서울대교구 시복시성위원회
(1922-2009)
◇ Birth and Childhood
Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was born on May 8, 1922, by the lunar calendar (July 2 by the solar calendar) in Daegu (current address of his birthplace: 225-1, Namsan-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, Korea), as the youngest child among four sons and two daughters of Joseph Kim Young-seok and Martina Seo Jung-ha. His baptismal name, given at his infant baptism was Stephen. His clan origin is Gwangsan, and the pen-name he later adopted was Onggee (pot), because Onggee is a kind of humble Korean pottery vessel capable of containing all kinds of things. And Onggee long served as a means of spreading the Gospel by Onggee-sellers after the period of persecution, and he himself was born as the son of a potter. Stephen Kim Sou-hwan’s original name given by his parents was “Sou-han”, but due to a clerical error during the birth registration, it was mistakenly recorded as “Sou-hwan”, and this eventually became the name by which he was known.
The first person in Stephen Kim Sou-hwan’s family to embrace Catholicism was his grandfather, Kim Yo-an. However, there is no record of the exact date he embraced Catholicism. He was arrested in Yeonsan in Chungcheong-do (currently Yeonsan-myeon, Nonsan-si, Chungcheongnam-do) during the Byeongin Persecution of 1869 and died a martyr after firmly witnessing to his faith. At that time, his grandmother, Kang Mal-son, was also arrested along with her husband, Kim Yo-an, but was released due to being pregnant. She later returned home and gave birth to a son, who would become Stephen Kim Sou-hwan’s father, Joseph Kim Young-seok.
Born after his father’s death, Joseph Kim lived a difficult but pious life. After reaching adulthood, he made a living by selling pottery and eventually settled in Chilgok in Gyeonsang-do, where he married Martina, a devout Catholic from the Dalseong Seo clan. Later, he moved to Daegu, where his wife’s family resided. However, due to increasing regulations from the Japanese authorities, he faced difficulties managing the pottery shop. It was around this time that Joseph Kim and Martina Seo had their youngest child, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan.
When Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was three or four years old, his parents moved with their children to Seonsan. Then, at the age of five, they relocated again to Gunwi, where they made a living by running a pottery business and farming. At that time, his eldest sister was operating the pottery in Gunwi. Later, his father, Joseph Kim, actively lived a life of faith, even offering his home as a mission station. However, he passed away from a lung disease while the youngest child, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, was in first grade at Gunwi Public Primary School. As a result, the family faced severe hardship, and his mother, Martina Seo, had to take responsibility for sustaining the large household by selling pottery and peddling fabrics. Despite these difficulties, she never neglected her children’s faith education and, with her upright character, raised them with strict discipline.
At that time, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan had an older brother, Carlos Dong-han, who was three years his senior. While his other siblings, being much older, had either left home early or were married, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan shared a close bond with Carlos Kim, as they had grown up together since childhood. However, when Carlos Kim completed fourth grade at Gunwi Primary School and entered the Preparatory course attached to St. Justin Catholic Seminary, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was left to live alone with his mother. Carlos Kim’s admission to the Preparatory course for the Seminary was in accordance with their mother’s earnest hope that ‘he would one day become a priest’. She held the same hope for her youngest child, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan.
His mother in particular maintained a steadfast prayer life. But she was not only devoted to prayer alone, she often told Stephen Kim Sou-hwan stories from the Bible, the lives of saints, and traditional tales of filial sons. These teachings, combined with her strict discipline, had a great influence on Stephen Kim Sou-hwan. Meanwhile, the dream Stephen Kim Sou-hwan held was not to become a priest, but to learn how to do business and become independent. He also hoped to marry and start a family when the time was right. However, knowing well his mother’s wishes, he never had the heart to speak openly to her about his own dreams.[1]
◇ Seminary Life and Priestly Ordination
In April 1934, at the age of twelve, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan completed the fifth grade at Gunwi Primary School and transferred to the fifth grade of the Preparatory course attached to St. Justin Catholic Seminary, where his older brother was studying. However, he found it difficult to adjust to dormitory life, which required a strict prayer routine and discipline. Since Stephen Kim Sou-hwan had entered the school not out of his own aspirations, but rather due to the urging of his mother and brother, he found little joy in it. So one time, he even tried to leave the seminary by breaking a rule - using a coin, knowing that seminarians were not allowed to have money — but it was no use.
After graduating from the second year of the preparatory course of the seminary in Daegu, he moved to Seoul to attend the minor seminary course at Dongsung Commercial School in April 1936, of which its major course offered a standard secondary education. However, still unsure about following the path of a priesthood, he even pretended to be ill in hopes of being expelled from seminary, but his attempts were in vain.
As time passed and Stephen Kim Sou-hwan entered his third year, he was introduced to the biographies of St. John Bosco and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, and was deeply moved by their religious life. It was these biographies of the saints that brought him a step closer to the path of a priest. One passage in particular from the words of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus left a profound impression on him:
However, this did not mean that his doubts about becoming a priest had disappeared. Furthermore, as his thoughts deepened, he began to feel a sense of inadequacy, thinking that someone so imperfect as himself was not qualified to be a priest. Eventually, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan approached Father Gombert (Anthony Gombert), his confessor, and told him of his decision to leave the seminary. After listening attentively to his words, Father Gombert encouraged him with the following words and sent him back: “A priest is not someone who becomes one just because he wants to, nor does he fail to become one simply because he doesn’t want to.”
