Korean Liberation Day

A researcher from the Jesuit Human Rights Research Center offers insights in the Catholic News Paper on the 80th anniversary of liberation.  

The summer of 1945 was a season of liberation from Japanese colonial rule. However, it was also a season marked by the end of the war, with countless lives lost on the front lines, and the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which brought about an irreversible tragedy in human history. 

The result of sacrificing countless civilians to end the war was not merely the conclusion of the conflict. It marked the beginning of another war, one that entangled narratives of perpetration and victimization, even dividing the very ways in which memory is constructed.

Thus, the memories of August 1945 were layered on top of each other, with Korea's liberation, Japan's defeat, and the destructive power of nuclear weapons witnessed by the world. Japan commemorates this period as “memories of war damage” and emphasizes the atomic bomb damage in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These memories mainly emphasize the horrors of war, while at the same time obscuring the responsibility for the war of aggression. The responsibility and apology for the Japanese imperialism's long-standing aggression and colonial rule over its Asian neighbors, as well as the numerous atrocities committed under the name of the Greater East Asia War, remain vague.

The argument that we should forget the pain of the past and move toward reconciliation for a better future is also problematic when power inequality is at play. In particular, when forgiveness is forced upon victims without regard for the context and conditions of forgiveness, it is tantamount to another form of violence.

Christ's forgiveness is often misunderstood in this context. In fact, there are reports that among victims of domestic violence, it is Christians who suffer the deepest inner pain. This is because even within the church, the “theology of forgiveness” has functioned as a tool to force victims into silence. Victims are too often told, “We must forgive the perpetrator as Jesus forgave us” and “We must accept our suffering as Christ suffered.” However, these words serve as a means of justifying the continuation of violence and can become a double burden of pain for victims, silencing them on top of their wounds.

On the other hand, do we have the courage to break away from the familiar narrative of seeing ourselves only as victims? Korea was certainly a victim that endured a long history of colonialism, but at some point in modern history, it also stood in the position of the perpetrator. For example, the massacre of civilians by the Korean military in the villages of Phong Ni and Phong Nut in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, has yet to be properly investigated and apologized for to this day. When we acknowledge that we cannot simply be victims before the court of history, and when we accept that anyone can be both a victim and a perpetrator, then the process of forgiveness and reconciliation based on honest memory will finally become possible.

Forgiveness is not about covering up the past, but about making a commitment to ensure that such a past is never repeated. Remembering the summer of 80 years ago, which was both liberation and another form of oppression, light and darkness at the same time, we must ask again: How do we forgive, what do we apologize for, and why must we remember?

Need For Communication

 

In the Catholic Times View from the Ark column, a professor in a university Department of Urban Engineering gives the readers something to reflect on.

Communication is more effective when it is two-way rather than one-way. You must give God a chance to speak. He prefers prayers in which you ask for His will and listen carefully to what He wants from you.

How does God speak to me? He may convey His will through the “people” I meet in my life. Sometimes He reveals His heart through “events.” And more often than not, He expresses Himself to people through nature, which serves as a medium for His words and messages.

Even during the recent heat wave, if we listen carefully, we can hear what He is trying to tell us through the heat. That is, if we stop and listen attentively.  Even though the heat is painful and annoying, if we can hear God's voice in the heatwave and find the path He is pointing us toward, then enduring this long summer will be worthwhile.

In the suffocating heat, I hear God's voice, "Stop tormenting the earth!” I also hear Him say, “Please take the lead in reducing carbon emissions so that the Earth does not get any hotter!” In the early 1990s, the 15 member states of the European Union sensed the global carbon crisis and have been working hard to reduce carbon emissions for the past 30 years. 

As a result, they reduced carbon emissions by nearly 20-30% in sectors such as construction, power generation, and agriculture. However, carbon emissions from transportation increased by 30%, so they are now focusing on reducing carbon emissions in the transportation sector. France has taken steps to reduce carbon emissions by eliminating short-haul flights that can be covered by train in two and a half hours or less. Are we making such efforts? Or are we moving in the opposite direction?

