Saturday, March 31, 2018

End of Scapegoating an Easter Message


A well dressed middle aged women shopping in a clothing department of a large department store, waved her fist in front of the face of an employee and finally struck her on the cheek. The employee holds her cheek while the woman customer continues raising her voice and her behavior getting worse. This kind of behavior is given a new word in Korean called "Gap" behavior.  In a diocesan bulletin, the writer tells the readers of how this behavior is far from rare.
 

'Gap' is a term used in contracts in which the employer is 'Gap' and the employee is 'Eul'. 'Gap' describes the behavior of those who in a superior position treat people below them in a mean way. A famous example of this was an executive of an airline who was on board a plane in first class and ordered the captain of the plane to head back to the gate because she was upset with the way the flight attendant treated her.
 

The numbers of these kinds of incidents are many: acting arrogantly with others who are in a lower social position, economic situation, or power. The continuing #me too movement calling out the sexual harassment and violence that are newsworthy events these days is a form of assault by the 'Gaps' in society.
 

Those who have suffered under the 'Gaps' often feel great contempt, shame, doubt about their worth and at times bring about death from their own hands. This kind of 'Gap' behavior is a killing of the personality. A problem is that it's not only the lack of virtue on the part of the 'Gap' but also the social structures that allow this to happen.
 

We celebrate tonite the Easter Vigil and the death and resurrection of Jesus who suffered at the hands of the 'Gaps' of the world of his time. Jesus was their scapegoat for all the evils they saw and felt better for it at the expense of truth and honesty. We deceive ourselves rather easily, for often we fear the truth.  Christians, readily see the irony of the death of Jesus on the Cross.
 

This 'Gap' behavior is a deep-seated evil which we need to work to eradicate in every possible way. This was the attitude that Jesus showed us in being on the side of the weak and suffering. So what are we to do? We should look at our own behavior and check to see if we have acted like the 'Gaps' we excoriate and have the right to throw stones at the 'Gaps' of the world.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Difficult to Criticize Without Hate

A 3-year-old grandson of the writer was excited playing with the bathroom faucets. He called to his grandfather to come and join the fun. He slipped and hit his face on the wet floor and started to cry. "I knew this would happen" he blurted out between sobs.
 

Apparently, he was repeating the words of his mother when he behaved as he shouldn't. Why did he do it? But isn't this true of all of us? Why do we do what we shouldn't. It's true of his grandfather, inspectors, poets, actors, teachers, priests, human right's activists, pastors, politician....

The #Me Too movement continues  and is shaking the whole country. Names are mentioned as perpetrators but it's safe to say that all of us males are perpetrators. 


The writer in an article in the Catholic Times brings again to the attention of the readers this movement in Korea which has even seen the suicide death of a famous actor after being accused of sexual harassment. Of course, harassment can be grave or slight but the news reports often don't make the distinction and the possibility is always present that a person becomes a social outcast for an impropriety that may not warrant the penalty that society imposes.
 

The article in the Catholic Times mentions that we should not be seeing people as means but as ends. The movement is doing a great deal of good but the danger is always present that what should be a matter for a criminal investigation and tried in a court of law is tried in the court of public opinion with public ostracism.
 

The words of Confucius come to mind: hate the sin but not the sinner. Obviously very hard to do in practice. We know the incident in the Scripture where Jesus does not respond to an angry crowd who want to stone a woman caught in adultery. He writes silently on the ground and tells the innocent ones to be the first to cast the stones. They all walk away. "I do not condemn you, go and sin no more." 

Korea is a patriarchal society and this movement should be a help in changing the culture, which has considered women as the object of a man's sexual gratification. The writer sympathizes with the feelings of the women but hopes they will not bury all the perpetrators with criticism and hatred and forget the need for forgiveness and when necessary the legal procedures opened to judge wrongs done. He concludes the article with the judgment that it's  
difficult to criticize without hating. 