At the time, Korea was still under Japanese occupation. Thus, lay teachers in regular courses would often share, sometimes subtly, stories that awakened the national spirit. Every time Stephen Kim Sou-hwan heard such stories, a deep sense of anguish and indignation would rise within him, as a member of a people suffering the loss of their homeland. One day during the ethics exam in his final year of fifth grade, he was given a question asking him to write his thoughts as a subject of the Japanese Empire. He responded, “I have no thoughts to share, as I am not a subject of the Japanese Empire.” As a result, he was called in by the principal and reprimanded.[3]
After graduating from minor seminary in March 1941, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan entered the preparatory course at Sophia University in Tokyo that April, and in September of the following year, he advanced to the Department of Philosophy in the College of Liberal Arts. This was based on the policy of seminarian formation of Bishop Germain Mousset, the Vicar Apostolic of Daegu. Among those who had a profound influence on Stephen Kim Sou-hwan during his university years was Father Theodore Geppert[4], a Jesuit missionary and his mentor. He never hesitated to advise Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, who was filled with strong resentment toward Japan, and also prayed for his safe return when he was drafted as a student soldier in January 1944. It was a time when the Pacific War was nearing its end.
Conscripted as a student soldier, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was sent to Chichijima, a remote island far south of Tokyo. However, with the end of the war in 1945, he was finally freed and returned to civilian life. The following year, he appeared as a witness in a war crimes trial held in Guam, at the request of the U.S. military. He then returned to Tokyo in September, and arrived back in Korea through the port of Busan in January 1947. It had been nearly six years since he had gone abroad to study. Meanwhile, his older brother Carlos Kim was ordained a priest in Daegu on December 15, 1945 and was assigned as an assistant priest at Beomil Parish in Busan.
After returning to Korea, while living briefly at his home in Daegu, Stephen once again felt lost and confused. So he spoke to Father Joseph Jang Byeong-hwa, who was serving as a professor at St. Justin Seminary, shared his shortcomings, and sought advice. After a month of careful thought, Father Joseph called him in and said, “A priest must first know his own weaknesses. Only then can he overcome them and grow in holiness. That’s why you must become a priest.” With these words, he encouraged and advised him to return to the seminary.
In September 1947, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan transferred to Songsin University, the Major Seminary of Seoul. Around this time, he began to keep “The Imitation of Christ,” a book cherished by seminarians second only to the Bible, close at hand and strove to live according to its teachings. Meanwhile, what remained most memorable during his seminary years was receiving the tonsure. At the time, tonsure was the first step toward the priesthood, and among the words spoken during the rite that day, the phrase “The Lord God is my portion” was especially moving. It was a time filled with the pure passion of a seminarian.[5]
On June 25, 1950 the Korean war broke out. Coincidentally, that very day marked the golden jubilee of the priestly ordination of his long-time mentor, Father Gombert, and as a school president, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan had devoted himself to preparing the celebration with great care. It was only after the celebration had ended that news of the war began to spread. In fact, he had been preparing to study abroad for some time, but those plans were ultimately dashed by the outbreak of war.
On the night of June 27, upon hearing that the North Korean army had advanced as far as the Miari ridge, Stephen went to Myeongdong Cathedral with fellow and junior seminarians, but they were soon scattered and each had to flee separately. Having passed through Suwon and Daegu, he made his way down to Busan, where, until June of the following year, he received the final lessons necessary to become a priest from Bishop John Choi Deok-hong, who was then serving as Vicar Apostolic of Daegu, at a temporary seminary in Yeongdo (Busan). He was accompanied by Florianus Cheung Ha Kwon, who was five years his junior. Then one day, the Bishop called the two of them saying, “It is time for you to prepare to receive priestly ordination. The two of you can decide on a date together.”
September 15, 1951 was the Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows. He chose this day for his priestly ordination because he believed that “the path of a priest is to silently follow the way of Jesus in suffering, just like the Blessed Mother did.” Moreover, the day before, September 14, was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and the following day, September 16, was the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first Korean priest. Thus, three consecutive days were filled with profound significance. He was ordained a priest at Gyesan Cathedral in Daegu. Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan chose the Bible verse “Have mercy on me, O God” (Psalm 51:3)[6] as his ordination motto.
◇ Brief Pastoral Ministry and Studying in Germany
After the ordination, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was appointed a pastor of Andong Parish (currently Mokseongdong Cathedral). What first caught his attention in his new pastoral assignment was the poverty of the local residents. Due to the shortage of supplies caused by the war and two consecutive years of poor harvests, they were literally surviving on roots and tree bark. The situation was even more desperate in the rural areas outside the town.
What would Jesus do in this situation? After pondering the question for several days, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan took a letter written in English, detailing the dire circumstances of the local residents, and traveled to Busan to visit Mgr. George M. Carroll of M.M (The Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America-Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers). Since Mgr. Carroll was the regional director of the Catholic Relief Services in Korea, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan thought he might at least be able to secure some flour. However, contrary to his expectations the Monsignor handed him a check for a sum so large that it was beyond anything he could have imagined—along with a letter asking that it be delivered to Bishop John Choi Deok-hong.