Caring for this world, which God created with love, is the duty and mission of us believers. Let us listen to God's voice in the heatwave. When we see outdoor air conditioners blowing hot air, let us realize that they are heating up our villages and cities even more to cool our rooms and homes. If we have been idling our cars without thinking, out of concern for our loved ones, let us realize that this is making the air outside our cars even hotter.

Professor Kim Seung-seop, who has studied the social causes of disease, shares the story of the “lessons from the Chicago heatwave disaster” in his 2017 book, “When Pain Becomes a Path.” That July, Chicago experienced a heatwave with a heat index of 48 degrees Celsius, which persisted for days, resulting in over 700 deaths. It was a disaster of unprecedented proportions.

An analysis of the causes of death due to the heatwave revealed that those who died were often sick individuals, those living alone, and those who could not escape the heatwave.

An analysis of the causes of death revealed that those who were sick, lived alone, remained in their homes despite the heat, or were socially isolated were more likely to perish. In some cases, the mortality rate from heatstroke differed by more than tenfold between neighboring communities, with areas where community cohesion had broken down and public safety was unstable showing significantly higher death rates.

Four years later, in July 1999, another heatwave struck. The mayor of Chicago activated an emergency climate response strategy, opening 34 cooling centers where people could escape the heat and operating free buses. When it was determined that there were insufficient cooling centers, 31 schools were quickly added within a day. Visits and health checks were also conducted for over 30,000 vulnerable individuals. The number of heatwave-related deaths that year dropped to 110. This was the result of knowing the cause and responding swiftly.

Let us listen to God's voice speaking through the heatwave. Let us reflect on why our common home, the Earth, is becoming so hot, and seek out and practice what we can do. If we have come to realize that the socially vulnerable are even more vulnerable in the face of disasters like heatwaves, our communication with God will have deepened, and our reflection and action will resonate throughout the world as God's clearer and more powerful voice.  

Virtue in the Spiritual Life

In the "Life Wisdom Learned from the Desert Fathers' column of the Catholic Times, the Benedictine monk offers readers a deeper understanding of virtue in their spiritual life.

Those who have reached perfection are gentle, humble, and always maintain their composure. Pride and vanity are the biggest obstacles… Impossible without God’s grace.

‘Gather Virtue!’ This theme may sound a bit awkward. It contains the meanings of ‘accumulating virtue,’ ‘acquiring virtue,’ and ‘cultivating virtue.’ The expression ‘gather’ is inspired by the concept of a ‘wise bee.’ Virtue is called ‘virtus’ in Latin, which means ‘power’ or ‘courage’ to do good. It can be said to be ‘good habits’ as the opposite of ‘vice’ (vitio), which means ‘bad habits’. The life of asceticism is the process of eliminating vices and planting virtues.

Therefore, it involves efforts to acquire virtues while combating vices. Victory over vices brings about the acquisition of corresponding virtues. Cassianus states that vices and their corresponding virtues cannot coexist in a person simultaneously. It is up to the persons themself to decide, according to their conscience, where to focus their attention.

The desert monks struggled to acquire virtue, and they believed that it was God’s grace that enabled them to advance in virtue and eliminate vices. 

Athanasius, in his Life of Antony, compares Antony to a wise bee and testifies: “At first Antony also began to live near his own village. As soon as he heard of a certain man full of zeal, he went to him like a wise bee (cf. Septuagint Psalm 6:8). Antony did not return home until he had seen him and had received some food for his way in virtue.” 

As a bee collects honey from various flowers, Antony tried to collect virtue from various people. This is because one cannot find all the virtues in one person. Therefore, one must imitate each of the virtues in various people. And he must actively seek out virtue and try to imitate it, just as a bee diligently searches for honey.

Cassianus explains this in detail. “We should not look for all the virtues in one person, however excellent he may be. In fact, some are adorned with the flowers of knowledge, others with the art of discernment, some with the weight of patience, some with the virtue of humility, some with the virtue of self-denial. Still others with the grace of simplicity. One surpasses the others by generosity, another by charity, by vigilance, by silence, by labor.

