SEOUL (UCAN) — While struggling to master computer programming morning to night, a Korean priest started to question his priestly identity, so he began posting daily reflections on the Internet.

That was how Father Matthew Cho Myeong-yeon began seven years ago, on Seoul archdiocese’s Good News website, the largest Catholic Internet portal in South Korea. Eventually, on Jan. 6, 2005, he started posting the reflections on his own website, Opening Dawn (www.bbadaking.com). However, subscribers can choose to receive the daily missives by e-mail.

Father Matthew Cho Myeong-yeon

His messages can be simple instructions, such as “Find a miracle around you,” “Spend an hour today for others” or “Do something today you have been putting off,” or a long story that has a moral in it.

The ministry has spread by word of mouth among local users mostly in their teens and 20s — including Protestants, Buddhists and people who profess no religion — and now has more than 6,300 e-mail subscribers.

Father Cho, 38, was ordained a priest in 1999 for Incheon diocese, based just west of Seoul. He served as an assistant parish priest before working as the diocesan social communications director 2001-2003. He is now parish priest of Kansuk4-dong Church.
UCA News spoke with him at his parish church on July 22. The interview follows:

UCA News: How did you start your e-mail ministry?

FATHER MATTHEW CHO MYEONG-YEON: After I graduated from the diocesan seminary, the rector asked me to study abroad. But I did not want to study anymore. Then the head of the diocesan communications office suggested I study computer programming for six months and then succeed him. I decided to do that, in 2001, because it was shorter than studying abroad for more than five years.

It was really hard and burdensome to study from 7 in the morning until 10 at night, which allowed me little time to pray and be by myself.

While wrestling with a computer all day long, I suddenly had doubts about my priestly identity because I, a Catholic priest, was thinking only about programming codes rather than prayer or reflection.

To strengthen my identity, I began writing daily reflections on the Internet and publicizing them on Good News on June 1, 2001. I have also publicized the messages on my own website.

Have you skipped publishing any days these seven years?

A few times — when I got stuck on an island due to bad weather and when my computer broke down. Because of that, I asked a fellow priest to write e-mail missives together, but he stopped after a year, saying it was too hard. Since then, I have been doing it alone.

When do you usually write and how do you prepare?

I always do it at dawn. I named it ‘Opening Dawn’ to express my desire to pray at dawn. I believe that a priest should have time to reflect by himself.

I became a priest nine years ago, after which it was really difficult to have my own time. Sometimes I drank with parish youths in the evening and sometimes I slept until late in the morning due to busy parish work [the previous day]. So I tried to find my own time during the day, and this I have found at dawn.

Now I usually get up at 3 a.m., reflect on myself and then write a story. I try to find a good episode in my daily life. I try to remind myself of the moments when I felt God was with me. Also, I try to read many books. I usually read three to four books a week, which gives me many ideas and resources.

What made you use your own life experiences?

In the seminary I was taught that our homily should explain Jesus’ words. So I prepared homilies by reading Bible commentaries or interpretations. But my homilies based on these are bookish, or difficult to understand.

When I was an assistant parish priest just after graduating from the seminary, a parishioner raised his hand during Mass and said: “You have told us many good words, but I do not understand any of it. Could you kindly explain once again?”

His complaint made me reflect deeply on my way of giving a homily. Jesus used many parables to help people understand his words more easily. Since then, I have always tried to approach Jesus’ words through my own experiences.

The number of subscribers is not large, but many of them post on your website’s bulletin board.

I do not care about the number. The number will increase when I publicize the website more. I started this ministry to renew myself as a priest by daily reflection and meditation, not to show off.

Surprisingly, there are many Protestant pastors among the subscribers. Some of them write to thank me. There are also Protestants, Buddhists, people who do not profess any religion and, especially, ‘non-practicing Catholics.’

The non-practicing Catholics seem to console themselves by reading my online messages. So I think this e-mail service can serve as a means to reach out to them.

Do you have offline meetings with your subscribers?

Not since 2004. Before that, I had such meetings once a month. But I met many strange people. They wanted to possess me. They usually wanted me to treat them special.

I now have seven “stalkers” who keep calling me on the phone. Some of them call me every five minutes. They just say, ‘I love you,’ or ‘Will you marry me?’

I do not write a story for a certain person. But some people misunderstand that a certain story is written only for them.

What are some memorable events from this ministry?

Some people said they started going for catechism classes to become Catholic after receiving the ‘Opening Dawn’ e-mail missives. Some seek counseling from me about their faith life. I just listen to them and tell them about God’s words, and they really thank me.

One person who had decided to commit suicide was advised [by other people] to subscribe to “Opening Dawn.” This person is now living well.

I think there are not enough counseling centers in the Church where people can share their hardships. Moreover, it is difficult for parishioners to meet their parish priest, who is always busy. But it is hard for an individual priest to run such a counseling center. The Church rather than an individual priest should run such counseling ministries.

You have written six books based on your online writing.

Reflecting on a year of writing refreshes me and helps my spiritual growth. In one year, I usually write about 700 A4 sheets’ worth of reflections. I rework the yearly output into essays aimed at reaching non-Catholics, as a kind of indirect evangelization.

More than 10,000 copies of each of the six books have been sold. All the income has been used to help the poor. Some people know me well and they lovingly nicknamed me ‘Bbadaking‘ (one who has the smoothest voice, like butter). But it is all because I am within the Church and I follow God. Therefore, I should use the income not for me, but for poor people.

What’s your view on the Korean Church’s Internet evangelization?

The Korean Church lags behind other religions in online evangelization. I left the diocesan communications office after heading it for two-and-a-half years. It was because I could not find a vision for the future, since the diocese did not invest in the field.

While Protestant Churches develop computer games for children’s catechism by using flash technology (an Internet tool to create animation and interactive programs), the Catholic Church does not try to invest in this. The Catholic Church only says, “You should have interest in the Internet.”

I worry that the Church prefers only secure investments and is reluctant to risk investing in the Internet.

Take diocesan websites, for example. Initially, the dioceses competitively built up their websites, but they now have not been updated or managed well. I think constantly updating an Internet website is vital because it gives people the assurance that they are seeing new information whenever they visit.