김수환 추기경의 사상 안에 나타난 제2차 바티칸 공의회 정신에 대한 고찰

Abstract

After having been appointed as the diocesan bishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, the theme of Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan’s first sermon was the Church within the World. The Church within the World was an important theme to reform the Church in the 2nd Vatican Council. The important task during his service as a cardinal was how to realize the spirit of the Council within modern society. This study focused on how the spirit of the 2nd Vatican Council had been immersed in Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan’s thought. It was found that the Council and Cardinal Kim were closely related with each other from the beginning. He personally experienced the Catholic Church preparing for changes while studying in Germany in his younger days before the Council was held, and saw the Council held with great anticipation there. After returning home, he reported every content of the Council enthusiastically and kept the spirit of the Council in his mind while working as the president of the Catholic Times. Through the understanding of the spirit of the Council, Cardinal Kim understood that the Church now exists within the world and needs to talk with the world. He was well aware that the theme of the talk was problems men were experiencing within modern society. This was revealed as emphasis on the restoration of human dignity as well as on concerns about violation of human rights in the South Korean society within his thought. For Cardinal Kim, the Church was “a sign and instrument of the unity of the whole human race”, as mentioned in Article 1 of 「Lumen Gentium」. In other words, the Church needs to fulfill its roles by removing the discrimination and barriers among men, by getting rid of injustice and unfairness, and by uniting all the people. To do this, the members of the Church first of all need to be friends with poor and alienated people around them and to share what they have with their neighbors. Indeed, the whole life of Jesus Christ was closely related with the unity of the whole human race and, ultimately, He emptied Himself completely and even offered Himself in sacrifice. On the basis of Article 47 of 「Sacrosanctum Concilium」, Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan mentioned that the “Eucharist was truly a sacrament of redemption, liberation, and unity” and that “both believers and nonbelievers were lives for all of us and this world” and emphasized that Christ who offers Himself completely is well revealed in the Eucharist. In short, Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan decisively realized the spirit of the 2nd Vatican Council within the South Korean society on the basis of the spirit. As his words and life have drawn attention from a number of people in the South Korean society, regardless of denominations, he was like a lamp in the society. It is now necessary to meditate on his thought and check what the Catholic Church is like again.