For this reason, a monk who wants to collect spiritual honey, like a wise bee, should collect each virtue from those who have advanced in some virtue, and carefully gather it into his own vessel. He should not worry about the virtues that the other person lacks, but should only focus on acquiring the virtues that he has. For if we were to acquire all the virtues from one person, we would hardly find a model to imitate. 

This is a reasonable and helpful teaching. We humans are not perfect, so we cannot possess all the virtues. Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. When we, like the wise bees, try to find and emulate the good in others, our spiritual life will progress even further.

The desert monks struggled to acquire virtue. Abba Isidore explains why: “Evil separates people from God and separates them from one another. Therefore, we must quickly turn away from evil and pursue virtue. Virtue leads us to God and unites us with one another.” Just as there are many vices, there are also many virtues that are their counterparts.

They tried to acquire as many virtues as possible. The following two maxims from Abba Poemen illustrate this well: ‘Can a man rely on only one act?’ The elder answered,  ‘I would rather have a little of all the virtues'. “When someone prepares to build a house, he gathers together everything he needs for the construction, and he collects various kinds of materials. So too, let us have a little of all the virtues.”  

The story of two brothers who lived together in harmony in the desert for many years illustrates their remarkable pursuit of virtue. They competed with each other in patience and humility. Then one day, God revealed to one brother the virtues of the other brother in a special way. The brother recognized the superiority of the other brother and, from that moment on, he called him master, not brother, and treated him as his elder.  Here, we see extreme humility, not pride or jealousy, which can easily give rise to spiritual competition. If we were in this situation, we might be consumed by jealousy, anger, and pride.

The Desert Fathers regarded pride and vanity as the most significant obstacles to cultivating virtue. Pride mercilessly robs the soul of all its virtues. Cassianus says: “How dangerous and serious is the disease of pride! So much justice and virtue, so great faith and devotion, are destroyed by vanity, that they change the very nature and laws of the world, and all these virtues disappear into oblivion as if they had never existed.” 

And “there is no vice that so removes all virtue, and strips and strips a man of all righteousness and holiness, as the evil of pride. Pride is like a contagious disease that spreads throughout the whole body, and not only infects one part, but also injures the whole body, and seeks to completely destroy and crush those who have already reached the height of virtue.”

That is why they were most wary of pride. One of the elders received a revelation that there were worldly people who were very virtuous. Great elders who had reached the height of perfection were afraid of thinking that they were superior to others. God often made them aware that there were laymen who were just as virtuous as they were, in order to protect them from pride. A certain monk, who is taught by an angel that he is not as holy as a lay farmer, meets him and is impressed by his words. 

The first of all virtues is humility. Humility was the essence of the daily life of the desert monks. They believed that it was the grace of God that made it possible to advance in all virtues and to eliminate all vices. The teaching of the Desert Fathers is that no one can attain perfection by human effort alone without the grace of God. A person who has attained perfection is someone who is meek and humble like Jesus and who always maintains a constant sense of equanimity. Meekness, humility, and equanimity are the marks of a virtuous person. 

Poll on Attire For Mass Attendance

“What do you think about attire for Mass attendance?” July survey results... 2,791 participants.

The Catholic Newspaper and Catholic Good News of the Archdiocese of Seoul conducted a Catholic POLL from July 9 to 23 on the theme of “What do you think about attire for attending Mass?” A total of 2,791 people participated in the survey.

The majority of believers think that clothes that are too tight or see-through are inappropriate attire for Mass.

In the question asking respondents to select all attire they consider inappropriate for Mass attendance, the largest number (2,338) chose “clothing that clings to the body.” This was followed by “see-through thin clothing” (2,233), “slippers” (2,155), ‘sunglasses’ (1,962), “shorts or skirts above the knee” (1,870), “athletic wear (training suits, hiking gear, etc.)” (1,717), sleeveless tops (1,708), hats (1,653), and sandals worn barefoot (1,136). Few respondents chose sandals worn with socks (331) or knee-length shorts or skirts (296). There were also 112 respondents who believed that all of the suggested attire was appropriate for attending Mass.

