15/09/2026
Continuing True Mother’s Path of Peace
(By Rev. Ken Doo)
Respected and beloved blessed families and members around the world,
I pray that this will be a blessed week in which we keep Heavenly Parent’s true love and the words of True Father and True Mother deep in our hearts, and carry their will into our daily lives.
1. The August 31 Ruling in True Mother’s First Trial
Dear members,
On August 31, the court of first instance sentenced True Mother to a total of two years in prison: one year for violating the Political Funds Act, and one year for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and for certain charges of occupational embezzlement.
However, the court did not find her guilty of all the charges. She was acquitted of some occupational embezzlement charges, while others—including instigating the destruction of evidence, allegations involving overseas political figures, and additional embezzlement charges—were dismissed because they fell outside the scope of the Special Prosecutor’s investigation.
Even with regard to the charges on which Mother was convicted, the court concluded that former International Headquarters Director-General Yoon Young-ho had led the overall course of events and carried them out with True Mother’s approval. It also found that the purpose was not to benefit True Mother personally, but to expand the church’s influence and political standing.
In determining the sentence, the court also took into account, as a factor in her favor, that True Mother had spent her life, as a religious leader, working for world peace.
2. The Defense Team’s Final Argument on July 10 and the August 31 Ruling
As we heard in the legal briefing, in their final argument on July 10, True Mother’s defense team focused on the central question in this case: whether there was objective evidence showing that True Mother had given direct instructions or received any personal benefit. They emphasized that many of the Special Prosecutor’s key allegations relied heavily on statements made by former International Headquarters Director-General Yoon Young-ho.
The defense also presented specific testimony and evidence showing that funds related to political activities, overseas support, and gifts were not used for True Mother’s personal benefit, but for their intended purposes—the Family Federation’s mission and activities for world peace. They further argued that many of these decisions had been made independently by Yoon Young-ho or the heads of the relevant organizations, without instructions from True Mother.
Finally, the defense argued that charges falling outside the scope of the Special Prosecutor’s investigation should be dismissed, while any charges not supported by sufficient evidence should result in an acquittal. On these grounds, they asked the court to find True Mother not guilty on all charges.
The August 31 ruling confirmed several of the points raised by the defense in its final argument. In particular, the court recognized the leading role played by former International Headquarters Director-General Yoon Young-ho in planning and carrying out the overall course of events. It also found that the purpose was not True Mother’s personal benefit, but to expand the church’s influence and political standing. Some charges resulted in acquittals, while others—including instigating the destruction of evidence and allegations involving overseas political figures—were dismissed.
The defense team must now challenge the points on which Mother was convicted even more thoroughly on appeal, based on the relevant evidence and facts. In particular, they must examine whether any specific instructions or involvement by True Mother were actually proven. They must do everything possible to correct the first-instance ruling and secure her acquittal and release.
3. A Note of Hope in the Court’s Ruling
Beloved members,
There is an important point in the ruling that deserves our attention: the court also made a clearly positive assessment of True Mother’s life and work.
In explaining the sentence, the court stated that True Mother “appears to have spent her life, as a religious leader, working for world peace,” and considered this as a factor in her favor.
The court also found that former International Headquarters Director-General Yoon Young-ho had planned and carried out the overall course of events with True Mother’s general approval. It further concluded that the purpose was not to benefit True Mother personally, but to expand the church’s influence and political standing.
In light of these findings, we believe that the court also clearly saw the dignity and composure True Mother displayed throughout the trial. We also believe that the heartfelt petitions and prayers offered by each and every member around the world, together with the devotion of leaders and members in many nations who have been praying for True Mother, were conveyed to the court.
Above all, it is no small matter that the court recognized True Mother’s lifelong efforts for world peace as a factor in her favor when determining the sentence.
Even amid the difficulties we face today, Heavenly Parent’s will and the ideal of peace that True Parents have devoted their lives to realizing have not disappeared. Rather, I believe this gives us a message of hope: that we must continue working for these objectives with even greater resolve.
What we must do now is clear. The legal team must carefully examine the facts accepted in the ruling and the issues that still need to be challenged. On appeal, they must bring the truth to light more clearly and argue to the very end, based on the law and the evidence, for True Mother’s innocence.
At the same time, we, the blessed families and members around theworld, must not stop here. We must continue to pray wherever we are and move forward in greater unity, firmly resolved to do everything within our power for True Mother’s acquittal and release.
This is not the time to lose heart. It is the time for all of us to tread more firmly the path to world peace that True Mother has forged throughout her life.
4. This Week’s Practice: Exploring the Value of True Love and True Family
Beloved members,
A passage in the recent court ruling concerning True Mother states that she “appears to have spent her life, as a religious leader, working for world peace.” Those words compel us to reflect deeply on ourselves.
For decades, we have taken pride in having attended True Parents and devoted ourselves, with every sacrifice and effort, to the salvation of humanity and the realization of world peace. Yet, soberingly, the world’s assessment of us has remained only at the level of saying that we “appear to have made such efforts.”
Now is the time for deep and searching reflection on why our work for world peace—the ideal of True Parents and the cherished hope of our blessed families—has not truly resonated with the people of the world, and on what limitations and shortcomings there may have been on the path we have pursued.
Rather than resting on the efforts of the past, we urgently need the wisdom to look first at ourselves and our families, and from there open the way toward a new future.
Now it is we, the blessed families, who must bear full witness before the world to the lives of True Parents.
Wherever we are, we must be the first to love and forgive, and demonstrate through the way we live that peace begins with the smallest steps.
I hope we can pray together about the true value of true love and true family, speak openly and sincerely within our communities, and put these values into practice.
I sincerely pray that this week will be a blessed journey in which we engrave ever more deeply in our hearts our longing and love for True Father in the spirit world, and offer to True Mother on earth the fruits of true filial devotion.
Thank you.
*(Weekly Message No. 31 from the Director-General of the World Mission Headquarters, Rev. Ken Doo, “Continuing True Mother’s Path of Peace”, which was delivered on September 7, 2026)
Source:
https://familyfedihq.org/continuing-true-mothers-path-of-peace/
Korean:
https://familyfedihq.org/continuing-true-mothers-path-of-peace/ #2
Japanese:
https://familyfedihq.org/continuing-true-mothers-path-of-peace/ #3