After reading the Monsignor’s letter, Bishop John, the Ordinary of the diocese, gave the half of the funds to Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan. Even that half was an unimaginably large amount. Upon returning to Andong, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan began the restoration work on the church and paid generous wages to the local residents who came to work there. And for those who were in extreme poverty, he would discreetly hand over cash inside the confessional, according to their circumstances, and firmly insist that they keep it strictly confidential.
Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan held catechism classes every evening for catechumens and the faithful who lacked knowledge in the basic catechism. Whenever someone requested the Sacrament of Penance and the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, he willingly and gladly responded, believing that only in this way could he truly become a good shepherd. Just as he came to feel certain that he had become one family with the faithful by sharing in their joys and sorrows, he was appointed secretary to the Apostolic Vicar. It was April of 1953. Leaving behind the tearful faithful, he took up his new assignment in Daegu, where he voluntarily took on the role of chaplain for a high school student group. Later, he also served as the head of the Apostolic Vicar’s finance department and simultaneously as director of Haesung Hospital. When Bishop John Choi Deok-hong passed away on December 14, 1954, he conducted the funeral with the heart of one who had lost a beloved family member.
The following year in March, during Lent, it was the second Yeongbok Day (Glorious Day). In other words, it was the Saturday following Wednesday, the first Glorious Day of the Rosary as the faithful call it, making it the second Glorious Day.[7] Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan sat quietly, holding his mother as she lay with her head on his knee and eyes closed. She had often said she would die on the second Glorious Day of Lent, and her words were fulfilled. His mother, suffering from a stroke and in poor health, made her way to Namsan-dong Church to pray the Stations of the Cross one last time, and she passed away that evening. At the time, some believers held the belief that one who died on the second Glorious Day of Lent would enter heaven. His mother seemed to believe it as well.
In June 1955, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was appointed pastor of Gimcheon parish, and also naturally took on the role of the principal of Seongui Middle School and Commercial High School run by the parish. During this time, he did not assert the authority as principal, but instead interacted freely and warmly with the students. Perhaps because of this, he eventually came to be affectionately nicknamed “kind and warmhearted Mr. Nose” by the students because his nose would twitch whenever he laughed.[8]
After about a year of pastoral ministry, he left for Germany in July 1956 and began his life as a student there in October. He studied at the University of Münster, majoring in Christian Sociology, under the guidance of Professor Joseph Höffner. He was later elevated to the rank of cardinal and served as the Archbishop of Cologne. Professor Höffner had a significant influence on Father Stephen in broadening his perspective on society and in shaping his understanding of the human person and the state based on Christian thought. The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) also became a key moment for him to deeply reflect on the relationship between the Church and society.
During his studies in Germany, he also devoted himself to helping Korean miners and nurses who had come to a foreign land and were struggling to live difficult lives far from home. They would often turn to him for help—not only with Mass and sacramental confession, but also whenever they faced difficulties in their daily lives. True to his nature, he could never stand idly by in the face of others’ suffering, and did his best to respond to their requests and help them resolve their difficulties whenever possible.
In the summer of 1962, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan encountered an unexpected obstacle. His academic advisor, Professor Joseph Höffner, was appointed to be diocesan bishop of Münster and had to leave the school. Despite his long waiting, a new academic advisor was never assigned, and writing his thesis became an overwhelming task. After much deliberation, he concluded that it would be better to give up his degree and return home to engage in pastoral care. He consulted with Archbishop John Seo Jeong-gil of Daegu and received permission to do so. Thus, in November 1963, he set out on his journey back to Korea, making pilgrimages to places such as Rome and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, before finally returning to his homeland in May of the following year.[9]
◇ Appointment as the First Bishop of the Diocese of Masan and Episcopal Consecration
On June 5, 1964, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was appointed to be the president of the Catholic Newspaper (currently the Catholic Times). Although it was his first experience with the media industry, he worked with a strong sense of duty and soon developed the conviction that to be a Church for the world, religious media must communicate with the people. Later, reflecting on that time, he recalled, “I think it was perhaps the most passionate period of my life, when I threw myself wholeheartedly into my work.”[10]
In March of 1966, Father Stephen Kim Sou-hwan hurriedly traveled up to Seoul after receiving a message from Archbishop Antonio del Giudice, the papal delegate to Korea, saying, “I would like to meet you, please come to Seoul.” Puzzled by the unexpected summons, the question lingered in his mind throughout the journey: “What could this be about?” Just as he had feared, the Archbishop delivered unexpected news, saying, “As of February 15, 1966, Pope Paul VI (reigned: 1963-1978) has separated the Masan region from the Diocese of Busan and established it as a new diocese, and at the same time, he has appointed you as the first diocesan bishop of Masan.”
Bishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan accepted the Pope’s decision in obedience, and, after consulting with those around him, set the date for his Episcopal Consecration. It was May 31st―the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (now celebrated on August 22). Remembering that he had been ordained a priest on the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, he wished to be reborn as bishop on the final day of the Month of Mary. He decided on “For you and for many (Pro Vobis et Pro Multis)” as his pastoral motto, taken from the Consecration of the Precious Blood.[11] It stemmed from the desire to become “bread for all,” offering everything for everyone, just as Jesus gave His body and blood for the sake of all humanity.
