Catholic American Eyes in Korea

Not a Tit for Tat Approach to LIfe

2012-01-31T00:05:00.000-08:00

The older he gets, says the opinion page columnist in the Catholic Times, the more he feels the distinction between himself and others is disappearing. The sense 'of his being the other' is felt deeply.

As he ages his capabilities are diminishing. His activities, his movements, thinking, creativity, ability to recreate and enjoy bodily sensations all have been weakened. His days have become boringly similar to the ones in the past, and he expects that future days will follow the same pattern--until he arrives at the day when it is the same for all.

We came into the world with empty hands and will leave with empty hands. All of us, from the highest to the lowest, rich or poor, will arrive at the end, very helpless, capable of being exchanged with another without much loss.

All who have any semblance of intelligence, he says, know that by helping another we are helping ourselves. Sartre, the existentialist philosopher, expounds on this. Our human psychology is like a delicate machine. For every action, there is a reaction. If I am kind to another, then the person is thankful and returns the kindness, creating a domino effect of shared kindness. Altruism not only is virtuous action but is profitable.

The columnist goes on to tells us that the idea of 'his being the other' does not have anything to do with this previous paragraph's tit for tat approach. This is not what he means by these words; the thought is much deeper, he says. "When I am kind to another that very kindness is a reason for my joy. When I do a kindness, before it comes back to me in kindness I have already received my compensation."

If we all acted without any desire for compensation and did everything out of a pure motive in the coming years, what kind of society would we have? he asks. And adds, isn't this kind of attitude the agape principle? Isn't this what our great teacher Jesus taught us, lived and practiced?

The happiness that comes from loving thoughts and actions are felt more authentically when it comes to us from a giving self and not from the receiving self. This is the example that Christ gave us. The columnist says that his recent awareness that 'the other is me' is a small revelation to him. He expects there will be more revelations. When he was young, this was not part of his thinking. However, with age, this thought entered into his life, and now feels that he has not entered old age in vain. Age has given him a new way to look at life bringing him confidence and joy.

Something to Shout About

2012-01-30T00:05:00.000-08:00

There are many things heard that are far from uplifting, and when there is something to shout about, it seldom gets to be known but stays subdued within a person's heart. However, the Peace Weekly recently had an article about a parish in Seoul that is very proud of its accomplishments and God's working within the community.

Catholic parishes are usually well-filled on Sundays, but on weekdays it's rather quiet. The journalist writing the story arrived at the Seoul parish on a weekday afternoon around 3:00. Although there was a parish Mass going on, there were no other parish activities; yet there were many in the parish meeting room enjoying beverages, talking and reading. The office worker mentioned, to the surprise of the journalist, that since it was vacation time there were fewer than usual that afternoon.

Not only Catholics but others come to the parish meeting room to spend time, using the vending machines for beverages and socializing around the many tables that have been set up to encourage meeting and sharing with others. The beverages are just a little above cost which makes them attractive both to the congregation and to those not part of the community. In a period of 2 years, 12 different exhibitions were held in the meeting room, which also attracted many from outside the parish community.

The percentage of Catholics in the larger community is over 20 percent. Since the year 2007, and up until last year, they have had 2011 people baptized. And though the parish has been divided, they still maintain the 20 percent.

The article credits the success of these efforts to the educational programs in the parish, the reading of Scripture and popular books on spirituality. Every month since 2009, they have had lectures by qualified people, which have been attended by many from the larger community.

Since 2007, the reading of spiritually oriented books has been extraordinary, which has made for a great change in the spiritual development of the Christians. The parish bulletin has recommended 76 spiritual books, and parishioners have responded by contributing book reviews. And the religious goods store sold nearly 62 thousand books, about 40 books per household of those attending Mass on Sunday.

The money given in thanksgiving each month would be more than the Sunday collections and monthly offerings in the ordinary parish.In addition, the Seoul parish has helped other parishes and groups in the diocese with tens of thousands of dollars. And during the past year, they saw the start of 13 different presidia of the Legion of Mary. Certainly the Seoul parish has accomplished much in a very short time, and has much to shout about.

The pastor is quoted in the article and alludes to the educational programs and reading that have changed the attitude of the Christians. "They have begun sharing with others. This is the new evangelization that is needed for the new times in which we are in." he concludes.

Diminution of the Art of Communication

2012-01-29T00:05:00.000-08:00

A sister columnist in the Catholic Times recalls one of the older members present at her lecture and what he said about a subway ride he had taken recently. He noticed that across the aisle from him was a child no more than 3 or 4 years old. She was sitting behind her father, he said, so her movements were not seen by the father. When making eye contact with the child, he found that without a word being uttered there was a conversation going on between them. She would be playing hide and seek with him, coming out from the 'hide' with a big smile. There was a long period of non-verbal communication with her, which surprised him; even grownups, he said, say that his appearance scares them. This child was different. He felt that she could read his heart, and on reflection, he says it was like meeting God.

Hearing this man speak about the incident, the sister was filled with emotion. That child and the old man were doing something that is not common. With all our technical advances, this simple, unsophisticated communication between two people is disappearing.

We rarely look at each other. Riding the subway these days, almost everybody is somewhere else, absorbed in their own world: attending to the digital apparatus they have plugged into their ear and are glued to with their eyes. Everything outside of this virtual world has been shut down. As we are becoming more interested in entering an imaginary world, we are turning ourselves into isolated islands.

The sister asks what has brought us to this harsh reality. There are many answers to the question, she says, but one that affects many is the unlimited competition we face and the resulting insecurity of not being able to succeed in such a competitive culture. But more importantly, we are no longer the masters of our destiny but instruments, means to an end over which we have no control--civilization has become the master. All these gifts that we have received in communication technology should help us relate better with one another instead of separating us from one another.

My happiness, the sister said, depends on the happiness of the other and my love for the other. For the new year, the sister reminds us that God often comes to us in the guise of the other, and we also are God's path to the other. This should be, she reminds us, our understanding of God's incarnation as one of us.

All those who know God in their lives are conscious that we are both conduits and receivers of God's graces: a message of great consolation and hope.

Mature Spirituality

2012-01-28T00:05:00.000-08:00

Writing in Living with the Bible, a professor of spirituality at the Catholic University asks what is of a higher order, spirituality, devotional life, or the religious life? His answer: they are all the same.

Provided we go to church because we believe in Jesus, then all our acts taken together are our faith life. However, many see these acts only as exterior acts and then judge hastily that they have no interiority or depth. That is why we have the ranking of the life of faith.

What we used to call the devout life is now called the spiritual life.The word 'spirituality' came into common use during the second half of the 20th century. And it is now not only used within the church but used in all areas of society. Spirituality has to do with what is considered unusual and special; it's therefore often thought to be, though incorrectly, of greater worth than the devout or religious life.

In our tradition, the professor reminds us. we used the words 'asceticism' and 'mysticism'. The spiritual writers of the past considered the desire to be one with God the mystical journey. These words, however, are better applied in explaining the spiritual life. But because of the misunderstandings of the past, the church chooses to use the word 'spirituality,' which, unfortunately, has its own problems.

Some time ago a survey showed that 90 percent of our Catholics go to church for peace of mind. In our present Korean society, there is a search for psychological peace, which has influenced all of society. Consequently, many see the interior life as simply an aspect of achieving a satisfying and healthy life. So the psychologists become the spokesmen for the spiritual life.

The professor says that though we have hundreds of religions in Korea, for the most part we live peacefully together. The reason for this, he feels, is that when any religion comes here, it's influenced by the Shamanism permeating our culture, which means, he claims, that it has not always been a worthwhile collaboration.

He recalls the words of St. Paul (Cor. 1-13): "Has Christ, then, been divided into parts?" And the words of St. Matthew (5:48): Our spiritually is one. We are called to be holy like God is holy.... In a word, you must be made perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect....We are called to resemble Jesus."

These words, says the professor, sums up the spiritual journey we are on. God gives us the graces, and we respond in the practice of the virtues: faith, hope, and charity, the evangelical counsels and all the other virtues, to partake in Christ's mystery, and through Christ to arrive at God with a new life.

Privilege of Helping Others

2012-01-27T00:05:00.000-08:00

The 29th of January is Overseas Assistance Sunday, and both the Catholic Times and Peace Weekly interviewed Han Pia, who has made it her life's work to be concerned with others. She wears many hats, and recently became the first president of the Korean Global Citizenship School of World Vision.

She was selected by college students as the person they most respected in Korea. She has been considered a role model for the young and a good example on how to be an effective leader. Her book March outside the Atlas has sold over a million copies and is considered one of the most influential books in Korea during the last 10 years. Instead of a 'global village,' she prefers to use the term 'global home,' which she feels is more conducive to getting us to see beyond our own country borders.

She has traveled around the world and written travel books on her experiences in the remote areas of many countries, and has participated in relief operations which she has written up in her books. During vacation periods, she travels to different Korean cities to give talks on poverty, human rights, multiculturalism, and the environment. Asked why she became a focus of interest to so many, especially the young, she answers: "I was a nobody, without even a calling card. I'm surprised myself and anxious about what has happened. I work to the best of my ability. But isn't it right that I do not yet know what my limit is?" she asks in return. Expressions like these are what make her popular with the young.

Where are those persons without fear, consternation, or loneliness? she asks. When we go on a road we haven't traveled before, there are no guidelines; we have to put ourselves in the hands of God. The more we are afraid and perplexed, the more we move closer to God.

In her lectures, she poses the question: why do we have two hands? She answers that with one hand we take care of our needs and with the other the needs of others. It is not difficult to say nice things about sharing and love, and we can be moved by horrible scenes, but often it stops there. Is there any meaning to this kind of attitude? Finding meaning, she says, requires that we move our legs and our hands.

Last year the interviewer said that Catholics, on average, gave about 3 dollars for aid overseas. Pia says that the average meal in Korea costs about 5 dollars; 3 dollars are not enough even for a full meal. She hopes we will see a difference in the offerings in the future.

She hopes the readers of the Catholic Times and Peace Weekly will remember why we have two hands. She also hopes that all Catholics will realize they are conduits of God's blessings to those they meet. To think only of ourselves, she reminds us, is a shabby way to live.

Reasons for Respect of the Other

2012-01-26T00:05:00.000-08:00

A priest columnist of the Peace Weekly introduces us to a foreign bishop, now dead, who had a large following and was considered a model bishop. The column recounts several stories that have circulated about the bishop's life.

His cathedral had recently been designated a basilica, and during the inaugurating ceremonies, the bishop, in his sermon, was explaining to the congregation the signification of calling the cathedral church a basilica. "It comes from an old word meaning king," he pointed out, "and so today we celebrate making this cathedral into a basilica, the house of a king. By the name change we are saying that Jesus, our king, resides here in this building."

On hearing this explanation, a young man in the congregation raised his hand and asked: "All churches have the Lord residing in them; why do we call one a basilica and the other a church?"

The unexpected question caused the bishop to hesitate, not knowing how best to answer. It was an older priest who answered the question, explaining that there are two kinds of sanctuaries: one built with bricks and stone and one built with flesh and blood--our bodies. Since they are the abode of the Lord, they also are basilicas.

That evening the bishop, on returning to the cathedral after being out with the young people for a drive--he had a great love for the young and they for him--saw a homeless person, apparently drunk, on the cathedral steps. Coming to mind were the words: "What are we going to do with this fleshly-made basilica?' He knew what to do, getting out of the car and bringing the man into his office.

This is just one of the many stories that have been told about this bishop, our columnist tells us. Persons are not commodities, not means to an end, but are themselves the end. He mentions that he hesitates reading news reports because so many are about children who have been ostracized and treated as things. Especially demoralizing for him are the stories that tell us about children who, because of failing to meet academic requirements, disappointing not only themselves but family and friends, have decided that the world is too stressful and a place where they no longer want to live. Why has this deplorable situation developed? Is it not because we see people as means and not as ends? When the media considers what and how to cover a news story, it is often money that comes into focus. When money is center stage, where is the person going to fit ? he asks.

Life is not to be squandered, cast away as if it were an outworn garment. It is God's will for us to live and, as we are told in scripture, "to live more abundantly." Not to kill others is also part of his will for us. When we enter a church, we take off our hats and offer homage. When we meet another person, shouldn't this same respect be extended to whomever we meet?

Authoritarian Attitude

2012-01-25T00:05:00.000-08:00

Having an authoritarian attitude is usually considered a negative trait, and a parish priest writing in a bulletin for priests acknowledges that priests often hear about this observation, usually directed, of course, not at them but at other priests. In any case it is the priest himself who is most hurt by it, and it also hinders the growth of others he comes in contact with. He considers his goal in life to be always growing in maturity, but if the authoritarian attitude on his part is preventing others from growing, this is a serious problem in his own growth.

In his seminarian years he knew wonderful teachers but some acted toward the seminarians in ways that are hard to understand. Sometimes in class, questions that were not considered properly orthodox would not be seen by some teachers as an opportunity to dig deeper into the matter but would be a reason for personal attacks on the students. At times, it would even be a reason for a student to doubt his vocation. This authoritarian attitude on the part of a teacher can have long-term repercussions on the formation of the future priest.

When we come in contact with this authoritarian attitude, the chance to grow will be deferred. In not getting the warm and kind concern of the teacher, we in response expend all kinds of energy on the emotions that are engendered in such contact; it is no help in growth.

The writer admits that he also is not free from this criticism and tries to find the reasons for this in his own life. He can't get rid of the uneasiness in himself that he tries to overcome with this authoritarian attitude: lack of understanding the other, little expertise and experience. What he knows and the way he lives his life are often different, making for difficult human relationships. He admits that he has not been able to remedy these problems in a healthy way: accepting the emotions that come with the failures. He has tried to restrain these feelings and to protect himself. But with this troubling rupture in his relationships, he feels a lack of ease and intimacy when dealing with others.

Because of this pattern in his life, self-confidence and respect for himself has been weakened, with a weakening of his own control over himself. Anxiety suddenly comes upon him and brings fear. In this condition, there is a tendency to drink too much and to shield himself by putting on the armor of authority in an effort to mask and flee his condition. Others like himself who fail to examine themselves and take the steps to overcome the condition will, like himself, use these unhealthy ways of dealing with the situation.

He concludes that with this kind of attitude, we do harm not only to ourselves but to all those we come in contact with; a good reason to do everything we can to overcome the problem.

Responses to Absurdities of Life

2012-01-24T00:05:00.000-08:00

'Absurdity' in life affects us all in different ways. In a Korean daily a columnist explores how absurdity has affected a number of novelists. A foreign novelist, seeing the absurdities of life, has one of his heroes who is condemned to death lash out at a priest who is trying to console him. In another novel, the hero, seeing a young child with a contagious disease, angrily says to a priest: "That child has no sin and yet he is dying. There is no God."

The columnist says that modern novelists are hesitant to bring God directly into their writing but their fictional characters often allude to the 'disappearance' of God in life. He mentions three Korean novelists that have found their way to God. One of them, who died last year, wrote essays on religion for the Catholic Seoul Bulletin.

"When my mother-in-law died," she once wrote," and was entrusted to the undertaker for making the funeral preparations, I was overcome by a feeling of grotesqueness. After death I didn't want that to happen to me and went on my knees to God." She became a Catholic in 1985 at the age of 54. She is also quoted as saying: "Lord, I have been told that if I want to be a light I have to be consumed. I will courteously refuse. I will be like a sunflower that moves in your light."

Another novelist, who is fighting cancer, is also serialized in the Seoul Catholic Bulletin. His battle with sickness has enabled him to see life in a different light. He had no joy and fear overcame him. But Jesus' words in the garden of Gethsemane helped, "My heart is nearly broken with sorrow. Remain here and stay awake with me."

Fighting the cancer he expresses his fear, " More than the pain is the unending worry and fear. 24 hours a day every moment is filled with pain." He realized that uneasiness and fear comes from thoughts of the past or the future, and brings to mind the words from Buddhism: "The mind of the past is not available, the present mind can't be possessed and the future mind can't be acquired."

The novelist in his sickness met God's star. "God leads us to the precipice where we realize we have the wings of an angel," he wrote. He was able to overcome the pain of the chemotherapy. "This body," he continued, "is taffy in the hands of you, Lord, the taffy maker. Do what you want." Kneeling before God is not surrender but courage. This obedience shows us another side of the novelist's courage.

In conclusion he quotes the line from Matt. 6:34: "Enough, then, of worrying about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Today has trouble enough of its own."

Preciousness of Time

2012-01-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

'Time' was the subject of the poet's random thoughts in his recent column in the Catholic Times. Though he reminds us "... not to squander time for that is what life is made of, " he admits that to his shame he can't rid himself of the thought that 2/3rds of his time is squandered.

Time has not always been squandered for there are times he has lived with great enthusiasm. These times are the oases in the desert, he says. He looks back on periods of relief and light, which come from enthusiasm--the only thing that saves us from the vanity of life. There is nothing like enthusiasm. he claims, that can give us satisfaction and peace. Are there any recollections in life that give us more sweetness than those periods of enthusiasm experienced in the past? he asks.

We live in a place called time. Quoting from the words of the wise: Place has been united with time. That is the fourth dimension, he says, seen by the wise of the past. Life is living in the place of flowing time.

From these thoughts on time he has made a discovery. 'Possibility' has to do with the future and not the past. The quantity of time is also extremely important; the possibilities of 10 minutes with that of 10 years can't be compared.

The greatest possibility that a person can envision is birth. This may be why we look at a new-born baby with such awe and reverence. Time spent looking back into the past, as many of us do, will not, he reminds us, give us any possibilities. And at death, the entrance into quiet and peace, all possibilities end. Isn't this, he asks, a reason for our tears?

"The time that remains for me is my life," he muses. "It is the container in which I put my life's work. What kind of life do I want to put into that container? What I will put in that container will be the art of my life. It will be my destiny." This, he says, he can't change. Even if he tries to run away from it, this very running away will be a part of his life.

He finishes with the words from Ecclesiastes: "Vanity of vanities, all things are vanity!" It is hard to have a better description of life, he says. But at the same time he believes this tragedy can be turned into a beautiful masterpiece. This is the profound law of life that will be lived out in the mystery of time. Happy Lunar New Year!

International Year of Co-operatives

2012-01-22T00:05:00.000-08:00

The UN has declared 2012 the International Year of Co-operatives, in recognition of what the co-operative movement has accomplished in social-economic development in many parts of the world. Two installments of The Peace Weekly have been devoted to discussing the place of the co-operative movement in Catholic thinking and action.

Cooperatives--people joining together voluntarily to meet some common need--are jointly owned and democratically controlled. A Maryknoll Sister established, in 1960, the first Credit Union in Pusan, which did much to spread the co-operative way in Korean society.

There are many examples of people working together in cooperatives to fill the needs of their members. We have had successes and failures but the determination within the Church to foster this movement continues to be strong. Examples of these co-operatives in parishes were listed in the article, which also disclosed that the necessary know-how and governmental help were not always present. However, the government has indicated that new legislation will offer co-operatives tax breaks and other financial help, which should see a blossoming of the movement in Korea.

