The Vocation Support Association of the Archdiocese of Seoul celebrated its 50th anniversary on Thursday with a solemn Mass of Thanksgiving at Myeongdong Cathedral.
The liturgy, held at 2:00 PM, was presided over by Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung and attended by clergy, religious, and hundreds of lay faithful dedicated to the promotion of priestly vocations.
Founded on April 17, 1975, the Association began as the Seminarian Support Group, a grassroots initiative led by seminary staff and fifteen laywomen under the guidance of the late Fr. Kim Deok-jae.
It was officially renamed the Vocation Support Association in October 1977 and has since operated under the supervision of the Archdiocese’s Vocations Department.
“By the grace of our good and loving Father, and through your concern, support, and generous contributions, we have reached a historic moment,” Archbishop Chung said in his homily.
“In this 180th year since the ordination of Korea’s first native priest, Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon, the number of diocesan priests in the Archdiocese of Seoul has finally reached one thousand,” the prelate added.
Reflecting on the Association’s beginnings, Archbishop Chung recalled that the initiative started on April 17, 1975, with a small group composed of seminary priests and around fifteen women from the Seoul Archdiocese.
He highlighted how this early effort eventually developed into what is now known as the Vocation Support Association, officially renamed in October 1977.
“This growth would not have been possible without God’s grace, and without the devoted efforts of the priests and members who have served this mission,” he said.
He also underscored the spiritual identity of the priesthood, describing it as a calling to celebrate the Eucharist and the sacraments in the person of Christ. He stressed that while a vocation is a divine gift, it also requires careful nurturing and cultivation to reach its full potential.
“Sadly, we are witnessing a steady decline in priestly vocations today. I ask all of you, our members and supporters, to pray even more fervently, and to encourage your neighbors and communities to support vocations in every way possible,” he said.
Ms. Yeong-suk Park, current president of the Association, addressed the assembly with gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose, acknowledging the collective efforts that contributed to the development and formation of priestly vocations in the Archdiocese of Seoul, which recently reached the milestone of one thousand diocesan priests.
“We give thanks to God for this amazing providence, and I sincerely thank all of you who have joined us today to share in this joy. Since the former presidents have already spoken so well, I will simply add my heartfelt thanks — and invite you to become laborers in the field of vocations,” she said.
