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Cardinal celebrates 50 years as priest

Pope and Korean president among well-wishers for half-century
Cardinal celebrates 50 years as priest
Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk is raising a pictorial at the congratulatory ceremony
Published: March 18, 2011 09:40 AM GMT
Updated: December 22, 2011 06:24 AM GMT

Seoul archdiocese celebrated a golden jubilee Mass for Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk at Myeongdong Cathedral today to mark the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination. The Mass was concelebrated by Cardinal Nicholas Cheong and Seoul archdiocesan priests and were participated by many bishops, priests, Religious and Catholics for the celebration. Cardinal Cheong said in a homily, “Jesus told me that I should give up myself and my family to bear my cross, and I answered 'yes.' Please support me and lead me to finish my vocation as a clergy well by prayers.” During the congratulatory ceremony, a spiritual gift and a pictorial which recollects his 50 year's life as a priest were presented to Cardinal Cheong. Pope Benedict XVI sent a congratulatory message saying, “The golden jubilee for Cardinal Cheong is good opportunity for showing my fraternal love. I decided him as a cardinal because he had contributed to Catholic Church and education of the Youth as well as pastoral care for Catholics of Pyongyang.” Also, Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Pontifical Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and president Lee Myung-bak sent congratulatory messages and Archbishop Andreas Choi Chang-mou, retired archbishop of Kwangju, a seminary alumnus of Cardinal Cheong, greeted him with congratulations. Cardinal Cheong was born on December 7, 1931 in Seoul, and was ordained a priest by Archbishop Paul Ro Ki-nam on March 18, 1961. He studied canon law at the Pontifical Urban University. He has been serving as archbishop of Seoul, after serving as bishop of Cheongju from 1970 to 1998. He became a cardinal in 2006. He is also apostolic administrator Pyongyang in North Korea. KO13674.1645

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