There are over 1 billion people involved in co-operatives in the world. In the compendium of the Church's Social Doctrine it is written: "All those involved in a business venture must be mindful that the community they work in represents a good for everyone and not a structure that permits the satisfaction of someone's merely personal interests. This awareness alone makes it possible to build an economy truly at the service of mankind and to create programs of real cooperation among the different partners in labor.

"A very important and significant example, in this regard, is found in the activity of so-called cooperative enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses, commercial undertakings featuring hand-made products and family-sized agricultural ventures. The Church's social doctrine has emphasized the contribution that such activities make to enhance the value of work, the growth of a sense of personal and social responsibility, a democratic life, and the human values that are important for the progress of the market and of society" (#339).

We are told in the article of the very successful Mondragón Co-operative that was founded by a young priest, José María Arizmendiarrieta, who arrived in the town of Mondragon, Spain, in 1941 to find that civil war had left the Basque region desolated. Today, the Mondragón Co-operative Corporation is the largest business corporation in the Basque region and the seventh largest in Spain, considering both sales and workforce. The young priest had the foresight to start by educating the first members of the co-operative to an awareness of the great benefits that could be achieved when everyone was intent on pursuing the same goals. This emphasis on education has proven to be the primary reason for the success of the movement.

Preparing for the Lunar New Year

2012-01-21T00:05:00.000-08:00

Now that we are coming closer to the Lunar New Year, we are seeing more articles reminding us to clean our minds and hearts of the debris that has accumulated since the last Lunar New Year.

Writing in the Pastoral Bulletin a priest tells us a familiar story. A woman who had everything: good family, a comfortable living, and many friends, couldn't shake off a feeling of uneasiness. After counseling she realized she was not able to forgive her father for something in the past, but with knowledge and much effort there came the day when she did forgive and found the peace that had escaped her.

When we hate, the priest reminds us, the arrow that we mean to use against another finds its way to pierce ourselves, as well. Korea has suffered much from influences both outside and inside the country, and that has left Koreans with feelings of sorrow and regret, which they express with the word 'han'.

He recounts the story of a young man who lived during the movement for democracy in Korea. He was imprisoned and tortured to get him to confess to being a communist. He hated with a passion those who were torturing him, but during that time, reading many books and reflecting much, he came to realize that those who were inflicting the pain also were being destroyed. They were being used by the immoral dictatorial rulers of the country to insure their own control of the country. With these thoughts, he was able forgive those who were torturing him.

The names of our enemies are carved in stone, it is said. The graces we receive are written in water. We are living with emotional scars and bitter feelings; without being healed we will do harm to others and to ourselves.

With the new year coming the writer wants us to get rid of these negative feelings, to sublimate them. The meaning of han is a mystery to foreigners, because they have not been the recipients of the bullying Korea has experienced in her history. Following is part of the article on han that the bishop emeritus of Jeju-do wrote in 1986. Those interested can go to the following link for more information on something unique to Korean culture. http://www.marys-touch.com/truth/han.htm

"What is this thing called han, which seems to be peculiar to Korea? No foreign word [or any one word] can adequately translate it, for it includes such different nuances as are conveyed by the words rancor, grudge, hatred, lamentation, regret, grief, pathos, self-pity, fate, mortification, etc. Han's exact meaning can only be grasped experientially.

"Korean culture is the culture of han. Han flows in the blood of Koreans and manifests itself in Korean customs, literature, art, and in the melodies and folk music which hark back to home and youth, in the plaintive songs of the farmers, and in the cynicism, sarcasm and humor of the mask dances which make fun of the nobility. It is present in the tears of reunion or of separation, and we find it especially in the sobbing and wailing at a funeral...."

More than Teaching for the Head

2012-01-20T00:05:00.000-08:00

Rarely does a pastor in Korea stay over six years in a parish, and the assistant, if the parish is large, usually remains for only a year or two. Consequently, parishioners get to see many different priests because of the frequent turn over. A priest writing in the pastoral bulletin tells us about a priest with a doctorate in spirituality who was assigned as pastor of a parish that awaited him with great expectations.

However, though the hopes of the parishioners for the new pastor were high, it was not long before disappointment set in. The sermons were lullabies that put the people to sleep, little could be used in their daily life. Instead, they heard about difficult theological points and abstract generalities that were hard to follow. Even his life appeared to be no different than that of his predecessors. He had human faults like everybody else, his studies seemingly having had little influence on his life. Spirituality was studied like any other subject matter; it was all in the head with little effect on how he lived.

This is also true of the theology taught in the seminary. Instead of learning how to make theology practical and opening up parishioners to a fuller faith life, seminarians are more often exposed, the priest says, to a theology and catechetics that is detached from life. Many see this as the reason for little change in Christ-like living. More than teaching for the head, we need those who are witnessing to the Christian life. These days we are hearing a lot about the need for a mentor and mentee relationship as something that should become part of our catechetical programs.

Teaching or coaching is a one-on-many relationship, while mentoring is one-on-one. In the field of art, we have usually had individual relationships between the artist and the student artist. In medicine, there are interns and residents. And craft artists in many parts of the world still have the master-apprentice relationship, recognizing the importance of the learning environment by living in close touch with those who have succeeded in achieving prominence in their field of study. More than today, this was the way the wise of the past passed along their skills to their students.

It is seldom that we find this approach being used in the Church. In the education of seminarians, in place of exposing the new priest to the pastoral life he will be living, examples are taken from foreign studies and from the pastoral work overseas. It is rare to have the handing down of experiential knowledge from pastor to assistant. The writer would like to see a closer relationship between priests to encourage the passing on of knowledge gained from experience. We forget that most of our teaching comes from theoretical knowledge, from books we have studied or lectures we have attended. But the knowledge that sticks is the kind we can directly experience.

Multiculturalisim in Korea

2012-01-19T00:05:00.000-08:00

One of the popular movies now running in Seoul is Wandeugi, English title Punch. The desk column of the Catholic Times discusses the plot and moral of the movie. It is about the life of a multicultural Korean family. The mother, a Filipina married to a Korean who is hunchbacked, deserted the family after Wandeugi, the name of the boy, was weaned. He didn't learn about his mother's existence until much later in life. His homeroom teacher, whom he disliked intensely, was a neighbor who was always interfering in his life. This all changed when he learned that the teacher was helping migrant workers and brought about the warm reunion with his mother.

The number of foreigners in Korea is now over 1 million 200 thousand. Of this number, we have 250,000 families, with 150,000 school-age children. The movie helps us to see these families with a new perspective. Not only seeing them with a more sympathetic eye but as members of the same Korean society.

Because of the large number of foreigners, all are familiar with the hardships they face. 1.7 percent of the population are non-Korean. This is much less than other countries but something quite different from the old hermit kingdom understanding of Korea. The columnist asks the readers how far have we come to truly understanding the plight of the multicultural families within the Korean culture?

Last year the government's human rights committee had a questionnaire for 186 multicultural students, ages 8 to 26, in 22 schools and 16 organizations, and found that the majority did suffer violence and discrimination.

The reason? Their pronunciation was strange, they came from a poor country, their skin color was different, and as a consequence they were looked down upon and were even told to leave the country. 27 percent indicated that they wanted to quit school because of the prejudice. In about 7 to 8 years one out of four will be a multicultural in the country-side. Growing up with serious scars that have not been healed will not make it easy to adapt and live harmoniously with their neighbors. Those who have studied the problem see this as a serious future problem unless solved.

She quotes a priest who mentions the traditional kindness shown in our society. This same kindness, she says, must be shown to the multicultural families who live with us. She mentions an example in a religious school where the multicultural girls were asked to prepare food according to their own cultural ways. A good example of what can be done in the school.

We as Christians should be a good example of how to treat those from cultural backgrounds different than our own. We know what our Lord said about being a stranger and being warmly welcomed.

Learning From History

2012-01-18T00:05:00.000-08:00

What can be learned from history? This was the theme of an article in the recent Kyeongyang Magazine, written by a bishop with a doctorate in Church history. He recounts how he got interested in history while in the seminary, writing his thesis on the Protestant Reformation. He wanted to know the reason for the reformation. This perked his interest in learning more about Catholicism and Protestantism.

Church history reveals a number of sad events, such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, and Galileo. The bishop wanted to find out the reasons the Church took a path that was different from the will of God. He wanted to find answers to his many questions.

The questions were not easily answered. However, doing his studies in Rome, he began gradually to see things differently. When you see the big historical picture, a larger understanding comes.

During his studies, he heard that a person without faith could not be open enough to study Church history. Church history is not just one part of world history or a study only of what humanity has done, but it allows a place for God's providence. History is a conversation with the past. From our present vantage point, we look into the past. However, doing so there are many things that have to be noted. We cannot take our moral yardstick of today and condemn the past. One has to return to the cultural conditions of the past to correctly understand those times. Reflecting on the past from this vantage point and acknowledging our mistakes candidly will give us a new horizon and hope for the future.

Pope John Paul II, the bishop reminds us, apologized in the name of the Church for the violence, persecution and mistakes of the past 2000 years at the beginning of the 3rd millennium. The Church has learned a great deal from history. In response many nations followed suit; especially of interest is the response of the Japanese Catholic Church in the book What We Have Learned From History. The Japanese Church apologized to their Asian brothers and sisters for the crimes of Japan, but only a few in Japan are familiar with this effort, which the bishop laments.

The article mentions that the aid to Japan from Korea after the recent earthquake was a sign of Korea's forgiveness for the crimes she suffered for many years at the hands of the Japanese.

The bishop also mentions our own Catholic history and the incident of the only priest in Korea back in 1801. When three young men tried to save the Chinese priest by having one of them impersonate him, refusing to reveal his whereabouts, and moving him to different locations, they were killed. Learning about the killing the priest gave himself up to the authorities to stop the killing.

These and many other historical incidents teach us a great deal and make history a valuable textbook for learning what may lie ahead for us.

Stopping Bullying Among Children

2012-01-17T00:05:00.000-08:00

Recently there have been a spate of stories of children being bullied and sometimes taking their lives to escape from the abuse. What are we to make of this? Remedies have been a topic of much discussion. The journalist writing on the subject in the Catholic Times worries about his own school children.

Why have we not been able to put a stop to this? he asks. The specialists have introduced all kinds of solutions. With the emphasis we have put on achieving academic excellence, we have forgotten the importance of educating for character, for the whole person. Our sudden progress in industrialization, finances, and knowledge has put the practice of virtue on a secondary level. Getting rich quick, pleasure-seeking, commercialization of sex, depiction of gratuitous violence in movies and in the news media, and a money-buys-all approach to life can't help but be a potent influence on our young.

And it will be our young who will be running the next generation. Our greatest help to them will be to understand them, determine what are their concerns and desires, their present internal conflicts, and to help them come to a proper appreciation of who they are.The columnist reminds us that the mass media is always talking about mutual understanding, dialogue; the magic wand that will cure all the problems. In most cases, working parents don't have the time to spend with their children, talking with them, trying to understand what is bothering them, just being with them. This is the reason for many of the problems destroying family life.

As part of the solution, the Church's effort to make parish life attractive to the young is on-going, making it a place where they are able to rid themselves of some of their stress and to recharge themselves for their life in society. Efforts made for 'one time big events' are no longer going to appeal to the young; they want and need to be listened to concerning the small but important to them daily events in their lives.

Parents should not only teach about the faith life but be an example of this faith life in the home. The home needs to be a place where everyone will feel the warmth and intimacy of a shared life. Now is the time, he believes, for the older generation to begin solving the problems of the young by making their problems our problems.

We The People

2012-01-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

A columnist on the opinion page of the Catholic Times, who is also a professor and president of the teachers' pro-life movement of Korea, takes a look at some of the problems of our society, problems that he sees coming as we move from an underdeveloped country to take our place among the more developed countries of the world. What should be our understanding of the so-called conservative and progressive viewpoints now dividing many societies of the developed world?

Many have worked extremely hard for what they have achieved; it doesn't make much sense to have those who have not made that effort to ask those who have for help.This was seen recently in the election for mayor, where the central issue was whether free lunches should be provided for students. The columnist acknowledges that this was not only a welfare issue but was also intertwined with politics. The vote went in favor of the free lunches.

He reminds us that society has helped the wealthy to achieve their wealth. He also mentions that efforts were made in the recent election to distort information given to the public. There have been many efforts in the past, he said, when not all pertinent information on important issues has been divulged to the public. In a democracy, this should not be the case. Whether one is conservative or progressive, citizens have the right to have adequate information available to conscientiously elect those who will be running the country.

To return to the question, why is it that the rich should give more of what they have to help the poor? Those who have received more, some would say, should give more because that is the uniquely generative power of a democracy. Which can also be seen as a failure of democratic governments to provide full equality to its citizens. We have all seen from the history of the East and the West that those with wealth have often monopolized access to a country's material resources and have also become politically dominant to assure passage of laws that are predominantly self-serving.

To act in a human way, our columnist reminds us, is to treat everybody the same no matter their background or their capabilities. Both those who give and those who receive should feel they are part of the same human family. All agree the law of the jungle has no part of a civilized society. It would be a step in the right direction when all those who have also see the need to give, but the government also has the duty to see that all achieve enough to live in a developed country.

The people, he muses, will soon have the privilege to act as 'king-makers' once again, as they gather this coming year to elect the 'king and his retainers.' It is important, the columnist says, that the citizens in a democracy understand their role as kings.

Bishop Emeritus--Bishop Dupont

2012-01-15T00:05:00.000-08:00

In recent months there have been a number of articles and a documentary on Korean TV on the bishop emeritus of the Andong Diocese, Renè Dupont, a member of the Paris Foreign Mission Society.

Bishop Dupont was born in 1929, in France, was ordained a priest in 1953 and came to Korea in 1954. He worked for 12 years in the Taejon Diocese and was elected the local superior of the Paris Foreign Mission Society in 1967. Two years later, he was made a bishop, the first of the Andong Diocese. He retired as bishop in 1990 and has lived a very simple life since, giving retreats and lecturing. He has helped many to appreciate their calling as Christians, and is respected and loved my many.

The Kyeong Yang Magazine had a long interview with the bishop. He made it clear he was not much interested in the past or the future but was interested in the present moment. Asked about past failings in life, he said that though they are not matters for an interview, he remembers no serious infractions of his conscience but many small matters, which he brings to confession once a month. He has for his motto ' In Christ' and stresses that the number one virtue for a priest should be humility.

He acknowledges a sensitivity for beauty: in nature, in personal dispositions, and in the teachings of Christ. He considered himself one who has been struck with admiration and love for Jesus and admires all those who try to live the beautiful life, the meritorious life, no matter what they believe.

He does not like to use the word fortunate or unfortunate, for in God's providence all things work together for good. Asked about his favorite book, he mentions the book of all books, Scripture, especially Psalms 8, 23, 63, 131, 139; Mathew ch. 5; Luke ch. 6; Romans ch.12; Ephesians ch.4-5; Colossians 3-4. Mature, he says, are those who are honest, genuine, prayerful, patient, and serving others. He asks the young to be positive, happy, and to strive for a clean conscience. Don't just follow what others do and don't be afraid to be ridiculed. At the end, those who live well are recognized.

To the question on the present condition of the country, he feels there are few countries that can equate to Korea in their quick material progress. But sadly, the general lack of joy in the country shows that spiritual growth has not accompanied the material. He introduces us to the mission statement of the Andong Diocese: 'We live on this earth with an open heart, simply; consider life precious, share and serve others; work in the overflowing happiness of God's life."

He admires the work of the Catholic Church of Korea in its zeal, in its genuineness, and in its search for social justice. The negative would be its becoming too worldly. Society should imitate the religious values the Church teaches, he said, and not the Church imitating the values of society. When money and comfortableness become our aim, not all is well. The salt and light spoken of in Scripture have to do their work. The reason we are to be different, he said, is that the Church "is a sign to be opposed" (Luke 2:34).

Deepening our Spiritual Life

2012-01-14T00:05:00.000-08:00

Spirituality is a vast subject and a columnist in the Catholic Times has worked with the subject for many months and now applies what has been learned to understanding the inclinations of the heart. Using the works of Adrian van Kaam and his perspective of seeing the heart as having four natural inclinations: congeniality, compassion, compatibility and competence, he proposes that following the movement of these inclinations will lead us to deepening our spiritual lives.

By Congeniality is meant our congruence to the image of God within. It is to look for the God within and to rest in him. It is finding out who I am, and what I am to do. We are to rest in God. And by remaining in God, van Kaam means that we are to keep on searching for him. We are continually in search of God's will. Continually in communication (prayer) with him. Until we come to an understanding of our ultimate mission in life, we will not be able to act correctly, he says. When we don't know the final goal, we lose our way and life becomes a maze.

Inclination to Compassion means that though we are weak, incomplete, limited human beings with many emotional scars, and because of the suffering, we can reach out sympathetically to others. We need to be healed. We must try to understand and forgive, and be understood and forgiven. As long as we are confined to our body and mental faculties, we will not be able to grow spiritually.

Compatibility allows us to make those we come in contact with feel comfortable, avoiding critical and judgmental words that will make others feel uncomfortable. When we are not in harmony with those we are living with, it is because, says our writer, of a failure to be at one with God's will and to consider his will in our lives. When we have congeniality, compassion compatibility guiding the movements of our hearts, then the fourth quality of Competence will appear in our lives, bringing harmony. An orchestra does not remain silent but gives us beautiful melodies; so also when we have the harmony of these elements the music will resonate in our lives.

These four inclinations of the heart are gifts, a grace. This way of living will not only melt the 108 troubles of life (a phrase from Buddhism) but will give us 108 answers in grace to answer these troubles of life. By developing these four qualities so they work together in ever greater harmony will help move us closer to living a more abundant spiritual life.

Another Side of Mountain Climbing

2012-01-13T00:05:00.000-08:00

Koreans love to go mountain climbing and the spiritual page of the Catholic Times has the columnist introduce us to a religious brother whose passion is mountain climbing. The columnist has climbed with the brother, but because of his body-build mountain climbing is a drudgery; however reaching the top and seeing the vista is a thrill, and appreciates the brother's attachment to the mountains.

Half of the brother's vacation is spent mountain climbing, sometimes going with his community members but more often alone. For him, climbing has become a spiritual experience. Those who love mountain climbing can't be attached to vices, he says, the aliveness of the mountain works on the greatest energies of the person to empty and purify them.

When he returns from climbing, he is concerned with the mountain climbing gear and sleeping bag. All the clothes and gear are cleaned, washed, his sleeping bag freed from all the sweat and refreshed. The equipment has had decades of use. Looking on the way the brother cleans and cares for his equipment, one can easily see the attraction the mountain has for him.