When asked about their thoughts on attire for Mass attendance, most respondents answered that “inappropriate attire could make other Mass attendees uncomfortable” (1,641 people) and that “clothing appropriate for public places is acceptable for Mass” (1,352 people). The opinions that followed were, “Even if it is uncomfortable, you should wear formal attire as much as possible” (1,248 people) and “You should dress formally as usual, but light summer attire should be acceptable” (1,125 people). 

“It seems that there are more restrictions on women's attire than men's” (493 people). “Wearing comfortable clothes makes it easier to attend Mass” (440 respondents). “Attending Mass is important, and it doesn't matter what you wear” (276 respondents), and “People who are bothered by others' attire are the problem” (231 respondents).

The most common item people bring to Mass is a “smart device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) for viewing daily Mass, Catholic hymns, etc.” (1,512 people). Next were books for daily Mass (1,476), rosaries (1,337), and Catholic hymns (1,109). 

In the case of Mass books, 1,334 said they brought them, which corresponds to 65% of the 2,051 female respondents. On the other hand, 187 respondents said they did not bring anything to Mass. Some respondents said they brought the Catholic Prayer Book (184), the Bible (116), and church books such as the Legion of Mary textbook and devotional books (74).  

33% (916) of all respondents said they always read the readings and the Gospel before Mass. 49% (1,376 people) read the readings and the Gospel occasionally, but not always, and attended Mass. 18% (499 people) did not read the readings and the Gospel before Mass.

Faith and Reason in Search of Truth

The Catholic Peace Weekly's "Preciousness of Faith" column reflects on the life of faith: "Faith the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb. 11)  

There are many people around us who no longer hold religious beliefs. Among the columnist's childhood friends, almost none of them attend church today. We ask the non-believers: Why don’t you believe? However, from their perspective, it is a greater mystery: Why do you still believe?

Whether we believe or not, we walk the same path. We search for meaning.  Some people ask questions quickly, while others do so slowly. How should we live so that our lives are valuable and meaningful? What does it mean to live a full life? Nihilism denies this meaning. 

The following words of Jesus come to us who ask these questions. “For to him who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 13:12)

According to the columnist's experience, spiritual growth tends to regress if not nurtured. Through this dialogue with non-believers, we are invited to rediscover the profound value of life and deepen our understanding of existence.

John Paul II's encyclical Fides et Ratio makes clear that faith and reason are essential for an understanding of truth and they should work together. In the 48th paragraph of the encyclical the Pope says: "Parrhesia of faith must be matched by the boldness of reason"  

Faith and reason are essential for a full understanding of truth, and  they should work together rather than in opposition to each other. "Parrhesia" from the Greek means candid and free speech, the obligation to speak the truth for the common good even at personal risk.

We need confidence and openness to express our beliefs in religious faith without fear of judgment or reprisal. It implies a deep-seated trust in the tenets of one's faith and the courage to share that faith with others. Boldness of reason signifies the courage to pursue intellectual inquiry, to question, to analyze, and to explore the depths of human knowledge. It's about not being afraid to grapple with complex ideas, even if they challenge existing beliefs. It involves a commitment to seeking truth through logical thought and evidence-based reasoning.

The phrase emphasizes that neither faith nor reason should dominate the other. Instead, they should complement each other in the quest for truth. Faith provides a framework of belief and a sense of purpose, while reason helps to understand and articulate that faith in a meaningful way. 

Fides et Ratio argues that faith can broaden the horizons of reason, while reason can help to understand and express the truths of faith. They are not mutually exclusive but rather work together to lead individuals toward a more comprehensive understanding of reality and their place within it. 

Heart to Heart Communication

 

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An article in the Catholic Peace Weekly has some background on Cardinal  John Henry Newman, 

an Anglican priest who became a Catholic. He dedicated his life to the Church and was named the 38th Doctor of the Church on July 31 by Pope Leo XIV. A  title given to saints who have made significant contributions to Catholic teaching and spirituality.

Cardinal Newman was born in London, England, in 1801 and was baptized an Anglican and ordained a Catholic priest. While a professor at Oxford University, he was a leading figure in the Oxford Movement, a 19th-century Anglican reform movement that wanted to revitalize the Church by reasserting its connection to Catholic traditions and emphasizing its spiritual independence from the state.

