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Diocese warns against river project

Chasing economic development for profit clashes with the environment
Diocese warns against river project
Participants in Mass to protest against the government
Published: July 19, 2011 09:46 AM GMT
Updated: July 19, 2011 10:28 AM GMT

Around 900 Catholics, including 50 priests, joined in a Mass arranged by Daejeon diocese and the Catholic Solidarity for Deterrence of the Four Rivers Project at Singwan-dong Church in Gongju, 120km south of Seoul. Addressing the gathering before the Mass, Auxiliary Bishop Augustinus Kim Jong-soo of Daejeon likened the destruction of the rivers to "drawing blood from dear sheep" which would result in the death of the owner. In a stark warning on human greed, he said that people chase economic development to make immediate profit, but in doing this they are ultimately creating  “an environment where they cannot coexist with nature.” The bishop was followed by Father Joseph Kang Seung-soo, whose homily deplored the fact that nowadays the truth is often concealed from the public. The president of Daejeon’s Committee for Justice and Peace later urged the congregation to walk along the riverbank and pray to God for the safety and health of the rivers. After Mass, the participants marched about five kilometres to the main construction site, saying the Rosary as they went. Gongju is on the banks of the Geumgang river, one of the four rivers that are being dredged for the project, with the aim of preventing floods and creating new recreation areas. Korean bishops expressed their opposition to the highly controversial project in their plenary assembly in March, 2010. Since then, dioceses have been taking turns to hold Masses as a token of protest. Former Buddhist novice burns to deathRiver project is theft, Korean bishop says

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