Saturday, September 29, 2018

The One, the Good, the True and the Beautiful

In the educational field, we hear a lot about the Intelligence Quotient but we know it doesn't mean a high IQ will necessarily return good results. Complementing the IQ with the Emotional Quotient EQ: an attitude that doesn't get frustrated even when stressed, and ability to empathize is an important measure of academic success. A writer and composer in a diocesan bulletin writes about the ultimate quotient the Transcendental Quotient.

Scholars of different schools have devised many other indexes. Book titles are followed with the Q letter, giving us all kinds of indexes. Determining how wise parents are we have the parent index, the success index, charisma index and so forth.
 

Are we not also able to have a belief (faith) index? God is not interested in numbers, measurement  rulers, and the like, although we humans have no difficulty evaluating the faith of others with our earthly measurements. We know what is first, in God's reckoning may be last and the last first.
 

Faith, without doubt has stages and depth. However, no matter how we go about trying to discern a person's faith index—it's no easy task. How can we give a numerical figure to pure love, a sincere heart,  obedience, sacrifice, there is no way we can objectively quantify these attributes. When it's a question of a human quality, it's possible but when we are dealing with the presence of grace everything changes and becomes pointless. No matter how developed our human technology in certain areas humans are incompetent.

The universe continues to expand. Our knowledge,  great as it may be is a grain of sand on the seashore. No matter what we think we have done, and merit, for a Christian it's all the movement of grace, following the lights we have received. We come to a moment when all our human efforts give way to the transcendent being which carries us beyond our human quotients to the Transcendental Quotient—TQ.

The writer has long ago given up trying to figure out  the meaning of space and time. However, she has entered the world of faith where she meets the Alpha and Omega, the being of unending love that words can't describe. She has entered the narrow gate where everything opens up to her in the mystery of faith. She has received this invitation and the response on her part is only joy and gratitude.

As an epilogue, in our Scholastic Philosophy, the Transcendentals are not just the true, good and beautiful but 'oneness' is added. They are the attributes of God and we search for them in life  knowingly and unknowingly leading us to God.


Search for truth, goodness and the beautiful in science, religion and art can depend on our personal efforts but unity requires the assistance of others which makes our striving difficult if not impossible. However it should be our goal, although it will be only in the afterlife that we will achieve what we should desire in this life—the one, true, good and beautiful.

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Sometimes You Need Distance to See Clearly


Often we make judgments that after a period of time we realize were made too quickly. A religious sister explains to the readers of the Catholic Peace Weekly that there are times we have to step back to see clearly.
 

She was impressed by a sister from the same community hearing her soft voice, calm, kind and friendly appearance and thought it would be nice to live with her in a community. The day did come and she says it may have been because of the expectations but it was uncomfortable living together. When she felt the unkindness and had her faults pointed out with a soft voice and a smile the respect she once had disappeared. One needs to live with another to know them.
 

It's not easy to respect the persons you live with. People who have heard her lectures say: "She is respectful, passionate, speaks clearly" but that is not her ordinary attitude, she says.  A nun who lived with her said to sister: "Sister, I know you're smart but isn't it shallow? She thought of herself as a precise and sharp person but this remark shows a person who makes mistakes and says what everybody knows.
 

Is there not a saying that it's difficult to live in a house with a saint? Of course, with a certain age difference, and different roles, a distance is maintained. However, when we eat, work and sleep under the same roof, the distance disappears. When distances are gone, it is hard to maintain 'respect' even though affection remains.
 

A son enters the military and is distant from his parents and then his letters are filled with respect for his parents. When her parents were alive she was not quick to show respect but after their death, she remembered all that they did and respect was deeply felt. Respect often comes with distance.
 

Nowadays digital information mixes private and public matters with no sense of distance. Famous entertainers and politicians we have never met are known to us from gossip. We speak to one another bringing up things we have seen on TV or the internet, talk about people we have never met and strangers become friends for a moment.
 

One person becomes a demon another an angel. At times it is chit chat and other times we slander others. Digital information draws strangers into our private space at times honorably and other times an object of our dislike.
 

Jesus was not respected in his hometown. Likewise, we live in a global village in which we can communicate quickly and easily. The hometowns of Europe, America and Korea are all the same.  President Trump and Moon Jae-in, often appear as just another"him".
 

How about distancing yourself from the digital world? Trees and flowers need a proper distance to grow well. On highways, the distance between cars must be maintained for safe driving. In order to love and respect each other, distance is needed. Proper distance prepares one to have a proper respect for others.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

The Need for Wise 'Housekeepers'

Yesterday was Chuseok  Holiday, writing in the Catholic Times, a university professor remembers his deceased mother who would spend  time preparing the meals for the family and guests with great joy on Chuseok and similar holidays. She was a hidden saint sharing willingly God's love, mercy and life with others.

