Catholic Priests' Association for Justice holds street Mass for Myanmar

The Catholic Priests' Association for Justice holds a street Mass praying for Myanmar's democracy and criticizing the military coup's crackdown killing its citizens near Myanmar's Embassy in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

The Catholic Priests' Association for Justice held a street Mass on Monday near the Myanmar Embassy in Seoul, praying for Myanmar's democracy.

Up to 50 people consisting of priests of the liberal Catholic group joined the Mass. Several placards were hung nearby. One read “Myanmar's Military Coup, stop the massacre against citizens” and another read “Peace, freedom, hope for Myanmar.”

“Korea had gone through similar experiences to what Myanmar is currently undergoing. I held this Mass for the citizens who are suffering amid despair,” said Kim Young-sik, head of the group who presided over the Mass.

“We are planning to invite activists and students from Myanmar and financially support their tuition fees and living expenses in the long term.”

The group has donated some $20,000 (22.6 million won) to the civic groups in Myanmar while starting raising funds for democracy of Myanmar which would be run through April.

Na Hyun-phil, head of the Korean House for International Solidarity, said, “It is an honor to join the Mass with a lot of nuns and priests. But my heart is heavy. About 40 people died yesterday in the industrial park in Yangon, Myanmar, because of military suppression.”

Priests and nuns from the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice hold placards near Myanmar's Embassy in Seoul, Monday, calling for justice in Myanmar, where the democratically elected government was overthrown in a military coup in February. Yonhap