These last days of Lent give us many things to think about and not the least is the lesson from the  washing of the feet at the celebration of the Mass on Holy Thursday.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Expanding the Meaning of 'Motherhood'

At present, the equality of the sexes, cooperation between them is the direction in which society is going. The Church needs to redefine its understanding of this relationship. An article in the Kyeongyang magazine by a professor at a university graduate school shares her thoughts with the readers on the subject.
 

The Bishops in 2005 seeing the results of a consciousness survey, became determined to have a greater number of women in leadership positions and to change the structures that are preventing this from happening. Mentioned also were programs to facilitate this change. However, she says, this is easier said than done for many still feel the women's role is behind the scenes as a cooperator and not as a leader.
 

The Second Vatican Council was to become an updating of the church (Aggiornamento). It was a call to open the windows and reform. It was to be like the first community led by the spirit, fellowship, conscious of being the body of Christ, returning to becoming the people of God. We are all part of the church. The church was to change from a vertical to a horizontal understanding of Christ and the community. From a woman's view let us look at what we have.
                                                                                                                                                     In 1994 the pope makes clear to the church: "I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful." Understanding this teaching the writer looks for the place of women within the church and sees the role as motherhood.
 

The Church understanding of woman related to motherhood and their mission is seen by many feminists as the motherhood myth: women are born with an innate instinct for sacrifice and giving love.  Many feminist see this as ideology and criticize it greatly. They see this as curtailing the rights and freedom of women. This kind of thinking on motherhood that enters society limits the role of women both in politics and society and gives men their patriarchal control over women as a settled given.
 

There is a departure in the teaching of the Church and many of the feminists in the way they look at the women's role in society. She proposes the role of women as mothering but not as some of the feminists see the concept. It is a caring, an understanding that is not limited to the family and the raising of children. She quotes the passages of Scripture where the praise of Mary was not as a mother of a child but as a person who listened and obeyed the word of God.
 

Motherhood is not limited to the family but is a characteristic the world needs today and our Blessed Mother is an example of this type of motherhood and caring and it was not limited to the birthing and nurturing in the family but extended to the church and the community that was born.
 

The spirituality of women is based on a motherhood that spreads to the whole world. This motherhood needs to go beyond the family and begin to influence the whole world. This social characteristic of motherhood contains love, caring, mercy, sacrifice, wisdom and hope. Qualities that the world sorely needs.

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Korea Needs Dialogue and Cooperation

 In an interview with America magazine, published by the American Jesuits, Bishop Kang of Jejudo urges Trump to reconsider North Korean strategy.  An article in the Catholic Peace Weekly reports on the interview in which the bishop asks for peaceful dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect as a peaceful solution preparing for the summit on the Korean Peninsula.
 

"True peace cannot be achieved with weapons and military operations," says the bishop. North Korean people have a strong pride in their regime and its people. North Korea has survived many extreme calamities: the floods of 1995, many died of starvation. They are prepared to face any economic pressures that may come.
 

Bishop Kang explains that North Korea has received Chinese aid for a long time, it maintains its independence even in the face of extreme adversity because of its national pride. "I will not give up even if I starve to death."
 

We need to respect the pride of the North Koreans. It doesn't help to hurt their pride. The bishop hopes President Trump will use more refined language when addressing the North. Even if the Korean leaders continue to use very aggressive and violent language as in the  past.
 

North Koreans are living  abnormally in repression and under continual surveillance. We have seen in recent world history that other socialist countries because of tension can collapse unexpectedly.
 

We can not expect peace as long as we have hate in our hearts. Necessary is working to realize the principles for universal peace. We need an attitude that sees what interferes with world peace and criticize it. We should not condemn others as demons, curse them and wish them to dissappear from the planet. We were filled with hostility and grudge toward our brothers and sisters across the border. Hostilitiy encourages struggle and conflict and does not promote peace.
 

The Korean and American Church are able to contribute to the peace of the Korean peninsula. Diplomacy is limited but we are able to give humanitarian assistance which has a role to play. In 1995 when North Korea because of the flood were starving the Korean Church supported them with food, and we had a meeting with the North. Our expectations for peace and reunification have been betrayed for a long time but peace can come unexpectedly.