However, the personal account was only an introduction to what the columnist wanted to say about mountain climbing. The brother is able by his mountain climbing to recharge himself spiritually-- appreciating the fullness that comes with emptying oneself and finding in the providence of nature the presence of God.

He was told that to stay at the mountain shelters overnight would cost about 8 dollars. Everybody is the same, all are treated as equals. Everybody is invited to the same oneness and peace. However, the columnist regrets that because the gear and clothing for mountain climbing has become so expensive the climbers using the mountain shelters are told to keep their gear beside themselves while sleeping. The cases of persons greedy for what they see makes this a regular warning at these shelters.

There is no difference in the hearts of the climbers who love mountain climbing, but the gear shows the disparity between rich and poor. The columnist laments that mountain climbing in many cases has not been a place to empty oneself in preparation for the 'heroic' ascent but rather a place to show off one's equipment.

He pleads to the lovers of mountain climbing to keep mountains as places where we can find equality, camaraderie, and the shared exhilaration of a meditative experience.

Strength of Character--Fortitude

2012-01-12T00:05:00.000-08:00

Our premier Catholic Magazine had an article on fortitude and education and how they relate to each other. The writer, a doctorate in cultural studies, mentions that a friend told him during a phone conversation that his son's bicycle was taken from him at school, and wanted to know what he should do. What did the son want to do? asked the writer. The son wanted to go to the school to ask for the bike and the writer agreed, and if not returned should then speak to the teacher, he added. But the father had problems with both solutions, worried that the son would be the object of bullying.

In this case, all worked out well for the boy. One of the worst things feared by children is getting known as squealing to parents: a big reason for bullying. The father was happy for his son but warned that all does not work out so nicely in life.

The way the father handled the problem was not the writer's preference. The writer would have liked to see more education emphasizing the need for courage and loyalty. The reason for saying the one being bullied brings it upon himself, which is the common thinking of children, is not based on reality, he said. Children would believe that bullying is caused by a lack of communication skills and living in one's own world. There is no way, he says, that this can be easily determined, and trying to rationalize what happens after the fact is, he believes, cowardly.

He recalls Renè Girard and his theory about scapegoating. He saw it as the effort to shuffle off blame to another person to free oneself from guilt. He calls this the 'scapegoating mechanism.' Jesus, Girard says, fought against this, and did so by becoming the innocent baby lamb of the exodus. Jesus was the innocent scapegoat, and by accepting this freed all others who were being scapegoated. He should have put an end to scapegoating.

Jesus did not fight the injustice head-on but put an end to the scapegoating habit by his courage. He put an end to the continuing reign of injustice and the rationalization of injustice by courageously facing it.

The writer asks what do we do in the Church when we are teaching our children? Do we encourage them to be courageous in facing difficulties and help them join others who are courageous? If the parish community is not able to do it, are we willing to introduce them to others who are?

The views expressed in the article are interesting since in the Catholic tradition fortitude is one of the four cardinal virtues. But care has to be taken not to fall into either of two extremes: rashness and timidity; virtue is midway between excess and neglect; courage is a virtue between rashness and timidity. No doubt our formation of character during our early years would tend to one extreme or the other. Hopefully, the way we have developed our personalities would enable us to distinguish between the two extremes. This would also be a reason why it is not easy to make a prudent judgement in the here and now on how to act in any particular situation. We do have, however, within Christianity those who we call saints who have given us examples of how to live, and, not forgetting our first textbook, the life of Jesus.

Korean Ancestors' Appreciation of Life

2012-01-11T00:05:00.000-08:00

The culture of life column in the Peace Weekly goes back to Korean oral history to pick out some of the customs that Korean ancestors followed in showing concern for the environment. The columnist laments that the young are following indiscriminately the ways of the West and have forgotten the meaning behind our customs.

Because of the ecological problems we are facing, going back to the ways our ancestors respected and protected nature will help us to confront and eventually solve, he believes, many of these problems. He then reminds us of the ways they showed this in life--in their symbiotic relationship with nature.

There was the custom--when eating at cemeteries, during mountain climbing, or on a waterside excursion--of throwing some of the food on the ground. This was part of their belief in a spirit world surrounding them. But the columnist makes note that the ones who benefited were the ants and other insects and animals.

This was also the case at the 'kosa,' a shamanistic practice of sharing food with one another and also with the spirits outside the house, with insects and animals mostly benefiting. And there was also what they called "food for the magpies." When they harvested fruit from the orchards, they would always leave some of the fruit for the birds and animals.

Their respect for life was also seen in their taboos. When a magpie or swallow was killed they were thought to have taken on sin. When they confined a cicada they would have a dry spell. If you captured a bird that came into the house you would have a fire. If you cut down a large tree you would die. If a large tree fell something bad would happen. If you burnt a lot of fire wood the mountain spirit would hate you. If a house plant died something bad would happen. Digging up the earth without reason would bring bad luck.

They felt they would be repaid for kindness to animals. They personified the animals; you would not praise another animal in front of an ox because this would make him jealous. Farmers during the winter months would give the ox a hot bean and straw gruel and cover the ox with something warm. They would be slow to slaughter their animals and even have rites for the animals when they died. When there was snow on the ground and animals would come into the villages, they would not kill the animals.

We no longer follow these customs and there is no reason to do so, of course, but we should not forget, he says, that the loving concern our ancestors had for nature is admirable, and the same concern should be ours as well.

Seeing Beyond the Manger

2012-01-10T00:05:00.001-08:00

Meditating on the Christmas scene many thoughts can come to mind, such as the helplessness of a baby, which is the thought a Catholic Times columnist wants his readers to consider. A baby needs the help of others; without it the baby will die.

God came to us as a helpless infant. He came in a way that needed our help to live. He says to us, "I need clothes that will cover me, milk from the breast to nourish me, the warmth of a loving family to comfort me, and the joyful gaze to welcome me." This is the way God-man expressed his trust in, and love of, humanity. He could then grow in mind, body and soul because of the concern he received.

However, there are many young persons that are not that fortunate. In Korea the number one reason for deaths among those 15 to 24 is suicide. In 2010 those under 19 years old who killed themselves was 353. Statistics show that 10 percent of our youth (based on those answering a questionnaire) have had thoughts of suicide. The columnist lets us know that they are crying out, "It's too cold here....I'm not welcomed.... I'm not necessary....There's nobody that shows any interest in me."

The reasons given for the suicides: grades and preparation for college (37.8 percent), family problems (12.6 percent), loneliness (11.2 percent), financial problems (10.5 percent) and so forth. There is even the pressure to volunteer to be of service to others. Praise is given to those who know how to take care of their own needs first; society is full of praise for those who are capable of fending for themselves.

Consequently, we need to be more concerned for those who are hurting, caring for the whole person regardless of status in life. Although there are many in society ready to give help, this has to be made known to the young. They have to know their problems will be kept private and that they will be respected for who they are. Secondly, efforts to change the environment both in the families and the school have to accompany the counseling. Thirdly, there should be in place proven ways of providing help to students who are having difficulty in thriving under the established methods of study. Fourthly, there has to be efforts made to find work for recent graduates, and counseling for those who are unable to find work.

The columnist, who works in the field of welfare under Catholic auspices, wants the Church to take a greater interest in this problem. The aim of Catholic education: to educate the whole person should be the incentive for the Church to be a leader in helping our students who are finding it difficult to succeed. These thoughts, he tells us, should expand our insight as we look at the Christmas scene.

Forgotten Questions

2012-01-09T00:05:00.000-08:00

Two years ago Fr. Cha Dong-yeop of the Future Pastoral Institute of Incheon received five sheets of paper, 24 questions, written by one of the richest industrial tycoons of Korea. These questions were given to a priest friend of the tycoon for answers in 1987. The priest gave the questions to the then Catholic University rector who was going to meet with the industrialist, a meeting that never occurred because of his sudden death. These are the questions that many years later Fr. Cha received from the one-time Catholic University rector. The 24 questions are the basis for the new book by Fr.Cha: The Forgotten Questions.

Fr. Cha feels they are questions that all have wondered about at one time or another. They all are questions about the nature of our existence, such as, Can you give proof for God's existence? If God loves us, why do we have pain, unhappiness and death? Why did he make some people evil? Why does he permit us to sin? If we don't believe in Catholicism, does that mean we can't go to heaven? Are the rich sinners? What is my reason for living?

We all have similar questions and do not always hear answers that are very satisfying. Fr. Cha during his recent sabbatical year spent time in prayer and meditation preparing to write the book. He has divided the book into four parts, and in the prologue begins with the question which is behind most of our other questions, why do we have life?

The Catholic Times interviewed Fr. Cha on his reason for writing the book. It is not meant to be a philosophical treatment of the subjects discussed, said Fr. Cha, but a book intended to be easily understood by the ordinary reader.

As soon as the book was published, he received criticism that in these very sensitive times he is giving publicity to one of our largest business conglomerates, and being used. He answered that all his books use the same approach, an attempt to satisfy the thirst of those living in the 21st century. We who believe in the Scriptures are told to give answers to what we believe, he said. To a priest, there is not rich or poor, high or low, but only those who are thirsting for a better life.

He uses the example of two celebrities who are very popular now in Korean society. Their message in comparison to what Jesus has given us, he said, is unbelievably insipid and merely a temporary relief and does not satisfy the deep longing of our humanity. He feels that we are living in a generation with much anger. The Church should be one of the first to alleviate this anger and to satisfy the longing of our people for the spiritual. Our work is not only to criticize others and society, but to help bring about a new value system and lasting change. We have to keep examining both ourselves and the world in order to see what the Church can give to society in our present reality. Fr. Cha has tried to do this by answering the 24 questions.

Finding Saints to be Mentors

2012-01-08T00:05:00.000-08:00

Mentor and mentoring are words we hear often. Taken from Greek mythology, the words refer to Odysseus' old friend Mentor, who was to be the guardian and tutor of Odysseus' son while his father was away. Used now, the words commonly refer either to the person who counsels a less-experienced person or to a situation that provides a young seeker of knowledge the opportunity to learn from an older and wiser person.

The editor of Catholic Publishing recounts, in the Catholic Times, her efforts in finding a mentor. Her father was her first mentor; his death, when she was in first-year high school, came as a great shock and left her struggling about the meaning of life. Though living her faith life as a Christian, she was filled with doubt; it was as if God no longer existed. She had no place to turn to ask for help.

In her years of schooling, she respected many of her teachers but was not able to find anyone who could serve as her mentor. Seminary professors were also possible mentors; she respected them as well, but they were too busy with the seminarians to have time, she thought, for her and her problems. And she also didn't want to bother others with her problems, and soon started to walk around with her head down as if looking for a coin, which prompted others to give her a nickname alluding to this habit.

Where she is now in life, she says, requires someone as a mentor, but she lacks the capability, energy and charity necessary to find one, although the need is all the more present.

However, everything recently changed when she came upon the book, "My Mentor and My Saint." A book her publishing company has translated from the English. Written by the Jesuit writer James Martin and titled in English as My Life With the Saints, the book introduced her to her mentors. In the book, the Jesuit listed a number of saints, those canonized and those who have lived saintly lives. The Jesuit has used these saints as mentors in his life, friends who have influenced him. The columnist has finally found her mentors she will be living with during this new year.

Beginning Anew

2012-01-07T00:05:00.000-08:00

Beginning the new year we make resolutions, knowing that most will not be kept. The effort does make us feel better since we hope and dream for something different and better in the future. In the bulletin of a mission station, a writer reminds us of the often-used Spanish proverb: When the first button is not buttoned correctly, there is no place left for the last button.

It is the time to bring determination and resolve into our lives, he says. So beginning the new year he is determined to start off correctly by doing whatever comes along, no matter how seemingly trivial, to the best of his ability.

Buttons are a very small and insignificant part of our clothing but when we miss the first hole then all the rest are incorrectly inserted, and we destroy the overall appearance, which eventually makes us go back to the beginning, to start over again.

The author confesses that he often has 'not correctly inserted the first button in the correct hole' because of inattention and apathy to the task before him. However, this year he resolves to examine all that he does with full attention and interest.

The problem for him seems to arise when he is in a hurry or impatient. When this is the case, he loses time and has to spend more effort to remedy the situation. This also happens in life when the foundational first steps are not carried out correctly.

When one knows the first button is in the wrong hole and goes ahead and ignores the mistake, out of carelessness or a lack of responsibility, one only postpones the inevitable. In time, what was done must be undone by going back to the beginning. This is basic and a first principle.

Similar to a fork in the road, one going West, the other East: If one wants to go East and takes the one going West, the quicker the mistake is realized the better. Being an Asian he will have a chance in just a few weeks to live his resolve for the new year as he prepares for the real New Year, the lunar New Year.

The opportunities, however, are not only limited to a time on the calendar; every new day is a chance to start over and begin afresh. The only problem we might have is the lack of a desire to begin anew.

Wonderful Life

2012-01-06T00:05:00.000-08:00

Kyeongyang Magazine has an article by a woman who for seven years has interviewed famous celebrities in Korea. She begins by noting how members of the Masai tribe in Africa answer when asked how many children they have. They don't give a number but say the name of each of their children. She considers that a very telling way of reminding us what unique individuals we are and that numbers are not able to do that.

So far she has interviewed more than 80 people and mentions that there are times when those close to them are not familiar with what they have revealed about themselves. During the interviews she is learning about humanity and doing a lot of loving. If she doesn't have an attraction for her subject, she finds it difficult to write up the interview.

She has discovered that the persons being interviewed fall into certain categories: those who find it easy to talk, those who show their importance, those who exaggerate, and those who are very introspective. But she has no difficulty with the many different ways we use to look back on our life. Most start off with the high points, but the failures remain very strong in the retelling.

She reminds us that the interview reveals what the person remembers of his or her life and what she wants to bring to our attention. It is not her life as such, but the way the person being interviewed sees their life.

She mentions the Japanese movie Wonderful Life in which the souls who have just died have to be processed before entering heaven. Each one has to give a memory of their life that for them was the happiest or most significant. The team doing the processing make a movie of the incident and return to show it to the person waiting to go to heaven. They see it and disappear with that one memory into eternity.

What, she asks us, would be our memory of the happiest or most significant moment in our life? She asks this same question of all those she interviews, both for amusement and interest. If we do not have happy memories and are not satisfied with our memories, she believes we should spend the rest of our years preparing to give an answer that would satisfy us.

Culture of Life

2012-01-05T00:05:00.000-08:00

The priest who is the Executive Director of the Culture of Life Committee writes, in the Peace Weekly, about the importance of not lying to those who are dying. Lying is forbidden, but it doesn't mean that the doctor dealing with those who are dying should speak all the truth no matter the condition of the dying patient. The doctor has the obligation to speak the truth, and this precedes all medical and human considerations since it is dealing with eternal life and justice.

The efforts to be loving and to give comfort to the individual and the family by lying is not permitted. When is the proper time for the doctor to tell a dying patient the truth about his condition? That's for the doctor to decide, but the truth has to be given and not hidden behind wordy subterfuges that tend to keep the full truth from the patient. It is difficult, but this is no reason for not doing it.

All have a right to know the facts of their medical condition in order to assess their earthly situation and to do what is necessary to prepare to meet God. No one has the right to take this freedom away. What therapy to use must also be the choice of the patient, and this obligation is not satisfied by discussing this with someone other than the patient.

How this obligation is handled by the medical staff depends on their judgement, wisdom and sensitivity. It doesn't mean that all has to be done objectively but it should be done with love and kindness. Also important is determining the best time to make the situation known so that it will be accepted by the patient and taken to heart. This will require wisdom on the part of the medical team.

What is most important is the rapport between the doctor and the patient. In the ideal situation, death then becomes not just an inevitable fact, a painful ordeal, but rather when the truth is given the patient, he will not despair because the truth has allowed him to share intimacy with others.

The patient facing death is no longer alone but feels understood and loved, has a peaceful and personal relationship with others, and comes to an understanding of death, with optimism and transcendence.

Korean Culture Corps

2012-01-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

One of our very outspoken elder priests, 86 years old, who has been president of the Catholic University and a professor at Sogang University, was interviewed by one of the Korean dailies on the present situation of the country. Though the priest was not enthusiastic about either the past or present political conditions in Korea, the interviewer said he would always end up on a hopeful note.

He gave his opinion on the state of affairs with the North. The regime in the North, he feels, will not last long. We had the tyrannies of Mao Zedong and Stalin and our own tyrannies of past dynasties. But 29-year old Kim Jong-eun, who has studied in Europe, will have difficulty following in the steps of past dictators and keeping control of the country. Once the internal structures are in place, the priest believes that Kim Jong-eun will be open to giving his people more freedom. Having learned and seen a lot outside of the country, he will try to realize these dreams by changing the way the country is governed, the priest said.

He reflected also on our recent Seoul mayoral contest between candidates from the two major parties, neither one getting much support from the voters. The non aligned candidate for the presidency next year is very popular with the voters. The young especially are showing distaste for the two major parties, and the government has made little effort to reach the young people. The reality of the current situation is that Korean college graduates are not finding work or are underemployed, and that the suicide rate for the young is high. Some of the younger people, the priest said, are members of the '88 Generation' because they are taking jobs for an average of less than a thousand dollars a month, a very low salary for a college graduate.

Korea is a small country, and it is impossible to put all the college graduates to work. His solution is to send them overseas like our Olympic ice skating queen Kim Yuna. If the young are kept in the country, he believes it will foster the leftist philosophy of our future leaders.

His solution is to create a Culture Corps. We have learned a great deal from the time of the Korea War, he said. It is time now to help other countries by sending our graduates where they are needed: to eradicate illiteracy, to help schooling the disadvantaged, and to setup medical projects. At least 200,000 workers will be needed and should be given from 2,500 to 3,000 dollars monthly, a very attractive salary. It will be a great drain on the country, he admits, but he believes it will all come back to us when they return. This will help alleviate the conflicts between the younger and older generations and be a good example to the rest of the world.

He points out that they will not be going out as workers with specialized skills but simply as persons intent on helping others live a better life. Is there any other work that will have so many good benefits? he asks.

That we will ever see this happening is not very likely. But to have one of our elders thinking these thoughts may inspire others to do the same, and in time maybe what now seems unlikely may become reality.

Bishop Chang Bong-hun's Message

2012-01-03T00:05:00.000-08:00

The congratulatory message delivered by Bishop Chang Bong-hun to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Maryknoll Society

1. I congratulate Maryknoll on the 100th anniversary of its foundation. I think it is a great joy and a great honor to offer this Mass of thanksgiving in the cathedral of the Cheongju Diocese.

The entrance of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers into the land of Korea in 1923 came at both a turbulent and painful time in the long history of Korea. This is greatly recorded in the secular history of Korea and in the history of the Korean Church. We give praise and thanks to God for the great blessings He has bestowed on the land of Korea through the Maryknoll Society over the last 88 years.