In modern society, where industrialization and urbanization are firmly in place, the only way to succeed and develop is to make a lot of money and consequently housekeeping is not looked upon with favor. In a Confucian society the husbands were the money makers and the housewives naturally would cook, wash, clean and care for the children. Since work in the home did not bring in money it was not considered important or respected.

But today, the world is changing. With the abolition of the the Hoju (family register) system in Korea in 2007 which was consdered a violation of the right to gender equaility we have the domestic work of women recognized. With the large number of women entering the work force men are more actively involved in child care. It is easy to imagine the problems a family has without concern for the household tasks.

As a sociologist the writer learned a little about life and living when he was in charged of a study hall. It was not difficult raising money and management but it was never easy to prepare three meals a day and to care for each child and try to to energize the children. He was grateful to learn a little more about "real life", more important than "money and management" thanks to the lay teachers who shared God's love while playing with children and those who didn't want to study.  


In Korean the word for housekeeping (living),  does not orginate from the intransitive word 'living' but from the transitive verb to give life. In today's individualistic society where  concern with oneself alone is prominent, serving others does not come quickly to mind.

Therefore, the spirit  behind housekeeping is in touch with  God's creation of the world and seeing that all was good. Beyond the narrow thinking only of oneself, all the family members are at the heart of 'houseliving', serving family, the neighbors and giving life to the community of all, not 'ownership and competition' but mercy and the marvelous abundance of God. 

When parents invest huge amounts of money in their child's education, and forget the child's expectations  this is not good 'housekeeping'.  Because of the economy when employers refuse to give a minimum wage to the poor part-time students this is just anxiety, and not good 'housekeeping'. When a pastor without  concern for the feelings of the parishioners asks unreasonably for funds for the church the pastor is not 'housekeeping' correctly. If you are looking for high profits with real estate and unreasonably ask for an increase in rent, this is not good 'housekeeping'.  If we fall into the ideology that encourages division and disconnection and refuse the way of reconciliation of the North and the South to advance towards world peace, this is not good 'housekeeping'. 

In order for us to live a real life, we need to have the courage to go beyond the standards of the world and begin to take examples from God's mercy and grace to humankind.

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Conscience and Orders from Above

In recent history, we have had many investigated for alleged abuse of judicial authority and dereliction of duty. Invariable the reason comes that they were just following orders. This is something endemic in society and is not only a recent phenomenon.

The many statements that have followed the court procedures show this as the main reason for the abuse of duties. In a column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, a professor brings to the attention of the readers the struggle that many have with conscience and their duties.
 

But there are others who act in reverse. One of them is a police officer who was the director of police in 1980 in Jeollanam-do. He objected to orders from above during the May 18 Democratic Uprising. He was dismissed from his post, arrested, tortured for disobeying orders and directing his officers to turn in weapons and providing medical treatment and food for the protestors. He passed away in 1988 from the after effects from the torture he had to endure for what they called abandonment of duties.
 

Are those in subordinate positions in society to obey orders unconditionally of their superiors even if they are unjust and immoral? When a person just follows orders does that make everything right?  She asks the readers if they were in that situation where the orders of the superior go against one's conscience what would they do? This is a question each one has to face.
 

These kinds of problems are not only faced by people working in government or industry but situations of this type are seen in our daily lives.  Obviously, we are not talking about matters of little concern or of no moral value. Conscience is the sense that tells us what is right or wrong in our actions.
 

It's difficult to follow one's own conscience when it is not the will of the superior—nothing is guaranteed and security is jeopardized, Many things are guaranteed and sustained if I follow the instructions from above unconditionally.
 

The hope is that those in leadership positions in society will not be ordering injustices and immoral behavior. We need people who will develop their consciences and do what is right even at the risk of harm coming to them. This is the way to guarantee a society that will not feel shame in what we hand on to our children.

Friday, September 21, 2018

Science and Religion

Areas of study are many and different. Science is one of the big fields where the physical and natural world is studied through observation and experiment. A  priest, professor of physics at Sogang University, writes about the relationship of science and religion in the Catholic Peace Weekly.
 

He mentions the well known English atheist scientist Richard Dawkins who wrote in his book, The God Delusion, the more intelligent and the greater the level of education the less likely one is to have a religion. He doesn't have a very high opinion of scientists who are believers.
 

A question quickly comes to mind. Can science answer all the questions that we have? In the scientific age, called also the age of the fourth industrial revolution, does religion have a place? Some scientists have the conviction that religions are no longer viable—scientism.
 

