利用者:Maria Francisca chemmy/sandbox

コットンネの霊性 Spirituality of Kkottongnae

Purpose

Do you know Kkottongnae?

It was night. I came across a brother who was lying on a dark street corner, moaning in the rain. As I drove on in the rain, with him now in my car, my heart was constricted with pain. I had this same experience many times after this incident.

“Even if you have only some stength to beg for food, it is a gift of God’s grace.”

When the beggars fall ill, they die on the street without anyone’s knowledge. We urgently need a place to rest their bodies and souls. The place we desperately need is a Kkottongnae — a house of salvation in which

Charter of Kkottongnae We identify heaven with salvation of mankind, which is actualized by loving others as Jesus did. We give thanks and praise to our Father in Heaven for today we share love in the way that Jesus himself showed and taught us. Kkottongnae is founded on the basis of Jesus teaching that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. And we are very much inspired by Fr. Oh’s encounter with Mr. Choi Gui-Dong that through a personal experience we can come to meet God. Kkottongnae is not only a place where the poor and deserted live in peace together but also a place where people may seek after truth and experience the love of Jesus that is hidden in every person among the people in Kkottongnae. Kkottongnae as a tool of Gods love is a comfort home, from the cradle to the grave, to those who do not even have a strength to beg for food Kkottongnae is a proof of that love can provide the deserted with care and love so that they might help themselves experience the abundant love of God and consequently live their lives as children of God. Kkottongnae is an educator of love by providing all of us with that valuable experience of a profound love that Jesus showed us. Consequently, we would like to remain as the blessed and special realm of true and eternal love through the grace of our Father and His son and the Holy Spirit. to prepare the beggars for eternal life, a house of resurrection in which to help them meet their death in peace. kkottongnae is not for sentimentality. The purpose of Kkottongnae is to protect and nurse the poor with our warm hearts and love. As small streams naturally form a big river, I am convinced that our voluntary and active

brotherly love will create a beautiful Kkottongnae. Let us give the courage to live and the joy of resurrection to these brothers and sisters in misfortune who are alienated and held in contempt. In order to help Kkottongnae, regardless of your religion or nationality, you may show your good faith with a monthly membership fee of 1000 Won (approximately 1.25 U.S.$). You may make one payment for a year’s membership. Of course, family members of children of existing members may also become members. Anyone, after becoming a member, if free to cancel the membership for any reason. All of the undertakings of Kkottonganae will follow the decisions made by the Advisory Committee and by the Steering Committee of Kkottongnae. The Kkottongnae Newsletter will provide activity and financial reports and news on the members in detail. We ask for your warm support and continuous cooperation. On the Great Feast Day of Ressurection of 1981 Fr. John, Oh Woong-jin President of Kkottongnae

December 31, 1997

Someone defined The modern times As an era of spiritual poverty amidst material abundance. Contrary to this, Kkottongnae, being with the poor for the past 30 years, Has been living a spiritual life, Enjoying spiritual profusion amidst poverty. Spirituality, which is neither theory nor knowledge, Can be defined as The road to truth through practical life, Not by following worldly desires, but the will of the Holy Spirit. Human beings have become unhappy due to the absence of spirituality. Kkottongnae, practicing a life of love Dedicated to the poor, the ill, and forlorn neighbors, Has learned that Not material life, but only spiritual life Can make people happy. We publish this book, Spirituality of Kkottongnae, Where the spiritual words, granted by God to Fr. Oh Woong-Jin, the founder of Kkottongnae, Were explained in simpler language. We pray sincerely for those who Practice them in their real lives To become happy. Kkottongnae Love Research Institute

I congratulate Kkottongnae on the 30th anniversary of its foundation Praise the Lord! I congratulate Kkottongnae on the 30th anniversary of its foundation. And I also give thanks to the Lord for the new Spirituality of Love Retreat Center which will be a place to learn and experience the love of God. I am also pleased to know that a book about the spirituality of Kkottongnae is being published for the commemoration of this special occasion. This book is comprised of spiritual reflections about all the love that has been experienced and shared with the poor and abandoned in Kkottongnae over the past 30 years. The love flowing from the

To congratulate KKottongnae on the 30th anniversary of its founding It gives me much pleasure to congratulate KKottongnae on the 30th anniversary of its founding in September, 1976. The past 30 years have seen it grow from its humble beginnings to one of the major social welfare institutions in Korea. But what is equally important is that growth has been built on the firmest of gospel foundations; a spirituality of compassionate love that embraces the poor and abandoned. The love shown by the poor beggar Grandfather Choi gwi dong to his helpless fellow beggars that gave Fr. Oh his inspiration has been multiplied thousands of times through the ministry of Kkottongnae to the abandoned poor of people of Kkottongnae is not something theoretical but is something very real because it is based on true stories of sacrificial love, service and of forgiveness. So, in terms of its contents, the book is very accessible and easy to read. I hope all people who read this book will be helped to become compassionate towards the poor in an encounter with the Lord and then to live with what they have learned in Christ. I pray that all of you who read it are willing to put your life in God’s hands and to make your lives more spiritual ones, not according to your will but to His. Once again, I congratulate Kkottongnae on the 30th anniversary and wish Fr. Oh the founder, all the brothers and sisters of the Kkottongnae Congregations, and all the volunteers and supporters of Kkottongnae abundant blessings of God. Cardinal Stephen, Kim Soo Hwan

A Good Tree with Good Fruits This year is a very meaningful one for Kkottongnae as it celebrates the 30th anniversary of foundation. I am privileged to offer my congratulations on the publication of a book about Kkottongnae Spirituality for the commemoration of this very special occasion. Jesus says; “For a good tree bring not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit (Luke 6: 43).” Reflecting upon this passage, it can be said that Kkottongnae is a good tree planted by God through Fr. Oh, the founder of the community. By watching the fruits of the tree of Kkottongnae, we have been able to sure that the tree is truly a good one.

