25 June 2014 – The Association of Filipino Catholic Missionaries in Korea (AFCMK)  held a regular meeting at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul on June 16. Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez encouraged the Filipino Catholic priests, nuns and lay missionaries just before their regular meeting to persevere in their mission to administer to the needs of Filipino residents in Korea.

“The Filipino missionaries continue to spread the Gospel in Korea and strengthen the faith of our nationals in this country,” Ambassador Hernandez told the Association of Filipino Catholic Missionaries in Korea (AFCMK) at the Embassy Chancery.

“They are also the Embassy’s partners in providing the much-needed assistance to Filipinos in Korea in the areas of community organization and development as well as supporting the Embassy’s consular and cultural activities through the years,” he added.

Catholic missionaries were among the first Filipinos to live in this country, following the footsteps of engineers and professionals who helped in the reconstruction of South Korea in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950-1953). AFCMK member Sr. Michaela Santiago, FMA (ret.), was the first to arrive at the age 24 in 1957. 

Founded in 1999, the AFCMK now has 22 members based in Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju as well as Gyeonggi, North Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang Provinces. The members also conduct outreach missions to Filipino communities outside their areas of assignment, such as Busan, Gangwon, North and South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang Provinces.

The Association is headed by Fr. Arvin Mosqueda, MSP, of Hyehwadong Catholic Church in Seoul’s Little Manila district, who will take over the rest of the two-year term until 2015 of his predecessor, Fr. Cedric Alimbuyong, MSP. At the meeting, the AFCMK decided to increase the frequency to three times a year from the current twice a year. END