Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Masks are Just the First Steps to Personhood

During May of this year, many face masks appeared at Seoul Station and Gwanghwamun square. They wore a Guy Fawkes mask which represents those who have not been able to express their feelings of being underdogs in society. They have come out of the silence and began to voice their frustrations. A professor in a humanities program of a Catholic University writes in the Catholic Peace Weekly of the meaning of this movement.
 

Guy Fawkes (1570-1606) was a member of a Roman Catholic Revolutionary Organization. He was the best-known member of the group who tried to assassinate James I (1566-1625) king of England who led the Reformation and persecution against the Catholics in England. However, an informer prevented the plot and  Fawkes was killed.
 

The Guy Fawkes mask comes from a comic strip character and movie where the V stands for Vendetta the revolutionist V and protagonist. Masks have appeared in protests against totalitarianism. In 2011 on Wall Street against financial capitalism. 

Anonymous, a group of the people on the internet who want justice for every citizen of the world wear the Guy Fawkes masks and declared war on the ISIS and also the American Scientology Religion. The masks have appeared in Korea with the members demanding the resignation of the family members of a company they considered using arrogant behavior in their dealings with others.
 

Persona, is a Latin word originally meaning a mask used by actors in theater plays. The writer wants to concentrate on mask and personality. 'Guy Fawkes Mask' means you will not give up until you win. They hide their identity so as not to be disadvantaged. The person hiding their identity may be members of the company and in their attendance at the candlelight vigil with the masks prevents any retaliation from the company.
 

Masks protect their anonymity and symbolizes resistance, victory, disadvantage, anonymity to be truly a person with a personality. It's an attempt of the disadvantaged in the world who want to go beyond wealth, honor, education, specialties, power, position, age, race, culture, capitalists and workers. A need to recognize a person as equal and respect them. It is a revolt of the disadvantaged seeking their proper place in society which should go beyond  rallies.   
 

The disadvantaged revolt against the advantaged is hoping to see the end of this dichotomy. The key to solving the problem is to the love and respect the poor, the alienated and to put them in the first place as Jesus did in his life on earth.
 

We need to change the understanding of silence in the presence of injustice. When absurdity and corruption is singled out, one should not be  disadvantaged, it's this kind of society we want to see. A society in which common sense exists. When the advantaged and disadvantaged can work together in building a just, equal and happy society and have this common dream we will see results. She hopes that the masks will be the first steps in seeing the true 'personas' appear without the masks.          

Monday, May 28, 2018

The Medium is the Message

The medium is the message is a saying of the Canadian theorist Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980). A different medium a different message and the world we see changes. So begins a column in the Catholic Times by a newspaper editor.
 

The contents of a face-to-face conversation, a telephone conversation, and the contents of a newspaper and TV  are different from each other in sensitivity and response. The development of technology has expanded greatly the way news is delivered and what is delivered. The old concepts are changed: the type of media, the category of news, and the boundaries between the producer and consumers disappear.
 

More people in Korea consume news through the new media than the traditional media. Single person media is transmitted through online, mobile, and social networking services (SNS). Today anyone can be a reporter and a producer.
 

In the late 70s and early 80s, when the writer worked as a journalist, they were registered with the government as reporters. They had the authority to cover, produce and deliver the news. Compared to the present it was a time hard to imagine in today's world. Media now is an important factor in the change of modern civilization: economy, politics, society, and culture.
 

We divide the government into the legislative, juridical and executive and the writer puts the media as the fourth branch of the modern state. Today some put economics as number one and the media as the second. 

Many reactions and challenges are present in the new civilization. Fake news media is a big problem in the world. What is fake news? News that manipulates facts and destroys trust can eventually destroy the function of society. The first requirement of news is accuracy, false news does away with this. Before the local Korean elections in June, it's natural that the election committee is tense. Democracy is the starting point and without fairness, and fictional news used by certain interests and ideologies, democracy is destroyed. Pope Francis has made this a topic of many of his talks.
 

When you see fire important to cry out 'fire' but more important to put out the fire. The writer has witnessed in the church situations where problems pending are left dangling with a recourse to prayer and some formalistic activity, letting God solve the problem. God does not listen to those kinds of prayers.
 