Friday, March 23, 2018

Crisis Can Bring Change


The writer of the column on reconciliation and unification in the Catholic Times mentions a time when in high school, on a cold wintry day, she was going to an after-school academy for study. She was wearing a jacket and hat. As she exited the subway station, a young man coming from the opposite direction, their eyes met, as he passed, he quickly grabbed one of her breasts. She was confused not knowing what to do: call the police, yell —attempting to put it all together—she gazed in the direction of the young man and he gave an ugly smile, turned around and disappeared.
 

This was an incident in her life. How do we cope and overcome the problems that arise? Here was a case of shame added to unbecomming moral behavior. She seriously thought whether she could continue to live as if nothing really happened. For some time she began to realize it was terrible. Did he realize what he did was not just a mischievous little trick but could seriously leave scars for life?
 

The #Me Too movement is in full swing. If you asked any Korean woman and include serious assaults along with minor sexual harassments the containers would overflow. If we look closely we pass over much of what has happened, much has been covered over, secretly cultivated and defined as minor.
 

The church was no exception. We look towards the church when in difficulty. We have great faith in the church and when we see it break down the believers and the devout workers feel great pain and sorrow in their hearts. The efforts to remove the offenders remains but the way the Korean Church responds to the crisis will influence the believers and non-believers and give hope for the future.
 

God often permits the darkness in our lives and we are faced with pain and humility. We again go in search of God. The most dangerous moments become an opportunity for great change.
 

Recently we have seen the corruption in the government of our leaders and the errors of respected people in all levels of society. Which enabled us to see the values and basic morals that have been ignored and abused.

The Republic of Korea at this point is full of opportunities. Only when the crisis reached its peak between the North and South did we see the opportunity for dialogue for the first time since the rule of Kim Jong-eun.
 

The weak and oppressed who hid in silence lifted their heads one by one enabling others to come forward and prepare for change. She concludes the article with a prayer that during this Lent the church which is on the side of the marginalized and poor will look forward to the resurrection of Jesus and the new life of the church, the Korean peninsula and all of us.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Not Progressive or Conservative but Christian

Although recently it appears to have lessened, the division in society between the progressives and conservatives has often been violent. Since the church exists in the world, confrontations on many of the social issues are present in the church.
 

A seminary professor writes in the Catholic Times of this divide and asks the readers on what side are they on. Are you progressive or conservative, left or right? What side is the church on?
 

With these questions, many will select one of the two as the direction of the church. But is that the reality? Is the church progressive because it opposes the death penalty and conservative because it opposes abortion and contraception?
 

The church is evangelical only. It judges, chooses and acts on the basis of Jesus Christ and not according to the values of the world. It is neither conservative or liberal, socialist or democratic but on the side of Christ. 
 

Archbishop Helder Camara of Brazil said: "When I give food to the poor they call me a saint when I ask why are they poor, they call me a socialist."
 

The world loves to give food to the poor but when you try to make a society without the poor you are condemned as a socialist. Pope Francis was acclaimed for the many things he did after becoming pope but also called a Marxist.
 

The church wants to follow gospel values. It's not against the death penalty because it's progressive but because it promotes the dignity of human life that God has created. It's not against abortion and artificial means of contraception because it's conservative but because of the dignity of the person.
 

Consequently, members of the church must inquire constantly about who is Jesus and how to follow him.We must question whether what we judge and pursue is truly in accord with gospel values. We can not be sure our thoughts and judgments are evangelical, but the more confident we become the stronger our voice. In prayer, we will find the answers on how to live as Christians.
 

Christians do not live in a progressive or conservative manner but according to the teaching of Jesus. We need to search for the answers continually. For we are weak human beings and yesterday's answers may not be today's answers. We find the answers in the encounter with God and through prayer.
 

"I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the superior advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8).

Monday, March 19, 2018

Science and Religion

Richard Dawkins is a prominent scientist who wrote the book: Selfish Gene, a controversial book which changed the worldview of many who read it. The Catholic Peace Weekly reporter in the Word And Silence column gives us his reaction on reading the book.
 