The Episcopal consecration and the Installation ceremony of Bishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan as the Bishop of Masan was presided by Archbishop Giudice at the sports field of Sungji Girls’ Middle and High School in Wanwol-dong, Masan. This marked the beginning of his life as a bishop leading a rural diocese with 30,000 faithful and 21 parishes.
Bishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan visited parishes as often as possible. Visiting the rural churches, talking with the faithful, and falling asleep to the sound of insects was a source of great joy for him. Whenever he met the faithful, he made an effort to remind them that “the layman, religious and priests are all the same people of God” and sought to awaken them to the calling of the time entrusted to them. As a result, he established a pastoral council with lay participation and organized a presbyteral council.
In September 1967, Bishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan attended the First Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, as a representative of Korea, in place of Bishop Victorinus Yoon Gong-hee, Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Seoul. The synod focused on the preservation of the Catholic faith. At the conference, he stood against the prevailing opposition to marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics and ultimately succeeded in securing approval for such mixed marriages through dispensation. He persuasively argued that, given the realities of the Korean Church and society as a mission territory, allowing such mixed marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics was both necessary and inevitable. This also aligned with his vision of a Church that lives within the world.
In December of that year, the Shimdo Textile Company incident occurred on Ganghwa island. At Shimdo Textile Company, a labor union legally formed and primarily led by members of the Korean Young Christian Workers (J.O.C) was subjected to suppression, and the employer, in cooperation with other nearby business owners, proceeded to dismiss the Catholic workers. Bishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, who was then concurrently serving as president of the J.O.C. (Jeunesse Ouvriere Chretienne / Catholic Youth Workers), assessed the situation thoroughly and, with Bishop William John McNaughton of the Diocese of Incheon, formally proposed to the college of bishops the convening of special episcopal conference. As a result, the Bishops’ Joint Statement on Social Justice and the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Labor Workers was issued at a special episcopal conference on February 9, 1968, marking the Catholic Church’s first official declaration in Korea in support of human rights and social justice. The issuance of this statement prompted the government to actively intervene, resulting in the full reinstatement of all those who had been dismissed.[12]
◇ Appointment as Archbishop of Seoul and Elevation as Cardinal
In April 1968, not long after the resolution of the Shimdo Textile Company incident, Bishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan hastily made his way to Seoul upon receiving a message from Archbishop Ippolito Rotoli, the papal delegate to Korea. “Congratulations”, said the Archbishop. “His Holiness the Pope has appointed you to be the 11th Archbishop of Seoul.” It was, quite literally, a bolt from the blue. No matter how hard he tried to make sense of it, the burden now placed upon his shoulders did not seem one that should fall to the youngest bishop—especially one who had been consecrated for only two years. Boarding the train back to Masan, he asked both God and himself: “Lord, why do You place upon me a cross too heavy to bear, and send me to a distant and unfamiliar land?”
The bull of Pope Paul VI was dated April 9, 1968, and was officially announced in the afternoon of April 27, simultaneously in Rome and Korea. As a first step, Archbishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan chose his pastoral motto―“For you and for many (Pro Vobis et Pro Multis).” The motto, originally adopted at the time of his episcopal consecration, was adopted with only slight modifications to its Korean phrasing. Then, not long afterward, on the day he departed from the Diocese of Masan, a place as dear to him as his own hometown, he unexpectedly shed tears while bidding farewell to his fellow priests.
His installation as Archbishop of Seoul took place on May 29 at Myeongdong Cathedral. In his homily during the inaugural Mass, Archbishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan spoke the following words, thus setting the course he would follow:
Four months after his installation as Archbishop of Seoul, on October 6, 1968, Archbishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan had the honor of attending and concelebrating with the Pope at the Mass for the Beatification of 24 Korean Martyrs of the Byeongin Persecution, held in Rome. However, the domestic political situation at the time was far from favorable. Given the circumstances, he included the following paragraph in the message he issued just before Christmas.
In March of 1969, Archbishop Stephen Kim Sou-hwan traveled to Rome for a conference, then made his way across the United States to arrive in Japan. While in Tokyo, he took the opportunity to visit his mentor, Father Geppert at Sophia University. The following day, just as he was about to leave his lodging to catch a flight to Seoul, the phone rang. He wondered what it might be, then picked up the receiver. “Congratulations,” said the voice on the other end. “You have been appointed Cardinal. It’s in the paper here.” For a long moment, he stood there, holding the receiver, utterly stunned, like someone in a daze.
Within a year of becoming Archbishop, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was created a cardinal by the Pope. At the time, he was 47 years old. He became the first Cardinal of the Catholic Church in Korea and was the youngest among the 130 or so cardinals in the world. Upon arriving in Gimpo International Airport, a banner reading “The Birth of Our Glory, Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan” caught his eye. It was then that he fully grasped the reality of the situation, and later recalled with joy, “Above all, I was delighted that Catholic Church in Korea had received international recognition within the universal Church”.