He realized that the Oxford Movement was more in line with universal church teaching and was baptized Catholic in 1845 by Father Domenico Barberi, his friend, an Italian Passionist priest living in England, who received him into the Catholic Church. In October 1846, he entered the Pontifical University of Urbano to study theology, and the following year, in 1847, he was ordained a priest and received the Doctor of Divinity degree from Pope Pius IX. 

In 1879, Pope Leo XIII made Newman a cardinal. This was an unusual decision for the time. Cardinal Newman chose the phrase “Cor ad cor loquitur” (heart speaks to the heart) as his pastoral motto.

Cardinal Newman had a profound influence on Catholic and Anglican doctrine. After his conversion, he remained active as a theologian, exploring the harmony between faith and reason when science and faith clashed over evolution. His work is credited with influencing the Second Vatican Council in 1965. He also authored 40 books and more than 20,000 documents.

As a Catholic and Anglican saint, Cardinal Newman's work has led to the establishment of institutions and organizations named after him in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and other Anglo-American countries. "He wrote numerous books on theology, spirituality, and mysticism. 

"Cor ad cor loquitur" is most famously associated with St. John Henry Newman, who adopted it as his episcopal motto when he became a cardinal. The phrase stresses the importance of personal, sincere, heartfelt connections in communication, particularly in matters of faith and spirituality, suggesting that profound truths are best communicated through genuine, personal relationships rather than through intellectual arguments alone. The phrase originates from the writings of St. Francis de Sales.

Newman believed that while logic and reason were important, they were not sufficient for conveying the more profound truths of faith. He argued that true conversion and transformation happen through a personal, heart-to-heart connection with God and others. The phrase continues to be used in various contexts, including by bishops, schools, and organizations, to emphasize the importance of personal connection, empathy, and authentic communication in relating with God and others.

"Cor ad cor loquitur" highlights the power of genuine human connection in fostering understanding, faith, and spiritual growth. 

What Happened to the Natural Law?

 

“The Natural Law that exists in all creatures is an expression of the innate moral consciousness that enables humans to discern through reason what is good and evil, what is truth, and what is falsehood.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church —1954)

The Catholic Teaching on the Natural Law can be considered a law within us that gives direction to our lives, guiding us to do good and avoid evil. This command of human reason would not have the force of law if it were not the voice and interpreter of a higher reason to which our spirit needs to listen.

However, in today's world, natural law no longer speaks to all with the same clarity as it did in the past. We have contradictory opinions in most of these philosophical matters, as in many areas of life. Both in the East and the West, humanity had little difficulty in accepting natural law thinking; however, with the many different interpretations and understandings of what the senses experience, the loss of meaning has occurred.

The Roman, Greek, and Asian societies seemed ready to understand and grasp the underpinning of the world in which they lived, well before the Christian era. In this brief summary, the Confucian understanding of the five constants, which can be understood as the natural virtues: humanity, rightness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. 

The ‘Five Constants’ with their Chinese icons are humanity (仁), rightness (義), propriety (禮), wisdom (智), and trustworthiness (信). These five virtues influence and reinforce each other. Humanity is the complete virtue within the self, which includes and governs rightness, propriety, and wisdom. Trustworthiness serves as their underlying ‘realness’ and thus the foundation of the other four. These are innate to the person and need to be developed or lost when neglected.

Catholicism does not entirely accept the 'Tabula rasa' understanding of the psyche, which is rooted in the idea that the human mind is a blank slate before acquiring ideas through sense experience and reasoned reflection. Instead, Catholic theology emphasizes the spiritual nature of the human person, encompassing the rational soul and the capacity for free will.

The five constants of Confucianism offer us some insight into what those in Asia considered innate to humanity and required cooperation, part of the natural law.

The five virtues are considered 'constant' because they are believed to be universally applicable and enduring moral principles, essential for both individual cultivation and social harmony. These virtues are regarded as timeless and fundamental to human nature and social order and are understood as inherent in humanity.