Photo above: At the Saint-Fons bulletin board.
September 5–13, 2026, Seven priests from the Prado in South Korea made a pilgrimage to France, following in the footsteps of the saints and witnesses to the Gospel—and especially those of Blessed Antoine Chevrier. This spiritual journey led them to deepen their understanding of the Prado spirituality and to renew their priestly commitment to following the poor Jesus in service to the poorest among us.
A Pilgrimage to the Roots of the Prado's Spirituality
Fathers Han Youngso (François-Xavier), Kim Jeong Gon (Thomas), Cho Duck-Hee (André Kim), Park Sang Byung (Louis), Kim Hyun (François de Sales), Kim Hong-sik (Pierre), and Jo Haeyong (Joseph) visited several major spiritual sites in France.
This pilgrimage allowed them to discover or rediscover iconic sites of the Christian faith, notably in Lourdes, Paray-le-Monial, and Ars, but especially the sites in Lyon marked by the life and spirituality of Blessed Antoine Chevrier, founder of the Prado (the Prado Chapel, Maison Saint-André in Limonest, the painting at Saint-Fons, etc.).
Also joining the group were priests currently residing in Lyon, such as the Korean priest Tae Cheol-min (Elgéar), as well as two Vietnamese priests, Quang Hien Nguyen (Alfonso) and An Phu Dong Nguyen (Gregorio).
In Lyon-Guillotière and Limonest to explore the legacy of Father Chevrier
Saturday September 5, the Korean priests were welcomed at Maison Saint-André in Limonest. Acquired in 1872 on the initiative of Father Antoine Chevrier, Maison Saint-André became a place of formation for future priests of the Prado, in keeping with his desire to train poor apostles for the poor. Due to ill health, Father Chevrier retired there in 1878 to rest, before returning to Lyon-Guillotière, where he died on October 2, 1879. Even today, the Maison Saint-André remains faithful to this mission of formation by welcoming, for example, priests from around the world to participate in the API (International Prado Year).
Part of the group in front of the Maison Saint-André in Limonest and after the service at the chapel.
Sunday September 6, the participants attended a lecture by Father Diego Martín Peñas, General Director of the Prado, entitled «Spiritual Growth in the Life of Father Chevrier». Through this presentation, they were invited to explore in greater depth the spiritual journey of Blessed Antoine Chevrier, to discover the key milestones in his growth in faith, and to better understand how his encounter with Jesus Christ gradually transformed his life and nourished his mission among the poorest.
Monday, September 7, the group set out to explore several spiritual and historic sites in the region, including Ars, marked by the figure of Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, Paray-le-Monial, a major center of Sacred Heart spirituality, or even Cluny, famous for its monastic heritage. The day gave participants the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the spiritual richness and history of the Church in France.
Tuesday, September 8, the Korean priests were welcomed at «13» (Rue Père Chevrier), the Prado’s headquarters in Lyon, for a presentation on « Father Chevrier and Holiness » by Father Luc Lalire, 1er Assistant to Father Diego Martín Peñas, General Director. This gathering allowed them to deepen their understanding of the call to follow Jesus Christ and to allow themselves to be shaped by the Gospel at the heart of their priestly lives.
Wednesday, September 9, the group went to the Painting of Saint-Fons, the birthplace of the Prado's spirituality, where the theme presented was « The Nativity Scene, the Cross, the Tabernacle: The Dynamics of the Saint-Fons Painting ».
This meditation shed a special light on their pilgrimage: to become poor in the footsteps of Christ, to free themselves from themselves, and to give of themselves so that others might have life.
Photo Gallery of the Pilgrimage to "13"
What's on the agenda : Guided tour of the Room of Blessed Antoine Chevrier and the museum dedicated to him, led by Father Diego Martín Peñas, General Director of the Institute of Priests and Consecrated Laity of the Prado; a celebration in the Prado Chapel; a time of reflection before the Nativity scene; and a working meeting.
Post-Pilgrimage Testimonials
Upon their return, four priests shared the spiritual fruits of this pilgrimage through personal testimonies. Each, in light of his own journey and ministry, expressed how this experience had nourished his faith, renewed his perspective, and rekindled his Prado vocation.