Especially in the Cheongju Diocese Maryknoll laid the foundation; and in providing a base for the present-day flourishing of the Cheongju Diocese, it made a great contribution.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us give a round of applause to show our gratitude to Maryknoll for setting the stage for evangelization in the Chungbuk area.

2.In 1953 the Maryknoll Society received the mandate to evangelize in the Chungbuk area and came here for the first time. Later in 1970 the responsibility for ministry was transferred to the Korean priests, and those 17 years were truly a period of great blessings.

In 1953 when the Maryknoll Society came here, the land of Korea had been devastated by the Korean War, and the Chungbuk area in particular was behind and in a very poor and desperate situation.

At that time for the people who were hungry and suffering from sickness, rather than just teach them the word of God, preaching the gospel was to give food and clothing to them and relieve their suffering from sickness. The Maryknoll Society started relief work, giving food to the starving people and providing clothes for those who suffered from the cold. Health services, especially the Maryknoll Sisters Clinic in Jeungpyung and the Free Medicine Service Centers in Okcheon and Boeun offered relief to many ailing people and brought dying people back to life.

The Maryknoll Society also planted the seeds of hope in the remote and desperate rural areas of Chungbuk. It established and managed credit unions in the churches and developed pig cooperatives in the country areas, filling poor people and farmers with hope.

Over the 16 years from 1953 to 1979 the Maryknoll Society secured 25 sites to build new churches, built 80 mission stations, and laid the foundation for evangelizing in the rural areas of Chungbuk Province. It also worked to develop vocations and actively cultivated Korean priests, especially by managing the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) and running church libraries. Upon this foundation the Cheongju Diocese grew up and today we have evangelized 11 percent of the Chungbuk residents, making this diocese third in the rate of evangelization among the 16 dioceses of Korea. The Cheongju Diocese is bearing the fruit of the efforts of the Maryknoll Society. The Cheongju Diocese is a diocese established by zeal for evangelization and the devotion of the Maryknoll missionaries. Once again I give deep thanks to the Maryknoll Society on behalf of the people of the diocese.

3. The Maryknoll Society is a society of apostolic life established for evangelizing in Asia, Regrettably, however, vocations have decreased rapidly and now it cannot send missionaries to Asia. On this meaningful 100th anniversary of its foundation, the Cheongju Diocese has renamed the Saint Hwang Seok-du Luke Mission Society, which was established by a priest from the diocese, as the "Saint Hwang Luke Seok-du Foreign Mission Society." From now on the Saint Hwang Seok-du Like Foreign Mission Society will carry on the unfulfilled dream of the Maryknoll Society to evangelize in Asia. Also on this meaningful 100th anniversary of its foundation, two priests of our diocese have volunteered to evangelize in China and North Korea.

The Cheongju Diocese will not forget the contribution of the Maryknoll Society. We will make every effort to carry on its founding spirit and passion for evangelization. Again I congratulate Maryknoll on the 100th anniversary of its foundation, and I ask the mercy of God for the deceased Maryknoll missionaries, and I wish the Maryknoll Society the blessings and love of God.

A More Complete Examination of Conscience

2012-01-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

In all seasons in the Catholic churches of Korea you will see lines of people before the confessional, preparing for confession. The desk columnist of the Catholic Times reminds us how strange this would seem to unbelievers. It is one of the ways Catholics receive forgiveness after Baptism. He reminds us of the blessings of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Confessions of devotion are confessions in which Christians want to know themselves better, to open themselves up to the graces of the Sacrament, and to receive forgiveness for their small offenses. The confessions of obligation are made by those who have sinned in a serious way and want to return to the life of grace. At this time of the year you will find both lining up before the confessional. It is a desire to be reconciled with God, with others, and with oneself. A sacrament that gives joy and strength.

It is not the penance given that is the important part of the Sacrament but the sorrow for the sins in one's life. Without sorrow for the sins we have committed the Sacrament becomes a lie. To receive forgiveness in the Confessional is a great event and those who experience it know what is meant. He mentions that since Buddhism does not have any deity there is no forgiveness like a Catholic believes he receives in confession. Retribution will have to come for the offenses in this life.

There are those that look upon the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a rite of passage. This is not seeing the Sacrament correctly and is a good example of the way the political world chooses to uses the word confession. When the hard-earned tax money is stolen by politicians, there is the so-called general public confession, and the word Catholics use for indulgences is misused to mean forgiveness of sin as if all that is necessary is to receive a bill of forgiveness. The columnist mentions that we are all tired of hearing this when used in the media.

Confession has mostly dealt in the past with offenses against the love of God and neighbor. Is there now a need, the columnist asks, to include offenses against God's creation? He concludes by asking us to reflect on the ways we have done harm to God's creation, along with our usual examination of conscience we have been accustomed to doing in the past.This would be a great addition to our concerns for the New Year.

How to Live a Happy New Year

2012-01-01T00:05:00.000-08:00

A religious sister, a much-loved poet whose widely read books of poetry transcend all religious persuasions, writes in "Bible and Life" magazine about the art of seeing, hearing and speaking with more awareness. She has been fighting a battle with cancer which gives her words more meaning.

Though every moment has meaning, why do we usually come to this realization, she laments, only much later in life. In this coming New Year, she wants to 'read' every moment of every day and everyone she meets as if she were reading the Scriptures, as if life itself were a Lectio Divina.

She recalls the sensitivity of Mary at the feast of Cana, where the eyes of her heart could see quickly the need for more wine. The sister wishes to have the same sensitivity in seeing what is needed in any situation she is in, responding not out of frivolous curiosity but out of concern for the welfare of others.

Hearing is not less important than seeing, she says, and wants to be delivered from listening absentmindedly to others so that she can listen more attentively, as if the one talking were the only person in the world. But how many times, she wonders, is our listening done without attention and interest, a listening that can easily be interrupted by the ever-present hand phone. When she is not pleased with what she hears, she wants to show appropriate interest and not jump to conclusions or humiliate the other; she would like, instead, to bless and show the kindness of Jesus to the other. Remembering her own times of bullheadedness when she found it difficult to hear, she hopes to make amends and follow the advice of St. James, "Be quick to hear but slow to talk."

Sister tells us that in her purse she carries the Scriptures and a book of poetry. In the future, when traveling and meeting with others, she will take out the Scriptures or the book of poetry and ask if she could read some passages before the meeting, words that will give strength to the tired, help one grow in wisdom, and open us to graces. "Never let evil talk pass your lips; say only the good things you need to hear, things that will really help you" (Eph. 4:23).

She ends by praying that she not be taken up with her importance but be able to see the sadness and joy in her life objectively and to speak from there. On her pilgrimage to God, she wants to get rid of any lingering selfishness and live with love that will allow her to see, hear, and speak well. This is the way of the saints and the way we trust in the God within us. She wishes all a "Happy New Year."

Measuring Standard for Happiness

2011-12-31T00:05:00.000-08:00

Among the developed countries Korea is listed number one in the number of suicides of the young, and in the lowest rank in the subjective index for happiness.

These are the facts that begin an article on a priest's dissertation for his doctorate written up in the Catholic Times. The doctorate is on youth studies and the standard that determines the level of happiness of our young people and the theory behind its development.

Happiness is determined by external, internal and spiritual elements that are in harmonious balance, and the dissertation attempts to find tools and the theory that will help in their measurement. The desire of the priest is to help in the pastoral work with the young and in determining programs, policies and structures in working with the young.

Although it is a dissertation within the field of sociology, revelation, spirituality and other important elements have been considered, which gives meaning to those involved in the work with Catholic youth. In the dissertation, he expresses the feeling that there has been a blind spot in the examination of human existence on the part of many studies because they are limited by their sole interest on possessions, existence, pleasure, personal fulfillment and with the exclusion of the spiritual. We can, he says, distinguish the special qualities of our existence, but we cannot separate the spiritual, physical and mental and when we do we will not understand happiness.

The dissertation brings to the center for the measurements of happiness: achievement, relationships, life satisfaction, life's meaning and value, and the place of transcendence etc. in the construct.

In order to verify his conclusions he had a questionnaire answered by 1,275 of those in the 15-20 age group which gives credibility to the study. Max Weber many years before said we have "specialist without soul" it is this understanding that the dissertation tries to exemplify. It is this absence of the spiritual in our society that brings to the fore the unhappiness which we see all around us.

He hopes the thoughts he has worked with will help those working with the youth. The programs and structures should be helpful in having our young people realize their place among God's people and to dream of the liberation they have received.

As we begin the new year, St. Paul's counsel in Roman's (14:17) should be always with us: "The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking but of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit."

Difficulty in Letting Go

2011-12-30T00:05:00.000-08:00

On the spirituality page of the Catholic Times a priest, who recently moved from the center house of the order, writes about what he learned in the process of moving. Since the house was being remodeled after many years of use, he and his fellow priests had to move to other, smaller houses of the order. This required putting much of their belongings in boxes to store, and taking only what was necessary to the temporary home until they could move back to the center house.

The process of moving brought to his attention that he had acquired more possessions than he needed. He had entered the community with few possessions and with the intention of living a simple life. Now, after more than 20 years, he wonders when his way of thinking changed. In his room were too many things, many of them once considered important but now much less so. "Why in the world did he keep them?" he asked himself. What would his fellow priests think, if he died suddenly, and they saw all the unnecessary objects he had gathered over the years, besides the books. They would be tut-tutting among themselves, he was sure.

The answer to why he kept so many useless objects for so long seemed obvious to him now: they brought back fond memories, and the recurring thought that someday some of it might be needed. However, among his belongings, embarrassingly, were objects whose shelf-life in memory had long ago passed. And not only was there less space in his room to move around in, he laments, but he was sure his mind had also become narrower.

He wonders how much of this 'hoarding' had to do with what psychologists call the obsessive compulsion disorder. There are many with charisma, money and influence in society with this malady. But this was no consolation to him.

Since the New Year will soon be here, it would be a good time to give what we don't need to others who can use them. It would be a sign of our faith in a benevolent future. Giving away what we don't need now, we believe we will receive what is needed when it's needed. Letting go is a sign of our faith. What we let go of, we may come to realize we never needed.

Silence Please in the Public Square

2011-12-29T00:05:00.000-08:00

To what degree should Christians take an interest in the world? This is a question that many have difficulty with. One of the most influential and largest Korean dailies criticized the Catholic Church for getting involved in the things of the world. The caption for the editorial: "When religion takes an interest in the things of the world, this earthly religion will foster interference." The editorial was very critical of the Catholic bishops' Justice and Rights Committee.

Sad to say, this is not only the thinking of a secular newspaper but also the thinking of many of our Christians in Korea and in other parts of the Catholic World. It is difficult to understand how this thinking developed without blaming the Church for a lack of proper instruction on a very basic teaching of Christianity.

We are to be the salt of the earth, its light and yeast; and into this world we have been sent to be these things to each other. We are told in Philippians, "...so that nobody thinks of his own interests first, but everybody thinks of other people's interests, instead." In the Magnificat, the Church's evening prayer, Mary is shown to be very much interested in the goings-on in society. The words can even shock those who read them for the first time, and we know Mary is the model of what the Church should be.

Misunderstanding comes with a superficial knowledge of the meaning of the scriptural line, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's....," and thinking it implies the separation of Church and State. When religion is thought to be solely a private matter that should remain private, it can lead to a misunderstanding of what is meant by a legitimate separation of Church and State.

The editorial relied on a faulty understanding of the separation of Church and State when it blamed the Church for speaking out on social issues. It is this misunderstanding that is prevalent not only in society but also in Christianity. For many it is unpatriotic or illegal for a Church or an individual to express an opposing opinion publicly. It is seen by the editorial as telling non-Catholics, as well as Catholics, what to do with their life.

Like any individual or institution, the Catholic Church and its members have not only the right to participate in society but have a duty to participate. Korea is a democracy and all its citizens and institutions have a right to express their opinions. The Church and Catholics, therefore, also have this right when, following the teachings of the Church, they express their opinions, and to do so without facing efforts by government or the media to silence them. This allows others as well to have opposing opinions. When efforts are made to silence these legitimate expressions of opinions, it will impair all other efforts to develop a mature and informed society.

The Hard Decision of the Black Kite

2011-12-28T00:05:00.000-08:00

Korea has no serious problems with the changes that came with the Second Vatican Council. Most Catholics entered the Church after the Council was over. Few remember the Latin Mass or the liturgical life of the past. Nostalgia is not part of the thinking of our Catholics. The Society of Pius X (followers of Archbishop Lefebrev) has few members in Korea.

The desk columnist for the Catholic Times recalls that next year is the 50th anniversary of the start of the Second Vatican Council. This Council was the foundation on which the Church grew in Korea.

'Renewal' is the word that is often used when talking about the Council. Nowadays all of society is using the word renewal: you and I are to become 'renovated.' But the columnist is disturbed when the desire for renewal is used as a motivational tool to get us out of some crisis we are presently in. It should be much more than that, he says.

What is necessary is to know oneself. Knowing yourself, he says, is the beginning of change. Socrates knew he didn't know everything, which enabled him to search for wisdom.

For a Catholic, renovation comes, he says, when we desire to become more like Christ. It is the promise of Jesus and the Holy Spirit's presence in us that leads us to wisdom--the message of the Gospel. To be evangelized is the first duty of a Christian.

But what is self-evangelization? he asks. It is to become familiar with God's word in the Scriptures. Reading and study of the Scriptures is the first step in the change that will come.

The columnist uses an example that the internet has made popular but without any basis in fact. It probably goes back to Psalm 103: "Your youth is renewed like the eagle." Instead of the eagle, in Korean it is the black kite. The story is presented in video's and articles that try to inspire us to change in all facets of life. As a prod to change it may have some value even if not true. The story, briefly, is about a black kite with a life span of 40 years. To live to 70 it has to make a hard decision. At 40 its talons can no longer grab prey, its beak becomes bent, its feathers become thick and stick to the breast. It is faced with the option of dying or getting renewed. The renewal is painful, requiring that it break its beak against a rock, pluck out its talons and feathers, and wait for them to grow back; doing the difficult and painful thing, it lives another 30 years.

The columnist concludes the article by comparing our life with that of the black kite. It takes much more than just thinking about change to bring about change; it takes making some difficult decisions. If we are satisfied with the way things are, we will not mature and life will end in failure. Change requires effort and pain.

Being-Toward-Death

2011-12-27T00:05:00.000-08:00

The guest columnist in the Catholic Times discusses the play, "Killing Sisters," which tells the story, part documentary, of religious sisters who help patients die well, focusing on the hospice approach to death in Korea. Seeing the play made her uncomfortable, thinking about how most of us live our lives.

She thought of those who spend most of their time making money, yet without much thought of how it's to be spent. But when the end comes they often see their life differently and have remorse for the way they lived.

The hospice movement is intended to help those in their last days to face death in peace. And also to help their families accept the death of the loved one. In other countries 40 percent take advantage of hospice care; in Korea it is less than one percent.

She quotes Heidegger's "being-toward-death," as a way for us to be in the world and, guided by the awareness of death's on-going presence in life, to awaken to a more "authentic perception" of life. She feels that persons living today should have more of an experience of death than those in the past because of the many more deaths from accidents and from diseases such as cancer and AIDS. In the past, death was mostly associated with the old.

The play made her realize how oblivious we are of the death that awaits us, and also made her aware that many of us do not know who we are or how to live in a way that has value. We die without discovering who we are. At funerals we come face to face with death but usually deny or try not to think of death; this is not a healthy way to live. She quotes from Ecclesiastes (7:2): "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting." Not to reflect on this fact is to live like a fool. And from Hebrews (13:14): "For here we have no lasting city; we are seeking one which is to come." Every day, she says, we should have a thought about death and prepare for it.

Advent, she wants us to remember, was a period of waiting. We await Jesus liturgically, but we also become aware that there is an end to earthly life, and that there is a need to discover the real me, the whole me. That would be the best preparation for our last days on earth.

Drinking to Celebrate Christmas and New Year

2011-12-26T00:05:00.000-08:00

New year is a time to rejoice and celebrate. Parties, both at work and at churches, take for granted the presence of liquor. It's no longer news that Catholics do more drinking than all the other religious groups. This was made known a few years ago in a survey of the religions in Korea. The Peace Weekly, in an article and editorial, discusses the issue and gives some guidelines for a healthy culture of drinking.

The article mentions a couple of parishes that do not allow any drinking on their property; even with events, parties, parish excursions, or bazaars to help the poor, no liquor is seen. The editorial reminds us that Korea is number two in the consumption of liquor; loss to society from the consumption is astronomical.

It is not difficult to surmise what the men think of the parish ruling; the women are not generally adverse to it. The reason for the ruling is obvious: there were serious abuses, and it was an effort to bring the idea of temperance to the attention of all.

Often, after a meeting, the men go off property to drink, which would usually be a period of time much longer than the meeting itself. Not only do the middle aged men drink but also the young. Drinking among the young is not less than that done by the older groups, and many of the high school graduates say they learned how to drink in these groups. But many would also say it helped bring the different age groups together, making for camaraderie.

The Protestants have a reputation in Korea for not drinking or smoking, while the Catholics have a reputation for being very tolerant of drinking. The writer quotes a priest professor who mentioned a number of Scripture quotes that allow drinking, but there also are many that warn of the evil effects from liquor when over-indulged, drinking, he said, needs to be done in moderation.

There are parishes that, instead of drinking at meetings or other gatherings, provide either at the parish or in other areas cultural activities such as watching films, plays, and drinking tea or coffee. There are many who have difficulties in joining some of the parish groups because they don't drink, which is another issue. If the drinking could be limited to one glass, quoting one of the Christians, there would not be a problem.

He leaves us with the well-known phrase, "Too much of a good thing is bad." This applies especially, he feels, to the use of liquor, and adds, quoting from Sirach 31:28, "Joy of heart, good cheer and merriment are wine drunk freely at the proper time." When they are drunk to excess these good things become poison.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:05:00.000-08:00

Blessed Christmas! Today we reflect on the meaning of the day. In all the Christian churches throughout the world, we will hear explanations in different words of what Jesus means to us. One of the blogs on Christmas quoted St. Augustine: "Let us rejoice and give thanks that we have become not only Christians but Christ himself. Do you understand and grasp, brethren, God's grace toward us? Marvel and rejoice: we have become Christ."

We talk much of what Christ means in our life, but if we ask Catholics what model would they take in life to follow, rarely would you hear the name of Jesus. We have made him an object of our adoration, of our praise and piety--all right and good, but we have forgotten that we are born in baptism to become other Christs.

The words we know well, but it's a big leap for us to use them to motivate what we do in our lives. The emphasis is on God's graces, which may make us passive, just waiting for something to happen. Grace is also always moving us to act: study, listen, relate, love, serve---these things we often forget.

God came to earth so that we can partake of his divinity. And when we attend Mass we are reminded of the symbolism inherent in the celebration of the Mass. During the offertory, for example, when the water is mixed with the wine, we read: "By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity" (2 Peter 1-4). Similar symbolic language is present throughout the liturgy.

