Dilemma for the Church

The United States Supreme Court recently struck down the defense of marriage act as unconstitutional. The Korean Times desk columnist discusses the subject, seeing it from a Korean Catholic layperson's perspective. The bishops responded to the decision with sadness, he says, since it gives approval to same-sex marriage, contrary to the understanding of the Catholic Church.

In society today, he goes on to say, the Church has to deal with  secularization exemplified in the cases of sexuality and life issues: abortion, artificial insemination, capital punishment, euthanasia. With the recent advances in science and in collusion with commercial interests, there is also growing disagreement over embryonic stem cell research.

When we look into the controversy surrounding these issues, we see society distancing itself from the certainties of religion and the ethical standards of the past. When it comes to the  present situation in the States, we notice that even though Christianity has been an important part of the American culture, the traditional influence of bishops on life issues is losing its ability to sway the people. In polls, the numbers supporting the Catholic position continue to decrease. 

In Korea, it is easy to see that even though Catholicism has respect within society, the influence of the Church, as a newcomer to the scene, is less important among the majority of Koreans, which makes the teaching of life issues mostly a Catholic concern.

However, the problem is not only a failure to influence the larger society, for even Catholics overall are not in agreement with what the Church teaches, which is the greater problem. In many of the issues of life: abortion, artificial insemination, contraception, homosexuality, and the like, the response of Catholics is no different from others, and even at times more in opposition. This is the present reality, and the columnist sees this as the central dilemma that the Church has to face.

The numbers of those in the West who see homosexuality as a serious issue is not small. It is not only the small number of those who see it as a sickness, but the Church itself requires respect for all; even when it considers homosexuality not normal, it has to be concerned about the pastoral issues dealing with this inclination, which he says is another dilemma which the Church faces.

Koreans still have a very unified Catholicism, and it's easy to understand the way Catholics would tend to look upon the Catholicism of the West, though the thinking of Korean Catholics is probably not much different from the Catholicism of the West, only not as vocal and as  opposed as some in the West. In promoting the culture of life, the Church faces many difficulties, says the columnist, which will not be easy to overcome.

Building a Healthy Community

The Catholic Forum recently met with experts and activists to discuss  the reasons for the weakening of community and to find solutions. Among the problems discussed: increasing polarization between those that have and those that don't, the large number of suicides, and the gradual breakup of communal society--all side effects of rapid economic development.

One of the participants, the mayor of Seoul, said that one of the principles behind the market is its omnipotence (though we have seen its failures); we need to change this thinking, he said, and go from competition to cooperation, from an emphasis on quantity to an emphasis on quality. A professor agreed with this assessment and  said that although our material prosperity puts us among the developed countries, little of it has to do with the happiness of our people. Going along with neo-liberalism has increased the country's financial growth, he said, but many of us are having difficulty overcoming poverty, and the increasing number of suicides is showing us that something is seriously wrong with our society.

The mayor suggested several alternative ways of  changing society: more emphasis on fostering a social economy, working for the common good,  creating autonomous operations and a person-centered economic environment which we have seen, he said, being implemented already in developed countries, in an attempt to fill the gaps made by  capitalism. There are many already with the financial means to back work cooperatives and social businesses, the mayor said, and he promised to assist in any way he can.

Another professor said we have to get rid of the idea that the welfare policies of the government are free, and even if it were possible, it would not continue for long. A priest mentioned that the wealthier we become the more need for an increase in  our spiritual values. Cardinal Kim was a good example of this, as he continually searched for the transcendent in life, always being thankful  for what life had to offer, living detached and willing to take up the cross.
The active motivating  force  for society, said another, should be love. The value of love, in contrast to law and ethics, is its dynamic staying power to move us with mutual respect,  forgiveness,  reconciliation--always moving us toward unity and cooperation.

The article ends with the words of one who works with cooperatives. "Cooperatives are now being talked about as another alternative, but there are voices of concern. To see them continue and develop without any protection and security within society  is just talk. A realistic goal must be spelled out, and there has to be a relationship  of solidarity among them, were his words of advice.

Pornography and the Mobile Culture

Mobile technology is allowing anyone interested to enter the cyberspace at anytime and place. A recent Catholic Time's article reported on a forum, conducted by the Bishops Mass Media Committee, that dealt with the proliferation of mobile devices and pornography. With easier access to mobile devices we are likely to see, according to the forum, a breakdown of our traditional values. Determining what measures can be used to counter this trend was an important consideration for the forum presenters.

The article mentions that when the porno actor from Japan came to Korea, he was greeted enthusiastically by the young people, and in the interview, he mimicked the sex act. Sadly, the reception he was given is perhaps a sign that pornography is becoming a staple of our culture, and that we can expect more out-of-wedlock pregnancies, abortions and abandoning of infants. As a result, many are asking for more action on this issue from the Church.

The sex act, a gift that is exchanged between the partners in marriage, is increasingly being commercialized and distorted by pornography. Those who are involved in marketing this travesty of love, distorting the sex act and, for some, making marriage more difficult, are denying the dignity of our person-hood, as one presenter expressed it.