The public consistory took place on April 28, 1969, in Rome. A total of thirty three individuals were newly appointed to the College of Cardinals, including Joseph Höffner, who had been his mentor during his studies in Germany. While he was waiting at the Pontifical Urban University, the designated location, the papal legate arrived with the letter of appointment and handed it to him. On May 1, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan offered the Thanksgiving Mass presided by His Holiness the Pope at St. Peter’s Basilica in honor of his elevation to the cardinalate. His titular church as a cardinal was San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle in Rome.[15]
◇ Realizing the Spirit of the Second Vatican Council
It was during his time studying in Germany that Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan began to seriously reflect on the engagement of the Catholic Church with the real-world issues. Over the course of seven years, while studying Christian Sociology under the guidance of his mentor Professor Joseph Höffner, and learning the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, he developed a profound interest in the relationship between the Church and society. Through his interactions with Korean miners and nurses sent to Germany, he had the opportunity to put into practice a life of unity between knowledge and action, and he could also feel the winds of change and reform blowing through the Catholic Church. His interactions with German priests and the discourses on the Vatican Council would later lay the foundation for his vision of a living and practicing faith in the world. These experiences would also prove invaluable as he took on his roles as priest, bishop, and later cardinal.
Pope John XXIII (reigned 1958-1963) opened the Church to the world, pursuing change and reform, striving for Christian unity, and pursuing a vision of the Church that engaged in dialogue with the world and other religions. He was a pope of transition, breaking through tradition and custom to enter a new era. He issued encyclicals such as Peace on Earth (Pacem in Terris) and Mother and Teacher (Mater et Magistra), which conveyed the social teachings of the Church, and convened the Second Vatican Council to foster reform within the Church. Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was deeply influenced not only by the spirit of the Council, but also by the teachings of the Pope John XXIII.
Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, while serving as president of the Catholic Times, carried out the task of reporting on the news of the Council with a strong sense of mission. He believed it was crucial to faithfully convey the spirit of the Council. While reflecting on how the Catholic Church in Korea should change and what reforms were necessary, he posed thought-provoking questions such as “What do you think of the Catholic Church?” and “What are the flaws that need to be urgently corrected?” to well-known Buddhist monks, Protestant pastors, and prominent figures in society. He then published their critical responses verbatim in the newspaper.[16]
Upon his appointment as the Diocesan bishop of Masan, he emphasized, “Our diocese must strive wholeheartedly to implement the reforms and the pastoral spirit outlined by the Second Vatican Council with the full cooperation of the priests, religious, and the faithful.” He particularly highlighted the importance of the spirit of the Council. Similarly, when taking office as the Archbishop of Seoul, he stressed the idea of becoming the “Church in the world,” a message that echoed the same conviction. Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan firmly believed that the Church exists in the world and for the world, and nothing could ever shake his conviction that the Church must always remain open to the world.[17]
The successful approval of marriage between Catholics and non-Catholics with dispensation at the First Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 1967, as well as his active involvement in resolving the Ganghwa Shimdo Textile Company incident, were driven by his determination to practice the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. All of this illustrates his efforts to realize social justice while establishing a Church engaged with the real world. Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan’s fundamental spirit in this regard is clearly reflected in the following statement:
◇ Standing Up to Military Dictatorship
By the 1970s, South Korean society had fallen under the sway of a military dictatorship with ambitions for prolonged rule. On December 6, 1971, a state of national emergency was declared, and on December 17, the National Assembly passed the Special Measures Act for National Security, granting the president emergency powers. Despite this, no one dared to speak out, and fear kept the nation silent. It was during this very time that one man, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, decided to become a voice crying out in the wilderness. In 1971, during his homily for Midnight Mass for Christmas, which was broadcast live nationwide by Korea’s leading broadcaster, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), he said :
However, the situation was becoming increasingly dire. In 1972, the government issued the July 4th South-North Joint Statement, and soon after, under the pretext of economic stability and growth, proclaimed the August 3rd Emergency Fiscal Decree. Like most intellectuals of the time, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan regarded the joint statement as a preliminary maneuver to pave the way for prolonged one-man rule, and viewed the emergency decree as a typical case of collusion between politics and business. In response, as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, he issued a Message on the Current State of Affairs, in which he pointed out the unjust and perilous nature of the government’s proclamations and called for the realization of liberal democracy.
On October 17, 1972, the military regime issued a special declaration announcing the dissolution of the National Assembly and the suspension of all political parties and political activity, accompanied by the imposition of emergency measures. This marked the beginning of what became known as the October Restoration ― that is, the birth of the Fourth Republic and the institutionalization of the Yushin system. From that point on, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan came under direct government surveillance.
On July 6, 1974, Bishop Daniel Tji Hak-soun of Wonju was arrested upon returning from abroad, accused of providing financial support to an illegal organization. Upon learning of the incident, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan immediately requested a private meeting with the president and successfully pressed for the bishop’s release. However, Bishop Tji was soon imprisoned again after issuing a Declaration of Conscience, in which he openly criticized the Yushin Constitution.
