In the Now/Here Catholic website we have a summary of the opinions of the parishes on the synod journey and the Korean Church's resolutions and suggestions necessary to live in the synod church
During the synod most dioceses formed a synod parish team. Some dioceses met with those who had fallen away, disabled people, migrants,refugees, sexual minorities, North Korean defectors, people of other beliefs, and members of civil society to listen to their voices.
According
to the summary, when starting the synod, there were many difficulties
in understanding and implementing the meaning of Sinodalitas due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the short schedule. There was a tendency to be
passive, sense of duty, hesitation, and annoyance, especially
in the parishes that had experienced a synod in the past and believed what they would be doing would change nothing.
In addition, there were many concepts and contents that were not
easy to understand in an Asian culture. Nevertheless, meetings, listening, and identification were
made in various communities, and many church members experienced the fruit of the synod church in person.
The
written opinions are organized according to the 10 key topics presented
in the preliminary document and handbook of the synod. It is a
considerable amount, but the reflection in each parish shows the reality
of the Korean church well, which is expected to help consider the
mission of the church.
Looking
at the contents, first of all, the clergy, religious and laypeople, were not fully companions to each other, which is a
fundamental factor in various difficulties within the church. It also
suggested that teenagers, young people and the elderly, disabled people,
North Korean defectors, migrant workers, their families, and sexual
minorities find a place in the church where no one is left behind. It is also necessary to
have the courage and determination to become a "church of the poor"
where the poor can become proud members of our churches,
not a "church of charity for the poor."
Also was mentioned the difficulty of "listening" to various
relationships within the church, and the
authoritative attitude of the clergy, which had long been a matter for discussion. In
particular, authoritarian attitudes, not the 'authority of the church' that is the problem both among the priests and lay people. The relationship between church members
is generally viewed as "vertical and closed structure."
To
solve this problem, it was suggested that the appointment and election of members of each organization should be composed of volunteers of various age groups, participation of different classes, and those who meet Christian standards, not secular standards such as economic wealth or social status.
"In addition, the core function
of the pastoral council should be 'advice and inspection', but
the reality of the church is the execution. It should be recognized as an advisory and listening organization. There should be
harmony in the process of coming to a decision and the decision itself. The
council should participate in the "making" of the decision and advise the shepherd, and the
shepherd should be able to listen carefully to the advise.
"In order to promote
listening, participation, and dialogue, all members of the church need
the opportunity to be educated to learn to speak as children of God, and how to listen, and how to identify the words of the Holy
Spirit. In addition, an opinion was expressed that an educational
program on the understanding of the church and the correct attitude of
believers is needed to cultivate an equal but unique sense of dignity,
authority, and responsibility as a people of God. In addition, it was
emphasized that it is necessary to give more authority and instill a
sense of mission within the church community so that lay people can
participate in education with individual enthusiasm and will. We need to
provide a place for various meetings, conversations, and experiences so
that we can actively participate in the mission of the church by
learning and sharing with each other."
In
conclusion, this synod became an opportunity to realize what
difficulties there are in realizing evangelization in local churches and
the cause of the difficulties, and to identify what to do in the
future. The reason why lay believers, religious , and priests are not fully
fulfilling their own roles and missions is that the relationship of
members is understood in a secular rather than ecclesiastical manner. It is
important to develop the ability to recognize each other's identity
correctly and to check and practice the importance of mutual listening
and companionship.
It also stated that
the practice of becoming a church that is "going to the periphery"
should be recognized as the fundamental mission of the church. "We
should actively preserve the environmental harmony and the environmental
issues of the Korean Peninsula, especially those who are alienated from
society, those who cannot speak out due to hardships, migrants,
refugees, North Koreans, elderly people living alone, single mothers,
victims of state violence, teenagers, children, marginalized women, and
religious groups."
The full text of the opinion can be found on the website of the Bishops' Conference.