Dawkins is provocative, intense, sharp and uncompromising. The reporter purchased a Korean translation some five years ago but was afraid that it would shake his weak faith and never read the book until recently.
 

In his book The God Delusion: Dawkins sees belief as a delusion, a meaningless, subjective belief. Medically a kind of mental disorder. For him, it is a mental virus and irrational and socially harmful.

After reading the book the aftertaste was not good. Do we have an opinion to refute Dawkins? and started to look.
 

We have the conflict model: science and religion are always in conflict. The independence model holds they explore separate domains and ask different questions. The dialogue model proposes a relationship between science and religion. There is a common ground in presuppositions, methods, and concepts. In any system that deals with dichotomy, we have blind spots. Almost all human societies have had religion in some form.
 

Religion exists in a community. The church is a community. The teachings of religion always aimed towards the good of the community and strongly supports the values necessary for the survival and prosperity of society. Religion is institutionalized morality and ethics. 

Religion is older than nations and more fundamental. Faith instinct is hidden deep inside the human being. Religion played its part when there were neither police, schools or judges. Early humans in a hunting-gathering society embodied strong social values through religion. All the societies that did not have such a center were eliminated and disappeared.

Today, religion seems to have lost its place at the center of society. Often swept away by power, material, money, and pleasure. However, the more confused the values, the more important is the role of religion that reflects man's historical wisdom and reflection. The value of the common good persists within the community. Love, mercy, spiritual poverty,  purity, repentance and fasting are the vitality of religion.
 

We are in the middle of Lent. A thick fog surrounds us. If faith is not a delusion, it's time for believers to cry together. We need to beat our breasts and repent. "My sacrifice is this broken spirit, you will not scorn this crushed and broken heart" (Psalm 51:17).

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Decreasing the Numbers of '#MeToo' Incidents.


A member of the bishops' committee for life matters, writes  for the  Catholic Peace Weekly on discernment and responsibility for sexual maturity. This week he tells the readers if we had the right understanding of sex we would not have the large numbers of  '#Me Too' incidents. He begins by mentioning a cartoon in a pornographic magazine where a woman who has been raped asks for an encore. This, he says, is the absurd kind of message spread by these magazines.
 

The problem is worldwide but Korea is the world leader in Internet connection speed and Wi-Fi is everywhere. 92 percent of the population are internet users. Pornography is illegal but easily accessed. Men see these kinds of videos repeatedly—what are the results?  Women are looking for this kind of violence even though unconsciously. Men can easily commit this kind of crime but what is worse they have no feelings of doing wrong. 'We both enjoyed it what's  wrong?' They are punished but their attitudes are not changed. Women become the plaything of their male friends and go along with the relationship.
 

10 years ago an interview with elementary school children on Korean news, the reporter was told by a fifth-grade girl student that  'yadong' (video porn) viewing was common among the students and they imitate what they see. Their actions are haughty, abusive and filled with foul language.

The reporter asked the children if they knew what 'yadong' is. Some children answer without hesitation: sexual relations are a fun game and cool. After seeing the sex act some want to do it. One of his older classmates did imitate what he saw. The reporter asks: how old? He was in the sixth grade.
 

The writer laments, if this was true 10 years ago, it is easy to imagine the situation today. Although illegal, Korea is a country with the easiest access, not permissible in countries where it's illegal; many regulations keep it from becoming part of the culture and easily accessed by children.
 

Pornography brings in money. Not only for the makers but for all the different operations that are dependent on making money from the game of sex: advertising, motels, contraception industry, the sex education industry and even the medical world.  Those combatting this understanding of sex as a commodity are few.
 

He goes on to mention the many aberrations that follow upon this thinking. Revenge porn (non-consensual sexual images of someone, distributed without their consent) Dating has lost its meaning and with your date, below the surface is the understanding, the sexual act will follow.

Sex is not a game. When it becomes so, we have  tragedy. Sex needs no rules as long as pregnancy is avoided, responsiblity and morality need not enter. Condoms given free is the thinking of many. The whole world is crying this out. Education and experience should make clear this is the voice of evil. When this is accepted and followed, at first pleasure but at the end comes misery; this is the reason and need for education on the meaning of sex.