Science has without a doubt given answers to many of our questions about nature and life, a great benefit to humankind but it can't answer the question of the  'why' of life and nature. Of course, the scientist with a belief in scientism believes that science has the answer to all our questions. This is an internally held belief and actually their religion and not a scientific response to reality.
 

Scientists have no way of giving answers to the meaning of life. It is here that religion enters our thoughts. Different religions have different answers to the questions about life, death, and search for the answers to morality, the existence of a being greater than the human and awe in the contemplation.
 

It brings to mind the many questions that we ask ourselves. How am I to live? How am I to understand this problem, this accident?  How am I to deal with my own scars and find peace of mind and soul and find some solution? These are questions  science can't answer.

In this new age of the 4th industrial revolution, what is the meaning of religion? Dawkins points out the evils of religion and calls for its abolition but he says this from his own convictions which are the product of his own lived life. He is actually unscientific, he is influenced by his own personal individuality which is his religion. He condemns it and at the same time is a believer in his own religion.
 

In conclusion, we can say that nobody is able to get rid of a belief system. One can refrain from taking upon oneself a religious belief but no one is able to free themselves from asking questions about life and its meaning. Consequently, as in the past, the present and in the future, the search for meaning will always be present.
 

Science and Religion have both their own areas of study and search. They need not be enemies and see everything only from their own vantage point. St. John Paul II said: "Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth, and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—"

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Happiness Is Loving and Being Loved

A priest remembers the time doing pastoral work on an island where he had a  small home for grandmothers. He writes about his experience in a Pastoral Bulletin. When the Chuseok holiday approached a few people would come to visit and bring gifts to the elders at the home.
 

The grandmothers cleaned the grounds around the house and put their best clothes on for the holiday. He recalls the visit of four or five community leaders who came around noon in a van carrying some gifts. The grandmothers received the boxes of fruits and gifts in front of the house. They took some pictures and the guests returned to the van waving, explaining they were busy and had to leave. The seniors bowed deeply thankful for the gifts and the van drove away. The guests waved with a feeling of satisfaction.
 

Somehow, in the place of love, there seemed to be a big gap between the giving and receiving. The writer did not see any signs of closeness, love, or oneness. The grandmothers were small people who waited and bowed. To the contrary, those bearing gifts were the givers, doing good things, and feeling good about their actions. There was no spiritual exchange or meeting through conversation, but only the externals of giving and receiving.
 

There is a saying in Asian teaching about charity. When you help a person, three things should not be seen: the person giving, the recipient, or what is given. People desire to make themselves and their help appreciated.
 

Jesus also said not to reveal our charitable giving. "When you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you" (Matt. 6:3).
 

The writer mentions there are many people in difficult circumstances where he lives. He wants to help but is hesitant about what to do. Many experts advise us to be wise in giving unless a real need is present for we can make persons beggars.

There was an unfortunate family he wanted to help but to do it directly he saw problems. He sought the help of people with professional knowledge in helping those in need. They visited the home, counseled and determined the needs of the family which he helped to meet. There are many ways to help people with difficulties: financial help, education, and personal development.
 

In modern times, there are many who have shown us different ways to love. One is to go into the world of the poor and suffering and live with them. It is not giving or teaching anything, but accepting and acknowledging others as brothers and sisters and spending time with them. We have the example of many eminent persons who have done just that by living with the unfortunate people and sharing their lives with them.
 

One of these is Jean Vanier who began the L'Arche movement over 50 years ago. In L'Arche movement, each person participates, helps and receives help, it is founded on mutual relationships. Vanier has a doctorate in Philosophy for his thesis on Aristotle. The research was on happiness, which he defined as loving and being loved. This was also the path that Jesus showed us in showing love for the outcasts of society.

Monday, September 17, 2018

Water Purifiers And Progress?

Is this water really clean?  She wonders as she takes the cap off the bottle of spring water. She drinks but not without serious doubts about the health benefits.  So begins an article in a Diocesan Bulletin. As a child, she remembers the older generation saying in the near future we will be paying for the water we drink. The time is here.
 

We live in a  highly scientific civilization; concerned with clothes, food, and shelter but our thinking about food has changed the most. In the past, it was the expensive and good food we desired especially different kinds of meats but recently with the appearance of the 'well being' movement, interest in vegetables and fruits has grown greatly. Despite this, water is still one of the most important elements of good health. The secret of a long life is regular exercise, control of one's eating, and water. Drinking 3 liters of water a day to get rid of waste products and clean the blood.
 

