Seven Deadly Sins

Reflecting on the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ and Remembering Infinite Forgiveness, an article from the Catholic Times.

‘7’ is a number that prompts us to reflect on our sins and also reminds us of the infinite forgiveness offered through Jesus’ death on the cross. 

Just as there is the expression “lucky 7,” the number 7 is generally associated with positive meanings across various cultures. For Christians, too, 7 is an important number. There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and seven sacraments. Since God rested on the seventh day of creation, we observe a week based on seven days, and the Jubilee Year is based on the 50th year—the year following seven cycles of seven-year sabbatical years. The reason the number 7 is frequently used within the Church is that it signifies “completion.”

However, the number 7 is not always used in a positive sense. This is evident in the fact that there are seven deadly sins. The seven deadly sins refer to the seven sins that are the root causes of many other sins: ▲ pride ▲ avarice ▲ envy ▲ wrath ▲ lust ▲ greed ▲ sloth. If we trace the roots of all the sins we confess in the Sacrament of Penance, we arrive at these seven deadly sins. For this reason, as we fulfill our penance, it is important for us to reflect on these sins when examining our own bad habits.

In particular, pride—exalting oneself above what God has given—is called the “beginning of all sins,” while avarice—excessive attachment to material things—is called the “root of all sins.” Sexual pleasure, food, and drink are necessary desires, but indulging in them without restraint leads to lust and greed. Other sins also arise from jealousy—which perceives another’s good as one’s own evil—anger, which seeks to punish others unjustly, and sloth, which refuses to do good.

The number seven also invites us to reflect on the fact that the reason we confess our sins is because God’s forgiveness precedes our confession.

The words spoken by Jesus on the cross, recorded across the four Gospels, are known as the Seven Last Words. The first of these is, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). The Council of Trent explains the sacrificial offering of Jesus, who bore our sins and was crucified on the cross, stating, “Through Your holy Passion on the wood of the cross, You have obtained for us justification” 

Furthermore, the number 7 reminds us of the infinite nature of this forgiveness. Among the seven petitions contained in the “Lord’s Prayer” is the petition: “Forgive us our sins, for we forgive everyone who sins against us.” Additionally, Jesus said that if a brother sins, “you must forgive him not just seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22).

Building a Culture of Life

The Korean Bishops’ Conference issued a statement regarding the “Partial Amendment Bill to the Maternal and Child Health Act” and articulated the Church’s official pro-life stance, stating, “We must build a culture of life that saves both the unborn child and the pregnant woman.” The Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference (chaired by Bishop Lee Yong-hoon) held its Spring General Assembly from the 9th to the 11th and declared its opposition to the current government’s moves to introduce “medication abortion” without amending the Criminal Code and to permit “late-term abortions.”

On the 11th, the bishops issued a statement proposing six specific measures: △ amending the Criminal Code to establish legal principles respecting life; △ mandating a reflection period and counseling; △ protecting hospitals that save lives; △ regulating the indiscriminate distribution of abortion drugs; △ strengthening men’s shared responsibility for pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing; and △ changing social structures and cultural perceptions that coerce women into choosing abortion.

In the statement, the bishops’ conference stated, “Without fundamental revisions to the Criminal Code, we cannot prevent the tragedy of a culture that devalues life becoming institutionalized,” and added, “For the sake of those struggling with the decision to have an abortion, we must actively utilize the existing ‘Crisis Pregnancy Support Centers’ to establish a system that supports a variety of options.” Furthermore, they stated, “The state must protect hospitals that refuse to perform abortions and institutionally designate ‘abortion-free hospitals’ to expand a culture of saving lives.”

They added, “Protecting life is a matter of safeguarding the dignity of the entire community,” and repeatedly urged the government and the National Assembly to strive for responsible legislative action. Abortion-related laws have been in a legislative vacuum for several years following the Constitutional Court’s 2019 ruling that the criminalization of abortion was unconstitutional.

Failure of Peace!

In the View of the Cleric column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, we hear opinions on some of the world's news.

Global peace is under threat from armed conflict. The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its fifth year, and the entire Middle East has been engulfed in flames following attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. The United States launched airstrikes on Venezuela and arrested its president. International norms are being disregarded, and diplomacy is losing its power in the face of fear and intimidation stemming from the might of superpowers.

Weaker nations hold their breath and bow their heads to the superpowers. Democracy is weakening, and the outdated imperialist “economy of death” from the 19th century is threatening world peace. Wars are waged to demonstrate power, and temporary peace is disguised as a commodity to be traded. War has become a business that generates national interests, and politics and national defense have become tools for economic territorial expansion.