We are concerned with fake news. This is important but more so to do something about the situation with concrete countermeasures. We need to have knowledge of the truth, humanistic sensibilities and media literacy to distinguish fake news. This has to be translated into concrete measures. Ethic codes and outlines that world journalism has accumulated are a great help.

Within the clergy, there are few who know the reality of the media. It is not a subject in seminaries and the decision making power in the church is exercised entirely by the clergy. Making policies without knowing the workings of the media, delaying decisions and perfunctory events that the laity are made to conduct while the world civilization is being changed by the new media is not the way to go.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

We Are The Mystical Body of Christ

A new document published in early May: 'Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church' approved by Pope Francis, explores the pope's hope for a synodal church: a church that walks together as the pilgrim people of God. 

This is the description of the chuch given in the documents of the Second Vatican Council. The church is a communion and the responsiblity of all Catholics for the life of the church and its mission. The pope and the bishops assisted by their priests, still retain the decision making authority but all working as partners in the mission of Jesus.

Any process of discernment needs to begin with the consultation of the laity. Both laymen and laywomen need places in the church where they can express themselves which requires a need to overcome the clercal mentality that keeps them at the margins of church life. A call to a spritituality of communion, listening, dialogue and communal discerment.

A recent editorial in the Catholic Times gives the readers an understanding of synodality, collective consensus, and the meaning for the church. It is an old concept practiced in the early church and an important concept of the Second Vatican Council.

Pope Francis particularly brings back to us the tradition of collective consensus and is leading the local church to deeper reflection on the issue.

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, 'collective consensus' means that all members of the church will listen to each other and seek 'direction together' and respect each other. The  bishops' synods and parish synods operate in the spirit of common consensus. This is different from the process of democratic consensus based on majority rule. However, church leaders are not to make arbitrary decisions regardless of the will of believers. 

One of the greatest achievements of the  papacy of Pope Francis in the minds of many is the revival of the "collective consensus" in the church. He also added that the journey of communicating with one another may cause tensions, conflicts and debates within the church, but it is a true fellowship. 

The principle of 'common consensus' is the modus vivendi Ecclesiae, which is not limited to the synod. It is a principle that should be applied to the existential life of all members of the church, from the universal church to each local church, parish, institution, and organization. Therefore, church leaders must be in a position to respect all the reflection and judgment of all God's people through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Hopefully Korea Will not be Recipient of 'Ig Nobel Peace Prize'

Each year in October, Harvard University hosts the Ig (ignoble) Nobel Prize (parody of the Nobel Prize) a ceremony that began in 1991, also called the Screwball Nobel Prize. An award given that can't be imagined with our ordinary powers of thinking but is an interesting and preposterous discovery such as the one of Professor Alberti Minetti of Italy, who proved that humans could walk on water if only the gravity was reduced by 22%.

One was awarded a prize for studying why woodpeckers have no headaches. A woodpecker pecks a tree at the speed of 25 kilometers per hour and twenty times per second and the honor went to the awardee for revealing that a thick sponge-like skull protects the brain of the woodpecker.
 

The column in the Peace Weekly made a study of the research of those who received the prize and found  four Koreans who won a prize. The latest for determining the reason a cup of coffee spills over the edges while walking. The principle of winning the Ig Nobel Prize is research that makes people laugh at first but then makes them think.
 

North  Korea and US summit have attracted worldwide attention and the possibility of a Peace Prize. Some Republican members of Congress have suggested Trump as a candidate. The contents of the letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee is that Trump's peace through force is working effectively and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula.
 

However, following the fire and anger that was displayed for a time by Trump the Ig Nobel Peace Prize is more suitable. Obviously, if the peace settlement of the Korean Peninsula through the dismantling of the North Korea nuclear weapons is achieved then the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize will not be a dream.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons(ICAN) along with many other individuals and organizations have made efforts to denuclearize.  ICAN has often succeeded in getting others  nominated for the Peace Prize. 