Today is our special feast day. We have been born to be other Christs and to follow his way of life. We all know this intellectually but, sadly, it is not part of our affective life.

Understanding the symbolism used by the Church, especially in the liturgy, brings greater depth to our Christian life but at times symbolism can be a stumbling block for the literal-minded person and an idol for the overly pious. However, symbolic language has a great deal to teach us; without it life would be very insipid. Can we image life without the handshake, bow, kiss, eating together, and without language itself, which of course is also symbolic. Catholics have also the Sacraments, which make us more aware that all of life is a symbol of God's love for us. Without the understanding of symbolism, some have maintained, the deeper dimensions of life cannot be understood and appreciated.

When we look at the crib(the trough) this year, let us direct our minds to look more deeply into its symbolism to appreciate fully what St. Luke wanted us to understand. Merry Christmas!

Magnanimity to Accept all that is True

2011-12-24T00:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas means a great deal to many of us; to others it is foolishness and a lie. Even the word Christmas for some Christians is an embarrassment, thus the now popular 'Season's Greetings.'

Some do not find 'Christmas' in the Scriptures and therefore reason enough to dispense with the word. The origin of the word, 'Mass of Christ,' also does not help matters. Others go back into history and are scandalized that the Catholic Church used the pagan feast of the Winter Solstice as the birthday of Jesus. The Church has no difficulty seeing this as a deliberate and legitimate 'baptism' of a pagan celebration.

Acculturating to a reality when it is teaching or enabling us to accept some truth is welcomed; truth is to be accepted wherever found. The Winter Solstice, when the days begin getting longer, had great meaning for the early Christians; for them, as for us, it was Jesus who was the light of the world.

Last week, Legion of Mary members were on retreat for three days, and heard talks on the Buddhist 'search for the ox'. These ten pictures are seen often on the walls of Buddhist main sermon halls. The members returned with leaflets with the ten colored pictures, which most Koreans would be familiar with. They do help a great deal in showing us the steps to moral growth.

The ten steps: 1)Searching for the bull, 2)Discovering footprints, 3)Seeing the bull, 4)Catching the bull, 5)Taming the bull, 6) Riding the bull home, 7)The bull is forgotten, the individual remains, 8)Both the bull and self transcended. 9) Reaching the source, 10)Going back to the market place, enlightened.

The Buddhists gave a Buddhist interpretation to the Taoist pictures; we Christians can give a Christian interpretation to the pictures. The retreat master using the same 10 pictures did just that. Each one of us can use them in anyway he wishes for his own spiritual growth.

Since true Buddhism is a natural religion without revelation the Catholic Encyclopedia reminds us: "In general, revealed religion does not reject natural religion and ethics, but rather adopts them in a higher form."

A common interpretation for the pictures would be the search for one's true self, the bull, the true self, is captured with difficulty, tamed, returning home on the bull, but the self and inner nature are still divided. You have the uniting of the two; the circle is arriving at pure light, total emptiness, which is fullness. Oneness with all nature and a return to daily life, enlightened.

Catholics should be small letter c-catholic in accepting truth wherever found that enables us to love God and our brothers and sisters. We have not always lived up to the saying attributed to St. Augustine: "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity." It's a sure way of being magnanimous in the way we look at the here and now.

All Depends on our Attitiude.

2011-12-23T00:05:00.001-08:00

Writing in his weekly column in the Catholic Times, the poet lets his thoughts play with the way God deals with his beloved creation. He sees the beauty and harmony in nature, the mountains, lakes, trees, flowers, the rice plants moving in the gentle breezes, and then he looks on the fishing village and sees the tsunami sweep away thousands into the sea.

Nature seems mysterious and unrevealing. Some are ready to stress the favorable, and others the unfavorable relationship between God and creation; sometimes it's benevolence and other times non-benevolence. Which one is the correct view? The relationship of heaven and earth is sometimes this and sometimes that. Can we call it fickle? A great abyss of separation?

Inanimate objects don't speak so we interpret. To interpret, according to the dictionary, means to explain and make objects known. Seemingly very easy to do, but when philosophers get involved it becomes complicated. It also has to do with our attitude towards the object. Whatever is received is received in the manner of the one receiving.

In prayer, God sometime gives what we want and other times not. How should we interpret this situation? The columnist gives us St. Paul's answer (1Thessalonians 5:16-18): "Be happy at all times; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to God because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus."

How many of us have this as a guide, a teaching or a goal in our lives? If we took this to heart, Paul reminds us, we would be persons of virtue, extraordinary human beings. Many times we pray and get the opposite of what we prayed for, which breeds resentment. But the answer, though not what we wanted, did come. Here, our attitude and free will come into play; we can accept the answer as being at this time the correct answer.

We learn early on that God's standards are not the same as ours. When we give thanks and have joy in all things, then we consider God's mercy and interpret all with thanks in our hearts. It all depends on our free will; that is why it is such a precious gift.

How Advent was Spent in Past Years

2011-12-22T00:05:00.000-08:00

Recently reported in the news was the generosity of an elderly man who put the equivalent of a hundred thousand dollars in the Salvation Army Red Kettle. The anonymous donor hoped the money would be used for underprivileged senior citizens. It was the single largest gift the Salvation Army has ever received in their Christmas campaigns in Korea since the campaigns began 83 years ago. There are warm lights aglow, a Catholic Times' writer tells us, in our sometimes cold world.

But he reminds us that in the Catholic world the warmth that came with the preparations for the big feasts in Korea has disappeared as older cultural ways have been replaced by newer ways. He goes on to explain that for a time in our Korean Catholic history, there were private meetings with all the Christians of the parish before the big feasts of Easter and Christmas. Priests would interview individual Catholics or entire families during the Advent preparation period to determine how well they knew the catechism; being able to answer correctly was a requirement in order to receive the sacraments on Christmas.

This custom began during the persecution of the Catholics. Fearful of living in large villages with non-Catholics, they gathered together in small hamlets, which in time became mission stations. Because there were few parishes and many mission stations, the priest would make the rounds of these stations to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments for the two big feasts. He would also check to see if they had been faithful in their prayer life, spiritual reading, and in the study of the catechism.

The visit of the priest at these mission stations would be reason enough for a holiday celebration. All would put on their best clothes and prepare holiday meals, and those who had left the village for work would return to celebrate the visit of the priest and to go to Mass. It was a joyous time even though the catechism exams did create some stress.

Usually, the family would appear before the priest, knowing before the visit what questions would be asked. If the children did not answer to the priest's satisfaction, their grandfathers and parents would be reprimanded. It would be hard to imagine this happening today, the writer said. The custom no longer exists and he laments the change. He believes that the difference it has made in the life of our Catholics has not been all for the good.

Taking the place of the oral exams in many parishes are written questions distributed to parishioners who are interested, and prizes are given to those who have the highest marks. All the burdens have been taken away. The parishes are much larger and the priests are busier, which is part of the reason for the change. And yet, there is something lost, he feels, in the disappearance of this tradition: perhaps less community involvement and less serious preparation for the big feasts of the Church.

Mission Stations In Korea

2011-12-21T00:05:00.000-08:00

Mission stations--areas of a parish without a priest living with the Christians-- are an important part of Korean Catholic history, with more than 800 mission stations currently established in the country. In the early days of Korean Catholicism most of the country would have been mission station territory, and the priest would come to visit once or twice a year.Today with good transportation the mission stations would have frequent visits, and many would be weekly visits. In some mission stations they would even have the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the chapels. The catechist in charge of the mission station would be responsible for the liturgy on Sundays and Holy Day's of Obligation, and if the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, also distribute communion.

A woman missioner, writing in the Incheon Diocesan Bulletin, gives her impressions of life in one of these mission stations when she served as the person responsible to the parish for the running of the station. A priest visiting the station asked her, "How long have you been here?" She answered, surprising herself with her answer, "20 years."

She was originally a Seoulite and lived the ordinary parish life when she met a young man who had graduated from the school of theology. After romance and marriage, they became a missionary team, living in a mission station far from any city, in the backwoods of Korea. And were soon to wake up from the dreams they had of the romantic rural life.

The first night they arrived at a place without a house. The Christians hastily found an empty room in the village to put their luggage. She was so upset by the situation, flustered and fearful, she wanted to return to Seoul. The room, having been empty for so long, had the smell of mold, dampness and tobacco; liquor bottles were strewn all over the floor. How was she to live in such a place? was the only thing she could think of. That night she cried, feeling resentment toward her husband, who expressed his sorrow for bringing her to such a place. That night she began to see what the life a missioner would be.

Missioner is still understood by most Koreans as foreigners working in the country. Lay persons doing missionary work are few; because they are so few, knowledge of them would be rare. She mentions a group of over 30 who have graduated from the Seoul Catholic School of Theology; they come together to encourage and to help each other.

Lay missioners do not have any security, official recognition, or status like the clergy or religious, for they take the work upon themselves. Wouldn't they be fools for Christ? she asks.

Most of these missioners worked in the remote areas of the country and in difficult surroundings. Today they are found in the cities, working among the poor in resettlement areas and welfare facilities.

An epilogue would not be out of place here explaining the difficulties that lay missioners, like our husband and wife team, have had in Korea because of the status of clergy and religious sisters in the country. Our lay missioner was too kind to mention that the lack of preparation at the mission station was possibly due to the unwelcoming mindset of the Christians there. Often, after the mission station has been run for many years internally, there will be resistance to the arrival of an outsider taking charge. Change from the benign control of the pastor to the daily hands-on control of lay missioners is no easy transition for many to accept.

Family Culture

2011-12-20T00:05:00.000-08:00

Writing in the Diocesan Bulletin, the director of the Family Cultural Center in the city of Incheon says that the name of the Center does not make clear what she is doing. Consequently she is always ready to answer the question, what do you do? by replying that family culture is a way of keeping some of the values of the extended family alive in the nuclear family.

Now that Korea has settled into a 5-day work week, the word 'leisure' has entered the daily vocabulary, and an attempt is being made to have harmonious relationships between work, leisure, and family.

She asks, what do families spend most of their time doing? In one survey, watching TV was first, and for the last ten years nothing has changed. When she asks for the reasons, she is told that it's because of work and fatigue, and because most families are not familiar with anything else. The dictionary meaning for 'family leisure' would be that the family as a unit uses leisure time to communicate with one another: father, mother and children reacting to the needs and wants of each other. Communicating with the TV would not be an acceptable option.

She gives the example of a family getting together on a spring day. They prepare together the rice balls for the picnic, bake the cake together, but just not any cake; it is a cake with the face of a bear, and all participate in trying to make it a masterpiece. Another good way of bringing families together: Camping together and volunteering as a family for some Church or community function.

The more we relate with one another, she says, the more opportunities we will have to bring about intimacy, communication and bonding at a different level. Parents are always trying to find something that will fit the level of where the children are, and this interrelating will help them to grow in virtue and emotional maturity, especially today when studies play too prominent a role in the lives of Korean children.

To strengthen family ties that are getting weaker, she recommends that families have a weekly family day in order to spend more time together. It could be anything; going to a movie or museum would be enough. We have children addicted to video games, staying by themselves as latchkey children, being bullied, and many other ways that society is playing havoc on children's emotional maturity. She recommends that parents take a cue from the Christmas scene, and use a blanket to keep the family members warm, together.

Inculturation and Evangelization

2011-12-19T00:05:00.000-08:00

A research institute here in Korea had an academic meeting on evangelization and inculturation in China, Japan and Korea. The Peace Weekly gave a brief summary of the meeting.

Priest-professor from China said that China continues to work to reform and be open. The issue of religious freedom remains about the same, with the government still in control. The rapid economic development of China has widened the gap between rich and poor, giving rise to corruption and many other harmful side effects. Unfortunately, these are also seen within the church.

In many areas of the country, the Church functions differently. In some areas preaching is allowed even in the streets; in some farming areas they can have processions once or twice a year; in certain dioceses the young are volunteering for church work; and in other areas you are not allowed to do anything outside the church building.

Progress of the Church in China will depend on bishops and priests taking a more active part in evangelization; the Christians have to be awakened to become more active; the different groups in the parishes have to get involved in their work so the surrounding society will take notice; and the Church has to become more involved in helping the poor in society.

The professor from Japan said that the Church in Japan is not expected to grow very much. The structures of Shintoism and esoteric Buddhism permeate all society. Catholicism is seen as a cult, and as a foreign religion.

Traditional Japanese see it as something outside their world of interest, and many have a negative feeling toward all religions, seeing them as aggressive and corrupt, and using brainwashing techniques to gain members, according to the professor.

Acculturating, making use of the Japanese culture, and having a non-verbal approach to evangelizing is what is demanded. Although the Catholic presence in the country is weak, we will have in ten years a Japanese theology. But 30 years from now no one knows what the situation will be--the Church may even be extinct in the country.

In Korea, the priest-professor mentions some of the problems facing the Church: Authoritarianism of the leaders in the church; large parishes and little contact with the Christians; poverty of the spiritual life, lack of inner maturity making for non-practicing Christians; the alienation of the poor; the lack of efforts in inculturation and the emphasis on getting more people into the church and not enough concern for the evangelization process. The we-can-do-mentality is in vogue; it is more important than making plans and study. Evangelization means to give the message to others but there is also the personal evangelization of the self. There is a need for an integral harmony in evangelizing, sharing not only material goods but the spiritual gifts as well.

Doing More Important than Saying

2011-12-18T00:05:00.001-08:00

After Vatican II, educational visual aids were disseminated to the parishes to educate the Christians on some of the changes that were proposed by the Council. We are all familiar with the pyramid and circle symbolism; pyramids denote structure and circles community. Lay people "not only belong to the Church but are the Church, under the leadership of the Pope and bishops" (Pope John Paul).

Here in Korea one particular visual aid was a wagon that was being pulled by the bishops and clergy, and pushed by the sisters while the lay people were on the wagon, singing and praying. It was a dig at the situation in the church. This was mentioned in an article for priests in a pastoral bulletin.

Lay people have been generally seen as objects of pastoral care by the leaders in the Church and not as fellow workers in the vineyard. This has reduced lay people, in many cases, to a passive role in the Church. Pope John Paul II said, in his Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful: "In particular, two temptations can be cited which they have not always known how to avoid: the temptation of being so strongly interested in Church services and tasks that some fail to become actively engaged in their responsibilities in the professional, social, cultural and political world; and the temptation of legitimizing the unwarranted separation of faith from life, that is, a separation of the Gospel's acceptance from the actual living of the Gospel in various situations in the world."

Much of what we read and hear today concerning spirituality has to do with behavioral and affective approaches to truth. We know that many of us Christians do not behave any differently from those who do not believe. Many have been exposed to the Christianizing process but are not interested enough in applying it in our daily lives; they have everything but the heart for the work.

The article mentions the need for the ministerial priesthood to work together with the priesthood of the faithful. The layperson's vocation is to the world, to live in it, and to work for its sanctification. The lay people are on the front lines and the ministerial priesthood are there to educate, encourage, inspire, give meaning to their work and help them participate in the work, joyfully and with a sense of mission.

When the ministerial priesthood and the priesthood of all the laity work together in communion then we are a true sign of the oneness that we are in Christ. This sign is not readily seen so it will be the way we live this in our lives that will be the message that is conveyed--working together as equals, in community, to carry our Christ's mission that was entrusted to the first community. Working together is the message that we have been called to give. Isn't it more important than what we have to say?

Unmarried Mothers

2011-12-17T00:05:00.000-08:00

Incheon, like many other dioceses, has a home for unmarried mothers. The sister in charge of the home told the Peace Weekly, in a recent interview, that over half of the 20 soon-to-be-mothers are in their teens. In their early pregnancy, they had been told by many that if they have an abortion, all will return to normal, a clear example of the cruelty and coolness of society toward unmarried mothers. There is nobody to rejoice with them, she said, on becoming mothers.

These young mothers, at great cost to themselves, have chosen to be mothers, leaving behind all other concerns. One mother, brushing tears from her eyes, said her mother wanted her to abort, but remembering her first year in high school when she saw a video of an abortion, she decided she didn't want anything to do with that. She is very happy with her decision.

Sister says that their work at the home is to help the girls with healing and reconciliation so they will be able to greet the baby with joy in their hearts. Before coming to the home these girls had to deal with conflict, pain, and many emotional scars, which the sister hopes, with much counseling, to heal.

The home has received permission to serve as an alternative school, and there are mothers who are taking the middle and high school courses; two mothers even took the college entrance exams and are waiting for the results.
The sister mentions how depressed these girls were on coming to the home. Many had a sense of guilt, fear, embarrassment, anxiety, and a concern for the future. The sisters at the home work to change these thoughts.

The sister mentions that when they see the tears of these mothers, they feel both sorrow and pride, knowing that they have helped make a difference in their lives. And it's not uncommon to have the boy who abandoned the girl, and the family of the girl, come to the home asking for forgiveness for the way the girls had been treated.

A few years ago the average age of unmarried mothers was in the twenties; now most are in their teens. It is difficult to find where the necessary sex education is being given; it's mostly limited to information on contraception. And praise for the unmarried mothers is rare; blame is all that is heard.

Sister knows that society doesn't change overnight but she hopes there will come a time for praising these girls who had an easy way presented to them but, wanting to do what was morally right, refused to take the easy way out.

Supremacy of External Appearance

2011-12-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

Judging a Person's Worth by External Appearance: Societal enticements for cosmetic surgery was the headline for an article on the current fascination of many in our society for artificially enhanced personal appearance.

Now that the college entrance exams are over, not a few students are pestering their parents for the opportunity to improve their appearance. Inner beauty is put on the back burner while all of society seems to be stressing the importance of external beauty. The writer, a professor of ethics, looks at this issue from a gospel perspective.

Cosmetic surgery is setting down deep roots in society: loftier nose, bigger eyes, getting rid of the second eyelid and much else. In recent years, middle and high school students who look forward to the possibility of cosmetic surgery in the future has increased by almost 10 percent. And it is not only limited to the young; the older generation is interested as well: getting rid of wrinkles with face-lifts, and whatever else will give the appearance of youth. The professor wonders whether reports of those who have died from cosmetic surgery will put a damper on this excessive and often frivolous use of surgery.

The mass media continues to present programs that highlight what has been done with cosmetic surgery. Those who have doll-like looks are the idols of our society. Those who feel they are unattractive, seeing these programs, often become envious of those with the doll-like faces and are tempted to take the same steps. Society is believed to be recommending the step: Isn't it a virtue to have others look at the beautiful! is a sentiment many believe to be true.

How are we as Christians to respond to what is happening? The professor said humanity's first sin was to see reality differently from the way God saw it. Instead of believing what God said, they were more interested in what looked good.

Psychology, the professor says, gives us ample proof that our desires are only temporarily assuaged by surgery or by any external change. A lack of self-worth is what prompts us to fill this lack by changing our outward appearance.

