Living the New Life

"Father, what is the Resurrection?" This was an unexpected question coming from one of his parishioners that for a moment confused the priest. He writes about this experience in a bulletin for priests. The woman wanted a clear explanation and the priest confesses he was not up to it. He felt he could not say he didn't know, so he relied on what he had learned in the seminary for his quick answer. Eternal life, salvation, God's kingdom, a new heaven and new earth, were the words he put together for his answer. He only knew the theory.

He went back to his room dejected. Here he was a priest and yet was not able to give a lucid answer to a basic question. Are we waiting for another happier world than the one we are experiencing now?  Are we waiting for this new and better life? What is the new heaven and new earth?  These were the thoughts that were filling his head.

He remembers an incident in 2006 when he was with a group of young people at a neighboring parish, watching the soccer match between Korea and Togo for the World Cup. Korea was behind in the first half, but went on to tie and beat Togo by one goal, which made him and his friends deliriously happy. On the return to his parish, he heard about the death of one of his altar boys, who had been on his way to see the same soccer match when he had an epileptic seizure and, with nobody there to help, died where he fell on the road.

The priest wondered where he had been when the boy had the seizure. These thoughts began to confuse him. Under the same heaven, he had been drinking beer, laughing and enjoying the soccer game while the middle school boy had fallen down on the  ground, dying. This thought left him feeling wretched.

These kinds of incidents are happening all the time, he reminds us. Some people are enjoying their lives, and others are wondering where the next meal will be coming from. He knows that not everyone is living under the same conditions as the fortunate few, but this only makes him feel more upset. He now wonders even more about the promised new heaven and earth that we are dreaming about; he would like to think we all are hoping for the same thing.

We have the words of Jesus that give us hope. We know that working for a utopia on this earth is not going to do it: the attempted utopias have all failed, and often with hellish results. However, we have put on "the new person." Though not yet completed, it is present now, giving us hope for the future. Having put on the new person, and with the graces promised, we try to live this new life and want others to join us. The life begins now and will be completed after death. It is a tragedy to forget this fact. As Paul tells us in Romans 6:4 : "Through baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life."

Natural Procreative Technology

A conference in Seoul on infertility and NaPro (natural procreative) Technology, recently discussed in the pages of the Peace Weekly, reviewed the present state of assisted reproductive technology in Korea. The archbishop said in his introductory talk at the conference "We are not only called to love the child who is born but the process of conception and pregnancy is also important. The husband should be present at the birthing process, and respect should be shown for the dignity of the child throughout the birthing process." He added that he hopes they will be able to make the act of marital love the foundation from which to develop any natural procedures.
 
According to current standards, if during a year of marital relations there is no pregnancy, the couple is considered infertile. 10 to 15 percent of couples of child-bearing age are infertile; 30 to 40 percent of the time the man is responsible for the infertility, 45 to 50 percent of the time the woman. For the man, the problem resides in the formation of sperm, and for the woman ovulation, tubal or uterine problems.

NaProTechnology is described as "a health science that not only helps facilitate or avoid birth but to care for the woman's health and to promote the marital relations of the couple." It provides medical and surgical treatments that cooperate completely with the reproductive system. It is a natural way of respecting the body and maintaining the marital act in the birthing process. Korea is one of the countries that have recently begun working with the new technology.
 
Sister Arlene Te of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, a family doctor, at the Cardinal Tien Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan, spoke at the conference on her successful use of NaPro Technology in providing infertility treatments at the Taiwan hospital. The fertility methods used there are in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Dr. Thomas Hilgers, developer of the method in 1976, said, "Approaches that do not separate love from life are the methods that are in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church." They do not include artificial means, he added.

Sister Arlene reports that NaPro Technology was introduced to Taiwan in 2005. At the Cardinal Tien Hospital 120 previously infertile couples have given birth by natural means. The program is used in the  United States, Poland, Australia, Malaysia, and other countries. In Taiwan the success of the NaPro Technology method, says the sister, has a better success rate than in vitro fertilization methods.
 Sister Arlene laments that in Taiwan the Catholics only number 2 percent of the population which makes it difficult to spread natural procreative technology. Those without religious beliefs will try any method to have a child; natural methods hold no attraction. She is hopeful, nonetheless, that NaPro Technology will ultimately be so successful that its method simply cannot be ignored by anyone, regardless of religious beliefs.  

Slaves to Smart Phones

"Your  God is a hidden God and does not always answer. However, I answer quickly on  the day and time you want, and I will give you this godlike quality at your fingertips." This could be the reason persons have their smart phones with them, like an amulet, says a religious sister, who has studied media ecology and lectures on the subject, as she begins her article in the Kyeongyang Magazine.