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Preparing for Challenges

Resolutions are easily made, ignored and forgotten. A professor writing for a diocesan bulletin gives the readers the 'challenge of twenty': selected are 20 small targets to accomplish. Examples: for three days they will not use any disposable cups; not use an elevator for a week; not use a handphone when talking to a friend. These are examples of the kind of resolutions that are goals for the '20'.
 

No big targets but done with great earnestness and sincerity. Accomplished with little effort but leaving one with a feeling of achievement. When the person finishes the 20, not only does he have confidence but in addition has the beginning of new habits.
 

A challenge usually is something not small and present but big and far away. The goal is beautiful and attractive but problems are the many obstacles between us and the goal. Problems are the weakness of our will and laziness. The small challenges we choose and accomplish will lead the way to the bigger ones in the future.
 

We are now in the season of Lent. Most of us have made resolutions and are trying to live the Paschal mystery. When we fail we blame ourselves. How about making the following some of the challenges for the last weeks of Lent. To pray for your neigbors  for three days; next time you go to Mass be the first one there and the last one to leave; learn the words of one hymn and their meaning....

Scientists can give us a slew of reasons for what happens to our brains physically when we have some small success. We have a feeling of pleasure, and a desire to see it continued. Many go through life without attaining any goals and miss out on the natural joy that should be a part of a normal life. Achieving small goals in the way our writer explained is a way to remain motivated; a God-given, very natural method of practicing the virtues with which we are familiar.
 

Virtue is a trait or quality that has become part of us, an habitual act. The Chinese character for virtue has an icon for body, mind, and heart that makes up the character: all areas we attempt to put under the control of the will. 'The challenge of 20' is a good way to prepare ourselves for the difficulties faced in life.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Clericalism Within The Korean Church


A one-time editorial writer for a Korean daily newspaper writes in the Catholic Times on one of his encounters with clericalism. He recalls Cardinal Stephen Kim of the Seoul Diocese and remembers his death 9 years ago, missing him greatly. His words and actions come often to his mind. He was a pioneer in media and communication (dialogue and empathy).
 

The writer remembers the time the cardinal was the president for two years of the newspaper that later was to become the Catholic Peace Weekly—"It was the time with the clearest call to mission and the greatest joy of my priesthood...I worked with a passion even in difficult circumstances... I didn't even  take time to eat and  contemplated using vitamin tablets instead...." These are the words of Cardinal Kim looking over his life as a priest and leader in the church.
 

This enthusiasm and dedication came from the desire to bring to Korea the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. The Council opened-up wide the windows of the church to identify and read the signs of the times: media and communication were established as a core element in the teachings on Social Communication from the Council. 

The Social Communication Committee was established in the Vatican, and in Korea the Catholic Journalism Council and the Mass-Communication Committee in 1967. As a bishop, he was appointed to head the committee.
 

Bishop Kim provided full support for the journalist club and invited a large number of lay members to join the committee. They worked together in harmony for half a century. The teaching of the Second Vatican Council prompted the Cardinal to have lay people participate in the discussions within the church especially with lay apostolate matters. Prior to this, all the activities were entrusted to the clergy.
 

Strange as it may sound, we have gone back to the time before the Council. The teaching of the Council is ignored.The committee in which the lay people where involved was dissolved and the lay people were excluded and reconstructed as a clerical committee from representative priests from the dioceses as a public relation committee.

He mentions an award ceremony it was not like in the past where you had a round table and an easy exchange between the laity and the clergy.  Everybody was comfortable and at ease with each other. 


This past year the writer mentions the atmosphere was different. A buffet-style meal, he was flabbergasted by the change. The first row was for priests and they were the only ones who were introduced, and gave the congratulatory addresses. Those of the laity who had labored for the church for years as journalists or active Catholic media leaders meant little in the atmosphere created.
 

