Ariana Moon
August 20. 2012
Unificationists worldwide continue to pray for the health of Unification Church Founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon, 93, who was hospitalized on August 14, 2012 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Seoul and who continues to be treated for complications related to severe pneumonia. International President of the Unification Church Rev. Hyung Jin Moon, during Sunday Service at the Cheong Bok Gung in South Korea on August 19, 2012, reported that his father is breathing through a respirator, being treated for kidney failure, and continues in critical condition. Physicians discovered that Moon’s lungs were found to have contaminants he likely inhaled at a fertilizer factory in North Korea during his imprisonment at a labor camp from 1948 to 1950.
According to Rev. Hyung Jin Moon, Rev. Moon’s successor in ministry, his father entered St. Mary’s hospital first on Aug. 3, 2012 with a severe cough. He said: “The doctor did a number of tests. What was found in one part of the body was that Father’s lungs are different from a normal person’s lungs. Coal miner’s lungs. The doctor asked, ‘How is it that so many particles have entered into his lungs?’ The explanation was that when Father was in Hungnam Prison, he breathed in ammonia as he was moving the materials there. When we told the doctor about the Hungnam Prison experience, the doctor said, yes, that’s possible that he was affected by that.”
In the six days since news of Rev. Moon’s illness, thousands of members have held prayer vigils, completed bowing conditions and undergone a three-day fast in a manifestation of Jeong Seong, a term coined by Rev. Moon that means “true and sincere devotion.”
“Our national congregation of several thousand families has responded to Father’s condition with an unprecedented outpouring of love, prayer and support,” Rev. Joshua Cotter, Unification Church USA vice president said Monday. He continued: “Brothers and sisters young and old have offered their prayers, fasting and acts of devotion for True Father and our True Mother. Our entire nation is witnessing a unity of heart we have never seen before. We are responding to our True Mother’s call to our members to work ten times and even one-hundred times harder to fulfill our Father’s direction he has given for Foundation Day, and that is what we are doing.”
In his sermon, which was broadcast nationwide in the United States as well, the younger Rev. Moon explained in detail about his father’s condition and the recent events that led to his hospitalization.
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s Words of Guidance
On August 18, 2012, regional presidents of the Unification Church representing the members of the world and heads of church-affiliated organizations gathered in South Korea to meet Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s wife, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, Rev. Hyung Jin Moon and Kook Jin Moon, chairman of the Tongil Foundation, who are attending the senior Rev. Moon 24 hours a day. Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, known by Unificationists as “True Mother,” provided the following instructions to members worldwide.
“We will never stop,” she said. “Please engrave these words in your heart. We must certainly accomplish the teachings that True Father [Rev. Sun Myung Moon] has been giving us until now.
“Currently, True Father is fighting intensely against his illness. However, brothers and sisters, please do not grieve. Please do not be disturbed, but continue on unwaveringly. You should have the firm resolution and determination to achieve all the things that True Father has been striving to accomplish.
“I believe you have all worked hard until now and done your best. However, you need to feel now that the standard of having done your best is no longer enough. And so let’s work harder, ten times or even a hundred times more. The harder you work, the more Heaven will remember you. Please go forward with this knowledge that you will become blessed families remembered by Heaven.
“What is important to us at this time more than anything else is offering Jeong Seong for True Father. Please gather Jeong Seong while praying for True Father’s swift and complete recovery.
“Once again I ask of you, please take to heart that, for us, there is no stopping on the way. Please do your best. You should absolutely not neglect the various things you are preparing for Foundation Day. You should do your best in these preparations. Thank you for coming here as you have. Let us work diligently together.”
Letters from the Vice President of the Unification Church in Korea
Vice President of the Unification Church in Korea Dr. Joon Ho Seuk released a third letter to Unificationist communities on August 19, 2012 that comforted members with a hopeful account of Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s health, reading: “This morning, True Father’s blood pressure and pulse were both found to be stable and his lung functions have improved somewhat. …However, even now True Father remains in a deep sleep in the intensive care unit. We believe that the next week will be critical.”
Yet the relief such a letter provided was quickly dissipated when Dr. Seuk released a fourth letter on August 20, 2012 that read: “This morning we were informed that True Father’s blood pressure had risen slightly compared with yesterday. Currently, they have slightly increased the amount of oxygen being injected into his system. The reason for this increase was that they replaced the tubes supplying the oxygen with new ones and needed to be sure they were supplying sufficient oxygen from the start. Overall, the condition of Father’s health has deteriorated slightly since yesterday.”
As he did in each of his earlier letters, Dr. Seuk closed his report by urging members to continue to offer Jeong Seong to support the recovery of Rev. Moon.