She mentions that the word 'ubiquitous'--from the Latin meaning 'existing always and everywhere'--has meaning in  theology and philosophy and is now appropriately used for our smart devices. We become one with our electronic devices, and with them we can get what we want and need, making us busier than we need to be. Could this relationship be one of master and slave? she asks. Could we be the one ending up as the slave?

The knowledge that is currently available to humanity is staggering; within a few seconds and knowing only a few words we are usually able to find the knowledge we are looking for, and found quite literally at our fingertips. What difference  is there in drawing  information from our brains or from our smart device? she wonders. With the smart device, she feels we no longer need to go deeply into what we intend to know, no need to read as in the past. If we only remember a few words, that is enough, she says, to make us feel as if we can know everything there is to be known.

With the right software application, we can even find such mundane things as a department store, any public building, any place we would like to visit; there is no need to ask anybody for a location. There are programs that will tell you the merits of what you want to buy. No longer do we need to be afraid when traveling. With our smart phone, we can contact anyone, even text messaging and e-mail, in comparison, are time-consuming. 

We also have what she calls 'telepresence.' The ego becomes all important. The social network services (SNS) have allowed us to see those we want to speak and relate with, but the other side of this ingenious service is that our receptivity and absorption in what we do is more difficult to achieve. Personal relationships and dialogue become less important. We become the center, seeking to satisfy our wants and needs.

God can be found "not in speed but in depth," as she puts it. The smart phone is not solely an instrument we use to enjoy its many wonders and then can put aside as if it no longer affects our lives. It can become, she warns, our alter ego or avatar, and SNS can become our home, a place where we reflect and express our real feelings, a place where we relate with only those we want to and in a manner we choose. The danger is that we become closed in on ourselves and not very Christian. On the day  we do change to a more human use of these devices, she feels, we will experience the thrilling sense of freedom. 
                                                                                                             

Catholicism in Asia

"Asia is the earth's largest continent and is home to nearly two-thirds of the world's population, with China and India accounting for almost half the total population of the globe. The most striking feature of the continent is the variety of its peoples who are 'heirs to ancient cultures, religions and traditions'. We cannot but be amazed at the sheer size of Asia's population and at the intricate mosaic of its many cultures, languages, beliefs and traditions, which comprise such a substantial part of the history and patrimony of the human family." These words of Pope John Paul II, in the Apostolic Exhortation (#6) of Church in Asia, introduces the article Catholicism in Asia in the recent issue of the Catholic Times.

The writer is a priest-professor working as a member of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) as one of their theologians. He has traveled extensively in Asia and gives us his impressions of the challenges Asia faces.

Besides the wide cultural differences of Asian countries, there are also economic  and social structural disparities as well. In Northeast Asia, for instance, there is economic progress while in other parts of Asia there is great poverty. Again, from the John Paul's Exhortation: "On the subject of economic development, situations on the Asian continent are very diverse, defying any simple classification. Some countries are highly developed, others are developing through effective economic policies, and others still find themselves in abject poverty, indeed among the poorest nations on earth. In the process of development, materialism and secularism are also gaining ground, especially in urban areas. These ideologies, which undermine traditional, social and religious values, threaten Asia's cultures with incalculable damage" (#7).

The difficulty of evangelizing the Asian environment will be much more difficult than on the other continents of the world, the priest said, because of the difficult task of discerning the dreams and hopes, the pain and despair of the Asians themselves. What salvation are they looking for? What is the place that Jesus should have in their lives? These questions will have to be the concern of the FABC, he said.

How do Christians live in an environment that is not welcoming?  To answer adequately it will be necessary to make a study of how Christians do actually live their lives, how they experience Christ in the Asian world, how they live their faith by examining their words and actions. There have been studies over the years and "Sprouts of Theology from the Asian Soil" is a fine example of a study that has examined the teachings of the Church from the Asian perspective.

The fundamentalism of Islam in South Asia is a serious threat to Christianity, according to the FABC. There is also the problem with Protestant fundamentalist groups that are winning adherents from the young people in countries like the  Philippines. In Northeast Asia the educated classes are attracted to atheism and scientism. Materialism and secularism are spreading, and  many young people, being confused and without a meaningful approach to life, are turning away from religion.

The professor is happy to be working in this field of theology and feels that Korea has much to contribute to the Asian Church. God is calling us, he says, to be workers in the vast field of Asia. In his own faith experience, he feels that God's love is asking us to spread the mercy of God to the peoples of Asia.  

 

Important Issues for Korean Catholicism

Celebrating 87 years of publication, The Catholic Times sent a questionnaire to a hundred Korean theologians. They were to select what they considered the most important issues for Pope Francis to deal with during his pontificate, and what actions they would recommend the pope to take to resolve these issues. A similar questionnaire was sent to theologians after the selection of Benedict XVI in 2005.

The Catholic Times gave the questionnaire a great deal of space along with an editorial on the subject. The Catholic press has been talking about these areas of Catholic life for sometime, and it was interesting to see what the theologians considered important.