Society is telling us, many believe, that the competition with others is making this excessive concern with external appearance necessary. Another mental health professor says it is often those that did not receive affirmation from family and friends who will want to achieve self-worth by external means.

He concludes the article by enumerating what is necessary to change our society's fixation on the externals of life. Don't judge others by appearances; respect yourself and see yourself positively; be quick to criticize programs that overly stress the beauty of the body.

And don't be taken in by the superficial standards of society, but teach children to see their worth as God's children. Stress the inner beauty of each child. God made us in his image, and this image is not the external one.

Sugar Coated Poison

2011-12-15T00:05:00.000-08:00

The Catholic Times' writer on spirituality recalls walking passed a high school and seeing over the main gate a placard with the name of a student and the college he will be entering. The writer surmises it was big news for the community to have a student from the high school accepted in one of the country's top colleges.

More significant, he thought, than placing a placard at the entrance to the school, strange as that may seem, would be asking how much discussion went into the decision and whether any consideration was given to some of the possible results of labeling a student in such a manner; and did they also consider, he wonders, what the other students in his class might make of this singling out of this one student?

The writer, a priest, who worked in a mental hospital for many years, remembers a young man he came to know many years before. He was very talented and had his own placard when he graduated from high school. He attended one of the top colleges, and in his third year decided to leave and follow another dream. He wanted to get rid of the pressure he experienced from the many years of study.

However, when he left college, he couldn't forget the past and the 'placard of success' the sugar covered poison from his high school. He had difficulty sleeping, becoming restless and irritated, acting strangely and talking gibberish; he soon was admitted to a mental hospital.

The priest had many talks with the young man during his period of recovery; the young man was finding it difficult to adapt to every day life. He couldn't forget the expectations family and friends had for him. The placard over the gate of his high school was determining his life; it was a mold that all his expectations were being forced into. And knowing he was also at fault made it all the harder for him to accept.

He concludes his column with the columnist's own reflections. Don't, he says, put students into a mold and make them follow what first-class colleges and departments want for their students. Let them dream. Don't let one exam determine how a person is to live his life. Discard words like first-class colleges and first-class departments. His own dream is to see a day that not all have to follow their strong points to the detriment of a healthy and rewarding life in society.

Not Art for Art's Sake

2011-12-14T00:05:00.000-08:00

"Art today is not just something to look at but has a mission to perform not much different from the mission of the Church." These are the words of the rector of the Incheon Catholic University of Art and Design in an interview with the Catholic Times. He says the school's mission is to form persons who will use their artistic talents to influence the culture of Catholicism; it will be a tool that can be used for evangelizing, by sending out into the world those that have been formed with this vision.

When this profound message is missing from Church art, we have a diminishment in quality. We need artists who have grafted religion and art in a way that can inspire and transmit the Christian message. In our world, it is necessary to break down the walls between disciplines so students are free to study what they want.

The place of art in the culture of a society is important in the way religion will be seen. The Church needs to have a new understanding of the rightful place of art and culture in our lives. Diversity is a necessary ingredient in a fulfilled life. If this is not experienced, we will have impediments to religion, art and culture, and we will not be able to form mature artists. The rector said that in Germany, all have an opportunity to participate in the creating and selecting of religious articles and religious art.

The interviewer asked the rector what was the reason the University failed to get a good evaluation from the government. He said it was the result of the way the government appraises universities, considering all universities as places to educate for employment, comparing the Catholic University of Art and Design with other universities, using the same standard. Since their University does not have all the allowable seats taken, and many of their graduates were unemployed, this was seen as a negative in the evaluation.

The rector is committee chairman for the policies of the combined art schools, and will make his suggestions known. At present, the foundational studies for an integral education are widely being discarded in schools throughout the country, but in the Catholic University the basic humanity courses, as well as others necessary in preparing for a career in the art world, are taken seriously.

Catholic University started 15 years ago and has grown rapidly. In the country, it is considered third in visual arts and fifth in pure art. The aim of the school is the formation of artists who have a message to give, not the once popular idea of art for art's sake.

Need to Lower Expectations

2011-12-13T00:05:00.001-08:00

A secular paper carried the story of a priest of the Seoul diocese who spent his life working for the poor in different countries of the world and finally ended up seriously depressed and living with his sister.

A journalist, a woman young enough to be his granddaughter, interviewed him for the paper.
At one point during the interview, he said, "It's strange to have a priest with depression isn't it? Well, I have all my life worried about money, and that stress put me here."

His father, a wealthy and prominent Catholic doctor, was hoping to be working in a hospital with his sons. The first son did become a doctor and the second son started off in Seoul University Medical School but after two years dropped out to enter the seminary. His son's decision to leave medical school so angered the father that he turned away from the Church for a few years. But not entirely giving up hope, the father secretly had the medical school consider his son on a leave of absence. While the son was in the seminary, the rector heard about his problem in deciding between medicine and the priesthood and told him to go on for a medical degree, and return to the seminary to become a priest-doctor working for the poor. Which he did and was ordained a priest, spending 10 years working for the poor in a refugee area of Seoul while teaching in the Catholic Medical School.

In 1987, he left Korea to go to South American and ended up working in one of the poorest areas of Ecuador. He returned to Korea and sold all his possessions to help in the medical work. From Ecuador, he went to Africa and a number of other areas where they needed medical help. During all this time money was necessary to form medical teams to continue the work for the poor without any burden on them. This was a great drain on him and a reason for much of his stress.

Returning to Korea near his 70th birthday, he had difficulty eating and sleeping. He found it even difficult to face his priest friends and went to the home of his youngest sister to live. There he would spend hours looking out into space. The sister made efforts to have him see a doctor, but his answer was always: "this is the will of God." He knew his problem for his symptoms were the classical ones for depression in all the medical books. He didn't want to face the facts. But his sister convinced him to swallow his pride and see a doctor. Which he did.

He was told the stress in raising money and overwork brought about his depression. His condition has improved greatly and he is already planning to continue his medical work for the poor. This is part of the reason he agreed to the interview and is hoping to have enough money to continue his work.

This is a good example for us to ponder on what faces many in living up to their ideals. Many have great expectations but are not sufficiently prepared to carry out what they envision. Some are able to maneuver within the situation while others are overcome by it; their dreams being bigger than what they are able to handle, there often is a breakdown of health, either physical or mental. We sometimes hear, spoken in jest, "Keep your expectations low and be an overachiever." Though there may be some truth expressed here, which will motivate some, others may find that having realistic expectations will ultimately be more satisfying.

Physically Disabled in the Church

2011-12-12T00:05:00.001-08:00

The chairman for the United Handicapped Groups in the Incheon diocese, in his interview with the Catholic Times,says that church facilities for handicapped have improved a lot, but we still have discrimination toward those who are disabled.

From the age of four, the chairman has not been able to walk because of infantile paralysis. After many operations and therapy, and with the aid of crutches, he walks but with difficulty. He has received second level government recognition as a craftsman in precious metals and is working as a dental technician, but is still aware of being discriminated against, he says, both in society and in the church.

In the past, when facilities for the handicapped were rare, it was difficult for the handicapped to go to Mass. However, when a person with disabilities was seen standing before the stairs leading to the church, there would usually be some Christian there asking if they could help; now it is rare that someone would approach them, asking to help.

In the early days when there was no help from the diocese, the different groups of the disabled in the diocese would go to the parishes to sell tickets for their plays and events. There would be those who would be helpful but many who would look at us coolly, the chairman recalls. Now, with the financial aid from the diocese, he went on to explain, we have the necessary funds to have our events, but when we go to the different parishes to announce our programs, the priests and office-help find it difficult to react naturally with us, and sometimes refuse to make our programs known to the Christians.

Since 1998, all new buildings must have facilities for the handicapped. This has made a big difference but the deaf and blind still need help to participate in the sacramental life of the church. At Mass, the handicapped usually sit up front. For some of the handicapped it is necessary that they have help at the offertory and at communion; without the help, they are lost on what to do.

With the proliferation of facilities for the handicapped, he tactfully observed, this should cause a change in the care for the disabled within the Church, adding that he hopes the disabled Christians will be more active in approaching, with respect and love, other members of the community, as Jesus did when with us on earth.

"Life is the Here and Now"

2011-12-11T00:05:00.000-08:00

Columnist in the Catholic Times in his 'semitransparent notes on life, reflects, now in his early eighties, on what he would say if asked, "what is human life?" His answer: "Life is the here and now." Even if, he goes on to say, the place and time will never be repeated, the here and now can always be experienced.

For us who have lived through the important places and times of our lives: infancy, adolescence, middle years, and now old age, it is not meaningful to ask what was the best. However, it is naturally thought that the youthful years were the best. He reminds us of Hesse's novel Youth, Beautiful Youth which gives us this view of life. Even more so the sculptor Auguste Rodin, who extolled youth; for him this was the time to enjoy life: romance, feasting, adventure, physical vigor, dreams, and the like.

However, our writer for the Catholic Times returns to the here and now, which for him is the important place and time on life's journey. But there is no absolute standard of judging this place and time, he says. As our inner life continues to change, it tends to bring lasting changes into our lives as well.

The columnist looks at a picture of his years in kindergarten; obviously the same person but hardly recognizable. The movement of life has been one of continuation and non-continuation. If we had a graph of the time from infancy to old age, he claims that the middle years would stand out like some mountain top. However, it would not be difficult to see the similarities of the first and last stages in life.

Both in the early and later years one cannot go it alone. Someone has to be there to help. And life becomes simpler. We cannot go after the competitive goals of life, and sex is something no longer of interest if we are old, or not yet of interest if we are infants. Comparing ourselves with others has ceased to be important or not yet entered our awareness. Overall, life tends to become orderly.

In conclusion, the writer reflects on his 80th birthday party, during which he said he is now entering his best years. He made the remark, he said, without thinking but in retrospect, he believes it to be accurate. He considers every day important, and lets distracting thoughts go by the wayside; it was this feeling he was expressing. He now experiences a peace he did not know when young; each day is filled with joy. It is like a three-part harmony: memories, joys and sorrows--and the melody, life. And it's beautiful.

Human Rights Day 2011

2011-12-10T00:05:00.000-08:00

Today, Dec. 10, is Human Rights Day. The day the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." This first article of the declaration sounds as if it were taken from the Bible.

Throughout the country this week, the Catholic Church, in its many parishes and institutions, has examined the social teachings of the Church. Many will hear a review of Catholic Korean history concerning human rights, and specifically about an incident that happened in a small country parish on an island in Incheon during the 1960s.

The Young Catholic Workers Movement (JOC) was started in this country parish in 1965 by the Maryknoll priest-pastor. Many of the members worked in the textile factory on the island. Because of their membership in the JOC movement, they were sensitive to the human rights abuses they experienced and decided to start a labor union within the factory; management was opposed and the young workers were fired. About 30 Catholics were detained at the police station, and the pastor was threatened by the president of the company, government officials, and the police. No Catholics, it was decided, would be hired in the future.

The president of the JOC was the bishop of Masan, who at that time was Bishop Stephen Kim, later to become the cardinal-archbishop of Seoul. He strongly backed the workers, and Bishop McNaughton of Incheon also proclaimed the right of the workers to unite. This response to the incident in Kangwha, the first formal declaration of the Bishops Conference on a societal issue, marked the official entrance of the Church into the problems of society. The company did rescind its order and rehired the workers and all, at least temporarily, returned to normal.

Some years later, another Maryknoller was forced to leave the country because of his involvement with a so-called spy conspiracy plot by the members of the Peoples' Revolutionary Party, who were considered communist spies. They were arrested and quickly executed. The Maryknoll priest very vocally sided with these men and was forced to leave the country. However, with the change in the political climate of Korea, many years later he was invited back with a hero's welcome and invited to the Blue House by the president. The eight men who were executed were later declared innocent, and their families given a large sum of money in reparation.

Many of the very visible problems concerning human rights violations have been solved to a large extent in Korea, and past history will be part of the education for the future. The Church hopes the consciousness-raising during this week of proclaiming the social teachings of the Church will help to open the eyes of our Catholics to an important teaching that many still are not sufficiently aware of. It will give added meaning to the first article in the Declaration of Human Rights.

Steps to Self-actualization

2011-12-09T00:05:00.000-08:00

On the opinion page of the Catholic Times, the columnist brings up Abraham Maslow, the psychologist who made us aware of what he called the hierarchy of needs. The title of his opinion piece is "For what does one live?"

The first need, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, is for physiological, biological fulfillment: food, clothing, shelter and sex. Food is not everything, but without it nothing else matters.

The second need is safety. When the physiological needs are filled, we then look for security. But this also is not enough and there is a search for love and belonging. Since this also does not fully satisfy there is the search for esteem or self-worth. Here, we have the desire, according to our columnist, for recognition, feeling of superiority over others, confidence in one's capabilities, search for status, fame, and the desire for a good reputation, to receive rewards and to control others.

However, here again a person is not completely satisfied. So we go to the last level, which is self-actualization, which Maslow also called 'growth motivation.' The columnist feels this is where God has an important part to play in the self-actualization process.

This does not mean that each person has to follow these steps to self-actualization. Gandhi, the columnist argues, did not follow the usual steps, as many others did not, but he feels this is not how it's commonly done.

The columnist mentions that he has heard of many who have made a name for themselves in life, but when death comes they look back and wonder what they did with their life that could have been done better,expressing remorse for not having lived a more fulfilling life.The desire later in life for self-examination often leaves many with a feeling of dissatisfaction. But many reach the 4th level of needs and rest there, content to enjoy the pleasures of life and indulge one's self-importance.

In the fifth level, self-actualization, the columnist says we should not underestimate the part of religion in reaching this level and going beyond it. It is in the here and now, in the place where we find ourselves, that we realize our ideals. This is not to impress others or be acknowledged by others, but to satisfy our own need for personal growth.

He ends the article with the Genesis story of Joesph and his growth from a selfish young man to a person that could forgive and overcome all he had endured in the past. Helped by the grace of God, he had become a self-actualized human being.

Caritas Internationalis-Korea Group Meeting

2011-12-08T00:05:00.000-08:00

Caritas Internationalis - Korea Country Group Meeting

5 December 2011, Seoul

Statement

Caritas Internationalis member organizations gathered today in Seoul, South Korea, to promote a better understanding of the current situation in North Korea and to discuss the directions and strategies for its future program there. On behalf of the participants of the 2011 Seoul Meeting, we express concern about the dire situation that many North Korean people are facing and the tense atmosphere between North and South Korea and make the following statement:

1. Foster peace on the Korean Peninsula

The increasingly tense relationship over the years between North and South Korea stems from mutual distrust and nationalism, and it has led to an unproductive arms race on the Korean Peninsula. This situation causes deeper wounds between the people and increases distrust and anxiety about future armed provocations. Caritas calls on all to resolve the tensions between the two Koreas in the spirit of Christ’s Peace and to seek a path to coexist and harmonize. In addition, Caritas calls on all to engage in an authentic dialogue leading to practical outcomes that improve the quality of life for the North Korean people.

2. Continue humanitarian assistance to North Korea

The North Korean people who are suffering from a lack of food and medical services must not be victims of these tensions. Caritas Internationalis has, for the last 16 years, carried out humanitarian assistance programs to support vulnerable North Koreans, especially children, the elderly, and pregnant women. This humanitarian assistance must continue without conditions and evolve into longer-term development programs based on mutual trust and cooperation.

3. Strengthen cooperation and solidarity

On behalf of Caritas Internationalis, we express our deep gratitude to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea for their decision to make their support for North Korea more intensive and efficient by unifying under Caritas Korea the programs of various Catholic organizations, including the National Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People, the Catholic Medical Association of Korea and other organizations. Caritas Korea, the facilitating partner of Caritas Internationalis’ programs in North Korea, works in solidarity with 164 global member organizations. Together, we commit to continue to express solidarity and cooperation through moral, financial and technical support for sustainable social development especially in the area of health, agriculture and food security programs

Michel Roy

Secretary General, Caritas Internationalis

Danse Macabre

2011-12-07T00:05:00.000-08:00

The Dance of Death--Danse Macabre--from the middle ages was the subject of the Culture of Life column in the Catholic Peace Weekly. Pictures were included that personified death dancing with the Christians, death giving no warning and in an instant becoming the partner in the dance.

The many epidemics of the middle ages helped people see death as always imminent, and very much influencing the culture at that time. This Dance of Death was most often seen in the morality plays and in the visual art of the middle ages. It was also an attempt to see death in a positive way and to prepare us to meet it. Taking no notice of anyone's social status, it shows us the emptiness of life and the impermanence of personal achievements.

What is unique in this dance of death, as performed in the middle ages, is that death is the only one dancing. The living stand by stiffly or turn away from death in silence, refusing obstinately death's summons to join in the dance. The lesson? Be prepared for death.

These portrayals of death were usually in churches, monasteries or cemeteries. They begin with scenes that show the inevitability of death and its inclusiveness--not even the most fortunate among us is spared. And at the end we are shown the dead who are saved, dancing with the angels. Death is in God's plan and for believers filled with meaning.

It all begins at birth and ends with death, which completes life's journey. Death signals the attaining of our goal and the realization of life's meaning and hope.
Though meant for all, death is experienced individually; it's a special time, the conclusion of our earthy life. In life we have all types of hopes but the hope that we have facing death transcends all these hopes and is the ultimate hope, the hope to be one with Christ in his resurrection. Death is not the last reality, although this is how it is seen by many, but rather the opening to a new, fuller life, consequently there is no place for despair, but a time for grace and joy.

Older Koreans had an easier way with death for they spent many hours at the cemetery each year and remembered the dead on their big holidays. As was true in other traditional cultures, death was close at hand for them. With the change to a more modern lifestyle, death is masked,pushed out of consciousness, and we tend to lose sight of death as our on-going 'silent' partner in life, whose presence should remind us of life's more enduring values that await us after death.

Unemployment and College Education

2011-12-06T00:05:00.000-08:00

Many young college graduates in Korea are now unable to find work. The bishop writing for the Catholic Times on economic problems in society discusses this serious problem. Judging from the coverage it's receiving from the mass media, it's not difficult to surmise that it's not only a present problem but one that will influence the future of Korea.

In the past, the problem existed, but today we have the colleges trying to help the students to study with an eye on their future work. Consequently, learning has taken second place to finding a job. Colleges are rated on the number they have that are able to find work.

In 2011, 83 percent of students graduating from high school went on to college, a figure you would not see in the developed countries of the world. But business enterprises in Korea do not need more college graduates; more jobs are needed, which will require the unified efforts of government, society and the business enterprises.

Government and politicians alone will not solve the problem. In fact, the bishop mentions government as being partly responsible for the problem by giving permission during the past 10 years for establishing more than 90 new colleges. Though the opening of so many colleges can be seen as a successful development, the supply of qualified job applicants has outstripped demand, and we are seeing the unfortunate results: decrease in pay, internship contracts, short-term contracts, and even, according to some, young people not caring to work for the small and medium-sized businesses.

