The bishop immediately suspended the pastor and removed him from the parish. He shortly after died of cancer. He was authoritarian in his behavior, unable to change his mind once he had decided on something.
Priests, for the writer, seem less able to accept criticism and objections. Probably because of their position as a teacher, they fear to damage their authority. Since they are celibate and don't live in a family they are more likely to become narrow-minded and when shocked, find it difficult to accept and deal with the situation. It is said that you can tell what kind of person you are dealing with by how much opposition or criticism one can take. It is a good measure of personality. Accepting criticism is a gauge of love—an attitude towards seeking truth and justice. Jesus died with all kinds of opposition and criticism—an object of opposition.
Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan received a lot of praise and respect when the country was in trouble. However, as he grew older he began to get criticized. A newspaper reporter asked a priest who was active in social matters what he thought of the cardinal. The priest, critical of the Cardinal, said it was now difficult to expect anything from him.
Later, the same reporter interviewing the cardinal asked the Cardinal what he thought of the priest's comments. The Cardinal said: "I am grateful to those who have made me look back on my life." In this case, the Cardinal spoke wisely. It showed his big heart and proper attitude towards criticism which was well received by the people.
Han Yong-woon (1879-1944) was a monk who reformed Buddhism and was a courageous independence fighter. On many occasions sharing Korean beer with his disciples, he would tell his disciples: "You have to find and criticize my shortcomings. You have to go deeper and higher beyond me. Without that, just following me you will not grow."
This is truly amazing that this attitude was expressed so clearly and unambiguously at a time when disciples would be afraid to step on the shadows of their teachers. Professor Park Na-hae, a professor of Korean Studies at Oslo University, is a person who has studied Korea's society. In his research on Han Yong-woon, the professor placed him among the greatest of Korea's teachers.
Our society and the times are changing rapidly. Human relations are among equals, self-righteousness and authoritarianism are not accepted. Changes have taken place among the church's clergy, but criticism and unfettered dialogue are still poorly established compared to the general public.
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