Whispers of faith echo through the halls of the Myeongdong Cathedral Salesian Sisters’ House. This isn’t just any building. It’s a testament to resilience. It’s a place where the echoes of a war-torn Korea blend with the joyous laughter of children.
The Myeongdong Cathedral Salesian Sisters’ House stands as a beacon of hope. It’s a place where the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians have served the Korean people for over sixty years. Sister Adriana Bricchi arrived in Seoul in 1959. The city lay in ruins after the Korean War. Only the cathedral and the central station remained. Sister Adriana described the social situation as unimaginable. Yet from this devastation a miracle unfolded. Korea rose again.
The Salesian Sisters arrived in Seoul in 1957. They established a home near the parish church. They opened another in Gwangju. In Seoul they started with a small house. Three sisters shared the space with newly arrived Salesians. Sister Adriana remembers the biting cold. A frost without snow gripped the land. In Gwangju they started a middle school that later became a high school. They also ran a nursery school. They visited families and the sick. Language barriers were a challenge. Eventually they taught catechism. A Korean Salesian nun who had trained in Japan helped them.
Before they could teach catechism they worked with the children in the flourishing oratory. The children played and shared bread and milk. They obtained these from American military camps still present in the country. Some of those children became priests and nuns. Sister Adriana cherished these relationships. Even without words they communicated heart to heart.
The parish church was dedicated to John Bosco. Catholics revered a Korean priest martyred during the conflict. That small church became a large parish with at least a thousand Catholics. The Sisters stayed there until they moved to the outskirts. They later returned to a completely renewed parish. Today about sixty sisters live in the House.
The Salesian Sisters’ work expanded beyond the parish. Their mission grew. In Seoul they have four houses. One is a nursery school. Another cares for girls aged 13-20. These girls are entrusted to the nuns for rehabilitation. Sister Adriana spends half an hour with them daily. She finds joy seeing them flourish. Surrounded by love they rediscover their true selves. The girls include Catholics Protestants and non-Christians. Sister Adriana asked some what they would ask Jesus. They said they would ask for forgiveness and help to be good women.
A third house provides formation for new vocations. The fourth operates a youth center offering education and social assistance. Sister Adriana recalls that some people who come seem possessed. The Sisters strive to help everyone. Sister Adriana also ran three boarding schools. She even created a free school for girls who couldn’t afford to continue their studies. Today former students still visit expressing gratitude. On Jeju Island the Sisters run a youth center. Girls from across the country attend three-day formation courses.
Seoul is now a massive city of ten million people. Millions of Catholics live in Korea. When Sister Adriana arrived in the 1960s there were only 500 to 600. Catholicism entered Korea in the 1700s. After the expulsion of Catholics it returned in the 1800s. American Italian and French missionaries played a crucial role. The Korean people possess a special religious sense. This is evident in the admirable work of many Buddhists. Many former boarding school students became Catholic nuns. They preserve the faith from their time at the school. This community experience Sister Adriana believes is the most beautiful aspect of their mission.
Sister Adriana’s story is a testament to enduring faith hope and love. The Myeongdong Cathedral Salesian Sisters’ House continues this legacy. It remains a vibrant center of faith and service in the heart of Seoul. It stands as a symbol of unwavering dedication to the people of Korea.