The equal, inherent human rights of global citizens are being trampled by capital and power. Great powers are becoming giant multinational corporations solely for their own interests, while weaker nations are becoming their franchises. People have become mere means and tools in the competition for resources and technology. All that remains in the lives of humanity, shattered by war, is the trauma of hatred and anger.

As the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on as a protracted war of attrition, it is leaving both sides with nothing but massive “debt” instead of “profit.” Hundreds of thousands of young people have vanished from the battlefield, and markets have been destroyed. The U.S. airstrikes on Venezuela were ostensibly aimed at combating drug trafficking, but in reality, they were about securing hegemony over oil resources through military force. The global economy is now reeling from an energy shock caused by the situation in the Middle East.

As the logic of power overrides international law, the predictability of the global market economy has diminished further. Russia is in decline due to economic isolation, and the U.S. has suffered a blow to its international standing and moral leadership following its airstrikes on Iran and Venezuela. War is not a zero-sum game but a negative-sum game. While business pursues mutual benefit, war leaves even the victors with nothing but a hollow glory.

Peace is not a commodity to be traded through war. Moreover, human life cannot be the subject of a transaction. A ceasefire is merely an unstable peace that can flare up again at any moment due to economic greed. The so-called “geopolitical gains” claimed to be achieved through war are nothing more than fictitious figures that benefit only a tiny elite. The skyrocketing prices and supply chain collapses caused by war push the poorest and most marginalized to the brink of ruin.

Security that safeguards the economy is possible only on the foundation of predictable peace. Fair investment and mutual benefits must be guaranteed. The war business of major powers is primarily aimed at arms exports, post-war reconstruction booms, and securing resource hegemony. However, war is nothing but an anti-economic catastrophe that destroys all the physical and moral assets humanity has accumulated.

In his encyclical *Fratelli Tutti*, Pope Francis stated that “war is a denial of every right and a tragic violation of the environment” (No. 257). He further declared that “war is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful surrender, a defeat to the forces of evil” (No. 261). True peace cannot be achieved through the pursuit of one-sided, exclusive interests alone. It begins with fair and just cooperation and solidarity.

Rising from the ashes of the devastating Korean War, we achieved a peaceful era of national prosperity and military strength through industrialization and democratization. However, Northeast Asia is now caught in a competition for economic and security hegemony among major powers, 

Dreaming of Peace On the Korean Peninsula!

Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young delivered opening remarks at the "1st 2026 Meeting of the Committee for the Development of Inter-Korean Relations," held on the morning of the 19th at the Government Complex in Seoul, and the remarks were reported in the Catholic Peace Weekly.

The government has outlined the direction for the development of inter-Korean relations over the next five years, anchored by the vision of "Peaceful Coexistence and Shared Growth on the Korean Peninsula." The "4th Basic Plan for the Development of Inter-Korean Relations"—originally formulated during the past administration—has been terminated. 

On the 19th, the Ministry of Unification convened the "1st 2026 Meeting of the Committee for the Development of Inter-Korean Relations," presided over by Minister Chung Dong-young, to deliberate on the "5th Basic Plan for the Development of Inter-Korean Relations."

The 5th Basic Plan encompasses three major objectives: "Institutionalizing Peaceful Coexistence between the Two Koreas," "Building a Foundation for Shared Growth on the Korean Peninsula," and "Realizing a Korean Peninsula Free of War and Nuclear Weapons." Its three guiding principles are "Respect for the North Korean Regime," "No Pursuit of Unification by Absorption," and "No Engagement in Hostile Acts." 

To realize this vision, the government has established six key priority tasks: △re-establishing inter-Korean relations based on reconciliation and cooperation, and institutionalizing peaceful coexistence; △seeking a resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue and advancing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula; △promoting mutually beneficial inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation that resonate with the public; △alleviating the suffering caused by national division and resolving humanitarian issues; △preparing for a future of a "peace economy" and shared growth on the Korean Peninsula; and △revitalizing public engagement and international cooperation to build a consensus on peace and unification.

In his opening remarks, the Minister of Unification  stated, "Our goal is peaceful coexistence itself," adding, "The notion of using peaceful coexistence as a mere means to manipulate or gain leverage over the other party does not exist within our policy framework."

He further remarked, "The Lee Jae-myung administration's policy and stance on peaceful coexistence serve as a safety mechanism, preventing the kind of wartime instability currently seen in the Middle East from spilling over onto the Korean Peninsula."