At present we have water with different ingredients and this will continue with great variety. Water with vitamins, calcium water, rock water, alkaline ionized water, and the like, with labels and priced accordingly, even now there are types of water that are more expensive than kerosene. Water purifiers remind the buyer that good water protects one's health. In order to sell the purifiers, they use all kinds of words to tempt the customers to buy their product. Now you can have both hot and cold water and easy to use. There is even the kind that will make ice cubes, all pointing to the importance of water.

Many are the  side effects in search for clean water. No matter how expensive and well made the water purifier, without the changes in the filters you have a useless machine and the abandoning of underground water sources and mineral springs. Few are the places in the country where we can find first-class natural water.  

Back in the 60s and 70s in the country, we had village wells and even pumps in the homes. Most would go to the village well where they dropped their buckets and returned home with drinking and water for household use. With a splash and the drop of the bucket we had not only fresh drinking water but were able to converse and build community, now just memories.
 

The village priest would come to the well on rare occasions. He was one who would be drinking tap water and mineral water. He would buy mineral water but finally came to the conclusion that he had been drinking tap water all his life without problems and returned to drinking tap water. He bought an earthen pot in which he poured the tap water and after the impurities went to the bottom it became his drinking water. After deciding on the merits of purified water and the tap water the tap water won.
 

With the progress of civilization we have gained a great deal in comfort but the smell that came from our humanity began to disappear. Not able to drink water without concern is a sign of what we have done  to the environment. Ice caps are melting, glaciers are disappearing  and we are getting strange weather—extreme heat and floods and natural disasters because of our indiscriminate understanding of development. Even with the drinking of mineral water, the heart is not at rest. She concludes with  yearning for the old days at the village well.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

A New Pastoral Approach in the Apostolate

In the recent assignments in the Seoul Diocese, 129  received new posts of that number 30 priests entered various kinds of training programs and sabbaticals.  New pastors came from priests ordained in 2002.  Which means assistants have a long wait before they receive a parish. So begins the Peace column in the Catholic Times.
 

Strange as it may sound the growth of priests in the diocese is serious. This is true also in the special works in the diocese. Currently, there are 232 parishes in the diocese and 430  priests are involved in parish work. Except for the 232 pastors, the rest are assistants. Beyond the parish apostolate, 270 priests are involved with special works.

In the diocese considering the regional characteristics of Seoul, beginning new parishes is no easy task and adding to the special works will be difficult. However, we can't say the number of priests in the diocese is sufficient. As of 2017, the average number of priests for each believer in the country is 1093 while Seoul has 1,720 believers for each priest. The number of priests available for the believers is much less than the rest of the country.
 

Looking at the situation from another angle and even bringing this topic up he does with great caution, but the Catholic Church in Korea is strongly clergy oriented. Objectively, the dependence of believers on clergy is great. This can be confirmed by the fact that the priests who are devoted to their work have conspicuous results in their pastoral work. This would also be the case with the religious. Looking at the situation negatively, we have a  clergy centered church culture, authoritarianism, but it shows clearly that Korean believers respect priests and religious people despite this reality.
 

With this situation in the diocese are there ways in which priests can find works of responsibility to devote themselves to the needs of the laity?

In the diocese alternative pastoral approaches: joint pastors and team ministry have been suggested and sometimes implemented, but in the Seoul Diocese, they have proven ineffective. But there can be other ways.
 

One of them is to get involved in the reality of life in the here in now. (Would he be suggesting something like the worker-priest movement in France? The movement lasted for many years with different results. At times reluctantly accepted by the Church and later efforts to stop the movement but much was learned and good results were seen.)

At presently dedicated priests are sent to large hospitals to work in the hospital ministry in the same fashion sending priests to work in other workplaces, presently with the police and in markets. He would like to see this extended to many other areas of life.

This pastoral work should not be only saying Masses and giving the Sacraments at fixed times. Just as a shepherd looks for lost sheep, it is necessary to find believers, understand their anxieties, pain, and attempt to foster healing and return people to a renewal of life— the role of the 'field hospital' emphasized in the Joy of the Gospel by Pope Francis is the aim.
 

In order to enter this way of pastoral work will require the overcoming of many problems and difficulties. The pastoral workers will have to become of one mind and wisely look forward to a common purpose. The passion for mission is necessary. He concludes the article with the example of the Protestant Ministers in the way they go about planting a new community where none existed. With this kind of motivation and passion, one will not fail.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Jealousy Hurts Everybody


Jealousy and inferiority feelings seem to go together which is not surprising. What is surprising is that humility is not considering oneself inferior. Humility is a virtue and the inferiority complex is not. Humility is centered on a relationship with God while the other is centered on oneself—big difference.

