Is The Korean Catholic Church Ready to Listen?

 

In his homily on 13 December 2016, Pope Francis said: "Clericalism is a really awful thing; it is a new edition of this ancient evil of the religious 'authorities' lording it over others. But the victim is the same: the poor and humble people, who await the Lord" (Casa Santa Marta).

In the Catholic Peace Weekly in its column the Readers Platform we have a Catholic expressing his views on an issue that we hear a lot about these days: listening in the preparation for a Synodal Church—Communion, Participation, Mission. 

The writer a layman used to work in a church institution. He worked for about 14 years, from the age of 28 to 42, now, he works for a general media company and only attends Masses. 

 

When he heard that the theme of the Synod of Bishops was to listen to what the Holy Spirit was saying to the Church as a whole, his first thought was whether the Korean Church was ready for this.

 

Experience is very subjective, but it becomes true when several experiences are repeated over a long period. The truth he learned from interviewing hundreds of lay people at the church was that the limitations of lay people within the church were clear. Laymen, especially those working in church institutions, complained and sometimes got angry talking to him. There really was no exception. They sometimes say, "I just do what I'm told. In particular, if you speak directly to your superiors, priests, and religious, for the development of the church, you will not last long. "I have a family to protect. I just keep my mouth shut."

 

It's a miserable reality. The fact that these words are often pouring out of the mouths of God's people is harsh enough. Do priests and religious really know this? Or is it that even if they know, they just ignore it, dismissing it as a lack of a sense of mission or faith? 

 

One of his ancestors is a Blessed Martyr in the Korean Church. But last year, he left his job. It was for the same reason as the lay people who complained to him.

 

But he doesn't believe he ever lost affection for the church. When you look at the word "listening" you'll expect to see if it will change now. 

 

If the religious and priests read this article, what do you think will be their response? Will it not be that he is making generalizations by magnifying what only a few are saying.

 

He responds with what a friend said: "it serves you right. Did I not say it in the first place? The Korean church does not seem to be able to realize the theme of listening..."

 

He is reminded of an old man's words. The senior said to him, who had confided his worries: "The time has not come yet for the Korean church to change; it will be possible when the believers disappear like in the European church. I think it will be difficult before then." 

 

He hopes it will not end like that.