President Moon is not concerned who gets the Peace Prize, Korea only wants peace. Hopefully, the negotiations will not break down at the last minute. Otherwise, the laughter of the world will follow and  the Ig Nobel Prize. 

He ends the column by suggesting, a crazy idea that the driver for peace on the Korean Peninsula President Moon and two nurses who have worked on the island of Sorok with Hansen patients for 43 years, be the recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. He prays to God that we do get blessed with peace and  continues dreaming.

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Revitilizing the Youth Ministry in Parishes

A parish priest in a Catholic Times' column tells the readers of a mother whose son volunteered to work in a  Filipino slum last summer and wanted to tell her son's story to the priest. He was so different from the past.

Until he volunteered  the family never had a quiet day and they continued worrying about the son. He wasn't concerned with the world nor interested  in looking for a job but spent  his time in his room playing computer games. However, when his mother suggested he go to the Philippines for volunteeer work in the slums he readily accepted.

His experience in the Philippines was such that during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics he had a part time  job which continued his international interest  and the use of the few words in knew in English coming again to his help with his experience of overseas service. The experience in the Philippines changed his life. The mother wanted  to thank  the writer for the opportunity given her son.

The priest  was delighted to hear that his running of the youth vounteer service for the past ten years continues to help many young people and their families. He feels this is one way of  revitilizing the pastoral work of the church. Young people are experiencing a sense of crisis with the way society is moving. The 'sam po' generation is a word used in Korea for the young who because of social pressure and economics have to give up courtship, marriage and having children.

Not lilke the past when they graduated from college and got a job and went on with  their lives. The young pople are confronted with great competition and face an unstable future. In the church they are also disappeaing. According to the statistics from 2017, only 13% of  the Catholics are in their twenties. This is a 2% drop from 2008. With the continuance of this decline the future of the church is not bright.

The writer believes that to revive the stagnant current youth ministry is the youth service abroad and actively promotes and invests in the program. These days youth volunteer programs are rare and carried out by a small number of parishes schools and organizations. Safety of the youth and financial support are burdensome but ultimately the lack of interest in young people.

Youth volunteer activities provide a variety of  pastoral results. They revitalize the youth pastoral care of the parish, inspire young people's faith, and instill a sense of service. It also gives young people an international perspective in the era of globalization. There are many other additional effects. It is a great opportunity for young people to have their own identity, cooperate with others while building bonds with others. Furthermore, what they learn from the experience remains with them for a life time and they gain the strength to cope with adversity and hardship.

The writer has experienced the good that is done with the efforts of helping the young people to do volunteer service overseas. They become wiser, the only thought of making money and being socially sucessful has  been extended to helping others. Isn't  this the aim of any good  youth pastoral program? Experiencing overseas service will contribute to the revitalization of youth pastoral care and changing the way of life and thinking of the young.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Programs To Overcome Arrogant Behavior

Arrogance is a trait often experienced, an offensive display of superiority or self-importance, and overbearing pride. In Korea, we have in recent memory seen displays of this which have made the  international news.

The Korean word 'Gap' used in contracts for the first party is a new word appearing often for the arrogance exhibited by authoritarian figures who have positions of power over others. A college professor who teaches in the humanities gives us insight into problems on how to work against this arrogance in society in her article in the Catholic Peace Weekly.

She gives us  an example  of a person who  famously showed her arrogance, that was bettered by the parent in a recent incident and goes on to show that we learn much from those with whom we spend most of our time. From whom do we learn our techniques for communicating? In the womb the fetus after just five or six weeks, the sense of touch is the first system to develop. The mother's emotional life and the enviroment will influence the fetus.

What we have picked up by our studies often disappears after a period of time; what we sense, even within the womb, remains with us a great deal longer. A baby in diapers wiill not be influenced by words but by the emotional activity of the caregiver and the way they solve their conflicts. When overcome by stress, unless we understand, we can emotionally revert to our animal nature.

The mental faculties of children and teenagers, compared to adults are less developed and without experience that comes with age, the ability to control and tune the senses has been reduced. Consequently, a person who has not grown from their experience may look like an adult but emotionally still a child. When such a person receives a position with authority how will he act? It's not difficult to guess what the results will be.

