Saturday, November 5, 2022

Korea's Catholic Response to the Synod


 

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.