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When he visited Korea in August 2014 and paraded through downtown Seoul, he encountered a group of parents who had lost their children in the Sewol Ferry disaster (April 2014). The accident had become the focal point of long-standing political debate in South Korea. As the ferry capsized in the middle of the sea—carrying a large number of high school students on a school-organized trip—it was widely believed that the tragedy was not a natural disaster, but a man-made one, caused by lax safety regulations and negligence in enforcing rules.

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Half of Koreans (myself included) believed the root cause lay in the country’s relentless pursuit of a low-cost economy, and that the government should conduct a thorough investigation to propose structural reforms. Meanwhile, the other half feared that exposing systemic failures would destabilize the existing system (unbelievably, some even insulted the victims’ parents in the public square). What should have been a national tragedy mourned by all became a deeply polarizing political issue, splitting the country in two.

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When Pope Francis visited Korea, it was widely expected that he would meet with the victims’ families. A cardinal familiar with the country advised him to avoid getting too close to the controversy and to remain neutral. But the Pope responded with words that deeply resonated with many Koreans—particularly those who grieved the lost lives:

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“When faced with human agony and sorrow, there is no room for neutrality.”

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That was the moment I felt proud to be a Roman Catholic.

주님의 아들 프란치스코에게 영원한 안식을 주소서