As we get older without some strong stimulus changes do not come easy. With experience we do have change. Even children with small stimuli are changed, that's why the caregiver's emotions, words and  behavior are so important. The 'Gap type of behavior' with experience and training can be prevented.

All of us get angry and irritable but we know that  we don't want to express this feeling with violence and  criminal activity. We acknowledge our anger and feelings and proceed to take control, tune down and regulate the feelings.

Being overcome with emotion is not unconditionally a bad thing. This is a part of being human. However, since we are members of communities we need to learn how to regulate the emotions. To repress the emotions we are possibly preparing for a time bomb to explode. We need to train ourselves, only knowledge of the situation will not do it, we need the techniques which come with training.

She concludes the article with examples of how this is done in certain big companies and in organizations in other countries for the members and recommends that programs be conducted in Korea.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Moral Regulation Demanded



After the release of the first Terminator film in 1984 and the last film in 2015 we have had five in a series where machines and humans do battle.The killer robot is no  longer a scene in a move but reality. An article in the Catholic Peace Weekly gives us some insight into what is happening in military robot manufacturing.

Boston Dynamics a US robot manufacturer, is developing a  killer robot  Atlas with a weight of 156 kg and 188cm in height. Atlas has arms and legs that move freely like human  limbs. Russia is also working on simliar robots.The killer robot will be equipped with artificial intelligence to shoot guns and throw grenades, planned for the year 2025. He will be named after the movie Terminator Ivan.

Korea has also been involved in research in the development of military robots for infantry support by the National Defense Science Institute. Killer robots are attractive to many in the military because they can minimize human casualties and massive attacks without human intervention. Initially, on sentinel duty, but with the development of technology it becomes possible to carry out  missions in places where human beings find it hard to enter: radioacrtive contaminated areas.  Military experts believe if the killer robots become combatants they will change the way war is waged.

In the past it was the victors right to plunder and murder. The idea of murdering unarmed civilians was not a war crime. However in modern times this has changed. An example if  this ethnic cleansing during the Balkian slaughter,  the commander of the Serb militia in 1995 was tried by the International Court of Justice for the killing of 8.000 Muslim men and boys.

In April scholars who are leaders in global artificial intelligence research refused to cooperate with the Korea Advanced Institute of Sciience and Technology in their work with artificial intellegenge. It was reported that KAIST was devloping autonomous weapons which would search for and elimanate targets without human control. This however has changed  and the researches have ended the boycot since KAIST's President affirmed that they have no intention to engage in develoopment of lethal autonomous weapons and killer robots.

With the the military robots we have another problem that faces humanity. If the Balkan slaughter had been ochestrated by artificial intelligence controlled killer robots would not those responsible need to be punished as war criminals? These and many other similar situations will arise with the new technology.

The Sicience fiction wirter, Issac Asimov in 1941 devised  three laws to protect human beings from interactions with robets. A robot may not injure a human being or allow a human being to come to harm, robots must obey the orders given by human beings and a robot must protect it own existence  as long as it does not conflict with the first and second statements above.

When human control over these robots is missing we will have the destruction of human dignity and a calamity for humanity. This requires the  making and developing these robots to follow a charter on morality and rights of human beings, otherwise we will return to the past ages.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Third Korean Summit

In Korea, we have four Chinese characters which make a noun phrase, an idiom that describes a situation or feeling a proverb like expression. Something like our own Latin expressions from the past that come up often in print and in our conversations.
 

In the Catholic Peace Weekly, an article begins with the four-letters (寧靜致遠) which in English would
mean to face the future with peace and tranquillity in our hearts ('festina lente' make haste slowly may be one understanding of the phrase). 
  
He reminisces over what has happened in recent weeks with our relationship with North Korea. We have those who were moved to tears at what they heard and saw in the media, on the other hand, those who acted with anger seeing the way the enemy was welcomed. In both cases we had too much emotion, which our writer does not believe is the way to go.

This is the third inter Korean summit between the North and South. The first summit was held in Pyongyang in 2000 between former President Kim Dae-Jung and the former Korean leader Kim Jong-il. We expected peace on the Korean peninsula. The second summit was between Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il in 2007 with similar hopes raised.
 