The spirit of the Council and what Cardinal Kim tried to do is fading. He finishes with a quote from Pope Francis about the evil of clericalism. The role of clerics, he said, is to “stand alongside our people, accompany them in their search and stimulate their imagination in responding to current problems. We are called to serve them, not use them.”

Sunday, March 11, 2018

April 3, 1948 Jejudo Massacre


The Catholic Times has another article and editorial on the Jejudo April 3rd 1948(4-3) massacre that happened 70 years ago. At the end of last month, a symposium in Seoul reinterpreted the Jejudo 4-3 incident with Christian eyes.

Theodor Adorno a German philosopher, who experienced the two World Wars, said the German Nazi massacre of the Jews was something unthinkable beyond the unthinkable. Jeju 4-3 was a historical tragedy in which more than 10% of the population was indiscriminately massacred. It was called the Auschwitz after Auschwitz.

The difference between Auschwitz and Jejudo is that the former is remembered and helped humanity, hopefully, to grow in wisdom while the later remains a history to be erased from the mind.What are we being told about  Jeju-do?

Bishop Kang of Jeju-do gave the keynote speech at the symposium. He spoke about the meaning of the tragedy seeing it from a social and theological point of view—the biblical tradition. It is not simply an incident in Korean history nor do we need to identify social responsibility.


After the defeat of Japanese imperialism in the Second World War, many of the Koreans living in Japan within a short period of time returned to Jejudo. 70,000 returned, although others came from other countries most came from Japan.

These new members of Jejudo society had a stronger national consciousness than the ones who lived in Jejudo and a great desire for the restoration of their homeland. However, what awaited them was political, economic and social unrest stemming from the policies and mistakes of the US military government. One of the big issues was reinstating the police officers and personnel who had been leaders when they were under Japanese occupation.The residents felt betrayed that it was an extension of Japanese rule instead of hope for a new era.

The armed uprising that took place on April 3,1948 was the South Korean Worker's Party with many hundreds of members whose expectation were also the hope of all those on the island: freedom,  independence, resistance to the evil structures in society and corruption.
 

The bishop compared this to the salvation history of the Jewish people. The history of suffering the journey to seek dignity: the response of God in man. 4-3 was not an accident but a deliberate act in search of human liberation from all sorts of social evils and injustices. The insurrection was against efforts to hinder and stop this movement towards freedom and independence. 

Although efforts were made by the government to ascertain the truth and some compensations made, the causes of the ideological confrontation and conflict are still not healed. Forgiveness and tolerance are important. More important may be to reclaim the evangelical value of Jejudo 4-3 and sublimate it in a Christian life: What are you citizens of Jejudo to do?

Friday, March 9, 2018

Going Against the Flow


A Chinese Philosopher from the 4th century before Christ used the phrase: only a live fish goes against the current. A dead fish has no choice but to go with the current, true even of a dead whale. In an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly the writer gives us a mediation on the phrase. Going along with the current makes life easy but is not always the right thing to do.

Evil and good, depending on the situation in society can use the phrase to express their hopes which means we need wisdom to decide what needs to change and what doesn't: the cause of polarization in society.

At the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, the two Koreas were united briefly in a hockey game. Was it a gesture for survival to break through some very powerful international sanctions against the North? The leader of the North sent his younger sister along with elder statesmen to the South; an attitude different from that of the past. The writer hopes this will be a sign of a new future for the North-South relationship.
 

Another movement aganist the flow are the women seeking to abolish the criminality of abortion. A few years ago adultery was no longer considered a crime. Recently the 'me too' campaign against sexual violence is showing results. The writer understands the vitality of the women movement to fight against the remains of a patriarchal culture but abortion should not be part of that movement.
 

However, the issue of legalizing abortion can be seen in a different dimension to that of  going against the flow. The fetus breathing in the mother's womb is sending a message of life. In Korea, half of the babies are aborted, babies necessary if Korea is to sustain its numbers which is another going against the flow.
 

In 1960, 1 million babies were born, last year less than 400,000. All kinds of methods to increase the numbers have been tried and proved ineffective. Many young men are not interested in marriage and women don't want to have babies; the state needs to have a policy that goes against the thinking of many in our society otherwise we face a gloomy future. If our selfishness and easy life, stand in the way, we will even see a change in our faith life.  