It also magnifies the divisions in oneself, breaking the relationship we have with God and causing us to lose the direction of life.  Porno and violence give birth to anxiety and sadness was one of the conclusions of the forum.

The director of the Bishops Committee mentioned that even in home theaters suggestive scenes without any filtering are becoming commonplace. We need to discern and oppose this take-over of our society by the commercialization of sex for quick and easy profits.

In another article, a  journalist who was present at a parish sex education program for grammar and middle school children, said that hearing children speak about sex so openly and and frankly left her with mixed feelings.  In her day all was negative and hush hush, but for these children it was very different. But she knows that what they know has come from the mass media and their smart phones and, being fragmentary, cannot give much discernment. 

The journalist concludes that this is an issue the Church will have to take seriously, including all adults, whether having children or not, if we are to protect all children--and ultimately our society--from the false sexual culture that is being promoted today.

The "I" and "Non-I" Syndrome

Most people  are not pleased with their personality or situation in life and would like to see a change. These words begin the View from the Ark in the Catholic Times. This is not all, he continues, for they want to change the world in which they live. This wanting to change the world is   stronger in the young, for they have the higher ideals, and a greater dissatisfaction. Most of the changes in the world naturally come from those who have this  dissatisfaction. It is not extreme to say those who have attempted reformation, revolutions and been innovators have been of this stripe.

The Chinese character used in  the above three words have to do with leather: and the verb would be embellishing the leather. With the passage of  time, we have the meaning of change and to fix. To sharpen, clean, and polish any fine article will require love and earnestness. This is also true for the changes in the world, and it is only humans that can do it. What is necessary to  change the world? Without any discussion necessary it is the heart that  has to change and the young people actually want to see this change.

What enables a person to change his way of thinking? Is it criticism, ridicule, containment, pressure? This develops quickly into conflict. Looking over history, we see that this has been the case. One of the famous nationalists and patriots Shin Chae-ho expressed a view of history that evolves around competition between the “I” and “non-I”.This has been a fact in our history, and we know it leaves aftereffects:  results are conflict and  war. This is a way of bringing change. There is no quicker way, he says but also the way of inflicting many scars to the winners and losers both.

We have seen this in our conflict between the North and South: even after  60 years we have the aftereffects.  The results of change that come from war show that it was better  never to have gone to war. With war, we leave the area of the heart and enter the material realm and mobilizing all the material to achieve our purpose. It is difficult to say that this is a good method of achieving our goal. We are left with scars and with desolation.

With war we have left behind the interior dimensions of the heart and opted for the material.With the material strength we bring about great devastation. Consequently this is not the best way to bring about change. Conflicts bring about scars and wars leave us with desolation. Conflict and war presupposes the hostility between the parties which gives birth to criticism, ridicule, containment, pressure.This is certainly better than conflict and war but when it happens those who should be subjects are made into objects.
 
What has to happen is that each party should   try to understand the other's position: to see the situation through the eyes of the other. There has to be sincerity and love it is only then that we will see change. This will enable the two parties to acquire what each lacks. This is the teaching of all our religious leaders of all persuasions. Sincerity and love  will naturally be followed by praise and awe. With humility, each party will not be afraid to do what the world wants.

Progress or Regression?

A columnist of the Catholic Times, on seeing how the the disabled were treated during the Joseon Dynasty, which was the topic of a recent TV history program, was sufficiently surprised to write about it in her column. The disabled, she learned, were excused from many of the duties normally expected from citizens, and those who showed concern for the disabled would be commended, and those who abused them would be seriously punished.

Efforts were also made to help them become independent by giving them positions that fit their specialty, without concern for their place in society but only concerned to utilize their capabilities in the best way possible.  For instance, a society for the blind was established, which produced many who went on to become prominent in government. The only thing that separated them from the other citizens was a bodily handicap, and the distress that often accompanies such handicaps. The columnist sadly comments that it seems we have been going backwards as a society in the way we treat the disabled among us. 

A famous historical figure, a musician, during  the kingship of Sejong the Great, was quoted in the TV program, in reference to what the government was doing for the blind: "There is no one we can dispense with in our society."

She introduces us to Fr. Cyril Axelrod, who is considered by many the Helen Keller of the 21st Century. Both blind and deaf, he came to Korea last month to visit with the Christians and to show them what a disabled person is able to do and to help the Christians achieve a new appreciation of the disabled in our society. He stresses in his talks that his disabilities, like all disabilities, can be incorporated into our lives as blessings.

In Korea,  since 2011, over two and a half million citizens have been registered as disabled; each year, as small and serious accidents increase, the number of disabled also continues to increase. Accidents or disease after birth, she says, are responsible for disabling 9 out of 10 Koreans. She feels that being concerned for the welfare of the disabled should not be solely the concern for specially trained people but for all of us, and that our understanding of the disabled also needs to broaden and change if we are to keep pace with the latest knowledge in the field.
 but there are still many who are unwilling to accept the disabled as being equally deserving of all the rights of other citizens.