This incident became a catalyst for young priests to form the Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice, and on October 9 of the same year, the National Adult Assembly held at the seminary in Hyehwa-dong, Seoul, turned into a protest condemning the Yushin regime and calling for the restoration of constitutional order. It was the college of bishops who led the charge in attempting to take the demonstration to the streets. At the time, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, who was staying in Rome for a conference, addressed the prelates, who failed to grasp the actual conditions of Korea, saying, “Before anything else, consider how dire the situation must have been for the bishops themselves to join the protests in the street.” He went on to explain, “There are no human rights or justice in Korea today.”[20]
On March 1, 1976, during a joint prayer meeting of Catholic and Protestant leaders held at Myeongdong Cathedral, the Democratic Declaration to Save the Nation was announced, calling for the resignation of the Yushin regime. As a result, eleven individuals involved were arrested, and five priests were either detained or placed under investigation without detention. This incident led the Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice to become more deeply involved in the unfolding political crisis. The more actively the Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice engaged with the situation, the more harshly the government intensified its crackdown on the Church. Meanwhile, conservative priests, who disapproved of the activities of Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice, formed a separate group called the National Salvation Committee of Priests to voice a different perspective. Even within the Bishops’ Conference, opinions on the Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice became divided, with both support and criticism emerging.
In fact, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan himself had never thought of his actions in terms of political ideologies—neither as progressive nor as leftist. He had never stepped forward with any political agenda or intent. That is why he grew increasingly concerned as the Church became divided along ideological lines, split between left and right, progressives and conservatives. During the national prayer meeting held on March 15, 1976, in connection with the “March 1st Myeongdong Incident,” he addressed these concerns directly.
In 1978, the Jeonju 7.6 Incident occurred. In Jeonju, the police broke into a church in an attempt to arrest Father Bartholomew Mun Jeong Hyeon, beating the priests inside and abandoning one of them in the street. After the incident, priests of the Diocese of Jeonju demanded a public apology from the Minister of the Interior and began a life-threatening hunger strike in protest. Upon hearing the news, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan traveled to Jeonju and made efforts to resolve the situation.[22]
On October 26, 1979, the long-ruling president was assassinated by one of his subordinates, and the military once again seized power. This event became known as the December 12 Military Coup. The following year, beginning on May 18, the citizens of Gwangju launched a democracy movement, demanding the resignation of the military regime and the abolition of martial law.
◇ At the Center of the Nonviolent Struggle for Democracy
The Democratization Movement reached its climax with the Park Jong-cheol torture and death incident which occurred on January 14, 1987. It was an attempt by the authorities to cover up the death of university student Park Jong-cheol, who had died under torture. In a homily delivered during Mass on January 26, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan raised his voice in fierce condemnation of the regime’s brutality.
The full truth of the incident was revealed five months later, on May 17, during a memorial Mass commemorating the seventh anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement. It was Father Kim Seung-hun of the Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice who revealed everything in full detail.
In June 1987, public outrage erupted when another key figure in the military coup was nominated as a presidential candidate. Rallies condemning the military regime continued day after day, and on June 10, after one such rally, hundreds of students and citizens were driven by police into the grounds of Myeongdong Cathedral. That same day, around forty young priests held Mass for the Nation and began a time-limited sit-in at the church. When the police resolved to forcibly detain the students, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan stood in defiance.
In the face of the Cardinal’s resolute stance, the police withdrew their forces and guaranteed the students’ safe return home. As a result, Myeongdong Cathedral came to be seen much as a sacred site in ancient times where even criminals could not be forcibly taken. A few days later, the former general who had been nominated as a presidential candidate announced the June 29 Declaration, accepting the people’s demand for a direct presidential election.
As such, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan stood in defiance of the coercive rule and human rights violations carried out under the military regime. Through his sermons, public statements, and messages to the nation, he voiced his resistance. His actions taken at the risk of his own life laid a foundation for curbing the abuses of those in power and ultimately reshaping the future of the country. As he himself confessed, it was all done to stand on the side of the poor, the suffering, and those called weak, in order to protect their dignity. He believed that in doing so, he was following the path of Jesus Christ, “who lived among the poor, the sick, and the sinners—and who, in the end, gave even his life on the altar of the Cross.”[25]
◇ Friend to the Oppressed, the Marginalized, and All People of Faith
As seen in the 1967 Simdo Textile incident in Ganghwa, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan showed deep concern for workers’ rights and social justice from early on. When, in 1978, a crisis broke out at Dongil Textile in Incheon, where the human rights of female workers were severely violated, he regarded them as being like the one who fell victim to robbers and lay wounded at the roadside, referencing the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). He made multiple efforts to protect their rights and interests. On August 20, he convened a prayer meeting at Myeongdong Cathedral and issued a public statement calling for an end to the suppression of workers’ rights.