Humanity, however, never loses hope for we can always go against the flow and overcome the most tragic of situations. He mentions an uprising of the people in China during the Qin Dynasty when a poor soldier Chen Sheng iniated an uprising of the people and for a brief time became the emperor of the country. Today it is the vitality of democracy and the people's power; even the biggest problems can be overcome with numbers going against the flow.

Catholics, Protestants and Buddhists trying to keep that law as it is, were able to garner over 1 million signatures.

Jesus said he was the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) who showed us the energy of life. As long as we possess life than we always have the opportunity to overcome fixed ideas and stereotypes and false understandings. He hopes to see new ways of putting lives at the center and a pledge for the future.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Courage To Change our Seats

Pope Francis in his first Apostolic Exhortation: Joy of the Gospel presents the Pope's vision for a Church which shares the gospel with enthusiasm and vitality.  "Pastoral ministry in a missionary key seeks to abandon the complacent attitude that says: “We have always done it this way”. I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities (#33).
 

Saint Augustine of Hippo is quoted as saying: "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." We need to be bold, adventurous and creative if we are to be open to the movements of grace that come to us daily.
 

A university professor writing for a diocesan bulletin gives us some ideas that he has gathered from his own teaching experience. Students have shown him two different realities in the classroom that are seen in life on a larger scale.
 

1) Once the student has selected a seat in the classroom rarely do you see a change. The ones who sit on the sides or in the back are always the same.
 

2)  The chance that the one who sits beside the student will develop into a friendship is very high.

Once you are interacting with a person a few times the contact feels comfortable and the relationship becomes friendly.
 

Our situation in life, the place where we sit, will determine pretty much the view we have of life. The professor says sadly, this is the reality in most cases. More than we would like to think, we are limited by our passivity to see beyond what is around us. It's  easy to stay with the familiar. We are not adventurous, have the courage or diligence to want to change.
 

Happiness comes as a gift, according to the professor, to those who are not fixated in one place but are adventurous. He finishes the article by hoping he will be an example to the students on how to be adventurous, courageous and diligent.

Monday, March 5, 2018

New Challenges of Family LIfe

Marriage Encounter (ME), was introduced to Korea in the early 1990s and grew rapidly but recently, difficult to maintain as a parish organization. ME meetings are held once a month but few couples attend and it's difficult to find leaders. Getting couples to participate in the weekend programs is also difficult. Sadly, the movement that's done much as a guide for married couples to grow in love for one another is now in decline.
 

An article in the Catholic Times by a parish priest describes the problems faced in the pastoral work.  Looking at this one reality of the Marriage Encounter Movement he realizes how much change we are experiencing. According to the data of the National statistical office in 2016, one person families in Korea accounted for 27.2 % of the total families. Followed by 26.1 % for two-person households, 21.5% for three person households, and 18.8 % for four-person households.
 

As the number of single person households spread and the YOLO (You Only Live Once life) style of living and philosophy spreads, values and consumption patterns change. This is the trend of the times. New words appear: eating alone, drinking alone,  watching movies alone, traveling alone and playing alone and are no longer strange to our ears.
 

We have those who no longer consider marriage necessary, the happy single person who selects the single life, and the not so noble single person who doesn't want the burden of children. Many are single because of divorce, separation, families that live separately for the education of the children, elderly people living alone, and those who have lost their spouses because of death and those who have no choice but to live alone. Living alone in the past was an abnormal situation but what was abnormal has become the norm.
 

Lifestyles of the single person living alone are many and varied. We have those who are connected with others but not relationally or socially. They dislike collectivism, delays, and making contacts with others, they choose voluntary isolation. Happiness and comfort are great values. Another type would pursue individual value and at the same time desire community and constantly try to connect with others by means of SNS.
 

