Archbishop Simon Poh of Kuching has cautioned Catholics against visiting the Naju Marian shrine in South Korea, echoing a similar directive from the Singapore Archdiocese, UCA News reported.
In a Nov. 4 report by Today’s Catholic, Poh said Catholics are not permitted to visit the shrine located in the Archdiocese of Gwangju. He confirmed the prohibition after consulting former Gwangju Archbishop Hyginus Kim, who reiterated that the restriction remains in effect and underscored the duty of all Catholics to follow the Church’s guidance.
Poh urged Malaysian Catholics to participate only in pilgrimages to officially approved churches and shrines, highlighting the importance of spiritual discernment and obedience to ecclesiastical authority. His warning followed multiple inquiries about organised trips to Naju, a site known for reports of Marian apparitions and alleged miraculous occurrences that have drawn widespread curiosity.
The Singapore Archdiocese, in an Oct. 31 chancery notice, stated that those joining activities at the Naju centre could face automatic excommunication. It also advised anyone who had previously visited the location to seek reconciliation through confession and to refrain from promoting unapproved devotions.
The Naju shrine is associated with Julia Kim, a South Korean woman who claimed to experience visions and witnessed a weeping statue of Mary in 1985. The Korean bishops later ruled the occurrences not of supernatural origin. Pilgrimages there continue despite repeated Church warnings and official bans.