In the summer of 1979, the Oh Won-chun Incident occurred in Yeongyang, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Alphonsus Oh Won-chun, a member of the Catholic Farmers’ Association, suffered after planting defective seed potatoes provided through county office mediation. After successfully receiving compensation, the police, who feared that the farmers’ compensation movement might spread, abducted and assaulted him. In response, a protest rally was held in the diocese of Andong, but the police arrested several priests and cracked down on the Catholic Farmers’ Association. Upon hearing the news, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan immediately traveled to Andong, where he strongly condemned the government’s repression of the farmers’ movement.[26]
Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan helped arrange land for the displaced residents of Yangpyeong-dong in Seoul when they were relocated to Siheung, Gyeonggi-do in the 1970s. In 1986, he held a Mass on the site of the demolished homes of Sanggye-dong residents and arranged for them to live in a tent on one side of Myeongdong Cathedral. Following the collapse of the Sampoong Department Store and the Daegu subway fire disaster, he visited the scenes to mourn the victims and share in the sorrow of the bereaved families. He also visited foreign industrial trainees and celebrated Mass for them, and submitted a petition to the National Assembly calling for the enactment of a Foreign Workers Protection Act. He visited places such as Nanjido, then a huge garbage landfill, Magdalena House, a shelter for women involved in prostitution, and refugee camps for Vietnamese migrants, to offer comfort to those struggling in hardship. He also visited people with disabilities and coal miners, personally experiencing the difficulties they faced. Yet, he confessed with shame that he lacked the courage to live among them.[27]
Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan deeply grieved over the division and confrontation between North and South Korea. He consistently emphasized reconciliation and peace, and always prayed for the oppressed people of the North. His third sign of the Cross for the blessings given to the faithful at the Dismissal rite of the Mass was always directed toward the Church and the compatriots of North Korea. Upon his appointment as Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Pyongyang on June 10, 1975, such sentiments grew even stronger. On the anniversary of the Korean War that same year, he issued his first message to the people of North Korea, and in his homily during the Mass celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Pyongyang in 1977, he expressed his deep affection for the North.[28] He also made efforts to invite North Korean faithful to the 44th International Eucharistic Congress held in Seoul in 1989, and although he expressed his willingness to visit North Korea multiple times since 1992, it never came to fruition.[29] In 1995, he established the Korea Reconciliation Committee of the Archdiocese of Seoul, an organization dedicated to evangelizing North Korea and supporting its people.
Not only did Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan work to bring about unity within the Christian Church, he also sought to become a friend to other religions of the world. The year after becoming the Archbishop of Seoul, he held a joint prayer meeting with the Anglican Bishop in Myeongdong Cathedral. Beginning with a conversation with prominent Buddhist monks and Protestant ministers in 1970, he went on to meet with the religious leaders to engage in candid dialogue and discuss ways to cooperate on pressing national issues.[30] Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the YWCA in 1972, he delivered a special homily, and in the following year, he attended a prayer meeting held in Seoul Anglican Cathedral and had a meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury.[31] He invited a Buddhist monk to Myeongdong Cathedral in 1984 to deliver a special lecture, and in 1997, he gave a commemorative speech at the opening ceremony of a Buddhist temple. In 2020, after receiving the Simsan Award, which was established to honor a Confucian scholar and independence activist Kim Chang-sook, he paid tribute at his grave.[32]
Meanwhile, following the International Eucharistic Congress in 1989, the One Heart One Body Movement, an organization established by Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, has carried out a range of initiatives including domestic and international aid programs, support for children with leukemia, and also has been running campaigns for bone marrow, cord blood, and organ donation, as well as working on domestic adoption efforts. The Onggee Scholarship Foundation, established in 2002 by the Archdiocese of Seoul to foster missionary priests in North Korea, expanded its scope to the entire Asian region and has been conducting scholarship programs accordingly.
Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan always emphasized the dignity of human beings, advocating for human rights and justice. He was not a fighter of ideologies, but rather, following the example of Christ, he sought to be a friend and a voice for the marginalized and oppressed. He wished to stand with the workers trapped in desperate circumstances, the discriminated foreign workers, the poor living in harsh conditions, the demolition victims who had to face forced relocation due to urban development, the struggling farmers affected by rural depopulation as a result of industrialization, the prisoners of conscience and inmates locked away in jails, the disabled who faced neglect and alienation, and the North Korean compatriots oppressed by hunger and suffering. He prayed for the North Korean people who were suffering under oppression and hunger, seeking to share in their pain. He firmly believed that this was the way to practice social engagement in accordance with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council.
What would Jesus have done? This was the prayer and question that Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan repeatedly asked himself while navigating the turbulent decades of the 1970s and 1980s.
◇ Good Shepherd, Awakened Intellect, Humble Fool
Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan retired as Archbishop of Seoul on April 3, 1998, and celebrated a farewell Mass at Myeongdong Cathedralon on June 22 of the same year. It marked the 30th anniversary of his appointment as Archbishop and his 47th year as a priest.
Over the years, the Catholic Church in Korea strove to offer strength, courage, and a spiritual refuge to those who were “hungry and thirsty, poorly clad and roughly treated, wandering about homeless” (1 Corinthians 4:11), as the nation endured a political climate marked by dictatorship and oppression. The number of Catholic faithful has since grown to comprise 11.3% of South Korea’s total population.[33] A miraculous church built by the hands of the laity has now stood tall as a proud member of the universal Church.
At the center of all this stood Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan. He endeavored to uphold social justice during a time of confusion and upheaval, standing against the oppression of the military regimes. He became a voice for the unjustly suppressed, the poor, and the marginalized, taking the lead in advocating for human rights. He consistently practiced love and sharing throughout his life. His honest and upright character, which refused to compromise with injustice or yield to oppression, helped reshape public perception of the Catholic Church in Korean society, while also serving as a vital stepping stone in setting the nation on a righteous path. In recognition of these contributions, he was awarded numerous honorary doctorates during his lifetime from universities not only in Korea but also in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other countries.
