Is the Church connection with the poor in a society close or distant? A question the pastor of a parish asked his parishioners. He answers that church thresholds are high, the fourth revolution will only make it harder; reflection on the part of the church membership is necessary. For a year the parish in small group discussions, with the different age groups, grappled with the question on how to deal with the new world that is beginning.
Both Catholic Weeklies reported on the parish and how they are preparing for the new revolution and the problems it will bring: gaps in workplaces, break down in intimate communication and marginalization, loss of human dignity, destruction of the environment was listed.
The method was to hear a talk on the subject, and in small groups according to age, discuss the subject and the presentation. The parish council president summarized the year-long discussion in this way: uncomfortableness, the breakdown of families and loneliness, job seeking problems and uncertainty, loss of dignity, etc. Loneliness, estrangement, and poverty is where the Church can help,
In the future, the parish decided to continue the discussion with the different age groups and the different problems each age group will have to deal with.
The pastor of the parish considered the poor the ones who will suffer the most. When the emphasis is on the utility of tools the human element tends to be forgotten and the appearance of a new type of poverty. This is what society will have to face.
Catholicism in Korea was started by the laity, developed and maintained by them. This requires the laity to speak out loudly about the hope they have and to emphasize human dignity. Necessary to determine why uncomfortable with the instability of the workplace. All of us need to decide what is the common possession of humanity, deal with it and take concrete steps to maintain it. An example would be with our environment. Development no matter how important and helpful should not be at the expense of human dignity.
Young people's position in this new reality will be great. The generation gap between the young and the old needs to be decreased for the young will be the ones who will have the task to help the older generation feel comfortable in the new. Efforts to deal with the uncertainties of the future needs a new culture which technology cannot supply. The majority felt the culture needs to be assisted, to help accept what the future brings.
As technology continues to develop it will be the young people who will be the ones who will adapt easily and they need to be the leaders in helping others feel comfortable with the new. Pope Francis hopes the leaders in the movement will not forget the poor. Technology has done a great deal of good but it may be unconcerned with the common good and the moral element but concerned only for wealth and economic growth. This will be one of the dangers of our new reality.