The head of a counseling service writes in the Catholic Times about how jealousy makes life difficult. She uses the data of two professors of psychology who showed how jealousy produces blindness. Those who are jealous are confused with their unpleasant emotions and unable to perform their tasks properly. The human brain gives priority to the emotional stimuli that appear. Jealousy is a comprehensive and complicated state of anxiety, anger, and humiliation.
 

Jealousy affects all of us, it brings great harm to relationships.  A neighbor who threatens a good marriage relationship, a new friend shaking a deep friendship. Jealousy occurs between two people:  "I want  to have what you have." The problem is that you think you have to have what others have, which comes from our egotistical understanding of what we need.

Usually, jealousy is a painful emotional experience, but among psychologists, jealousy is a kind of signal that warns us to be awake. It is a kind of warning that reminds one that a precious relationship is in danger. When jealousy is triggered, it should be a chance to check once again the affection towards the family, the loved one, the friend and develop it into a better relationship. In this respect, jealousy may be a necessary emotion because it helps to maintain a healthy relationship that may not be seen without jealousy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            In some cases, jealousy may cause the most serious problems in life. In the movie 'Black Swan' directed by Darren Aronofsky, Nina was jealous of another actress Lily and was mentally disturbed enough to think that she had stabbed her rival for the role but instead stabbed herself. Jealousy often brings about the death of oneself both literally and figuratively.

Dostoevsky said emotions are strong and jealousy is the strongest. Once it arises it just doesn't disappear by itself. But when a person is the object of jealousy for a long period of time they can live happily without ever knowing that someone is jealous of them. So, for our own sake, we don't want jealousy to take hold in our lives.

To do that, I first need to find out my inner desires. It is not 'I have to be number one' but 'I want to be number one'; not 'I should be prettier' but 'I want to be pretty too'.  We should not compare with others nor hide what we feel from ourselves. We work to achieve what we want. No matter what the end results of the effort, I choose not to be unhappy because of the happiness of others.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

From Pets to Companions

Korea was a late comer to the world where animals became pets and compainions but has progressed rapididly, no doubt due to the economic changes in the life of the citizens. In the past royality and the wealthy had animal pets but the ordinary citizens would be busy with other concerns.

The dog was the first to be domesticated and that goes back to the stone age, for dog bones were found in the graves with their owners. Cats followed many years later. The dog and and cat were first domesticated for their ability to help owners with problems that came along in life. Dogs helped to defend the family from the wild animals and help in the hunt and cats would be helpful in taking care of rats and other predators  stealing  from the storehouses.

According to a survey by a Financial Goup, it is estimated that 30.9 % of the total households are raising pets. The money expended in the pet market will increase from 950 billion won in 2012  to 5.81 trillion won in 2020.

In an article of the Catholic Peace Weekly by a social  critic, shows how Korea has gone from calling animals house pets to companions. Animals have become members of the family. In the above mentioned survey, 68.3% of the respondents agree that  companion animals are members of the family.

The World Animal Day, was established in 1931, on October 4, the  anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi. The saint  was proclaimed the patron saint of ecology by  St. John Paul II in 1980. On this day, in many churches all over the world we have ceremonies with the blessing of animals. In Korea, the blessing of animals have been held in many churches from the beginning of 2010, and continues to increase.

We have funerals for animals and the writer mentions one of the prayers that is used at the death of a companion animal. 'O  Lord, God,  the pet that brought so much joy in life, is dead , and I am thankful for all the good times and happiness that he has given me  caring for me, so that the memory of him will lead me to love and care for the people around me. May I also praise you by respecting the life of all creation. Amen.' 


On the other hand, there is the reality of animal abuse. There are 57 revisions to the Animal Protection Act promulgated in the first half of the 20th Congress, but there is a pressing need to change the perception of society as a whole. What is the church's position on animals in this reality? 

'Responsibility and Practice for the Restoration of the Order of  Creation' (2010) compiled by the Korean Catholic Bishops' Conference is a guide to our care for the  environment, section 30:  God loves not only man but all creation of the world. It is natural that one cares for animals because God created, cares,  and protects them. St. Francis of Assisi and Philip Neri who treated animals with love, set an example for us in this regard.

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Cor Ad Cor—Heart to Heart

A religious sister in a Catholic Peace column recalls an incident while studying spirituality overseas. She was living in an international community where she met Paul a very impressive individual. She was introduced to Paul in this manner: "Very responsible, faithful  bright and thrifty." But nobody wanted to spend time with him.
 

At meals, the places next to him were always for the latecomers. When we went out as a group, the car that Paul drove would be the last filled. Why was everybody avoiding Paul who was doing his best? She soon found out.
 

