"The Pain of Our Neighbors Is Our Own"... Religious Community Launches Emergency Relief for Nepal Floods

Jogye Order Launches Emergency Fundraising Through Social Welfare Foundation and Beautiful Together
Seoul Archdiocese Considers Support via Caritas Internationalis; Won Buddhism Joins in Mourning
Religious Community: "Praying for the Safe Return

As casualties and missing persons rapidly increase following the major floods that swept through Nepal's Himalayan mountain region—and with communication lost with nine South Korean nationals—the domestic religious community has announced a series of condolence messages and launched emergency relief efforts. The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism has begun fundraising, while the Seoul Archdiocese of the Catholic Church is considering support through its international relief network. Won Buddhism and the Taego Order of Korean Buddhism have also called for the safe return of the missing and for swift rescue operations.

Nepal major flood-affected area. AFP=Yonhap News Agency

As the number of casualties rises due to massive floods and landslides in Nepal and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, Korea’s religious community has been expressing their condolences and promptly initiating emergency relief.

Ven. Jeongmoon, acting chief executive of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, issued a statement on the 27th, saying, “We offer our deepest condolences and encouragement to Nepal, which is experiencing great suffering from an unexpected disaster.” He added, “The pain of our neighbor is my pain. I sincerely hope that, with the Buddha’s compassion and wisdom, they will overcome these hardships.”

The Jogye Order has also begun an emergency relief fundraising campaign through its affiliated Social Welfare Foundation and Beautiful Journey, a public interest donation foundation, to aid the affected regions in Nepal.

Archbishop Chung Soon-taick of the Seoul Archdiocese issued a message of condolence, stating, “To all those who have suddenly lost their peaceful daily lives and are desperately striving to protect their families and homes, we send our deepest sympathies.” He continued, “We pray that the missing will return safely to the arms of their families.”

Archbishop Chung also plans to send a separate letter of condolence to Father Silas Krishna Bogati, interim head of the Catholic Church in Nepal, to convey his sympathy to residents in the affected areas.

The One Body One Spirit Movement of the Seoul Archdiocese and the Babo Nanum Foundation are also considering emergency support through Caritas Internationalis, an alliance of Catholic relief organizations worldwide.

Won Buddhism has joined in expressing condolences as well. Chief Dharma Master Na Sang-ho stated, “We pray for the repose of all those who lost their lives in the disaster and offer our deepest sympathy to the people of Nepal, who have lost both loved ones and homes, on behalf of all Won Buddhist adherents.”

He added, “We earnestly hope that all the missing, including Korean nationals, will soon return safely to their families. We also wish that the dedication of the rescue teams will result in saving as many lives as possible.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.