In 2007, Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan wrote the words “A fool” next to a self-portrait. It was a humble acknowledgment that, although he recognized that God was the very embodiment of love and truth, he had lived without fully realizing this truth in his heart. In 2010, the Archdiocese of Seoul established The Babonanum Foundation to carry on Cardinal Kim’s life of love and the spirit of sharing, and has since carried out a variety of initiatives. That same year, the Catholic University of Korea established The Stephen Cardinal Kim Institute to academically explore his life and teachings, and it also serves as a venue for civic education. In 2017, on the national level, the Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan’s Love and Sharing Memorial Park was established in his hometown, Gunwi Gyeongsangbuk-do, to commemorate his life and legacy.
Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan passed away on February 16, 2009, at the age of 87 and was laid to rest at the Catholic Priests’ Cemetery in Yongin following a funeral Mass on February 20. In accordance with his pledge to donate his eyes after death, he gave the gift of sight to two individuals. News of this act inspired a dramatic rise in organ donor registrations, from around 70,000 annually to 180,000 in that year alone. During the five-day mourning period, a steady stream of mourners from across the country gathered at Myeongdong Cathedral, where the Cardinal’s remains were enshrined, and the number of visitors inside and outside of the church exceeded 400,000. It was the moment where his virtue and reputation living as a successor of the Apostles were affirmed in the eyes of the entire nation. He was a true religious leader who was deeply loved and respected not only by Catholics but also by the entire Korean people. He was a revered elder of his time and a moral compass for the nation. Just as his episcopal motto “for you and for many (Pro vobis et pro multis)” declared, he lived as a good shepherd and a truly awakened intellect.
- [1]Oral statement by Kim Sou-hwan, edited by Kim Won-cheol. The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan (Revised Edition), Catholic Peace Broadcasting Corporation, 2009, pp. 50-56.
- [2]Ibid pp. 57-64.
- [3]Ibid., pp. 65-71.
- [4]Geppert(1904-2002) : A German Jesuit missionary, who arrived in Korea in 1954 and served as the inaugural chairman of the board of directors of Sogang University, which was established on April 18, 1960.
- [5]The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan (Revised Edition), pp. 80-97, 109-123.
- [6]Ibid., pp. 125-135.
- [7]Back then, the faithful referred to each weekday with a specific Rosary mystery—Joyful, Sorrowful, or Glorious. As such, Monday was referred to as the “First Joyful”, Tuesday as the “First Sorrowful”, Wednesday as the “First Glorious”, and Thursday as the “Second Joyful”.
- [8]The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan (Revised Edition), pp. 138-143, 148-158.
- [9]Ibid., pp. 163-172.
- [10]Ibid., pp. 173-176.
- [11]Compilation Committee for Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 17 ‘“Grains of Words”, Catholic Publishing House, 2001, pp. 250-251.
- [12]The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan (Revised Edition), pp. 186-203.
- [13]Ibid., p. 211.
- [14]Ibid., p. 218.
- [15]Ibid., p. 206-211, 223-227, 230-235.
- [16]Ibid., pp. 168-177.
- [17]Ibid., pp. 190-195, 211. Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan’s perception of the Church’s social role is clearly reflected in the discussions of “Why the Church Cannot Remain Silent on Social Issues”, “The Role of Religion in Society”, “Religion’s Active Participation in Reality”, and “Life, Our Peace” (Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 15 “Shepherd of the Time 1”, pp. 92-95, 307-312, 468-473, 650-651).
- [18]Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 12, “The Korean Catholic Church and Evangelization of Korean People”, p. 403.
- [19]“The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan” 28, The Peace Times Vol. 751, December 7, 2003; The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan (Revised Edition), p. 219.
- [20]Ibid., pp. 248-270.
- [21]Ibid., pp. 282-283.
- [22]Ibid., p. 288.
- [23]Ibid., p. 368.
- [24]Ibid., p. 70.
- [25]“The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan” 37, The Peace Times Vol. 760, February 15, 2004; The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan (Revised Edition), p. 271.
- [26]Ibid., pp. 291-300.
- [27]“The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan” 51, The Peace Times Vol. 774, May 23, 2004; The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan (Revised Edition), p. 271. “The Story of Cardinal Kim Sou-Hwan, and After”, The Peace Times Vol. 921, May 20, 2007.
- [28]Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 12 “The Korean Catholic Church and Evangelization of Korean People”, pp.333-335. ; Catholic Times No. 1084, December 11, 1977.
- [29]Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 15 “Shepherd of the Time 1”, pp. 600-601, 612. Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 16 “Shepherd of the Time 2”, pp. 81-90.
- [30]Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan’s perception of other religions is well reflected in the dialogue titled “Hope for This Nation”, which he shared with Minister Kang Won-ryong (Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 15 “Shepherd of the Time 1”, pp. 99-133)
- [31]Kim Sou-hwan, “Participation of the Christians toward New World”, Catholic Times, No. 813, April, 30, 1972; Catholic Times, No. 859, April, 1, 1973.
- [32]Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 16 “Shepherd of the Time 2”, pp. 357-359; Complete Collection of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Vol. 17 “Grains of Words”, pp. 328-333.
- [33]Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, “Korean Catholic Church Statistics 2002”, Catholic Conference of Korea, 2023, p. 7.