The recent Panmunjom Declaration was the third summit. President Moon and Kim Jong-un agreed to the  denuclearization of the peninsula, the end of the 65 years cease-fire, and the establishment of a peace regime in preparation for the coming summit with the United States.
 

The first summit broke down with hostilities in the Yellow Sea between the North and South. At the second summit, they made plans to overcome these problems but failed. After the third summit, they installed a hotline, hoping for a thorough preparation.  
Trust between the North and South is necessary and this requires keeping the promises. We need to practice what is contained in the Panmunjom Declaration. The agreement is more important than the declaration, a consensus process and experts and ongoing staff for study is necessary and the accompaniment of society.
 

The efforts in the past have for various reasons failed to bring about any peace treaty. In 1990 with great efforts at preparation on four different occasions, it failed to get the approval of the national assembly. In 1994 in the Geneva accord, the Clinton government and North Korea signed an agreement but this fell apart for they failed to get the approval of Congress.
 

Real peace will come when the Panmunjom Declaration becomes an agreement. For this to happen it requires the cooperation of the opposition party. Otherwise with the change of government you go back to the beginning. Better than going two steps forward alone is to go one half step together. This is progress. May God help us. 

Monday, May 14, 2018

Korean Catholic Symposium Commerating the Pope's Five Years

Last month an international academic symposium was held at the Catholic University with representative theologians from seven countries: Italy, France, US, Philippines, Mexico, Australia,  and Korea. The subject was the teachings of Pope Francis and the acceptance and challenges in the local church. Both Catholic papers gave reports on the symposium. It commemorated the fifth year of Pope Francis as the leader of the church.

How the pope looks at the world and what his actions have taught and how each local church has embraced the teaching, overall, they agreed the pope urges changes on the basis of gospel values. Clear also that he has changed the church. Renewal begins placing Christ at the center of the church and our lives. Repentance and mercy are necessary to have success in our actions. 

The pope has gone out to the excluded and marginated and brought them to the center of society and the church and asks that we accompany them. He is showing us a new pastoral theology. Doing things together.

The issue of consensus, the importance of synodality in the thinking of Pope Francis. Common consensus is an important keyword to understand when the pope speaks about church renewal. This collective consensus is not only the bishop's synod but the way all the people of God live their lives with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the spirituality of fellowship. To the question: How do we walk the path of renewal can be answered with the need of collective consensus. 

The difference between boundaries and limits was a subject of one of the presenters. The pope has attempted to change boundaries of the universal church and the local church and stresses the oneness and turns our attention to the kingdom of heaven.

Another presenter mentioned the boldness of his words and the humility of listening to all without any rush to solve problems. Many see the  pope's actions of breaking rules as in no hurry to see change, with a great belief in the Holy Spirit's leading the church. The sexual scandals within the clerical ranks are helped by the pope's words and actions.

Others mentioned that in South America he has led a common consensus to defend human rights and make social justice a reality. We need to respect the spirit of walking together. At the end was mentioned that local churches around the world are facing various crises. We should not turn all the problems  into problems of the  universal church nor would we leave all the problems to be solved by the local church. We cannot limit ourselves to just one principle but on many principles in search of realistic solutions. For the pope unity is not uniformity but a respect for diversity.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Leisure is Necessary to Enjoy Life

Everything should be good, our study, our work. Competition is fierce. If you don't do well you will fall behind. Everybody likes to be first both in their work and studies. Everybody searches for the best. So begins an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly by a member of the staff. 

To be good you have to work hard. To do it half-heartedly is not right. You have to give it you're all. You have to give up many things: time,  peace of mind, at times family and friends, sleep, holidays and you will be complimented as faithful.

Labor is sacred. Work is precious. This is what we learned and lived. Work and employment is the ground of life. It allows us to take care of our families; realize ourselves and contribute to the world, a reason for our pride and feeling of accomplishment.
 