The issues considered important, from most to least important were:  Coping with the secularism and relativism of society. (37 theologians)
Implementing the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. (27)
Poverty and globalization (24)
Renewal of the Vatican. (20)
Life, family and moral questions--such as abortion, contraception, homosexuality. (16)
Role of the laity. (14)
Caring for the natural environment. (12)
Celibacy and women priests. (12)
Evangelization, dialogue and witnessing. (10)
More autonomy of local churches (8)
Ecumenicism and Church unity. (7)
New understanding of collegiality. (2)
The place of women in the Church. (2) 
Religious freedom. (0)


The list of issues given the theologians back in 2005 were not the same as the above, but it does help us see what was considered important at that time.

Collegiality in the governing of the Church. (20)
Conflict of European culture and Christian values. (40)
Dialogue and witnessing in evangelizing. (40)
The ministerial priesthood. (22)
Culture of life issues. (37)
Movements of the laity and church life. (24)
Renewal of the Church and implementing Vatican II. (8)

Happy Easter

From the distant past, a custom from China was commonly observed in Korea at the start of every new year. A red bean porridge was prepared and employed to ward off evil spirits by applying the bean paste to the walls and  door posts of the house. Disease and misfortunes, it was thought, would be avoided, assuring them a new year of happiness.

We no longer hear of this custom, but it's similar to what the Israelites did to receive their liberation from the Egyptians after their years of slavery. They killed a lamb and used the blood to sprinkle the door posts to prepare for their delivery from slavery.  Today, the Seder meal for Jews commemorates this liberation from slavery in Egypt. Christians at Easter remember their own liberation received from Christ by his sacrifice on the cross.

A religious sister, a theologian, explains in the Kyeongyang magazine the idea of the Easter appearances in the Gospel of John. She wants us to examine the word passover (meaning passage) and reflect on its meaning for us today.  If the Jews had not been able to 'passover' the situation they found themselves in, then freedom would have been impossible for them.

Courage was needed to overcome  slavery, faith was needed to overcome the ignorance concerning how best to deal with it, and strength of will was needed to accept the difficult years in the dessert, before arriving in the promised land. 

Christians are being asked at this time of year to passover to a faith in Jesus, who is the beginning and the end of our life. This requires that we move from the life of the dead to the life of those fully alive. This faith allows us to overcome the worries and fears that normally are present in every life, due to greed and selfishness, and to overcome estrangements and permit an openness to others.

Our Easter faith allows us to overcome the small self and embrace an affirming hope with courage. We tend to forget we have entered the Easter life, our immortal life, with our baptism, and that death no longer exists for us as Christians. This kind of thinking does not come easy, but with a firm resolve to passover to a life of faith in Jesus, we will come to understand what salvation and liberation should mean to us as Christians. Happy Easter.

Pope Francis

The  selection of our new pope came more quickly than expected. The Catholic Times desk columnist goes over the weeks that have come and gone since then, with thoughts on the events that no one foresaw except the cardinals. It appeared to be the start of a new style, with a common touch and appearance, a cheerful and humorous manner not tied to the rigid habits of the past--a happy conclusion to what many believed would be the beginning of more emphasis on having a Church of and for the poor.

That the new pope Francis bowed his head and asked for our prayers before giving his blessing was, the columnist said, a shock, not what he expected. In church, we are always bowing our heads but we don't see many who bow their heads to us, he said. Isn't this the reason, he added, that what happened recently in Rome seemed to come out of nowhere, without any hint of what was to come?

The pope's choosing the name Francis moved the columnist to feel that the Assisi connection points to the direction that life itself should take, and that the accompanying values associated with the name are what the Church needs to emphasize today.  More than system or structural changes we need, he said, a fundamental change in attitude and mode of living.

The reformation that St.Francis began was one of simplicity and humility in life. It started very simply in a time of great Church power, riches, honors, and luxury that in the long run was the starting point for change. Today, there are also calls within and outside the Church for change, though not all are in accordance with the Gospel message. The clerical sexual abuse scandal is only one of several problems that need to be addressed by the new pope. Francis, from where he has positioned himself by his brief statements, appears to be the right person to start the ball rolling in the direction of a fundamental change of attitude.

The columnist uses the words of a theologian to point out that there is no need to tell the pope what the problems are in the Church; he is well acquainted with what ails the Church. And he quotes a Church historian as saying the cardinals made it clear they did not want a continuation of the past by choosing a Jesuit, who was not a member of the Vatican inner circle. It is understood that he will be making changes in the curia, the administrative arm of the Vatican.

The change the columnist believes is coming, however, does not mean just in personnel but in the tone and policies for a pastoral outreach. We will be seeing the direction the pope will be taking the universal Church in the future, and we trust it will be in the direction the name Francis indicates. We are not only hoping for changes in the Vatican but also hoping for changes here in Korea.