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Bishop Heejong Moon of Sunwon Diocese in South Korea and Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger found a common language during the South Korean bishop's recent visit to the Albany Diocese -- but it wasn't English or Korean.

The bishops are both fluent in Italian, so the Korean translators were able to sit by while they conversed. Rev. Jeoung Keun Kang, chaplain for the Albany Diocese's Korean Catholic Apostolate, was also in attendance at the meeting.

Bishop Heejong, who is also chair of the Catholic Bishops' Conference in Korea, was in the United States to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Korean Catholic Church's establishment in this country. The first Korean church in the United States was built in San Francisco.

To commemorate this year's golden anniversary, a conference for Korean Catholics was held in Newark, N.J., so Bishop Heejong was already on the east coast.

Bishop Scharfenberger extended an open invitation for his fellow bishop to visit again, noting: "I would love to go to Korea sometime. If I ever go to Korea, I would love to go to a parish just to see the people."

Bishop Heejong invited such a visit, saying the Korean Church is filled with "giovani," or young people.

"Mass is for young people," he said as Bishop Scharfenberger translated, noting that a typical liturgy in South Korea includes many different kinds of music.[[In-content Ad]]

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