This is also at first glance the teaching of the church. Work is both a right and a duty, both a grace and an offering. Paul the apostle said: "Anyone who doesn't work should not eat." "Work in silence, and earn your bread" (Thess. 3:12). St. Benedict said: "idleness  is the enemy of the soul." The teaching on 'pray and work' summarizes such a spirit. It is the way of salvation and sanctification.
 

Why did he praise work so highly? The circumstances of the times required it. At that time labor was largely the responsibility of slaves and serfs. Hand labor was considered to be a lowly task. The monastery helped to change that perception. They rejected the material abundance and pursued a life of asceticism and abstinence. Labor and self-sufficiency was a value.
 

Times have changed. We can not compare our lives to that of the past. We are overcome with work. There is a goal to achieve and production goals. Each has a performance goal and appraisal follows. I go to work at dawn and work to late at night. Holidays are few and work is piled up. Companies strive for survival. Need to reduce labor costs to adjust the balance. Employees become working machines.

Labor destroys us. I work for my family but it becomes second in concern. Many work for the future but are not happy. Many are depressed, sad, sick, and lonely. Frequent irritation arises and anger. We need a break. I want to rest. I want to recite poetry on a lake shore. I want to walk in the forest and sing. I want to praise the creator for the great mystery of life and to embrace mother nature. I want to pray together with nature a beautiful prayer to the creator.

The church does not only emphasize the sacredness of labor. The Sabbath tradition is also in the church. For six days you shall do your work,but stop on the seventh day so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your slave girl have a breathing space, and the stanger too" (Exodus 23,12).

Earlier, Pope Leo XIII saw the destruction of the  human spirit  due to labor. In 1891, more than 100 years ago, he proclaimed the way of New Things (Rerum Novarum). In that flow, Saint John Paul II awakens us: "Work is for man, not man for labor" (Laborem exercens) 'Through Work'.
 

Thoughts  on the way to work by our writer on the morning of Labor Day. Where on earth has God's  grace gone?

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Why Are They Leaving the Church?


Korea is cited often as a country with the fifth largest number of atheists. The last census showed the number of non-believers rose to 58.1 percent which number continues to grow. For the  first time, officially, there are more Koreans who consider themselves non-believers than believers. 

The numbers of believers in the 2005 census were 52.9% but in the latest census, the number was 43.9%. The Catholic Church's own statistics in 2017  registered 11.1 % of the population as Catholic but the 2015 census only registered 7.9% which is a more realistic figure.
 

Attempting to give an objective picture of the religious situation in Korea may be more difficult than many other countries. Shamanism is still strong within the country. This doesn't show on the census. Confucianism is considered a philosophy rather than a religion by many. Cultural Buddhists would very likely be missed in the census. Eight religions were listed on the census and a blank. Consequently the non-religious may not be what we may think.
 

The number of convinced atheists according to a 2012 Gallup International poll found that 15% of the population would be convinced atheists a figure which will continue to rise. An increase from a poll in 2005 which showed 11%, however, presently the atheists are not the militant type but this is beginning to change.

Where is Korean Catholicism heading? Korean Catholics visiting Europe do see a once thriving religious life that seems to be on life support. A reporter for the Catholic Peace Weekly recounts a visit to the eldest daughter of the church, France, on news coverage for the paper and her impression on the visit.  


Are you Catholic? The answer should be 'Yes' or 'No' however, she says, this is not the case instead a long explanation. This she says was the consistent answer to her question.
 

She went to France last month to cover some of the less known religious shrines in the country. Many were enthusiastic about France's historic Catholic history and holy sites, but when it turned to their own personal faith the response was vague and half hearted. "I was baptized as a child and my whole family is all believers." Mimicking the words of a song: 'a believer and not a believer,' is her take on what she continued to hear. Some will tell you they don't go to church but they believe in God and live accordingly. They consider themselves believers.
 

They asked numerous questions about the Korean church and were surprised to hear that with so few Catholics Korea had a comprehensive media with TV, newspaper, and radio run by the church and the number of believers continues to increase. Jokingly they told her they should be giving them many of their empty churches.

She mentions that out of a hundred of the French young people 64 are non-believers, 23 are Catholic and 10 are members of the Islam faith. Why did the French leave the church? A valid question for the Korean church to ponder.