One day, engaged in small talk with a group of friends, where English was not the mother tongue;  yet the conversation was lively, heart to heart and wonderfully sympathetic. Paul suddenly entered the conversation and looking at each one of them pointed out were the pronunciation, grammar or context was not correct. The atmosphere of the group turned cold and the expressions on their faces hardened. From that time on, the writer also avoided Paul.
 

She was nervous when she sat down and Paul was present. When she spoke, she was more concerned about how she was speaking than what she wanted to communicate.  He only knew sentences that were correctly formed. She had no hate in her heart for Paul but it was uncomfortable communicating with him.
 

She reflected watching Paul: "Does Paul know the uncomfortable feelings he is arousing in his listeners?" Paul did not care about the reaction and feelings of others. She found this a mystery. 

Was Paul a free man who doesn't worry about what people think? Paul, she says, was trapped in his own world. Rather than being free from other people's feelings and reactions he had stopped them from entering his thoughts.
 

A truly free person feels the gaze and feelings of others but doesn't react to them. Freedom is not just what I like, but also concerned about what others do not like. Above all, a free person is not afraid to reveal their own mind. I know where my mind is and want to communicate it with my heart. Communication between persons is transmitted not only by words but by the heart.
 

Paul seemed to ignore his feelings. Someone told him: "I am talking to you now, and you lecture me?" He was given a stinging rebuke but you would never guess this by the expression on his face. Paul  hearing the complaint and the person making the complaint seemed to be separated like water and oil. Paul was not able to communicate with those he was living. They praised Paul's sincere and honest behavior but something was seriously missing.
 

St. Don Bosco said: one of the greatest goods is to achieve a meeting of hearts between people. Only one's heart is able to speak to another person's heart. Sadly, in our world, we have many who are 'tone deaf'— insensitive to the feelings of others, not concerned to change, or feel a need to change.

Friday, September 7, 2018

Bitter But Good Medicine—The Synthesis of the People

The French Revolution is a chapter of European History, difficult to understand and appreciate the ramifications both for society and the church.  Gallicanism was understood by many long before the revolution that the power of kings was independent of the power of popes, the opposite was Ultramontanism.
 

The American Revolution (1775-1783) and the United States Declaration of Independence (1776) greatly influenced the French Revolution (1789-1794). France allied with the United States provided military assistance during the war with the United Kingdom. The military exchanges between the two countries created an ideological exchange of liberalism and republicanism. But after the revolution, the Catholic churches in both countries had a totally different result. So begins a college professor of spirituality, explaining the French Revolution to the Catholic Peace Weekly readers.
 

Before the French Revolution, Modern France was an absolute monarchical kingdom, as in the Middle Ages. In many countries of Europe, including France, there were three social classes. The first was the priests and monks who accounted for 0.5% of the total population, the second was the nobles (1.5% of the total), and the third the remaining 98%, the citizens. The king was beyond any of the classes. The common people paid the taxes. In France, there was a council composed of representatives of the three divisions of society which existed from the beginning of the 14th century, but not convened until 1614.
 

Louis XVI, reigning 1774-1792, convened the assembly in June 1789, to resolve the financial problems of the kingdom through taxation adjustments, as the finances of the kingdom worsened. When the priests and nobles, heard they would be taxed they rebelled. Here, too, the commoners complained and rebelled against the methods of the assembly and separated from the main group. They met in a building with a  tennis court, where they pledged they would not disperse until they had a constitution. This happened On July 9, 1789, the National Assembly was renamed the National Constituent Assembly and prepared for a constitution. The French Revolution occurred when the citizens of Paris attacked the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789.
 

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy decided to abolish the tithing in August 1789 and in November of that year to nationalize the property belonging to the Catholic Church. In July 1790, they established the Catholic Church as dependent on the French government.  Parish boundaries and national administrative boundaries were to be the same, citizens elect clergy, and the state appoints bishops. Pius Pius VI (1775-1799), told the priests to refuse to take the oath of allegiance.
 

The Vendée was the largest counter-revolutionary uprising of the French Revolution. Provincial residents weren't interested in the Paris-based revolution or its ideas and took up arms against the National Convention. Eventually, the forces supporting the French Catholic Church in and around Vendee in western France opposed the basic laws of the clergy  and about 30,000 to 400,000 people died during the rebellion (1793-1801).
 

Napoleon Bonaparte appears on the stage  (1769-1821), the first president of the First Republic of France made a concordat with Pope Pius VII (1800-1823). The French government guarantees that the liturgy of the Catholic Church can be freely and publicly held, while the president appoints bishops and priests who are not opposed to government policies and demanded a pledge of loyalty from the clergy. Also, after the revolution, the property confiscated by the government was not to be resisted. Pope Pius VII approved on July 1801 the Convention for the spiritual benefit of the Church, although many objected to the Convention because of the disadvantages to the Church. Later, Napoleon lost the support of the Catholic Church by occupying the Papal States in 1809. The Catholic Church  regained the Papal States in the Wiener Kongress (1814-1815).
 

