In First, Corinthians (6:1-11) St. Paul says: "How can anyone with a case against another dare bring it for judgment to the wicked and not to God's holy people?" The Seoul Diocese will begin a mediation board that will help in resolving the problems that Christians have with one another without going to the court of law.
This Catholic Reconciliation Mediation Board (Tentative title) will work by mediation to solve with dialogue and negotiation the problems between Catholics. The hope is that this will also spread to the larger society. Squabbles and conflicts that are brought to civil litigation are difficult both for the plaintiff and defendant because of the long drawn-out process of litigation. Especially the one who loses there is much mental and material grieving after the verdict. With arbitration and the hope of reconciliation, the expenses of the litigation and the mental stress is reduced greatly.
With mediation there is no winner or loser. The winner in the court of law reaps the fruit of his victory while the loser drinks from the cup of bitterness. Mediation enables both to win. There is negotiation, compromise, and reconciliation without this we do not have a win, win situation. There is a need for mutual consent and respect for each other, and a desire to understand.To mediate there is as need to remain neutral and refrain from judicial judgments and remain the mediator between the two parties.
In the present Church because of negligence in forgiving and reconciliation we have a crises in many areas. With mediation lay persons will have a way to solve their problems in a Christ-like way. One of the Justices said that our society as it becomes more complicated there will be more incidents and conflicts that will make for a litigious society unless we work to have other ways to solve our problems-- necessary for a mature and developed society.
There will be over fifty members on the mediation board from the world of law, education, the media and other suitable persons. These members will be registered with the government and receive legal approval. Besides the solving of problems between believers, they will offer their services for legal aid, and continue to study methods of arbitration and mediation to be of greater help to those that come. The Protestants have been giving these services to believers for some time. This attempt to follow the teachings of the Scriptures as an incentive to work to forgive and to work for reconciliation can only have good results, and hopefully we will be humble and Christ-like enough to take advantage of the opportunities.
