Feast Day of Regina Pacis Province, South-Korea

July 12, 2016

The 25 of June is the feast day of Regina Pacis Province, Incheon, South-Korea. It is also the day when the Korean War broke out in 1950, which is why we chose this day for our feast day – to ask Our Lady’s intercession for the peace of Korea and the world.

To mark this year’s Provincial feast day, we created a novena based on St. Francis’ prayer for peace, as well as a special prayer service focusing on “Light and Darkness” of Korea and each continent – Asia, Oceania, Europe, Africa, North America and South America.

Looking into lights and shadows of six continents in smaller groups was quite significant. We saw that each country’s pain is the wound which the whole world feels together in our era, and that the uniqueness and characteristics of the country are the very root of hope and light. We offered prayers made by each group during the Mass and prayed wholeheartedly to Our Lord to grant peace to every corner of this world.

Adding to the festive mood, a contest of acrostic poems using the Korean initials of “the Feast Day of Regina Pacis Province” was held with prizes for winners. We also should not forget that 49 years ago this day, on June 25, 1967, a ceremony of missioning sisters to Korea took place in the convent chaple of Coesfeld. We naturally had a chance to listen to the story of that event directly from one of the missionaries, Sr. Maria Bertilde.

That day was truly a time of grace when we were reminded of the meaning of our Provincial feast day, asking the Queen of Peace to pray that our global village may move forward from darkness to light in solidarity and love.

Dona nobis pacem – Give us peace!