Gallicanism advocating the supremacy of the French king was strong. In the 18th century, French Catholic priests who were politically inclined tried to stay close to the French royal family, not only because of the aftermath of Gallicanism but also because of the economic advantages of tax exemption. The French Revolution, which showed displeasure to the French royal family and nobles, was equally disdainful of the  Catholic Church, which had close ties with the French royal family.
 

An aristocratic politician, Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642), became the prime minister of Louis XIII (1610-1643). In The Three Musketeers, a historical adventure novel, written in 1844 by Alexandre Dumas, the Cardinal was portrayed as a member of the villains which shows the antipathy the commoners felt for the Catholic Church after the Revolution.
 

In 1816 the higher clergy pledged unconditional obedience to Pope Pius VII and the writer Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821) wrote in 1819 in the book "Du Pape" (On the Pope) in which Ultramontanism was the theme. Fortunately, the French Catholic Church began rebuilding its church and Catholic faith in France from the 1820s.
 

Externally the  French Revolution was the reason for material and spiritual damage to the French Catholic Church— forfeiture of church property and banning liturgy. But internally, the French Revolution brought to the attention of the French Catholic clergy the hard lives of ordinary people and because of their privileges and attachment to earthly power were blind to what was happening in society. Thus, the French Revolution was paradoxically an opportunity to restore spiritual vitality to the French Catholic Church. A deep study of what happened has many lessons for the Church today.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Microplastics and Health

Plastic goods are everywhere and the most commonly found debris in our oceans. Plastic waste comes in all shapes and sizes, the ones under 5 millimeters in length are called microplastics. A member of the bishops' committee on the environment writes about the issue in the Catholic Peace Weekly.
 

She begins her article with the news that in the belly of a dead whale they discovered a lot of plastic trash. Her menu that day was grilled fish and she frowned and wondered about the amount of plastic in the fish the family would be eating that evening. She washed the fish again thinking it would be wise hoping to detect any microplastic that would be visible.
 

The world is at war with plastic as it takes hundreds of years to disintegrate. Recently in the United Kingdom, a paper was published in a science magazine giving figures on how many millions of tons have been poured into the oceans. This waste is broken down by the waves, ultraviolet rays and the like.This breaks the plastic down into small pieces which continues to contaminate the oceans with the microplastics.
 

These pieces, the plankton can mistakenly eat as food. And we have the sea creatures eating the plankton and the microplastics accumulate more and more in the bodies of the fish.
 

The Korea Marine Science and Technology Agency said that microplastics were detected in 97% of 139 different kinds of oysters, mussels, crabs, and earthworms from the fish farms and nearby waters  in Gyeongnam. A considerable amount of these micro pieces of plastic come from washing machines and cosmetics.
 

In 2011, an Irish ecologist Mark Browne surveyed 18 areas of the world and found that there were a lot of small pieces of fiber coming from water ways—  synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon in streams and beach sediments in all areas. Examing wastewater from domestic washing machines, Browne estimated that around 1,900 individual fibers can be rinsed off a single synthetic garment - ending up in our oceans. Skin exfoliants, cleansers and toothpaste also contain microplastics.

The May 2016 report of the  United Nations Economic Programme  'Marine Plastic Waste and Microplastics' announced that nano-sized micro-plastics could penetrate into any organ, including the placenta and brain. Invisible micro-plastics accumulated in drinking water, seafood, shellfish, seaweed, may cause illness in humans who ingest them.
 

I want to make my family go to bed in the evening at peace. Consequently, careful of detergents, fabric softeners, plastic bottled water, and disposable plastic untensils which can in time penetrate into the food chain and enter the mouth of our family. It's a way to keep my family and the earth healthy while living simply. Eco-life may be a little inconvenient but is it not the way to care for the family and our earth?

Monday, September 3, 2018

A Song for Nagasaki

"Ding Dong~Ding Dong~"
The bell of the Urakami Cathedral rang at 6 pm on Christmas Eve 1945. A college professor writes about Takashi Nagai (1908-1951) in the Catholic Times. Nagai and his colleagues found the bell in the ruins of the cathedral and hung the bell on wooden hangers, announcing the time for Christmas Eve prayer. This layman, who led the small but strong Catholic Church community, became well known the world over.

Takashi Nagai was a Catholic layman, a physician who practiced radiology and love for humanity He was not only a  victim of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki but wrote a great deal about his Christian faith and gospel spirit up until his death. 

