Missionaries of the Sacred

On February 14, 2010, Fr. Benedict Ko, MSC and the Korean community of Milwaukee, WI celebrated the Korean New Year (Lunar New Year) with a Mass that included an ancestral rite followed by community activities. According to Korean tradition, the New Year is a time to remember and honor one’s parents and ancestors, and many people return to their hometown to visit their parents and other relatives.

After the Mass, Fr. Ben and parishioners participated in the traditional practice of Sebae, in which children and the young perform a big bow to the elders in the community and give a special greeting which means “May you receive many blessings in the New Year”. The elders in turn typically give some new money or offer words of wisdom to the young. In this Sebae, community elders gave candies and chocolates instead of money. The Sebae was followed by Yut, a traditional Korean board game. The special Mass and the celebrations afterwards provided a wonderful opportunity to remember and pray for family members who have passed away while also strengthening the sense of unity as a community.