in the Philippines.

Sr. Germana Kim returned after her overseas mission assignment in LA.

Sr. Madeleine Yu returned after one year temporary overseas mission

assignment in Peramiho, Tanzania.

Three Junior Sisters of Manila Priory departed to Seoul Priory to stay for

one week and will be returned to Manila Priory on November 29.

Sr. Victoria Kim who completed her mission assignment in Tutzing Priory

departed to the House of Benedict for second mission assignment.

Sr. Seraphia Jeung returned completing her mission assignment as a

Directress of Junior Sisters in Peramiho Priory, Tanzania.

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Saturday-Sunday, November 26-27:

The Second Half of Year 2016 Vocation Discernment Retreat

The theme of the retreat for the vocation discernment was “I must

stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). The seven young women

attended to have their vocation discernment retreat for one night and

two days following the entire daily schedule of the convent liturgy.

Through prayers and meditations, they looked back their lives and

tried to consider their call by God. We pray the seeds sow in their

hearts bear good fruits!

Wednesday, November 2:

Designation of the Excellent Win Workplace

Daegu Fatima Hospital was designated as the Excellent

Win Workplace by the Joint Labor-Management

Committee and awarded the Certification-Tablet. The

purpose of the Designation of the Excellent Win Workplace

is to search the institutions that have without

discrimination in employment and advertise it in order to

expand the happy workplaces as well as to lead and

improve the hospital of the Joint-Labor Management.

Daegu Fatima Hospital tries a lot to have an employment cultural system by without

differentiating the full time and temporary employees. For the growth of both full time and

temporary employees, the hospital applies the same wage system as well as the systems of the

employee benefits, expenses for condolence and the use of the employee welfare facilities,

especially the reduction of the medical treatments was expanded to apply not only to temporary

employees but also to service contract employees.

To enhance the spirit of employees, the hospital holds the awarding ceremony for long-service

employees, the “One-Mind” athletic event every year and supports the various clubs. At the

same time the hospital increases constantly the employee welfare program and gives the

domestic and overseas study/training opportunities to excellent employees. The hospital

constructed the Fatima MISO education center, provides resort membership ticket for leisure,

and operates the House of Children for the compatibility of home and work of the employees.

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Thursday-Friday, November 3-4:

Charity Bazaar to Support the Needy and to Provide the Hospital Development Fund

“Sell the Warm Love in the Cold Winter” was the theme

of the charity bazaar to support the needy and to provide

the hospital development fund. The hospital opens the two-

day bazaar every November at the parking lot in the front

of east building to convey the warm love to needy.

The departments were belonged to one of the teams and the

assignments were given to each team: various foodstuffs,

daily necessities, hand bags, stockings and other items were

displayed. And some of the farming villages made the fraternal cooperative relationship with

the hospital joined the bazaar with their crops. The profits will be donated to the needy

through the Fatima Mary Charity Fund; and it will be used for the education of excellent

employees and staffs, and to have the better patient treatment environment by development of

the hospital.

Saturday-Thursday, November 12-17:

Volunteer Healthcare Services in Cambodia

The Free Healthcare Services in Cambodia was held

from November 12 to 17. The sixteen members of

Daegu Fatima Hospital Medical Service Team were

the five medical and surgical doctors, three nurses, one

pharmacist and one assistant pharmacist, and one

patient affair officer; and three sisters: Sr. Trinidad

Park, Sr. Marie Jonah Lee, and Sr. Sion Lee joined the

team. The team leader was Dr. Sangmo Yun, the

Director of the Radiation and Oncology.

Since the outside of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap,

medical care is limited or unavailable; and medical

facilities and services in Cambodia generally fall below

international standards and can be costly if one is not

insured. At the same time, there is no free public

healthcare in Cambodia for foreigners. Therefore, the

team went to Chhlong Village of the Kratie Province

and gave treatment of 1950 patients (663 Internal Medicine, 468 General Surgery, 390

Pediatrics, 429 Ophthalmology and gave surgery for 24 patients (17 General Surgery and 7 Eye

Surgery).

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Sunday, November 20:

The 6th Scriptural Play Contest of the Fatima Bible School

For the celebration of the Bible Week, the Fatima

Bible School had the 6th

Scriptural Play Contest at

1:00 PM in the auditorium. The 20 team of 300 actors

played their parts enthusiastically in various bible

stories such as the story of Adam and Eve and

Conversion of Paul, etc. The actors prepared for 2

months what they learned during the year; and

having the play the actors accumulated the Bible. This

event inspired both the audience and actors to fall more deeply in love with the Word of God.

