VATICAN CITY — Talks between the leaders of the United States
and North Korea are “truly historic” and bring hope for the start of a
new era of peace, according to Pope Francis’ ambassador to Korea.
A
“very important” new page has been turned, Archbishop Alfred Xuereb,
apostolic nuncio to South Korea and Mongolia, told Vatican News June 12.
“It
marks the beginning of a still long and arduous journey, but we are
hopeful because the start has been very positive, very good,” he said.
North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump met on
Singapore’s Sentosa Island for the historic summit June 12. It was the
first meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean
leader.
Afterward, Trump said Kim would work to end North Korea’s
nuclear program. Trump promised to end joint military exercises with
South Korea. There were no details announced about a timeline or method
for bringing about the end of North Korea’s nuclear program.
After
the summit, Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul, South Korea, and
apostolic administrator of Pyeongyang, North Korea, celebrated Mass in
Myeongdong Cathedral to pray for prompt execution of the summit
agreement.
“When I heard the news that there was a meaningful
agreement between the two summits in their first meeting, I deeply
thanked God to remember our prayers for reconciliation and union of the
Korean people,” Cardinal Yeom said in the homily. “I sincerely wish that
the agreement can be promptly executed to achieve the common good not
only for Korean people but for all people on the globe.”
He also
added prayers for the believers in North Korea to have the freedom of
religion and be able to lead humane lives as soon as possible.
Archbishop
Xuereb told Vatican News the rhetoric has gone from unleashing “fire
and fury” against North Korea to more moderate language “that speaks of
peace, of relations based on understanding, therefore, we are truly full
of hope and confidence.”
“You can imagine how anxiously the
Korean people and the Church here in Korea are experiencing this truly
historic moment,” the papal nuncio said.
“The Holy See wants to
support whatever possible initiative that promotes dialogue and
reconciliation” while also taking advantage of being able to take the
Gospel message to everyone, he said.
After praying the Angelus
with an estimated 20,000 people in St. Peter’s Square June 10, the pope
said he wanted to convey “a special thought to the beloved Korean
people,” and he asked the crowd to pray the “Hail Mary” so that “Our
Lady, Queen of Korea, may accompany these talks.”
“May the talks
that will take place in the next few days in Singapore contribute to the
development of a positive path that assures a future of peace for the
Korean peninsula and the whole world,” Pope Francis said.
Pope leads prayers for U.S.-North Korea summit
VATICAN CITY —
Leading thousands of people in prayer, Pope Francis said he hoped the
upcoming summit between the United States and North Korea would lead to
lasting peace.
After praying the Angelus with an estimated 20,000
people in St. Peter’s Square June 10, the pope said he wanted to convey
“a special thought to the beloved Korean people,” and he asked the crowd
to pray the “Hail Mary” so that “Our Lady, Queen of Korea, may
accompany these talks.”
“May the talks that will take place in the
next few days in Singapore contribute to the development of a positive
path that assures a future of peace for the Korean peninsula and the
whole world,” Pope Francis said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
and U.S. President Donald Trump were to meet on Singapore’s Sentosa
Island for the historic summit June 12. It was to be the first meeting
between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader.
Before
leading the crowds in praying for the summit, the pope reflected on the
Sunday Gospel reading in which Jesus confronts “two types of
misunderstandings” from the scribes and his relatives.
— Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service