Conflict of Values

We are replacing presently an old fence behind the Church with a block foundation and a new fence. The property was surveyed. We are not claiming all the land that we own but trying to keep close to the line of the old fence. I thought this would be appreciated by our neighbors. Well, when the contractor started to work we had all the neighbors there complaining about the drainage. I thought that since we were so generous and were also interested in handling the drainage problem correctly all would be well. The contractor has his own views on what should be done. He was involved in the initial conflict and doesn't want a problem with the neighbors.

Even the Catholics and not only our neighbors are guided by the traditional Korean values. I am a Westerner with a more individualistic appreciation of my rights. The Korean Culture emphasizes group awareness, over my personal concerns. They are much more sensitive to the feelings of the others, and they on the whole do not like conflict.

These traditional Korean values seem to be more Christian than the values that I have been brought up with and consequently the conflict. I have decided to stay out of it for my own peace of mind but it is difficult.


We Need 3 Different Set of Eyes

This Korean e-mail was received yesterday in my e-mail and thought it worth sharing even though it is a poor translation.

First we need eyes to see ourselves. What do I want?
I need eyes to see truly what I need.

Secondly we need eyes to see the other.
To know what the other expects of me.
Not losing the core of what one is...to live in harmony with the other
is forming a healthy personal relationship.

Thirdly Eyes to see the world.
How is the world changing?
I need eyes to see what I can do for the world.
If the society that I am part of does not grow then my growth will be limited.
We need to see ourselves and others with the eyes of wisdom to discern the society to which we belong.
When we have these eyes we can cultivate our will and strengths to positively change the society to which we belong.
First see myself, see the other and then extend to seeing the whole of society.
It is then that our ideal and the real world begin to come into harmony.
The person with these 3 set of eyes will walk firmly in the real world: the head and heart in the direction of the ideal.

What the Business World Want?

All of us who work in Korea know how strong the desire for education is on the part of parents.
I can recall when the family would raise a bull for the future education of the child. The times have changed but the sacrifice made on the part of the parents for the child is as strong as ever.
They strive to send them to the best schools and take the means to do this. The cost at times is very high.

Over the years the Country has made some big changes in their education policy. Many thought that the system was too rigid and the system did not produce flexible, creative people with the human touch. This has improved a great deal. However, I was surprised to see an article in the Chosun Ilbo ( 3/30/2009) that had many in the the business world saying that the students come out of college standardized . They were all too similar according to one manager. Another mentioned that a person loses his individuality. Another mentioned that they have the language ability and the technical expertise but they lack the creativity for the job. The statement that surprised me the most was a personnel manager who said that companies are looking for candidates who do not just have high scores on the Toeic and generally high marks in their studies but "they are looking first for people who can sacrifice for others but they are difficult to find."

Even if this was a statement of a very rare type of personnel manager it was rather surprising to see. It is a good sign that our Korean world of business is still influenced by the traits that we have come to see as important for a good life. And there are those who are not embarrassed to make it known publicly.

"Blessing of the Rainbow" Cha Dong-yeop

Fr. Cha Dong-yeop of the Incheon Diocese is a man on fire with the message of " positive thinking". His book the Blessing of the Rainbow has sold close to a million copies. He is intelligent, charismatic, well educated, confident and a propagandist for the 'will to do'. The publishers blurb for the book, mentions:

"Happiness and success depend on how you think.
You will be owner of your life if you throw away your
negative and passive thoughts and change them to
positive and active thoughts. The future is yours
when you challenge yourself with the faith that
'I can do it' ."

It is a happy reality that we have a Catholic Priest giving a very important message to all who are interested. In our theology we start off with a very important principle that "Grace builds on Nature". Fr. Cha is giving us a great deal of that foundation which is common sense and just basic natural principles that have worked for so many people.

The people in the States are very familiar with Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Another man a Protestant Minister, Norman Vincent Peale, had a best seller in, Power of Positive Thinking .These books have sold in the millions and are still popular. They have helped many to achieve a sense of self that they had lacked before.

Fr. Cha knows that he has detractors but this does not deter him for he is confident that what he has to say will be able to stand on its own with the passage of the years. Last year he gave over 600 talks, an indisputable sign of one who is on fire with a message.

Besides the Korean Edition there is also an English edition that may be ordered.