Friday-Tuesday, November 25-29:

Overseas Training of Exemplary Employees in Nepal

The twenty exemplary employees of Changwon Fatima

Hospital had the Overseas Training in Nepal for two

sessions. The first session was held last May after the

earthquake visiting the newly built Bhawani School in

the District by the hospital and presented school

supplies to the children. After hearing the bad

conditions of water, the second group bought water

purifiers and filters and delivered them to natives. At

the same time the employees experienced the various Nepal culture and broadened their

knowledge and revitalized.

November:

Our Memorable Journey with the Sisters of Daegu Priory By Junior Sisters of Manila Priory

The three months experience of my stay in Korea was very

memorable and enriching. My sense of missionary service

and commitment was deepened because of the encounter I

had with the sisters and the lay that I had interacted with. It

also made me realize that language is not a hindrance in

order to show respect, kindness, generosity and most of all

to love others. Indeed the saying “actions speaks louder

than words” is true and it applies with what I have

experienced. The grace of openness from God also helped me enjoy and cherish my day to day

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life in Daegu Priory, which gave me the opportunity to see Christ in each person I met. All my

experiences here in Korea will be treasured in my heart, especially those people who touched

my life. 대단히 감사합니다 대구수녀원! - Sr. Mary Peter Mackay, OSB -

I am very thankful and grateful for my three months stay in

Daegu Priory. It was short but it was full of wonderful

experiences. I love to listen to the sister’s unison singing of

the Divine Office and the Latin/Gregorian Chant. I was

able to pray deeply because of the serene ambiance of the

whole compound.

The Language was not a barrier in experiencing missionary

life. I was deeply touched by the thoughtfulness of the

sisters. Every sister made a personal connection with me which changed me to be a better

religious sister. I will forever remember you in my heart.

DIOS MABALOS PO SAINDO GABOS! - Sr. Agatha Marie Husmillo, OSB -

Life was defined by Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB in one of her

book as, “Life is not pre-planned. It comes in the form of

unshaped clay. The shaping of it by trial and error is left

to us. That’s why the clay is soft;” truly, my stay in the

Priory and my journey with the sisters re-shaped some

aspects of Me --- my perspective, attitude towards life, and

my values. The whole Priory was a sanctuary where I got

to appreciate the other facet of Benedictine way of life. My

personal and spiritual journey in the context of Korean Benedictine living, concretely shown to

me how God worked in silence, in prayer; how He re-shaped my heart so I can feel beyond

what was literally seen and experienced. No matter how challenging my struggle with the

language, God always whispers beautiful messages in my ear each day and inspires me to start

the next day with hope and love. I THANK my beloved Daegu Community for their love and

care; I will be going back home with pocket-filled of memorable/meaningful experiences,

experiences of spiritual growth that gave me more reasons to persevere and share what I

learned about life to others.

DACAL A SALAMAT PU! - Sr. Marialuz Dungca, OSB -

Sunday, November 20:

Sr. Edel (Kwang Ju) Kim, OSB Was Called To Heaven The God who says: “I have called thee by name, thou art Mine!” On November 20, 2016, Sr.

Edel (Kwang Ju) Kim passed away quietly and peacefully at 4:23 PM. The funeral liturgy

was at 10 AM, Tuesday, on November 22 in the priory house chapel by Reverend Father

Dionysius Park, OSB who together with two Benedictine priests of Waegwan Benedictine

Monastery concelebrated the Requiem Mass.

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Sr. Edel, the fifth of 7 children, came to Daegu Priory at the age of 25 on September 1, 1977.

She made her First Profession on August 15, 1981 and then her Final Vows on February 10,

1987. After her final profession Sr. Edel was assigned to various positions: assistant director of

the vocation promotion ministry, mistress of postulants, lecturer of retreats, parish ministries,

pastoral care service, LA Korean immigrant ministry, and India-Punalur ministry. During the

mission in Punalur in 2004, her health was not in good states, therefore, she returned and

undergone the surgery for kidney cancer. After the surgery, Sr. Edel had the five months

recuperation, and then she went back to India again and had total of 6 years of the mission

service; and she returned to Daegu in 2009. Sr. Edel was assigned to the Department of

Pastoral Care Service of the Changwon Fatima Hospital in February 2011. Since her health

was gradually getting worse, she was given for sick leave and was concentrated to her

treatment. However, in August 3, she had to be hospitalized in Daegu Fatima Hospital; and in

October 7, she was transferred to the hospice ward of Changwon Fatima Hospital. Sr. Edel

wished and hoped to go back to India mission again when she is recovered. However, on the

Feast of Christ the King (November 20), Sr. Edel was called back to heaven. We believe that Sr.

Edel is now resting in God’s Love!

May She Rest In Peace!

“…that in all things God may be glorified” (Pt 4:11)

Newsletter: daegupriorynews@daum.net

Homepage: www.benedictine.or.kr