The 5th Basic Plan—the first such plan formulated under the Lee Jae-myung administration—will be in effect from this year through 2030. The "4th Basic Plan" (2023–2027), established under the previous administration, was terminated ahead of schedule.

An official from the Ministry of Unification explained, "Following the 4th Basic Plan, the government's overall direction regarding Korean Peninsula policy underwent a complete transformation." The official added, "Since the fundamental purpose of a basic plan is to guide various government ministries in implementing Korean Peninsula policies, it became necessary to formulate a new basic plan ahead of schedule to ensure both its intended purpose and practical effectiveness."

Based on the *Act on Development of Inter-Korean Relations*, the government formulates a "Basic Plan"—which serves as a comprehensive, government-wide policy framework toward North Korea—every five years.

The Basic Plan deliberated upon today will be finalized following Cabinet review. It will subsequently be reported to the National Assembly and officially released to the public through publication in the *Government Gazette*. Based on this Basic Plan, the government will formulate annual implementation plans.

The Book of Exodus: The Old Testament Gospel!

The Book of Exodus is often called the "Gospel of the Old Testament" because it brings the good news that laid the foundation of faith for the Israelites. Exodus shows the Israelites' birth. A professor emeritus from the Inchon Diocese, in Biblical Exegesis, helps us understand the connection between Exodus, Lent, and our Christian experience.

In Genesis, the Lord God establishes a relationship with Noah and subsequently forms personal relationships with Abraham and Jacob. In contrast, Exodus primarily depicts God choosing the Israelite people and continuing His relationship with them.

Viewed this way, Exodus is the book that gives birth to the chosen people of Israel. Of course, Exodus is inseparable from both the preceding Genesis and the subsequent Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Hence, these five books are called the Pentateuch.

In Judaism, the Exodus from Egypt and the experiences tied to it became the foundation of the Israelite faith. The Passover festival, celebrated annually in Jewish homes, commemorates and reenacts the Exodus from Egypt. Christianity also connects the Exodus from Egypt to the Passover liturgy. We see Jesus' death and resurrection as the fulfillment of Israel's Exodus from Egypt. The Book of Revelation depicts the suffering Jesus Christ as the sacrificial lamb in the Passover celebration, the commemoration of the Exodus. The Lamb that had been slain...

If we were to name two events in Israel's history that had an absolute impact on the Israelites' identity and self-awareness as the Lord's people, they would be the Exodus from Egypt and the Babylonian Exile.

Israel gradually came to teach and accept the Exodus from Egypt as an event personally orchestrated by the Lord God through Moses. "In days to come, when your children ask... You shall say to them: 'The Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, with a mighty hand. Because Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of beast.'" (Exodus 13:14-15)

The Exodus from Egypt gradually became the confession of faith for the people of Judah. "You shall say to the Lord your God: 'Our ancestors were wandering Arameans... The Lord... brought us out of Egypt with great terror, signs, and wonders... and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.'" (Deuteronomy 26:5-9)

The Book of Exodus recounts the liberation and salvation of the Israelites, who groaned under oppression in Egypt. The God revealed in Exodus is the One who rescues those suffering under oppression. Moreover, the goal of the Exodus from Egypt is to free them from oppression and "lead them to worship the Lord their God freely." Moses delivers the Lord's message to Pharaoh: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me." 

Thus, the Book of Exodus gives birth to the covenant people of Israel and lays the foundation for the later formation of the Christian community.

Luddite Movement in England

The Jesuit Director of the Research Center for Human Rights and Solidarity in the View from the Ark column of the Catholic Weekly gives us some historical background on the Luddite Movement in England. 

In the winter of 1813, in York, England, fourteen workers ascended the gallows on charges of rebellion. It was a time when rapid technological innovation in the textile industry was, paradoxically, instantly shattering the lives of the workers. Skilled craftsmanship went unrespected, wages plummeted, and livelihoods hung in the balance. Under such conditions, the spread of radical labor movements was inevitable.

The "Luddite movement"—known for its destructive resistance involving the smashing of machinery—was one such movement. Although often portrayed as a rebellion of ignorant mobs, historian E. P. Thompson offered a fresh interpretation in his seminal work, *The Making of the English Working Class*. It was not merely an expression of hatred toward technology. Rather, it was a "moral resistance" against an emerging order—an order that destroyed the long-established equilibrium of their lives and their power to define their own existence, thereby rendering their livelihoods and dignity utterly valueless.