Father François de Sales Kim Hyun: Entering into the Joy of Jesus
The pilgrimage opened a new window for Father Kim Hyun onto the way God loves. As he contemplated the saints and the places where God’s love reached out to the poorest, he rediscovered how poverty is the path to authentic love. «God is poor. To begin to love is to begin to become poor.»
This experience inspires him to make his own home a holy place by putting into practice what he has discovered: welcoming God’s love and sharing it in daily life. Read his full story.
Father Joseph Jo Haeyong: Discovering the Freedom and Peace of the Poor Christ
For Father Jo Haeyong, a military chaplain in the Diocese of Daejeon, this pilgrimage was a precious time to reflect on his vocation and renew his approach to his priestly ministry. Contemplating the Painting of Saint Fons helped him gain a new understanding of poverty and sacrifice—not merely as a duty, but as a path to freedom and self-giving.
« »This pilgrimage made me realize once again that what matters most is not the number of things I accomplish, but how much—in the midst of those entrusted to me—I live in the likeness of Christ."
He also emphasizes that Christ’s poverty does not consist merely in renouncing things or enduring hardships: « It was more a life that frees itself from what holds us back and, through that freedom, gives of itself to others. »
He leaves with a desire to live more humbly, to listen more, and to remain close to those who are suffering, so that he may bring them the joy and peace of Christ. Read his full story.
Father Pierre Kim Hong-sik: Rediscovering the Zeal of One’s Vocation
Father Kim Hong-sik arrived on pilgrimage to the Prado, weighed down by the fatigue of his ministry, relationship tensions, and doubts about his vocation. His encounters in Lourdes with Saint Bernadette, the Holy Curé of Ars, and Blessed Antoine Chevrier helped him rediscover the meaning of his vocation.
In Saint-Fons, he rediscovered that following Jesus in the manger, the cross, and the tabernacle does not simply mean leading a life of asceticism, but embracing the freedom that comes from Christ and learning to give of oneself.
«I felt that living out the Prado’s mission is not a burden, but a blessing.»
Now that he has returned to his ministry, he hopes to continue moving forward step by step, making the Gospel the light of his life and recognizing God’s presence among the poor and migrants. Read his full story.
Father Tae Cheol-min: Making Everyday Life a Sacred Place
While accompanying the Korean group, Father Tae Cheol-min, who is undergoing international formation in Limonest, also experienced a time of reflection. As he observed the priests praying and being moved by the sites associated with Father Chevrier, he rediscovered the value of the place where he lives and the mission that awaits him.
His testimony broadens the meaning of pilgrimage: it is not merely a matter of visiting holy sites, but of learning to recognize God’s call in the ordinary realities of life.
« The place where we live today can also become a holy place, if we seek God’s will there and live faithfully according to it. »
On the eve of his assignment to the Saint-Louis de la Guillotière parish, he reflects on this call to live each day with faithfulness and gratitude, making his daily life a special place to encounter God. Read his full story.
Photo Gallery of the Pilgrimage to the Painting of Saint-Fons
What's on the agenda : Training session with Father Luc Lalire, first assistant to Father Diego Martín Peñas, General Director of El Prado, followed by a time of reflection and a celebration.
A journey that continues every day
These testimonies all point to the same desire: to draw once again from the sources of the Prado’s spirituality in order to deepen and renew the way we live out our priestly vocation. Christ’s poverty is not merely a matter of renunciation; it opens the way to an inner freedom that makes one available to others, to a love that gives itself without reserve, and to fraternal closeness with the poorest among us.
Back in South Korea, the priests continue their ministry, guided by this invitation from Blessed Antoine Chevrier: to follow Jesus in his poverty, to allow themselves to be shaped by the Gospel, and to recognize, in their daily encounters and lives, God’s calls to love and to give of themselves.
If you, too, would like to follow in the footsteps of Blessed Antoine Chevrier and discover the places that shaped his life and spirituality, please feel free to contact: pelerinages@leprado.org.