There have  been many changes in society but still many have an aversion for the places used by the disabled  and this shows in the problems many have in  building such facilities. The price of land decreases and many find it uncomfortable to be so near the disabled so they demonstrate against the building of these facilities.

Though we have to come to an understanding that the only difference between the disabled and others is only a matter of degree, we have yet to take the next step, as a society, and act on what we understand.

To repeat the musician's words, the theme of both the TV program and the column: "There is no one that we can dispense with in our society." We Christians, she says, who profess to be light and salt of the earth, should be the first to appreciate what this means.

Knowing Ourselves

Taking a picture of our self  and uploading it to the internet so everybody can see how beautiful we are, and then listening to the comments, is not an uncommon occurrence these days. Writing in the Kyeongyang magazine a religious sister, whose specialty is the media, brings to our attention this kind of personal promotion, which reminded her of "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?"  As a result of this personal indulgence, the integrity of the self disappears, she says, and what remains is a desire for praise, concerned only with the way others see us.

To what extent should we be concerned with our physical appearance? she asks. Reading recently that it was considered trendy in Korea to have cosmetic jaw surgery, she admitted to feeling emotionally uncomfortable.  Why? Because having to chip away at the bones, there is always a danger of side effects; also because she became aware that so many of us are more concerned about external attractiveness than about the less noticeable spiritual qualities; and also because a woman's body has become a consumer item.

Life is like a drama, she says, being played out most noticeably on the social network service stage. The "I" of the actor  is taking over the real "I". There is no way to know how much of what is being communicated is real, and what is hypocrisy and deception. The boundaries between the real and the virtual are disappearing, she said.

We are so busy taking pictures that we forget what is beautiful and interesting, and what gives us joy. Before we have time even to appreciate the beauty of what we see, we take out our smart phone ready to capture what we see in a photograph. Even when going out to enjoy our leisure time, we are busy taking pictures and often promoting the self.

Is the satisfaction we get from virtual space more meaningful to us than what we get from family and friends? Have we become like actors on a stage, receiving the applause of the  audience and becoming entranced by the attention? she asks.

When we cannot  express our true selves and are manipulated by others, we become slaves, she says, controlled by the vision of others and not being true to who we are. We forget that as Christians we are God's creation, made to be like him and to be true to ourselves. True happiness wants to be shared with others. When one is happy there is no need for words, our happiness just naturally flows out to others. 
She tells us about a study that showed that those who associate with happy people also tend to be happy, and those around unhappy people tend to be unhappy. So it's good to keep in mind, she says, the thought that if I'm happy, those around me are also likely to be happy.

However, she points out that this happiness usually does not result from having a large audience of admiring fans. "Happy the man who meditates on wisdom and reflects on knowledge, who ponders her ways in his heart and understands her pathways" (Sirach 14:20-21). Those who do, she says, will have their happiness extend naturally to their friends, and to friends of their friends.

Last Foreign Bishop of Korea

Bishop McNaughton, the first bishop of the Inchon diocese, recently celebrated his 60th year of priesthood in a Korean Catholic parish of Boston. The Mass of Thanksgiving was written up in the Peace Weekly.

The bishop retired in 2002 and returned to the U.S., and his home state of Massachusetts. It gave the Korean community an opportunity to thank Bishop McNaughton for his many years of service to the Korean Church. During the sermon he recalled leaving for Korea on a boat from San Francisco, and 16 days later arriving at the harbor of Pusan. He was greeted by a delegation of Korean Catholics, which made him feel he was beginning life all over again.

His sermon, given in fluent Korean, said the journalist, was attentively listened to by the congregation. His forty one  years as the ordinary of the diocese and his zeal for the growth of the church was praised by many in the congregation, who admired what the 'old missioner' had accomplished. The bishop regretted learning that while the numbers of Korean Catholics have increased, those going to church have decreased. He asked the parishioners to have a love for the poor and to share their faith. After Mass, there was a celebration for the bishop in the church hall.

Bishop McNaughton began his missioner life in the Cheongju diocese. He was pastor of two parishes in the city, and in 1961 was made a bishop and the first ordinary of the Inchon diocese, which he led for 41 years. In the beginning of his tenure as bishop, there were 9 parishes, 19 clergy and 23,000 Catholics. Today, it is the fourth largest diocese in the country, with 20 parishes, 300 clergy and 460,000 Catholics. His retirement brought to an end a long line of foreign bishops in the Korean Church.

Maryknoll came to Korea in 1923, and this year will celebrate 90 years of pastoral work in Korea, which began in Pyeongyang, North Korea, at that time Korea was a  colony of Japan. In 1950, with the beginning of the Korean War, the Maryknollers moved South and were given the diocese of Cheongju, the diocese in which Bishop McNaughton began his missionary life.

One of the bishop's great achievements was building a seminary which has proven to be very successful, educating seminarians for  future work in North Korea and China besides the diocesan clergy. It is a fitting memorial to his long years of service to the Korean people and will continue to serve them well into the future. After the sermon, the pastor thanked Bishop McNaughton for his many years of service to the Korean Church, and said the Korean clergy will be paying back the debt by working zealously in the vineyard of the Lord.