Korea, Bangladesh Church collaboration nurtures future priests

Jun 23, 2023

SOUTH KOREA: A collaboration between churches in South Korea and Bangladesh to offer priestly formation and education to seminarians from the South Asian nation is credited for promoting priestly vocation over the years.

Denish Rongdi and Urban Chiran, both ethnic Garo Catholics from Bangladesh’s tribal-majority Mymensingh Diocese, are currently studying philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of Suwon.

Rongdi and Chiran arrived in Suwon Diocese in 2021 after the diocese expressed willingness to train seminarians from the tiny church in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, the Catholic Peace Broadcasting Corporation of Korea (CPBC) reported on June 12.

They said the Catholic faith of their parents inspired them to join the priestly formation and their experience in Korea is “life-changing” despite the challenges.

Rongdi said studying philosophy and theology in Korean was not an easy task.

“It is difficult. Sometimes in class, it is a little difficult to understand words you do not know or things you do not know,” he told CPBC.

Chiran, on the other hand, puts in immense effort to gain the knowledge he needs.

“I work hard and study hard,” he said.

Both the seminary students from Bangladesh are supported and funded through the Ahn Jung-Geun Scholarship Association.

Since 2002, several Catholic seminarians from Bangladesh have studied in Korean seminaries, became priests, and now serve in the country and abroad, Church sources say.

The collaboration gained momentum when Korean Archbishop Paul Tschang In-Nam served as the apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh (2002-2007).

Rongdi and Chiran, the latest seeds, have credited their families for their call to the priestly vocation.

“My family are believers, starting with my grandparents. So, I also went to church with my parents,” said Rongdi.

Chiran pointed out that he had been practising his faith “very steadily” since he was a child and many of the priests whom he saw inspired him to join the seminary.

“When I saw the priests, I thought that I should become this kind of person,” he said.

Chiran hopes that he can be as fruitful in his ministry as his predecessors.

Both hope that they can support the Catholics in Bangladesh in their own ways.

“When I was working at the parish, I heard a lot of stories from believers and their problems, so I wanted to become a priest or pastor,” Rongdi said.

Chiran, on the other hand, wants to “teach seminarians.”

Both seminarians are expected to receive their diaconate in 2026 which will enable them to assist priests and bishops in their ministry.

They are scheduled to be ordained priests in Bangladesh in 2027. -- ucanews.com