The Vatican has approved the sainthood process for first Korean Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, known for his love for the poor, efforts for lay participation in the Church, and support for demo-cracy.
The Vatican has allowed the launch of the sainthood process for Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, the first Korean cardinal known for his initiatives in interfaith dia-logue, lay participation and pro-democracy stance.
In a statement, the Archdio-cese of Seoul said it has received the “no objection” letter from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints to start the process. Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul received the letter on June 18, allowing the archdiocese to venerate Cardinal Kim as a “Servant of God.”
Kim was born in 1922 and ordained a priest in 1951. He was ordained as the bishop of Masan diocese in 1966 and the archbishop of Seoul in 1968. In 1969, Pope Paul VI made him a cardinal.
He is credited for working to implement the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. He is hailed for strengthening the Korean Church amid various trials and tribula-tions, including political turmoil under a series of military regi-mes.

Justice Bhuyan Calls for Protection of Dissent and Personal Liberty
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has expressed concern over the growing trend of treating peaceful dissent and ordinary actions as criminal offences. Speaking at a