When the needs of the market decide what will be taught in colleges, another unfortunate result--regrettably overlooked by many--is less interest in the search for truth.

If this concern for finding employment continues to trump our search for truth, leading inevitably to more specialization in the classroom, it will not bode well for the future of the country. When the need to learn the fundamental truths of life takes second place to financial profits and status in society, the foundation of society, which is sustained by these basic truths, will crumble. We will forget the truths founded in God of conscience and morality and, instead, become players in a game of monopoly where everyone loses no matter how large the bank account. As Christians we must do what we can to see that this does not happen.

Week Devoted to the Social Teaching of the Church

2011-12-05T00:05:00.000-08:00

'Good body', 'nice face', 'very classy' are words that have become popular and are used often by our comedians--a sign of the 'supremacy', some would say, of outward appearance. "When the face is pretty, all is forgiven" is said not entirely in jest--the importance of physical appearance is a reality in our society--these words have been chosen to introduce the book on the social teaching of the Church, issued by the Seoul Diocese.

However, this is not the way we as Christians should judge outward appearance. We have to rise up against this way of thinking. Seeing reality in this way goes contrary to the will of God. In Sirach 11:2, we read, "Praise not a man for his looks; despise not a man for his appearance." The effort to change this way of thinking is making itself felt with the bishops' decision to include in the Church calendar "Social Teaching Week," following Human Rights Sunday.

Both Catholic weeklies gave Human Rights Sunday and the following week a great deal of space. and were written up in the editorials of both papers. It will be the 30th Human Rights Sunday, but the first week devoted to inculcating in a formal way the teachings of the social Gospel within the liturgical year. Effort is being made to see the different aspects of our life: political, financial, human rights, labor, and so on, in the light of the Gospel and to examine and see what is our response.

The bishop responsible for the Justice and Peace Committee of the Conference writes in his message for Human Rights Sunday that the sudden change to an industrialized culture has brought to the fore the importance of money and the ever-present competition in society. Money, power and honors now precede dignity and life. The weak of society are losing hope, and gloom is spreading.

The effort of the Church is to shine the light of the Gospel into the dark places of the society we have made, to emphasize the law of nature impressed on our conscience, and to bring to our attention the life of virtue, justice and the common good that will inspire us to look for a fuller development of our humanity.

It is hoped that those who have found this way of thinking not to their liking will come to a different understanding with the exposure to this teaching. The bishop quotes from the canon law of the Church (#747): "The Church has the right always and everywhere to proclaim moral principles, even concerning the social order, and to make judgments about any human matter in so far as this is required by fundamental human rights or the salvation of souls."

Because of the way the Church is involved in society, it is hoped that the action of the bishops will help clear up misunderstandings about the social teaching of the Church, and lessen the friction among Catholics in this importance part of the Gospel message. It is also hoped that it will give life and meaning to our call to be the light and salt of the earth.

Human Rights Sunday

2011-12-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

The second week of Advent is Human Rights Sunday, followed by a week of teaching on the Social Gospel of the Church. Writing in the Catholic Times, the director of the Bishops Office on Justice and Peace delves into history to remind us of why we have a Human Rights Sunday.

18th century Europe saw the beginning of the Industrial Revolution that brought into the lives of workers many unwelcomed changes: unsanitary and dangerous working conditions, low pay, long hours, crammed back to back shoddy housing near the factories, which led to the spread of disease.

The Catholic Church, in the middle of the 1800s, began to take an interest in the plight of these workers, first in Germany and then in England and the United States. To address the issue, Pope Leo XIII, in 1891 wrote the encyclical Rerum Novarum (New Conditions). This was the first encyclical dealing with social doctrine. It focused on the dignity of the workers, their right to organize and receive a just salary, the duty of the government to protect workers as well as to protect private property, and to ensure the harmony between the different classes in society.

Catholic social doctrine has also influenced the Church of Korea. In 1960 we had the labor movement; in the 70s and 80s, the opposition to the military dictatorship and the movement for democracy. Cardinal Kim's influential support for human dignity and freedom were instrumental in receiving for the Church much good will from society. In the 90s, however, outside of abortion and culture of life issues, the Church has been rather hesitant in promoting human rights issues.

This is changing; with the lead of the bishops, we have seen Church-backed opposition to the 4-River Project, the naval base in Cheju-do and the nuclear power plant.

These issues have added to the polarization of the progressive and conservative groups in society.Some Catholics choose to ignore the bishops' directions, and prefer to hold on to the beliefs of the social strata they belong to, and the benefits that come with it. The Church is not interested in the partisan concerns of society but in truth, love, justice and peace--goals that should motivate all Catholics.

The Bishops Justice and Peace director hopes that Catholics will become better informed on the teachings of the social doctrine, enabling them to become the salt and light of society. If Catholics are only interested in comfort and material blessings the Church will have a difficult time in being true to the mission it has received from Christ.

Persistent Patriot-- Dr. Park Byeong Seon

2011-12-03T00:05:00.000-08:00

The Korean scholar Dr. Park Byeong Seon (Lugalda) was written up in the Korean press for her lifework: finding the books taken from Korea by the French in the 19th century, and having them returned to the country. She died last month in France, at the age of 85, after a lifetime studying Korean antiquities.

The editorial in the Peace Weekly recalls that she was treated coolly by the French and was considered a nuisance by some in our society. But she nevertheless devotedly continued with her studies.

It was Lugalda who discovered the oldest extant moveable metal type book in the French National Library. The book, referred to as Jikii, an anthology of the teachings of Buddhism to be used in meditation, was printed by a Buddhist monk in 1377. Prof. Park proved it was printed 78 years earlier than the Gutenberg Bible, which was printed in 1455. Her work has been officially recognized by the Korean government and she has received many awards for her achievements. She will be buried in the Korean National Cemetery.

She graduated from Seoul National University in 1950 and went on to work in her field of history because of the request of her professor. In 1955 she continued her study of Korean antiquities in France, where she received her doctorate and went on to lecture at the Paris University and to work as a librarian in the National Library. Before her death, she did see the return of many of the books taken by the French troops in their invasion of Korea in 1866, which was a great consolation for her many years of work.

The books--297 were returned--dealt with the protocol for royal funerals, weddings and other ceremonies during the Chosun Dynasty which ruled the Korean peninsula from 1392 to 1910. She learned of the looting of the books by reading the history of the Church of Korea by Claude-Charles Dallet, and made it her lifework to find and return those books to Korea. After retiring from her salaried work, she spent her later years in full-time study of Korean antiquities.

In 1972 she became a French citizen to facilitate her work, but never forgot she was a Korean; she had great love for her country. She is quoted as saying, "In France, I'm considered an enemy and hated. In Korea, I'm considered a nuisance for continuing to ask for the return of those books, but never for one moment have I regretted what I have been doing. I have seen it as my mission from God."

Funeral Mass was offered at the chapel of the Paris Foreign Mission Society, which she often visited. Her books and over 200,000 dollars were donated to the Catholic University of Incheon.

Shamelessness

2011-12-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

Shamelessness is seen all too often in our society laments the writer of the column on spirituality in the Catholic Times. In the press and on TV, we see so many that do wrong, and very calmly see it as an unfortunate quirk of fate, as the wrong-doers persist in maintaining their innocence. It makes the columnist angry.

These persons, he maintains, either lie, mitigate what happened, give excuses, cover it up with great audacity, showing no embarrassment or sorrow, or recall moments in their lives to show how upright they have been. Which reminds the writer of the problem Jesus had with the Pharisees and the lawyers.

"Wanko," the Korean word he uses, meaning stubborn, obstinate, lack of adaptability, expresses this mindset and is understood by many to describe a person not able to see his own faults or understand another's position; a person living in his own world, his heart locked, judging the world with his or her own measuring rod.

The columnist tells us the story of a priest friend who had an experience while in middle school that exemplifies this kind of attitude. His friend was not well prepared to take the exam on music theory, so he surreptitiously opened the book on the subject and was seen by the teacher, who told him to come to the front of the room. He had never done any cheating before and was judged a good student by his teachers. So when the teacher asked him why he had cheated, he was so confused that he blurted out, "I was planning to look, but I didn't."

The teacher, seeing the student trying to justify himself, hit him and took him to the teachers' room. All the teachers were surprised to hear about his cheating. His homeroom teacher was called in. He showed no anger and asked for the circumstances and the student repeated that he was going to look but didn't. His homeroom teacher told him that the teacher who discovered the cheating was a wonderful teacher and usually overlooks a lot. If only you had acknowledged doing something wrong, he was told, it would have been all over. But now he had to ask the student to bring his father to school.

We can all imagine how the student felt. Now a priest, he told the columnist that if he had simply said he did wrong it would have been all over. However, with the words "I was going to look, but I didn't," he had unleashed a chain of unwelcome events: being hit, going to the teachers' room, having his father come to the school, and the embarrassment of it all.

This attitude, which can be compared to hardening the muscles of the mind, insisting on ones own way, is something we have to fight against. This will reduce our stress and make us more attentive to the words of others, more honest with oneself, and more willing to admit to being wrong. In time we become more generous, and as we open up to others our world also opens and becomes less stressful.

Divination in Korea

2011-12-01T00:05:00.000-08:00

Catholicism has always seen divination, better known as fortune telling, as something that should not be done. Why is that? asks a columnist in the Catholic Times, and he proceeds to answer, giving three reasons for avoiding fortune tellers.

The first reason: When we indulge in divination, we are denying our free will. When we believe what the fortune teller is saying, putting ourselves in a position to be controlled by the fortune teller, our free will is taken away.

The columnist tells us about a high school teacher who, whenever he considered moving, would visit a fortune teller. If told to go West he went West; if told to go East he went East. He was generally pleased with the results. His life was controlled by the very skillful fortune teller.

The second reason he gives is that a skillful fortune teller who seems able to predict the future may be working with the help of the devil. Which means that nothing good will come from the results.

The third reason is to prevent the possibility of addiction to divination. The columnist then tells us of his own difficulty with the addiction. Every year at the beginning of the year he would consult Tojeongbigyeol (The Secrets of Tojeong). As a young man he would at times want to know the future for a number of years. Ambition, he thinks, was the motivating force. What was not a laughing matter was a daily need to look at what the stars had to say about his day. It made for the day's joy or gloom. At the age of 40, he stopped and has not returned to the habit.

The columnist concludes his article by saying that though he did give up going to fortune tellers, from that time on something else took its place. Koreans are born, he feels, with a desire to know the future and to prepare for it. After he gave up turning to the astrology page of the paper, whenever he found himself out walking and came across a small pebble in the way, he would give it a kick. If it hit the telegraph pole he would have a good day. This action and similar habitual actions, he believes, are natural to those who have a strong sense of responsibility and a natural curiosity.

Koreans have a beautiful saying: "Do all as if it depends on you and leave the rest up to heaven." And whatever the results, with St. Paul, be thankful.

"New Spirituality" in Korea

2011-11-30T00:05:00.000-08:00

The New Spirituality, the last topic of discussion in the series Catholicism and Other Religions appearing in the Peace Weekly, is the name given to an eclectic mix of teachings and techniques, which emphasize personal efforts and the importance of a direct experience of reality. The writer a professor emeritus, considers this to be an 'unseen religion' that includes: Transcendental Meditation, Power of Will, Mind Control, Zen, Extra Sensory Perception and the like. This would be understood by many to be what is called New Age Spirituality: considered by many to be an 'alternative religion.'

Origins of this movement, the professor says, began in the last part of the 19th century, as an attempt to come to terms with the industrial revolution. Looking at it from a religious viewpoint, he sees it as a backlash against the materialism, scientism, and rationalism that pervaded society at that time, and the need to satisfy the craving for the non-rational, the mysterious and the spiritual.
This craving was not satisfied by the established religions and many wanted more than they were receiving, which was the reason for the quick spread of this new spirituality. Also the strategy learned from capitalism on how to market products in search of greater profits helped the movement; spirituality became a marketable commodity.

The New Spirituality is a part of the New Religious Movement but there are major differences. The New Religious Movement attracted those who felt they were being left out of mainstream society: the alienated and oppressed. The New Spirituality, on the other hand, attracted those who were well educated and had good jobs, those of the middle class living in the cities. It is sometimes called The New New Religious Movement.

The professor lists some of the ideas of the movement: searching for a higher state of consciousness and more concern with nature; concern for the God within rather than the God outside; acknowledging the spiritual evolution we are experiencing and a need for a new awakening; emphasizing the development of personal inner strengths and direct experience instead of seeking the God outside and the supernatural. And they do not see any conflict between science and religion, and want them joined.

The conflict with Christianity comes with the denial of Christ's divinity. They believe in monism. All is one. They would not see Jesus as savior. Their idea of morality would also be in conflict. When one is excessively absorbed with the teaching of this new spirituality, there will be harm done to a Christian's faith life. The truths of faith and the existence of the Church are threatened by this new spirituality.

The Catholic Church, with its traditional world view, had difficulty in coming to an understanding of the modern world. Establishing the social Gospel, and giving life to pastoral work has helped to overcome the difficulties. We are now faced with another problem: postmodernism. In dealing with this newcomer on the scene, it will be necessary to read the signs of the times and cope positively with a new attitude, which should, at the same time, enable the Church to follow the mandate of the Gospel it has received, and faithfully continue its mission.

Giving Is Not Always Easy

2011-11-29T00:05:00.000-08:00

Moving is difficult and requires thought. When it is a question of not only moving but having to rebuild, trying to decide what to keep and what to give away is not only difficult but dangerous.

A priest given the job of rebuilding an old church structure near collapse was faced with these problems, and shares them with the readers of the Peace Weekly. What was he to do with the fixtures and furnishings in the old building? What should be kept? What can be given to others? What can be disposed of? He found them to be difficult questions to answer.

Many gifts were given to the parish over the years. Talking to the older priests, he found that the consensus was to ask those who gave the gifts what they would like to do. What to do with the altar turned out to be the biggest hurdle, even though the gift-giver, who had left for Spain, wanted it given to another church that was being built. However, this did not stop the uproar among the Christians: "That is a very expensive altar and you are going to give it away?" "What is the reason for being so quick to dispose of the altar?" "Can't we use it in the new church?"

The disturbance was so great that he decided to postpone the decision on what to do. He found this difficult to adjust to, and wondered about his preaching, how effective had he been in preaching on the importance of letting go of what we have. When we grasp too tightly, God finds it difficult to give something new.

When all was placed in storage he was relieved. But there were articles that would rust and not be usable, and he wondered why it was so difficult to give them away. The storage fee also was a little extra hurt. Disposal has some negative connotations but when something can be used by another more profitably, he asked himself, isn't that sharing? For us as Christians, 'mine' and 'yours,' are not words that we easily say, for it is all belongs to God, given to us for a time. When I can't use something I should give it to another. Why don't the parishioners want to give? These are the musings of the writer.

Obviously, there are things we should preserve or use again, but putting all the fixtures and furnishings in storage gave the pastor much to ponder. It was not easy to fine-tune his feelings with those of the parishioners. He wonders what other problems he will face in the years ahead.

Foreign Workers Seeking Justice

2011-11-28T00:05:00.000-08:00

Stories of inhumanity are familiar to all but some move us more than others: especially with the weakest in society. Working with foreign workers in Korea a priest recounts the tale of a worker who had trouble getting his severance pay.

Bible & Life magazine carries the story of a Nepalese worker Nari, who worked in a company of about a 100 for six years. He was planning to return home to his family after 10 years in Korea, a country he grew to love. He had worked in many other different companies but from 2005 to 2011, it was the same company.

Nari mentioned to the company he would be leaving to return to Nepal. The section head called him into his office one morning to sign a paper that said he would not be taking another job in Korea. Nari could speak Korean well but could not read or write. He signed the paper, but on second thought wanted it back so he could have one of his friends read what he was signing. The section head took the paper and ripped it up.

That afternoon the company president called him into the office and asked him to sign, and when Nari refused, he beat him and locked him in the office for two hours. After release, afraid he came to the counseling service run by the diocese asking for help in getting his severance pay.

The priest looking into the situation, found the paper he was asked to sign stated that the severance pay he was to get was about 2,000 dollars when actually, it should have been over 10,000 dollars. The priest petitioned the labor office and heard a different story. In the year 2008 he had with others signed a paper that said that he had received 5,000 dollars in severance pay. Nari said that he never received the money.

There were no records and his salary was always given in cash. The paper he signed in 2008, which said he received $5,000 was all the proof the company needed.

The money was taken from Nari by fabrication of paper forms, which made it impossible to do anything. What Nari wanted more than the money was to be respected as a person and treated with dignity. Fortunately, he could get the remaining severance pay but the priest seeing the treatment of the workers and not able to do anything, and no place to go for recourse, left him angry and hurting.

First Sunday of Advent--Happy New Year

2011-11-27T00:05:00.000-08:00

Waiting, as we know, is very much a part of life. Even our liturgical calendar reminds us each year that we must wait for the big feasts of Easter and Christmas: ample time for preparation and for hope. But how much of our waiting time is done with little hope and, sadly, with much impatience and even frustration?

Modern society sees little good in the value of waiting. It is something we have to put up with. For a Christian, waiting has a value in itself. Even our Lord waited 30 years before beginning his public life. The desk columnist of the Catholic Times tells us about some of the benefits of waiting.

Today is Advent, the first Sunday of the New Year and a preparation for the many comings of Jesus in our lives, past, present and future comings: miracle of miracles, a great blessing and a grace-- the reason for our joy. With longing we wait, but God is also waiting for us; this is the spirituality of waiting.

By repentance and reform, we evangelize ourselves, changing direction to meet the Lord. To help us make the change, the columnist discusses the three virtues of the faith life. First, humility in our faith life, stressing the importance of avoiding its specious forms, such as proclaiming, "I'm certainly not proud." Pride is raising our status in the presence of God, living a life focused on ourselves.
Second, a positive faith life. When our hearts are not at peace, we see all that is around us with negativity and criticism. If this doesn't change we live in pain and often hurt others. Advent is a time to forget ourselves and go out to others who are hurting.

Third, a pure faith life, living with gentleness. When the heart becomes calloused, at the least provocation we lash out. We have to change this hardness to a gentleness, with the love of Christ. Walking an uneven path we need the love of Jesus to change our ways and to trust in his grace.

The columnist wishes all of us a joyful and hope-filled Advent, as we remember the birth of Jesus, his daily comings into our lives and await his second coming.

Catholic Charnel Houses in Korea

2011-11-26T00:05:00.000-08:00

Our cultural experiences of death and funerals can be very different. It is therefore difficult to find the same practices being followed, in any culture, when dealing with the death of a loved one. Seeing the necessity for setting aside more land for cemeteries in Korea has brought about a change in the thinking of Koreans. In 2008, the number of those who chose cremation over burial reached nearly 70 percent.

