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| Fr. Peter Kim Woo |
The priest from Korea: My life was changed in Međugorje
date: 29.03.2011.
The young Franciscan Peter Kim Dae Woo visited Međugorje for the second time. He comes from the parish Incon in Korea, where he serves as the assistant parish priest. He was ordained in 2009, despite his great desire to become a singer. He studied at the University for electrical engineering, but he dreamt of music, and that had even reduced his student’s performance at the university. “I studied for four years, but I was not interested in that at all. I would spend most of my time playing and singing, the music was my whole life. I was student only up to the moment when I got to know music a bit better. At one point, I was no longer attending classes. Back in those days, I used to have a nick name “factory of curses”, because all of the words that were coming out from my mouth were bad, but I did not care for that at all. I only cared for music and lived in its world completely. I socialised with ‘so-called musicians’”
He came to Međugorje in September 1998, for the first time. He heard about Međugorje in February 1998, when he read a book about the phenomenon of Međugorje. Fr. Peter continues: “Up to that time, I used to go to Holy Mass only on Sundays. But, after reading that book, I started going to the Holy Mass on a daily basis. I felt desire to start praying the Rosary and I started doing that every day as well. I began to live the five main messages of Our Lady of Međugorje.
At the time when I started reading that book, my life was not very bright and easy. I was even depressed. My mother suffered a lot because of my condition. To help me, she suggested that I come to Međugorje. I came, and my spirituality started changing. The change was huge, but yet I had burning desire to become a famous singer one day. In those days when I arrived to Međugorje, I used to cry every day, especially during the Adoration, after hearing the sound of violin.”
Fr. Peter returned to Korea and started reconsidering the choice of music in his life. He was not sure whether that was a profession worth for the whole lifetime. Upon his return, he met a person that he prayed a lot with, and that person told him that he had a religious vocation. He continued with his everyday duties, but deep in his heart he was able to hear the Lord calling him: “Dae Woo”
He felt a fear from accepting that call, thinking that if he answered Lord’s invitation, that his music days would be over. He used to cry often in front of the Lord, begging Him to help him change his life.
This young priest told us how he decided to enter the Franciscan Order: “I prayed to the Lord and to Our Lady saying to them – ‘If it is your will for me to have a religious vocation, please help me, give me an obvious sign so I would know whether to persist in that decision.’ I prayed in those moments and the Holy Bible opened at the Psalm 110 that says: ‘You are a priest forever for ever, in the order of Melchizedek’
I closed the Bible and felt as if my heart was going down in those moments. After so many inner struggles, I put the other things in my regular life in the order and I knocked at the doors of one Franciscan monastery. I decided to become a Franciscan in 2000.”
*He said that Međugorje is a place of great grace, a special place that enabled him to change his life. He never thought of becoming a priest prior to his visit to Međugorje.
source-Medjugorje Official
4 comments:
REFLECTION:
The Beautiful Hands of a Priest
We need them in life's early morning,
We need them again at its close;
We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
We seek them when tasting life's woes.
At the altar each day we behold them,
And the hands of a king on his throne
Are not equal to them in their greatness;
Their dignity stands all alone;
And when we are tempted and wander,
To pathways of shame and of sin,
It's the hand of a priest that will absolve us--
Not once, but again and again.
And when we are taking life's partner,
Other hands may prepare us a feast,
But the hand that will bless and unite us--
Is the beautiful hand of a priest.
God bless them and keep them all holy,
For the Host which their fingers caress;
When can a poor sinner do better,
Than to ask Him to guide thee and bless?
When the hour of death comes upon us,
May our courage and strength be increased,
By seeing raised over us in blessing--
The beautiful hands of a priest.
thank you for posting! wonderful that so many religious vocations come out of the experiences in Medjugorje...so many people say that the apparitions are false because the visionaries do not become religious...but just look at all the vocations from the pilgrims!!!!!
Re: My Redemption Day
by Rita Biesemans on Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:01 am
My redemption day and start of my spiritual growth with backlashes followed by more growth, started when I said yes to the Lord's calling to become a NURSE. I was a translator-interpreter at the Atomic Center in Belgium and loved my job but was kind of disgusted by all the politics and navel staring of the biggies in this world. My parents in those days had started a "Home for Elderly People" (the poorest of the poor). When at home during the weekends I got kind of involved in helping them. One day as a pastor came to visit the old people, he said to me :"why don't you become a nurse ?" I answered :"Me ????? NEVER EVER in my life". My mother said "Oy Rita never say never, she started telling the story of a friend who said never to something and she became it anyway." Stubborn as I am, I kept repeating to myself : no way, you ain't gonna do it".
Slowly, slowly, I felt the calling more and more, but I said NO. In those days the TV series of Dr Kildare was on TV, but I refused watching it, I didn't want to see that nurse running around in her white uniform.
I barely ate anymore, I didn't sleep anymore, I kept saying NO. One morning though as I was waking up : I saw Jesus coming to me saying : "Prepare yourself for your task for later". I can't explain that event, because it's all imprinted in the soul, you don't really see that with your eyes or hear it with your ears, it's with the eyes and the ears of the soul. Next thing you know I was in nursing school and I loved it from the first day, I became an RN-Midwife. My job is my passion, it's not a job it's with all my heart bringing God's love to the sick and needy, taking care of body and soul. That's when my redemption started.
The greatest gift though is my close family and being in this Country : my daughter-in-law, my son, my 2 little granddaughters, my husband Shmuel. We are spiritually so close and are growing more and more in the Spirit of God's Love. Thank You Lord for holding me by my hair and pulling it occasionally to keep me close to You. Rita (Rivka) Biesemans
BTW I've been twice in Medjugorje with my family in 1984 and in 1989 and it's very dear to us. You don't return from there without a deep imprint on your soul.
True Peace will only come thru Mary gearing to Her SON, to the Holy Spirit and to our Heavenly Father Rita
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