English Excitement

I have been living in Korea for many years now and yes I have been working hard trying to learn the Korean language. But now, I hear many Koreans want to learn English- Why? Well business reasons of course but also the Koreans want to connect better with the world-

Korea used to be called the "Hermit Kingdom" but , wow, how that's changed.They are very curious, intensely interested in travel, hosting visitors from other countries. They want to live, study, meet young people overseas- So we "have to learn English" -- American English that is!


REUNION

Kids in Korea want to study and learn-not only for better jobs but because they are curious about every thing- and want to understand. But often because many must go to work in factories to help support the family- they have little chance for school.

But about 30 years ago Maryknoll in Pan Song Dong in South Korea, set up a NIGHT SCHOOL for young factory workers, from 6pm to 9pm every day. It was tough to work and study but many finished the course.

Just last week I got a call from one of the students: Do you remember me-from your old night school? We're having a reunion- can you come? I went - didn't remember names but I recognized almost all the faces. They were not rich but I was so pleased that all were doing quite well with jobs and happy families.

Hostility and Beauty

I am a Maryknoll Priest living in a H.D.Village in Busan, a port city in South Korea. You possibly
have heard that the North Korean military has fired its rocket-missile. The countries didn't know where this rocket was to land- they were prepared to intercept and destroy it should it cross into international air space. So in the country and in neighboring countries the hostile feelings were high.

But a bit in contrast-last week I went with one of my young H.D. (leper disease) friends to the nearby city of Jin Hae. We went to take part in the Cherry Blossom Festival. Thousands from all over, sharing the magnificence of the spring Cherry, Plum, Apricot and Magnolia blossoms. It's hard, we were thinking, to keep hostility and beauty in your heart at the same time. Beauty seems to win out every time.

The German Bishops and Korean Small Christian Groups

The Korean Church has a knack of being able to take a foreign program, adapt it to its own needs and very often do a better job with the results than the initial program. A good example of this is the Basic Christian Community Movement . There are many names for these small group meetings in homes. They are often called village meetings, ban meetings.They can meet weekly or monthly. Originally the movement came to Korea from South America.

They meet in the homes of the Christians. They share the word of God, share fellowship, and are united with the parish and the Universal Church. There is someone in charge of the proceedings usually a person appointed by the pastor to represent the Catholics in the village or different sections of a parish. It is an attempt to get more intimacy and experience Church as it should be and not as we have it in so many large parishes. "There is the desire to reestablish human relationships within the Community: to form church communities of a size that allow for true human relationships in the parish to which such groups belong and with the entire diocesan and universal church. In such a human context, it will be easier to gather to hear the Word of God, to reflect on the range of human problems in the light of this Word, and gradually to make responsible decisions inspired by the all-embracing love of Christ."

It is obvious that there are many difficulties in forming these communities. The different expectations of the parish priests towards these groups is also a point of dispute. They are not always successful and the need for the families to have two working full time has put obstacles in the way. The movement, however, continues and efforts are being made to strengthen and improve it frequently.


There will be a workshop,this coming week, for the German Bishops and some other bishops from other countries who are associated with the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences). The German Catholic Church will be looking for help in renewing the life of the Christians in Germany with the pastoral model of small Christian Communities. The Church in Korea especially the dioceses of Suwon and Cheju have a good reputation in this area. That the German bishops will be coming to Korea for exposure to village groups is a good sign of this success.

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THANKS - LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Now that the mourning period is over for Cardinal Kim the diocese of Seoul has begun distributing stickers with the words: thanks' and 'love one another'. These are the last words that the Cardinal is recorded as saying before his death.

It is surprising, in many ways, to see how he touched the hearts of so many people. Certainly to be thankful and to love are two very basic teachings of all the religions and even of civic virtue.

The Cardinal was a simple man who became a superstar without any effort on his part. It was the humble insistence on respect for all that drew so many people to him before and after his death. No one was able to deter him from this message and it caused pain for some both in the Church and out. It was the Christian message expressed at a time when it was most difficult. There is no doubt that this is the reason for the love that has been shown him. I am sure this love will continue even with the passage of time

The sticker movement will get many of us to be more conscious of what he stood for during those many years as the Ordinary of Seoul and even after, in retirement.