And yet the facilities to cherish the memories of the dead are few. There is an aversion to these facilities by many in the culture, perhaps one reason being an extreme emphasis on health and fitness This opposition on the part of many of our citizens, often without good reason, is the reason local governments have difficulty in permitting charnel houses.

Even when these vaults that temporarily hold the remains of the recently deceased are located in buildings of worship, there are those who avoid them. A sign that the funeral procedures we now have are not conducive to giving respect to the dead. Even the constitutional court makes the building of charnel houses in churches difficult.

The law court acknowledged the sentiment of many of our citizens: "Our country has a cultural climate and sentiment that is afraid of the corpse and the tomb. In consideration of such an atmosphere in our culture, the legislature decided to regulate the establishment of charnel houses near schools in order to protect the educational environment."

The editorial in the Catholic Times goes on to say that a society that does not have respect for our predecessors is not a well-regulated society. To have places in churches to cherish the memory of the dead is to see life and death correctly and also be a chance to educate our children. In Europe and the United States, cemeteries often are on the grounds of the church.

There is no good reason for seeing the facilities for the dead as repugnant. The government has the task to promote a proper understanding of matters surrounding death, and the Catholic Church also must do a better job in communicating what it means to cherish the memory of those who have died.

Unfairness of Life

2011-11-25T00:05:00.000-08:00

Life is filled with many unexpected zingers, the 'outrageous fortune' that comes to many. What is it that enables some to accept these trials in stride and brings others frustration and unhappiness?

A monthly bulletin for priests recounts the story of a young girl from a spiritually healthy Catholic family who lived an exemplary life. One of her aunts was superior of a large community of nuns; the family was proud of her, and she was very much admired by the girl.

After college, the girl began working at a private firm and making her way in life. The parents were very proud, and praised her to friends. She decided to follow in the steps of her aunt, and the family was happy with her decision and gave their blessing.

Her intention, the article goes on to say, was to imitate Jesus and be at the service of the weak in society. However, what she saw in the religious life was not always the ideal, but she made allowances for our weak natures and was ready to forgive and understand, for she knew her own weaknesses.

The priest mentions that her personality was such that she spoke her mind, expressing what she she felt in her heart. Some of her superiors didn't care for this and reprimanded her. But this did not change how she lived her life; she quietly went on during what she was assigned to do, without complaining.

This went on for almost ten years; then one day the superior told her she would have to leave. When she asked why, there was no clear answer. This was a shock to her--her world collapsed. She had wanted to be a religious, the only thing she aspired to for all those years and now just before final vows she was told to leave. The priest feels that before the time for perpetual vows, she should have been told what they had difficulty with, so she could work on it.

She was heartbroken and not able to come to terms with what happened. All her dreams and hopes disappeared. She only wished to die. She believed in a God who would help her, but now when she most needed help she felt that God was not there for her; he had become useless to her. Mass and the liturgy lost all meaning. Her parents began to see the change in her personality. What was once a source of pride to the family was now an embarrassment. The young women is now facing a life of despair, frustration, loneliness and thoughts of suicide.

In cases of this type, we do not know all the circumstances, for we only see through the eyes of one of the participants. However, even though it be conceded that all was not done well, the young woman's interior life was not mature enough to accept the unfairness of what had happened. We must do what we can to address the unfairness in life, but at the same time we have to be able to live with it. Life is not fair and as Christians we have to be prepared for this and trust that in God's providence the crooked will be made straight. We have in Genesis the example of Joseph and in the Gospels, Jesus, which gives us plenty of material to guide us in dealing with the unfairness of life.

Catholicism and Private Revelations

2011-11-24T00:05:00.000-08:00

Private revelations--whether occurring as an apparent appearance of the Blessed Mother, crying statues, cryptic messages, and the like--have had throughout history a certain fascination for many who are religious minded. Those who accept these supposed revelations and subsequently do not follow the guidance of the Church are like the followers of a leader of a new religion. The Peace Weekly series on Catholicism and Other Religions deals this week with these private revelations.

The bishops of Korea, in 1997, gave us guidelines on how to see these private revelations. The little book was titled: Movements and Tendencies that Hinder a Healthy Spiritual Life. For a Catholic, the Deposit of Faith is the public revelation that ended with the death of the Apostles. It is with this understanding that private, special or individual revelations have to be considered. If these are accepted, they only help us to understand the original message that ended with the apostles.

The writer, a professor at the Catholic University, tells us that three things have been traditionally considered in determining whether the revelation is from God. First, it has to be in accord with the deposit of faith. Second, the person who received the revelation must be of sound mind. Third, are those with the revelation and their supporters showing spiritual fruits from the revelation (Gal. 5:22).

Private revelations that do not help us understand the deposit of faith are not authentic, and if those having the revelations become like the leaders of a new religion, then problems can develop. Some who are overcome by the trials of daily life are attracted to these strange phenomena, but they are not important to a follower of Jesus and his way of the cross; Jesus is the doctor they should approach.

The Church should be doing the work of a good doctor. When there are many who go looking for strange signs and miracles, one has to wonder if the Church is doing what it is meant to do. When there is a decrease in the faith life of the community, and the community fails to find strength and consolation, this may result from a failure of the Church to communicate with its members effectively. When the word of God is strongly proclaimed, however, when there is a vibrant sacramental life and community fellowship is present, the numbers of those thirsting for strange signs will diminish.

'Theology of the Body' in Korea

2011-11-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

The Theology of the Body, a series of 129 talks by Pope John Paul II, compiled in a book and widely distributed, was the topic discussed at a recent academic symposium held in Seoul. The Catholic University Pastoral Research Center has studied the talks and the results of the study were shared on how to apply them in pastoral work.

The bishop who gave the foundational talk stressed the importance of the talks for our troubled times. Speaking unambiguously about such a controversial subject, the Pope was intent on clarifying a subject that has confused and troubled many people. If we want to return to health we have to go back to the Scriptures, the Pope said, to learn what the husband and wife relationship was meant to be. A correct understanding of our sexuality, in its origin, will lead to a mature, well-integrated personality.

Because the traditional understanding of the body and sexuality has broken down, the Pope is giving the Church and everyone interested in the subject an integral and positive look at sexuality that will be a gift that will remain in the thinking of many. It is not, said the bishop, a theology of the body as much as an understanding and a proclaiming of the Gospel--the good news--of the body.

A religious sister who works with the Teen star sex education program said that the theology of the body finds a place in their teaching on sexuality. Seeing sexuality as a whole, how it affects emotions, examining mucus secretions, and keeping records, the participants in the program are beginning to appreciate the spiritual meaning of the body when it is observed through the theological lens provided by the talks of Pope John Paul. All this makes for a very natural discussion for both the boys and the girls to see the meaning of their bodies vis-a-vis marriage.

One of the presenters referred to the Pope's statement that the married couple should not try to control or possess their partner. Another mentioned the prevalence of sex treated as a commodity, the sexual suggestiveness of some advertising, sexual deviations, divorces, abortions, unwed mothers, medical manipulations of life, and so on. We have forgotten that God made man and woman as sexual beings so they could relate in a personal way in a marriage union.

Both Catholic papers covered the symposium. The Pope's Theology of the Body is a late comer in Korea but we will soon see it in pastoral and diocesan programs as we become more familiar with the talks as they become more readily available in Korean.

Parish Community

2011-11-22T00:05:00.000-08:00

One of the young diocesan priests writes for the priest's bulletin about his new assignment as pastor. It is a small parish with about 400 active parishioners, most of them old. What was he to do? He writes about two of the activities he has inaugurated in the parish with fortunate results.

He decided to begin a monthly travel picnic for those over 65. It was given the name 'silver light travel'. They go to parks, palaces, arboretums and islands. One woman, after visiting a palace in Seoul, told those who were with her that she was ready to die. At the age of 80, she saw the King's palace for the first time with the priests and sisters; what else is there to desire?

This grandmother was making a living by gathering papers and worn out articles, and rummaging trash cans to find articles to sell. She lost her son in an accident, leaving her in poverty and loneliness. These monthly excursions are something she anxiously looks forward to. It is easy to understand that each month her trip is one of the happiest moments in her life. The priest reflects that it is the first time that anybody ever said what he had to offer made for the happiest day in their life. He wonders how many can say that about something they have done?

He then tells us about a priest he met who told him about his chrysanthemum festival that was well received by the parishioners. He returned to the parish and meeting with the sisters and the some of the Christians decided to gather some pots of chrysanthemums. Little by little they had pots of chrysanthemums in all kinds of shapes and sizes, numbering 150. And in a short time, 100 other flower pots were also brought in by the parishioners. The surrounding area is not a very pleasant sight but with these 250 or more potted flowers, it makes for a whole different feel for the churchyard. After Mass, there are many parishioners who stay around to admire the flowers. In groups of twos and threes they move around to the different pots, while conversing.

On one occasion, a woman who was at the flower display mentioned that her husband, who had never talked about the beauty of flowers before, had done so after seeing the display at the church and came with her to see what it was all about. She was amazed at the beauty of some of the Chrysanthemums; the beauty of flowers, as we know, can easily grab one's attention.

Next year he wants to increase the number of pots and mentioned it to the sister, who said, looking at him intently, "You are going to have to select someone to water the flowers. My biggest job this year was watering the flowers." This is the natural result of the work, the priest reflected.

The pastor considered these two works like sacraments, resulting in much personal good that was not immediately seen. It was a way of fostering parish unity, of creating a more closely-knit community.

Wisdom of the Woman in the Early Church

2011-11-21T00:05:00.000-08:00

Writing in the Catholic Times the director of the Seoul Caritas Volunteer Center mentions that after returning to the documents of the Second Vatican Council, she now understands why the Pope wants us to become familiar with those documents.

She attended, in 1967, the first lay meeting in Rome. She was able to learn a little bit about Europe and to reflect how the death of many young men in the war gave women the opportunity to take their place in European affairs.

Returning to Korea and learning that forty or more women groups had been formed, she wanted to devote herself to the work of women and the country, becoming a head officer of a conference of women to lend support to the various groups. At that time the situation of women in society was difficult: many were abused, shunned, harassed for not having a son, stressed by overwork, forced to obey unconditionally, sexually violated, among other difficulties they had to endure.

This has been acknowledged by many the world over, and in 1975 the Year of Women was convened, formally proclaiming the equality of women. Since then there have been meetings on women problems continually over the years. The presidents of several countries have also committed themselves to advancing the place of women in society, with the goal of getting rid of all discrimination.

Results of this have been seen in Korea. For a time men faced a great deal of pressure. However, both men and women have seen that our greed has brought many other problems to the fore in our society. She uses Erich Fromm's book The Sane Society to explain that widespread acceptance of an exploitative orientation within many cultures as the reason for our many societal problems.

She concludes her piece by telling us about the incident in Mark's Gospel (chap.14) where a women goes to the house of Simon the leper and anoints Jesus with expensive ointment. She was criticized for spending money that could have been used for the poor, but she was unconcerned about the criticism. She had no exploitative intentions but only wanted Jesus' message to go out to the rest of the world, like the fragrance of the ointment. We can learn much from the wisdom of this woman of the Gospel.

Catholics and Protestantism

2011-11-20T00:05:00.000-08:00

"Catholicism and Other Religions," the continuing series now running in the Peace Weekly, takes up Protestantism, beginning with its emphasis on the devotio moderna. A professor of the Korean Church History Research Institute feels that it's necessary to understand the part 'modern devotion' had in the life of the 14th century Catholic to understand the beginnings of Protestantism.

The movement started in Holland and was different from the old devotion of the Scholastic school, which emphasized the liturgy and the sacraments. The new devotion placed greater importance on meditating on the passion and the Beatitudes. Individuality and practice were emphasized, and contemplation was to develop the inner life and deepen our relationship with God.

This faith life was intent on uncovering a person's individuality and interiority; it was to be the Protestant model of religion. This was the spirituality of the Brethren of the Common Life (1383). Erasmus, Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ignatius of Loyola were all influenced by this movement. It was the 'devotio moderna' that influenced Erasmus when he claimed that grace can be confirmed only by the Scriptures and faith; this emphasis was instrumental in putting more importance on the Scriptures than on tradition in determining the truths of the Protestant faith.

There was within the humanistic period of the Renaissance a movement among Catholics to change the way things were being done in Catholicism. However, their efforts were not as successful as those of Luther and Calvin.

In Korea, the Presbyterian missioners from Canada and the United States did the first missionary work and had the most numbers. Presbyterianism, Methodism and Pure Gospel are the three largest Protestant denominations in Korea.

The professor asks what can we learn from Protestantism? Catholics can use them as a negative model, he says, as a mirror to see ourselves. Reflection on the quick growth of Protestantism is now no longer only a Protestant issue. The unregulated spread of churches, the excessive number of seminarians being sent out, lack of content in the teaching of theology, the extreme form of exclusivity--all are concerns Catholics should ponder. Especially necessary, says the professor, is changing from a dictatorial clericalism to another form of leadership within the Church.

Some Protestants see their many denominations as harming their public image. Some also believe there is a shirking of public service, a dualistic view that separates the Church from the world, too much emphasis on material growth, and hostility toward other religions.

On the other hand, what can be imitated is the devotion to the study of theology and the study of how to acculturate religion into the Korean culture. The professor lists many Protestant theologians who have added a great deal to the study of comparative religions and their cultural significance within society.

Apostates and Martyrs

2011-11-19T00:05:00.000-08:00

"Priests call me tepid because my faith life has become cold," the author of the new novel Black Mountain says, laughing. "Tepid is a word without mercy; I would rather have them say you will some day return to the faith."

The novelist, whose baptismal name is Augustine, has been away from the Church for 40 years. On his mother's side, they have been Catholics for three generations and he was brought up Catholic, an altar boy until high school.

On Oct. 30th he went to Mass for the first time in 40 years. It was right after he had published his new novel, and he did so feeling peaceful and happy, he says. He had planned to write a novel about the martyrs and those who apostatized for some time. Over the years he gathered all the information he could on the persecution and this year lived as a hermit for 5 months at a martyr's shrine. The background of the novel is the beginning of the 19th century, and deals with apostates, martyrs, betrayers, and those who have been exiled. There are no heroes or heroines.

The story brings in two characters to set the plot going: Chong Yak-jong, an apostate, and Hwang Sa-yong, a martyr, who was married to Chong Yak-jong's niece. These two men were illustrious leaders in the history of the early Church. Chong Yak-jong, a member of an intellectually elite family, apostatized after baptism and was sent to Black Mountain Island. Hwang Sa-yong was the martyr who is famous for the 'silk letter' that was intended for a bishop in China, asking for help during the persecution. The story is filled with lower grade public officials, stable men, servants, widows,  seafood merchants, and the like, wih the plot revolving around those who died witnessing to the faith, and those who apostatized to save their lives, though not always successfully.

The apostates intrigued the author more than the martyrs. "I wanted to help the reader understand," the author said, "those who apostatized, who longed to return to their wives and children. But to understand those who suffered cruel flogging and were willing to die? The martyrs. That is scary."

He feels sympathy for those who apostatized and asks us to pray for them. He prays that all will be called to God's bosom. In the Peace Weekly interview, he said the tepids, in particular, will appreciate his novel.

Matthew Effect

2011-11-18T00:05:00.000-08:00

Writing in his weekly column in the Catholic Times, on faith and finances, the bishop of Suwon explores the meaning of the Matthew Effect. A concept introduced some 40 years ago by a professor at Columbia, it is taken from the Gospel of St. Matthew: "For anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has not,even what he has will be taken away."(Matt. 13:12).

The Matthew Effect can be found in many areas of life. In school those who have difficulty in reading will fall behind their classmates. Those who can read will read to learn while the others will be learning how to read. This will mean that they will fall behind as the others advance, and is obviously seen in many other areas of life. In the world of finance, we say the poor get poorer and the rich richer. Sadly we are hearing of this happening in China.

Another term similar in meaning to the Matthew Effect is 'cumulative advantage', meaning that those who have a head start because of education, money or place in society will advance quicker. This helps to understand the polarization we see in society today. Inventions and discovering new techniques and ways of doing things will entitle the person to get out in front with this vested interest, and gain superiority in the field. Apple's iPhone is one example out of many. Apple very quickly was listed number 8th in the world, superior in their field. They were superior to their competitors and working in partnership with others enabled these other companies to grow.

However, there are few of these types in big business. Most will try to monopolize the market and do all that is necessary to press their advantage, often putting smaller competitors out of business. This we saw recently in Korea when a big company entered the fried chicken business; with the advantage of money, personnel and cheaper prices, they were putting the small-business people out of work. This was going against business morality: an example of the Matthew Effect.

It is necessary for us in our globalized world of escalating economic development to see what is happening with eyes sharpened by our Christian values. We need to analyze the signs of the times and discern wisely about the fiercely competitive world of commerce we live in.

College Entrance in Korea

2011-11-17T00:05:00.000-08:00

The exams for college entrance have been taken, and everything should return to normal, but it hasn't. There are many articles that tell us about the after-effects of the exams.

The Catholic Times' editorial applauds the parents of the students for their concern and effort to take care of the material and spiritual needs of the students during this stressful time. But whether they did well or not there is a feeling of emptiness now that the study and exams are over. Many students, the editorial notes, develop headaches, insomnia, irritability, indigestion, which of course also worries the parents.

Though the stress for the exams disappears, lethargy tends to set in; the routine has given way to another rhythm, with which they are not familiar. There is a void and a temporary depression. When the student worries about the results of the exam, the problems tend to multiply.

This is the big story each year at this time. The Korean college entrance exams are the biggest moment in the life of students. In the thinking of most students, it will determine their life. Depending on the scores they receive, the exams will decide which school they will attend. The prestigious schools are Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University. All are familiar with the acronym SKY. To graduate from one of these schools means the student will have a good-paying job and be part of the elite in society. Many of the most successful people in society are graduates of these schools.

The exams have changed over the years for the better. There is less emphasis, in the English exam, on the grammar and the finer points, more on comprehension, less on memorization. Thanks to the Confucian cultural background, study is important, and the exam system continues to be used in selecting qualified persons at all levels of the business world, but there is a negative side.

Preparing for exams means that ones normal daily routine has to change. Everything is devoted to doing well in the exams. A necessity understood by all, which makes it more stressful than it has to be. All of society takes note of the day; even the airlines make adjustments, rerouting flights to reduce noise.

The editorial recommends that parents, and students take a few days off to make a retreat. There are all kinds of retreats that will fit the expectations of all, even family retreats.

The stress and fatigue experienced, though, will tempt many to rest, but it is not the wise thing to do, says the editorial. Often, the end of the exams is also the end of the faith life for students. Part of the reason is the emphasis on the intellectual and neglecting our spiritual and emotional makeup. This obviously will cause harm to growth in maturity. How many will take the advice to make a retreat is unknown, but efforts to inform students that life has much more to offer than what exam scores show is worth the concentrated effort of all sectors of society.