Pastoral care of the family is difficult. The Church has generally divided the family of four into the normal and abnormal and been mainly concerned with the normal family. However, we need a new pastoral policy to work with the one person family. We need to remember that there are many who are comfortable living alone but want to be connected with others and long to join a community and do not because they don't know how to go about it. The church needs to recognize this and work to make their communities open and welcoming to these one-person families.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

I am Nobody! Who are You?

                                         I am Nobody! Who are You?
                                                  Are you-Nobody-too?
                                                  Then there's a pair of us!
                                                  Don't tell!
                                                  They'd banish us-you know!

                                                  How dreary-to be-Somebody! 
                                                  How public-like a Frog-
                                                  To tell your name-
                                                  The livelong June-
                                                  To an admiring Bog!

A university professor begins an article in the Kyeongyang magazine with the above short poem by Emily Dickinson. The article deals with changes in society and the aspirations of the young people in comparison to the past and some of the reasons for the changes.
 

Young people no longer dream about the glorious and prominent positions in society, but rather the secure ones such as civil servants. We should all be dreamers, young and the old, but the young early on are frustrated in their attempts to go to the schools they want. Many enter their 20s with great deprivations. After college, if they get a job, they have other serious problems: marriage, housing, children. They are a nobody who desires to be somebody, but they are overcome with defeat and a feeling of inferiority and lack dreams.
 

In the poem, the poet asks: I am nobody who are you?  Humbling herself to the readers she draws them to herself. We are a pair. This oneness with the reader becomes a secret they share. Why keep the secret to ourselves?  She answers that it is an important secret, for those who seek to be famous will consider us, who are satisfied as nobodies—a threat.
 

Those who want to be nobodies are going against the flow of society are dangerous and subversive. We only have to look at Jesus to see what happens in such cases.
 

This poem not only admires the simple life but also shows how the famous can make their values seep into the purpose of life. In the last segment,we hear about the frog which makes itself known to the admiring swamp always croaking with nothing to say. The swamps are the admirers, that make the frog feel important. It's better to be a nobody than this dreary, limited kind of life. 

We have those who silently, courageously move ahead one step at a time. Nobodies, who risk their lives; what makes them do it? Is it work for justice, truth or love? Each one with their convictions,  station in life, silent, without names, lead us. There are, of course the traitors and the corrupt, but many more who with sacrifice, courage and love are opening our eyes. I am a nobody you are a nobody but we move along haltingly but move ahead.

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Disposability Easily Achieved

Disposable single-use items are part of our life.  Paper cups, chopsticks, plastic bags, coffee packets and hundreds of other items are used and disposed of daily. Bad for the environment and may not be good for the psyche?

A religious sister in an article in the Kyeongyang magazine begins telling the readers of her friendship with her laptop computer. She knew everything about it having used it for 10 years. When it finally gave up the ghost it was no big problem but she was sad and distressed; it was a friend.

This was not only true with the laptop but also with other articles in her possession: the plastic comb and mirror had been with her for about 30 years; the comb had lost some of the teeth and the mirror was broken at the edges but they were friends. A number of times while shopping she looked for replacements but nothing appealed to her. She decided that she would keep them for as long as they could do what they were meant to do.

One-time-use items used again will make that product more useful than normal. When a product is used profitably for a period of time the product is more than just something used but it has a relationship with the user. We live in a disposable society. A throwaway society can make us think all is disposable.

Adam in Gen. 2: 19 gave a name to all that God created and made them special. This makes it possible to call them by name. If we could give a name to all that is created the relationship we would have would be quite different. Our world would be different. 

We have a surfeit of disposable products in use. The danger is always present to see our fired workers,  our young unemployed people as just so many expendables.

Some years ago the Sister remembers an apartment that was being renovated that surrounded their convent. Coming into a new apartment much of the furniture was discarded and the sisters had a great time furnishing their convent with the discarded furniture—still in use.

As we continue to throw away cheap one time used products is it possible that we begin to see our fellow human beings as throwaways and expendables? When we start seeing everything we touch as valued, life in all its forms, all the products we touch is that not a kind of prayer, an expression of love and worship of God. It may be seen as insignificant but in God's providence a way of returning vitality to the world.