Two hundred years later, the workplace has shifted from textile looms to semiconductor cleanrooms and data centers. In an era abuzz with claims that artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms will determine the fate of the future, Korean society has placed AI and semiconductors at the very core of its national strategy, pouring vast resources into these sectors. Massive industrial complexes are springing up everywhere; ultra-high-voltage power lines crisscross the skies above rural communities; and the lights of data centers burn ceaselessly, day and night. It is a landscape where desire and tears fall side by side.

As efficiency and competitiveness have become paramount imperatives—and stocks and AI the very symbols of growth—issues of survival and protection—such as workers' safety and health, the vitality of local communities, environmental exploitation, and the excessive consumption of energy resources—have been cast aside. All manner of special laws and promotional policies have degenerated into a mechanism of a "De-risking State," wherein the public shoulders the risks of private enterprise, while the values ​​of life and ecology have vanished. (Kim Sang-hyun, "Labor and Ecology Trampled by the Semiconductor and AI Syndrome," *Changbi Weekly Commentary*)

Yet, if we are to envision a truly livable future, we cannot help but fundamentally question—from its very roots—a mode of growth in which excess and abuse are inevitable. Will a desire that seeks to devour everything truly enable us to live whole and fulfilled lives? Demanding social and ecological accountability is not a barrier that hinders progress; rather, it is the minimum prerequisite for humanizing that very progress.

In particular, labor is not merely a component of the production process. Labor is the means by which human beings leave their imprint upon the world; it is an act of collaboration in creation, and an event that builds community. A system that reduces labor solely to a cost factor is not only economically incomplete but also constitutes a theologically distorted order. As Pope Francis has stated, labor is a "pathway to dignity," an integral part of "the meaning of life on this earth," and a "pathway to growth, human development, and personal fulfillment." (*Laudato Si'*, §128) Labor is the conduit that "sets human beings in motion"—enabling them to live fully as human beings.

The gallows of the Luddites and the flickering lights of modern data centers are separated by the vast expanse of time. Yet, between them lies a shared question: For whom does labor exist? Whose lives are erased by the tides of technological change? To whom do the immense profits of capital flow? The reconstruction of social life is, at its very core, a call for "repentance." Repentance is the act of changing direction. It is a spiritual resolve to slow down, to re-establish our standards, and to reaffirm our purpose; it is the spiritual courage to restore labor and technology to their rightful place within the order of human relationships.

A transition toward an order in which human beings remain truly human, labor reveals its inherent dignity, and the created world is honored as a gift—such a transition is not achieved merely by placing one’s faith in grandiose strategic declarations. Rather, it begins in a quiet yet resolute place: in a mindset that accords greater respect to the space of the "Other" and curbs its own greed; and in that pivotal moment when our conscience refuses to remain silent any longer. Our choice is not the dawn of the machine, but the dawn of humanity. That dawn rises, at last, amidst a resolve for justice, steps taken in solidarity, and the courage to embrace transformation and repentance.

2027 World Youth Day (WYD)

The 2027 World Youth Day (WYD) in Seoul—a grand festival of faith for young people worldwide—is now just about 500 days away.

In step with this milestone, the pace of preparations within the Korean Church has also accelerated significantly.

"Please send your young people to Seoul."

From the 3rd through the 6th of this month, the Organizing Committee for the 2027 Seoul WYD visited the Holy See to officially extend an invitation to young people across the universal Church.

A dedicated website for the "Diocesan Days" is also being launched.

The Diocesan Days—an opportunity to fully experience the culture and hospitality of local churches through activities such as homestays—are consistently cited by past WYD participants as one of their most unforgettable experiences.

For the Seoul WYD, these Diocesan Days will be hosted by dioceses nationwide, except in Seoul, where the main event will take place.

The website, set to open next month, will serve as a central hub for communication, facilitating both the promotion of the Diocesan Days and the registration process for participants.

In parallel, individual dioceses are holding their own organizing committee inauguration ceremonies and are in full swing with preparations to welcome young people from around the globe.

As the Korean Church steps up its bustling preparations, the global Church—eagerly awaiting the WYD—is offering its wholehearted support.

Last December, as part of the journey toward the Seoul WYD, Catholic Peace Broadcasting Corporation launched a special series titled *Visiting Past Host Cities*—a joint project with the Organizing Committee designed to revisit previous WYD venues and highlight the lasting fruits of those events.

These "senior churches"—those that have already experienced hosting a WYD—unanimously affirmed: "The World Youth Day is, in itself, a journey of grace and a pivotal opportunity for the New Evangelization." 

"While there may be a temptation to plan entertainment-focused events simply because young people enjoy festivals, we need to remember this fact: young people possess a deep thirst and longing—not merely for festivities, but, above all, to encounter the Lord."