1. About the Naju Phenomena which stared with the weeping statue of the Blessed Mother in the house of Julia Youn on the 30th of June 1985, we clarified that these phenomena are not proven to be supernatural and are foreign to a healthy Christian piety through four times of the Notifications of the former and current Ordinaries of the archdiocese (Jan. 1st 1998 by Archbishop Youn Kong-hi/ May 2001, May 5th 2005 by Archbishop Choi Chang-mou/ May 1st 2011 by Archbishop Kim Hee-joong).

2. Although, Julia Youn and her followers keep defying the magisterium and breaking the law and order of the Church by breaking away from the proper faith. Furthermore, they throw some of the faithful into confusion by deceiving them that it is almost approved officially by the Church, mentioning the Holy See, the Holy Father and the names of the archprelates.

3. Hereupon, the Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Gwangju decided to publish another Notification to alert Christians to so-called 'Naju Phenomena.'

4. At the Spring General Assembly of Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (Mar. 13th, 2012), all the bishops had expressed serious concern about the wrong Christian piety and had agreed with the Ordinary's Pastoral Notification.

5. Therefore, after the consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of Holy See (Prot. N. 112/1993-39517, Jun. 20th, 2012), the Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Gwangju has published the "The Ordinary's Pastoral Notification about the matter of the so-called Naju Phenomena." Priests should remind the faithful about the fact and should advise them to use caution not to get confused by unreliable claim and wrong piety of Julia Youn.

The Guidelines of Ordinary of Archdiocese of Gwangju

on phenomena di Naju

About the Naju Phenomena which started with the weeping statue of the Blessed Mother in the house of Julia Youn on the 30th of June 1985, the Archdiocese of Gwangju had formed 'Naju Investigation Committee' (Dec. 30th, 1992), according to the Instructions and questionnaire from then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Commission had given the conclusion that "There is not enough evidence to prove the phenomena are supernatural."

The notification about this conclusion has already been published in January 1st, 1998 by Archbishop Youn Kong-hi, the Ordinary of Archdiocese of Gwangju at the moment, after the consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and later confirmed in a letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: “Non constat de supernaturalitate (not proven to be supernatural)” as the official position of the Church. (Prot. N. 112/1993-27066, 23 April 2008).

In 2011, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith again confirmed this decision and added: “The examples which have been communicated to the Congregation by followers of Julia seem to have little connection with Christian piety. The Holy See has no plans to change its position in regard to the purported miraculous events at Naju” (cf. Prot. N. 112/1993-35015, 30 March 2011). In this letter the Archdiocese was also authorized to issue a Notification for prudent pastoral action, which the Archdiocese did in 2011.

Up to this date, the Archdiocese continues to consider that the events and various phenomena at Naju as not proven to be supernatural. And asks all Catholics to be aware and not to believe in Naju Phenomena.

Therefore, I, as the Ordinary of Archdiocese of Gwangju, am issuing "The guidelines concerning the phenomena in Naju."

1. According to the decree of the Archbishop of Gwangju (21st January 2008), the Archdiocese expressly prohibits all the clergy, religious and laity to preside over or to attend any celebration of the sacraments or sacramentals at any alleged “oratory” or the “hill of Our Lady” in Naju.

All the sacramental actions held in any alleged 'oratory' or the 'hill of our Lady' are not permitted.

2. Priests in the parishes, should inform the people about the position of the Church on this matter, about this prohibition and its reasons.

3. Because the phenomena are not proven to be supernatural, publication or dissemination of all materials for propaganda such as printed or published literature, audio/video tapes, photos claiming to be supernatural are to be discouraged.

4. Those who knowingly violate this prohibition commit a serious disobedience to the Local Ordinary and continue to be subgect to canonical sanctions by the law of the Church(can.1371(2),1373)

+Hyginus Hee-joong KIM

Archbishop of Archdiocese of Gwangju

• 나주현상에관한교구장지침에따른공문(2012.7.6,영).hwp
• 나주현상에관한교구장지침(2012.7.6,영).hwp