Cardinal Yoo reflects on serving two popes, hopes for beatification of Father Choe next spring

Cardinal Yoo Heung-sik, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Clergy, reflected on his years serving alongside Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV, saying the experience had deepened his love for humanity and his faith in God. He also expressed strong hope for the beatification of Father Choe Yang-eop Thomas, known as the "martyr of sweat."

Yoo, visiting Korea on his summer vacation, delivered a lecture and held a conversation Saturday afternoon at Cost Hall of Myeongdong Cathedral in Jung-gu, Seoul, before an audience of about 300 faithful. The event was titled "Stories of Two Popes Cardinal Yoo Heung-sik Has Met."

Appointed in 2021 as the first Korean to head a Vatican dicastery, Yoo is now in his fifth year in the role. "Being able to serve beside two popes at the Vatican has been an inexpressible grace in my life — a turning point that changed everything," he said.

He described Pope Francis as "a special man full of love" and Pope Leo XIV as "a generous man who always listens," saying both leaders had deepened his trust in God and his compassion for people.

Yoo recounted his first encounter with Pope Francis at the 2013 World Youth Day in Brazil, when he was serving as bishop of Daejeon, and shared behind-the-scenes stories of how he helped bring about the pope's visit to Korea the following year. He also offered a glimpse into the conclave that elected Leo XIV, and relayed that the new pope had described his meeting last month with President Lee Jae Myung as "a very comfortable and natural conversation," asking Yoo to pass along his special regards to Korean Catholics.

Yoo also signaled that the beatification process for Venerable Father Choe Yang-eop (1821–1861) is nearing its conclusion. The second Korean Catholic priest, Choe walked thousands of ri across the country each year to evangelize remote Catholic communities before dying of overwork and typhus at 40. He is venerated as a model of the good shepherd.

Yoo recalled that in 2021, when he chaired the bishops' special committee for beatification and canonization, he wept before Pope Francis after the first miracle review ended in failure. "Following the pope's encouragement, I prayed and waited — and in March, the Vatican's miracle review finally passed," he said.

"Having successfully cleared the nine-tenths mark toward beatification, I expect the remaining procedures to be completed within the year," Yoo said. He added that he hopes the beatification ceremony will take place in early spring next year, providing a moment of grace that would lift the spiritual energy of the World Youth Day to be held in Seoul in August next year.