Missionary Journey of Fr. Jose Maria Blanco

By Fr. José María Blanco, SDB
Spanish missionary in Korea

Seoul, Korea, 6 May 2018 -- I was born in Madrid in 1930, into a fervent Christian family. In the Lent of 1945 I came across a book called "Volunteers". It narrated stories of missionaries and had a few pages of explanation on vocation. I read the book out of curiosity and I was immediately fascinated. It opened up to me unsuspected horizons full of charm. I discovered the value of a life spent in following Jesus and spreading his Gospel. When I went to the school chapel after that and knelt near the Tabernacle, I thought of the words of Jesus to the apostles: "Come and follow me." I recalled Saint Francis Xavier, who died at the age of 43 after a life of preaching the Gospel.

While in the novitiate I applied to go to the missions. The day after my Religious Profession, the provincial read out the names of those accepted. Of the 63 newly professed, 32 were announced for South America. My name was missing. I was sad, but the provincial continued, "And this year, four of the newly professed will go to Japan," and read out the names. The third name was mine. I was stunned. I went straight from the dining hall to the chapel and wept out of emotion.

I arrived in Japan in January 1950. Obedience sent me later to Korea. I arrived there on Friday, March 30, 1962. I was appointed an assistant parish priest in the suburbs of Seoul, in the parish of San Giovanni Bosco. That afternoon the Christians made the Way of the Cross. Everyone knelt on the wooden floor, the men to the right, the women to the left, leaving a corridor in the centre of the church. After the Way of the Cross, many stayed on for night prayers. The next morning, after Mass too, many people stayed back to pray, and we meditated with them, sitting on the floor.

The first days were difficult, but slowly I realized that everything had been a gift from Heaven. The Christians gave us an example of prayer, sitting on the floor near the tabernacle. They helped us also to a life of sharing in poverty, with patience, hope and joy. They loved us very much. One of the bigger challenges I faced was the language. I had already learned Japanese and now I started with Korean, which was more complex. Another challenge is that, even at this moment, Catholics are only (already!) 10% of the population.

It also hurts me to see Korea, even now, divided into two separate nations. The greatest joys I have experienced have been the baptisms of catechumens and the religious profession of novices. It is also a joy to see the progress that Korea has made. It used to be a very poor nation. Now, thanks to the work culture and organizational skills of Koreans, it is a nation where you see order, progress and a dignified standard of living. Everyone is willing to share their wealth with poorer nations.

I would like to remind young people who wish to become missionaries that the foundation of a life of personal prayer, a joyful community life and all our activities, is the Love of Jesus, truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist. We need to visit the Blessed Sacrament every day. Furthermore, we cultivate with gratitude a devotion to the Virgin and pray the Rosary, as Don Bosco taught us to.

We try to live with a heart always open to the good examples and lessons of others, especially the poor. Once Mathew, a poor old Christian, asked me how I would summarize the Gospel into just a few words. I immediately started to explain, mentioning some essential elements. Good old Mathew listened to me patiently. Finally, he said, "Don’t you think you were a little long?" And I said to him, "Well, then, tell me how you would do it in fewer words.” And Matthew said, "For me the Gospel is this: ‘If someone slaps you on the right cheek, present him the left.’”

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