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Dreaming about the Changchung Cathedral

In March 1984, according to an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly a Canadian was the first Korean priest to visit North Korea after the division of the country. The following September Bishop Tji Hak-soun of the Wonju Diocese, a member of a group visiting relatives in the north, said  Mass in the Pyongyang Koryo Hotel. This was the first time for a South Korean to say Mass in the North. In June of 1987 Fr. Chang-ik representing a delegation from the Vatican met some of the Catholics of the North.
 

At that time a church building committee was formed to build a church in the Pyongyang area. In March 1988 the construction of the cathedral began and on Oct 9th the Changchung church was completed. In June during the building of the church, the Korean Catholic Association was established. On Oct. 12, the first prayer meeting was held and Fr. Chang-ik and Fr. Chong on Oct. 30, and on All Saints Day said the first Masses as delegates of the Vatican in the new cathedral.
 

After that many Korean priests from other countries said Masses in the new church. In April of 1996 on  Easter Sunday, Mass was said for peaceful unification and reconciliation of the nation in both Myeongdong, Seoul and the Changchung church of North Korea. The atmosphere for reconciliation blossomed with the beginning of the 'People's Government' in 1998.
 

On May 15, 1998, Bishop Choi chairman of the committee for National Reconciliation with 4 delegates visited the North. Two days later the bishop said Mass in the Changchung church. This can be considered the first Catholic pastoral visit of the South to the North. According to one of the monthly magazines, there are about 3000 Catholics in the North as of 2004, but some estimate it to be closer to 10,000 secret believers.
 

No priests have resided in the North since the Korean War and the division of the country. Every Sunday believers gather at the cathedral and have a mission station service which is conducted by the leaders of the community. Catholic foreign diplomats, foreign workers, and students staying in Pyeongyang often come to the church.The Changchung church has played a role in connecting the believers in the North with the South Korean Catholic Church, the Holy See and the Catholic churches abroad. This is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Changchung Church.
 

Efforts to send a priest to the Changchung Church was initiated by the bishops of South Korea in 2015. An  agreement was finalized to send a priest for the big feast days of the calendar but because of the political situation, not getting any better, it was never implemented.
 

In 2014 in Myeondong Cathedral, Pope Francis prayed: "May new opportunities for dialogue, and meetings to overcome the differences spring up. Let us pray that all Koreans who are all brother and sisters, members of the same family have the same perception of being one nation become widespread." 
 

New opportunities have arisen since the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. North and South Korea are taking steps to resolve the problems separating the country. On April 27, the North-South summit was held and soon the North and American summit will take place. Is it too early to dream of a Mass of Peace and Reconciliation that the pope will deliver at the Changchung Cathedral? Dreaming alone is just a dream, but the dreams that everyone dreams bear fruit.

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Never Give Up

Limitation are often in the mind. For many years there was a 500-pound barrier in weightlifting and in running the four-minute mile but after Vasily Alekseyev broke the 500 barriers and Bannister the 4-minute mile others shortly followed. Each limit themselves in what they can do until someone goes beyond the expectations and we have another limit.
 

In a diocesan bulletin, the writer shows the readers how often we limit ourselves to what we determine. He continues with the motivational myth about the eagle's lifespan. With determination when the eagle's beak becomes bent and the talons can no longer grab the prey the eagle goes to the mountains, breaks its beak and plucks out its talons and feathers and after a few months is born again as a new eagle going on for another 30 years. We are all familiar with similar stories to motivate us, some true and some mere myths but they do motivate many.
 

Many things are needed to ascend from one plateau of achievement to another. Often this requires effort and a new way of thinking. The challenge and adventure required to overcome the present security and comfortableness is just too much.

Water boils at 100 degrees usually and one degree less will not do it. In life, there are many times that we will not make the extra effort to achieve our goal. This is both true in our daily life both in physical and spiritual matters.
 

In life, challenges and the joy of making a certain goal is more often met with frustration and giving up. Having few expectations is often the easiest way. 

As we get older throughout the whole body we hear sounds of revolt; our heads are filled with worries and the future looks bleak. Exercise is limited, the muscular strength is weak and we give up, become exhausted.

