Gwangju, South Korea, 9 September 2021 -- On 3 September 2021, Rev. Tadeo Park Byeong-dal, SDB, the first Salesian confrere and priest of Korea province, passed away at the age of 90. Many Salesian families visited the mortuary in both Gwangju and Seoul.

       Fr. Tadeo Park died of old age at Chosun University Hospital in Gwangju archdiocese.

       He joined the Salesian Society in 1958, received formation from Msgr. Vincenzo Cimatti, now Venerable, in Japan in 1961, and became the first Salesian in Korea to profess his vows in 1962.

       For the next 60 years, he performed various duties as the eldest brother of the Salesian Society in Korea, particularly dedicated to the Salesian Middle School and High School.

       The Requiem Mass took place on 6 September at the Shinan-dong community in Gwangju, after which he was interred in the Damyang Catholic Cemetery.

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