0
Mass held at Myeongdong Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Seoul, on the Solemnity of the Assumption (August 15) last year. Archbishop Chung Soon-taick, head of the archdiocese, delivers the homily to those attending Mass. / Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Seoul, Catholic Church

Ahead of Liberation Day, the Archdiocese of Seoul prayed for the common good and peace.

August 15, Korea's Liberation Day, is also observed as a feast day across the global Catholic Church — the Solemnity of the Assumption, which commemorates Mary being taken body and soul into heaven after completing her earthly life.

The Archdiocese of Seoul announced on the 11th that Archbishop Chung Soon-taick, head of the archdiocese, released a message ahead of the Mass to be held at Myeongdong Cathedral on the 15th, which falls on both Liberation Day and the Solemnity of the Assumption.

Archbishop Chung said Mary being taken body and soul into heavenly glory is a sign of hope that our lives, too, will be brought to fulfillment within God's grace, stressing that the Assumption reveals that true human greatness lies not in our own strength and ability, but in the communion and love we build with God.

He also cautioned against the temptation to judge human worth solely by ability and efficiency amid the rapid advance of artificial intelligence. Citing Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas" ("Sublime Humanity"), he stressed that in an age when technologies like AI are reshaping life so profoundly, we must ask not only what technology can do, but how it should serve human dignity and the common good.

Noting that the Solemnity of the Assumption coincides with Liberation Day, Archbishop Chung stressed the need to remember those who sacrificed for the nation, heal hearts divided by hatred and distrust, and deepen mutual trust once again. He also prayed that God's grace would be with all brothers and sisters in the North, expressing hope that South and North could once again meet at the table of dialogue.

Finally, Archbishop Chung urged the faithful to come together in preparing for the upcoming 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, so that young people, like Mary, can believe in the word of God and live as agents of hope, reconciliation, and peace in the world.

                                                                                                          Hwang Ui-jung