In Galatians 6:9, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."  We have many quotes from the saints and from the past that show us that giving up is not what a disciple of Jesus does.
 

"I  plead with you- never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never became discouraged. Be not afraid." St. John Paul II

Friday, May 4, 2018

Appreciation and Gratitude—Solutions for Stress

Stress is a part of life. The word is derived from the Latin word 'stringere', to draw tight. "No stress no strain no unusual moods stay loose but don't fall apart at the seems" is good advice but life has stress both the good and bad and we are not always able to distinguish.

A writer in a diocesan bulletin introduces the readers to a Nobel laureate from Canada who spent a great deal of his life making a study of stress. Dr. Hans Style defined stress as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change". He gave the valedictory address at Harvard and received a standing ovation. As he left the podium and on his way out a student blocked his path and asked: "Dr.  we are inundated with stress factors in our society, teach us the way to overcome the stress of life."

He returned to the microphone and answered with one word: appreciation—recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something. We can substitute the word gratitude for appreciation. Nothing  compares to the cleansing and healing properties of a thankful outlook on life.

Religious people according to our writer have a longer life span since they are thankful for what they have received. This has been proved in studies made. Efforts are made to remove the evil effects of the seven capital sins. The moment we express thanks the serotonin comes rushing into our bodies giving health.

One of the writer's friends recommended she write down 100 reasons to be thankful. In the beginning it was difficult to even list 10, she writes, but shortly she found the words coming quickly to her mind and saw it all as grace.

The French author Jules Renard who had a weak constitution would every morning on awakening give thanks. "I can see,  ears hear, my body moves, my spirit is good, thanks, life is beautiful." When I see this prayer the writer says her body wants to give  thanks. Every morning she gets up and begins to walk she is thankful.

The writer wants to change the direction of her life. She wants to be satisfied with what she has and share with others her blessings. More than asking to obtain, she wants to be thankful for what she has,  thankful for what she received from others and from God. She wants to begin to see things from God's vantage point and grow to a more mature religious life.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Korean Catholic Church Statistics

Each year at this time we have Catholic statistics published which are utilized in pastoral work. Both Catholic papers gave a review of the statistics. 

In the year 2017 for the first time the percentage of believers to the total population has risen to 11%. However, the growth rate from 2008 has been steadily decreasing and last year it was only 1.3%. The ratio of believers to the local population was highest in Seoul.

The number of older believers continues to increase. Male believers number 42.5 % and female number 57.5 %. The percentage of female is higher in almost all ages except for the 20 to 24 age group in which men outnumber the women and this is the highest percentage of all age groups in comparison to the women because of the evangelization in the military. Those between 10 and 19 (children and adolescents) accounts for only 6.6 % of the total.

55.8% of the believers live in the metropolitan area. The numbers of those baptized in 2017 totaled  96,649 people a decrease of 12.4 % from the previous year. In the age groups except for the ages of 75 to 79 all the numbers have decreased from the previous year. All the other sacraments have also shown a decrease. The number of marriages continues to decrease; in 2013 for the first times it was under 20,000. 2017 was the lowest with 15,842.  Marriages in society from 2008  have decreased by 19.3 %  but the church marriages decreased 39.5%.

The reception of the Sacraments all show a decrease. Mass attendance increased by 0.9% from the previous year. The Mass attendance has continued to decrease since 2010. Elementary Sunday school attendance decreased 1.2% from last year; middle school 5.9% and high school decreased 9.2%.The number of parish priests in oversea mission has increased 113.5 %.

There are a total of 5360 clergy, two Cardinals, 42 bishops, 5160 Korean priests and 158 foreign priests an increase of 159. Although in certain dioceses an increase is seen, overall there was a decrease.

Korea has 17,176  religious in 176 congregations. The number of male religious is the largest number in the last 10 years but the women are the lowest since 2011.

The number of countries in which the Korean church sent missionaries overseas increased to 82 countries. Over the past decade the  number of missionaries continues to increase with the largest number 109 in the Philippines. There are now 1734 parishes in Korea.