In the past 30 years, it was Kkottongnae that has created and made possible a spirit of service and sharing bloom on what was barren ground where there was a lack of donation and service. It was the fact that so many people, more than a half million supporters who generously donated from what they earned to Kkottongnae to care for the poor that tells us it is true. It can be witnessed also in that there are so many volunteers from every corner of the country and overseas who come to Kkottongnae and spend their time with their neighbors in Kkottongnae. Furthermore it is proved in that there are more than 300 religious brothers and sisters who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the poor, abandoned and handicapped.

1. Even if you only have the strength to beg for food, it is the blessing of the Lord

ing care of an apple tree in a church garden when he happened to see a beggar passing the church. He became curious and so he followed him. When he reached a dugout on Yongdam mountain, he found that the beggar-grandfather was taking care of 18 sick people who were too weak to go begging for themselves. The grandfather distributed the food he had collected from begging, fed and looked after them, and finally he ate the leftovers. Even if you only have the strength to beg for food, it is the blessing of the Lord Returning to the parish house, Fr. Oh could not sleep. He tossed and turned all night thinking about the grandfather: While I became a priest to make my dream to live for the poor come true, Guidong is already living a life of practicing love like that, even though he has only the mere strength to go begging, being less healthy and having less knowledge than me. After thinking over and over about what he had seen, at last around dawn he had a sudden flash of insight that it is still a blessing of God just to have the strength to go begging. So next morning he bought some cement with 1300 Won, which was his whole possession at that time and began to make bricks and build a house of love for the beggars. Grandfather Guidong who Lived a Spiritual Life Grandfather Guidong was a person who had been deprived of everything. He had lost his possessions and his house; he had become separated from his family including his wife and parents; and finally he had lost his health. He was the poorest and the least of persons who had only the mere strength of begging for food. Yet, until he himself became paralyzed by a stroke, he kept on doing these good deeds of bringing and looking after the dying sick that he had found on streets and under bridges, who do not even have the strength to go begging themselves. No one is so poor that they are unable to give love. We all can love so long as we are alive. Grandfather Guidong loved quietly. He never tried to reveal himself or get credit. He went without being recognized by anybody for 40 years of his tireless life. Grandfather Guidong begged only

Even if you only have the strength to beg for food, it is the blessing of the Lord Returning to the parish house, Fr. Oh could not sleep. He tossed and turned all night thinking about the grandfather: While I became a priest to make my dream to live for the poor come true, Guidong is already living a life of practicing love like that, even though he has only the mere strength to go begging, being less healthy and having less knowledge than me. After thinking over and over about what he had seen, at last around dawn he had a sudden flash of insight that it is still a blessing of God just to have the strength to go begging. So next morning he bought some cement with 1300 Won, which was his whole possession at that time and began to make bricks and build a house of love for the beggars. Grandfather Guidong who Lived a Spiritual Life Grandfather Guidong was a person who had been deprived of everything. He had lost his possessions and his house; he had become separated from his family including his wife and parents; and finally he had lost his health. He was the poorest and the least of persons who had only the mere strength of begging for food. Yet, until he himself became paralyzed by a stroke, he kept on doing these good deeds of bringing and looking after the dying sick that he had found on streets and under bridges, who do not even have the strength to go begging themselves. No one is so poor that they are unable to give love. We all can love so long as we are alive. Grandfather Guidong loved quietly. He never tried to reveal himself or get credit. He went without being recognized by anybody for 40 years of his tireless life. Grandfather Guidong begged only for the bare necessities. When offered expensive fruits, candies, money, or new clothes, he declined them with thanks, saying that those good things belong to children or other people who really needed them. He also used to carry a big sack on his shoulder in order to pick up dangerous things that could harm others such as broken glass bottles. The grandfather gave out everything he owned: his time, health, body, and mind. Through his will he even donated his eyes to the blind after his death. Once when I exaggerated being hungry, whining like a crybaby before the grandfather on a wheelchair, he gave me his whole meal tray asking me to eat first not just sharing some of his meal. The spirit of giving out everything for his neighbors was embodied in him. The grandfather lived with the poor. Even though he gave a lot of help to the weak, he did not reign over them. He became one with them, and he lived and ate together with them, not making a distinction between the giver and the receiver

The grandfather loved to his last moment. One day, on his way home from getting some food for his brothers, he fell down on a street by a stroke. He had worked for his neighbors to the last moment until he could not work anymore for illness in his body. The grandfather, Guidong, lying buried next to his statue at the entrance of Kkottongnae, is still quietly awakening people who are wearied of their worldly lives today. Visitors to Kkottongnae while they think about the life of grandfather Guidong, often look back on their own lives: they see that they have often complained even though they have been given, enjoyed, and owned a lot. Even if you only have the strength to beg for food, it is the blessing of the Lord.