SEOUL (UCAN) -- Catholics participating in the Focolare movement's annual "Mariapolis" in Korea say that this year's gathering nourished their spiritual life and deepened their understanding of the rosary.

About 2,400 Catholics joined one of two Mariapolis (city of Mary) gatherings at Youth Town in Songni Mountain, Chungcheongbuk province, 130 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The lay-founded movement organized the two events successively from July 23 to July 30, each lasting four days and three nights.

Attending the Mariapolis, whose theme was "Reflecting Christ with Mary," were nine prelates -- including Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, retired archbishop of Seoul, and Archbishop Emeritus Victorinus Youn Kong-hi of Kwangju -- as well as 60 nuns, 40 priests and 24 seminarians.

During the Mariapolis, participants studied "Rosarium Virginis Mariae" (The Rosary of the Virgin Mary), the apostolic letter Pope John Paul II issued last October to introduce the five new "mysteries of light" dedicated to "Christ's public ministry between his Baptism and his Passion." The pope at the same time designated October 2002 to October 2003 as the Year of the Rosary.

At the gatherings, theologians lectured on each mystery and the participants shared faith experiences on how they try to imitate the Blessed Mother in daily life. Some later told UCA News how the experience had affected them.

Angella Joo Shin-kyeong, 46, said she has regularly joined the Mariapolis since 1985. Focolare spirituality, which encourages people to live God's word in daily life, is attractive, said Joo, who attended the event with her daughter. She also said she was "impressed by the bishops who shared their personal experiences, not as bishops but as Christians, just like laypeople."

Jacob Lee Kwang-chil, who came to the Mariapolis with his wife and three children, said he has joined every annual gathering since 1967 when it began in the country. Now 61, Lee said the Mariapolis teaches him to put the love of Jesus into practice within his family and at his office. He also observed that it is the "first time" many Korean bishops came for the local Mariapolis.

Lee's wife, Veronica Kim Myung-joo, 56, said that the Mariapolis is her family's preferred event of the year because they "receive spiritual nourishment" from the experience. She added that studying the apostolic letter this year changed her thinking about the rosary. She previously thought of it as just reciting a set of prayers but now sees it as "contemplative prayer."

Pope John Paul's apostolic letter cites Pope Paul VI's caution: "Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words.'"

This was the second Mariapolis for college student Peter Hong Ji-ho. He said it has "some mysterious power" that attracts him to it. Hong said he was amazed to learn that the pope has asked "laypeople" in the Focolare movement to promote praying the rosary in the world. He also admitted that he first heard about the new mysteries of light during this year's Mariapolis.

Cardinal Kim, while presiding at the closing Mass for the first gathering, pointed out, "Focolare is the only Church group in the country that reflects the mysteries of light so deeply."

Bernadette Choi Eun-kyu, a Focolare member who coordinated the Mariapolis, told UCA News that her movement is unlike other Church devotion groups because it operates on the national level, not as a parish group.

She noted that Focolare was launched in South Korea in 1969 and that roughly 20,000 members are now involved in it. Among them, about 60 "focolarinos" (Focolare members) have professed vows and live community life.

Every adult Mariapolis participant contributed 80,000 won (US$68), college students paid 70,000 won, and middle- and high- school students paid 60,000 won. Elementary school students each contributed 50,000 won, while 30,000 won was donated for every infant at the event.

Focolare, an Italian word for hearth or family fireside, was founded by lay woman Chiara Lubich in Trent, Italy, during World War II. The movement, which was approved by Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1962, aims to develop unity among all peoples and religions. Focolare claims to have more than 87,000 members worldwide, as well as about two million friends and adherents in more than 180 nations. Its members are classified into 18 groups, including professed members, youths and volunteers.

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