Dr. Nagai was originally an atheist, but married Midori, the daughter of the owner of the house in which he lodged. Chokada  was a seventh generation descendent of the Hidden Christians of Nagasaki.  The doctor became interested in Christianity while lodging in the house of this lay leader (Chokada), and was baptized.

The young Nagai, had been diagnosed with leukemia, and was given only two or three years to live. He told his wife painfully of the diagnose. Midori, after kneeling and praying for a while, said: "You have devoted all of your life to important things, and your efforts were for the glory of God." Upon hearing Midori's tearful sincerity, Nagai confessed that he was delighted to have obtained a "new life." 

Dr. Nagai lost his wife in the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and as he slowly continued to die, he reflects that his young son and daughter are soon to be raised without  parents. And writes: "When your sorrows overcome you, weep with all your heart. But let your heart be turned toward God. He will give you true comfort and wipe away your tears." In the heart of this dying parent, it's no wonder he found comfort in the Beatitudes and hope facing death. The writer was deeply moved in reading about the last days of Dr. Nagai.

Do we live like a Dr. Nagai with a profound confession of faith? Many of the young Catholics in Korea nowadays say they do not baptize their children so that they can "choose their own religion"  when they grow up. Why does the normal child live a life-long battle to live up to the parents' wishes and expectations, even though they did not choose their parents? Do they respect freedom for religion only? Our faith is not the object of choice! The problem is we have not tasted how wonderful and great the  blessings to live and know Him who gave us life from the beginning and leads us to true happiness. 

In a way, it is our fault in the way we have expressed the teachings of Jesus. Instead of sharing God's great love and compassion first, we talk about missing Mass on Sundays, and what is forbidden  and emphasize only the external sacramental life!  In our church pastoral practices, we need an awakening and fundamental improvement in what has been projected, so that love, grace and truthfulness can be shared before the accidentals.

This year, the church is celebrating the year of the laity. Our Korean Catholic history has many stories like those associated with Dr. Nagai. They shared a leadership in honoring and witnessing to the  Lord with their lives even in the absence of priests. However, it is necessary to reflect on whether or not the role of the laity, who act in the church today, are recognized only as servants of the priests. Pope Francis emphasizes that we are all  called to  holiness. Priests should respect the 'call of the laity', struggling in the middle of the world and living the gospel—a holy and beautiful journey before God. 

I do not know how many tears I shed during the pilgrimage to Japan last summer. The book about the life of Takashi Nagai: A Song for Nagasaki, the story of Takashi was  introduced to the writer by a woman  during the trip, who shared with him the joy of conversion. Listening to what some of the laity have done have invited him to a greater desire for holiness.

Saturday, September 1, 2018

Your Happiness Causes My Sadness

Competition is a part of life. An article in the Kyeongyang magazine is entitled: "Your joy makes for my unhappiness." The writer is a professor in a psychiatric department and explains how this phrase is so true in our society. Quotes such as survival of the fittest, and may the best man win are just some of the many words that show we are not dealing with a  win/win situation but rather with a zero-sum situation—I win you lose.
 

The life of young people is filled with competition and it begins early. Not only with grades in school, but in sports, computer games, physical appearance,  dancing and even fist fighting, all objects for competition. Up until they become adults this fight in dealing with the psychological aspects of competition become their primary energy and motivation.
 

When competition becomes excessive it develops into envy and jealousy. Ambition is a good thing, but often, instead of motivating to achieve and imitate the success of others with a positive joy, the energy needed to follow one's desires ends up hating the competitor and we have anger and depravity.
 

Envy and jealousy give rise to false ambition. Seeing the ornaments possessed by a friend or a car, one may have the desire to have the same. We don't bother to figure out if it is necessary or suits us. We have a fake desire, they have it we want it, and  we are heading for trouble. Jealousy will lead to depravity.
 

Another problem with excessive envy and jealousy is depression. Once you compare with others and  acknowledge their intelligence and success and remember one's own short-comings and misfortunes, we may be tempted to tear down the other. Depression often is followed with anger, impulsiveness, and self-indulgence. Not able to express one's 'melancholia' one becomes lost, liquor, games, becoming critical of the world and personality changes are seen.
 

Anger is always in the mix. When we take joy in the failure of another we know something is wrong. If we had the right attitude we would commiserate with the loser and show concern. In competition we always have losers and winners but when the winners take more joy in vanquishing the losers than their own victory we have a serious problem.
 

We live in a competitive world. Envy and jealousy is part of this world but when we have joy in another's loss we are faced with a sad situation. Envy and jealousy are called sins but at the same time we are bringing upon ourselves punishment. We are on this earth only once and living in this way, dark shadows will enter our lives from our actions.