The Bishops on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

The Catholic Church in Korea as in the rest of the world is doing battle with the notion that it is perfectly legitimate to experiment with embryonic cells for the benefit of the sick. The prevailing opinion is one that says: the end justifies the means. The Catholic bishops of the United States have said in their statement on this issue:"Harvesting embryonic stem cells is a “gravely immoral” and “absolutely unacceptable” act that involves the deliberate killing of innocent human beings "... “Because life is our first and most basic gift from an infinitely loving God, it deserves our utmost respect and protection.” The bishops rejected research proponents’ argument that any harm done in embryonic stem cell research is outweighed by the potential benefits, saying the idea that a good end can justify direct killing “has been the source of much evil in our world.”

The Korean Bishops have long been making the same statements but now that the government has given the qualified okay to the experimentation the bishops have given response to the latest decision of the National Bioethics Committee with the statement of Bishop Chang reported below as taken from their newsletter:

The Most Rev. Gabriel Chang Bong-hun, President of the Committee for Bioethics of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK), issued a message on April 29, 2009, protesting the decision of the National Bioethics Committee to give a qualified consent to the stem cell research on the somatic cloned human embryo, requested by the researchers of CHA General Hospital in Seoul.

In his message, Bishop Chang said, "The Committee cannot but deplore the fact that a national institution leads the way in the destruction of life. There is shown even contempt for life which will be brought about by such a research aiming for the development of embryonic stem cell production. This also includes the production of stem cells from cloned human embryo, on the excuse that it will help in the treatment for incurable diseases. The newly approved stem cell research on the somatic cloned human embryo is an act of ruthless violence destroying human life in the name of science." (worked the above into shorter sentences )

And Bishop Chang stressed, "The Catholic Church never turns her face away from the patients who are suffering from the incurable disease, even if she opposes the research on the somatic cloned human embryo. More than any other organization, the Catholic Church has worked and will work for the terminally-ill patients with other concerned parties."

In conclusion, Bishop Chang said, "The Catholic Church supports ... the adult stem cell research and the stem cell research... of skin cells. Such researches can be rewarded with good results without the destruction of human life, in defiance of nature. … Bio-technology should strive for the true development of human beings, standing by life, recognizing its precious vocation to serve the integral life."

Three years ago, the government banned all stem cell researches on the somatic cloned embryo, as the scandal of Dr. Hwang Woo-seok resulted in a great social confusion. At that time, Dr. Hwang manipulated the results of the embryonic stem cell research to entice the government subsidy. His misbehavior aroused so much public rage that the government had to ban all researches related to the stem cell research in general.

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Wise Business Practices?

Johanna Lee is a usually a thrifty lady when it comes to shopping. As a member our H.D. (Leper) community, she has had to watch where her meager food money has been spent- usually on basics like rice, simple vegetables and inexpensive fish-because she has had to feed a family of five over the years.

This morning, May 8th, a new "LOTTE SUPPER" market opened in her Jang Rim neighborhood.It must be explained for those unfamiliar with the Korean Family or choebal system. Like the ultra-rich families in Korea, the Lotte Family group owns much real estate, supermarkets, and subsidiary businesses in Korea. In a word the LOTTE CEO would be much more powerful and influential than even the President of Korea, that's the story of money people world wide!

Loudspeakers blasted out, "Come to the new Lotte Super- today, everything is cheap, only half price- So Come"! Johanna and many of her friends almost frenzy-like go and spend all of their precious household money on things really not needed. When she cools down she realizes she has been a willing victim of tricky business practices!

We have all been freely manipulated by others using our greed for gain. Here in Korea as in the States the large chain stores have put many of the smaller stores out of business. This has been in the short term a blessing for the consumer but not always good for society. The big money goes to a small number of individuals, compared to many small businesses putting the big money in the hands of many more individuals. There are many very simple business practices that are used frequently and that help the rich grow richer and the poor poorer. This may be a sign of efficiency, intelligence and just good business practices but is it for the common good?

Labor Problems In Catholic Hospitals

For some time there has been a labor dispute in Incheon’s Bu Pyeong St.Mary’s Catholic Hospital between the labor union and the hospital that the diocese administers. The union feels that the administration is trying to get rid of the union. When the diocese took over the hospital from an order of sisters there were 240 in the union it went down to 41. There has been a freeze on the pay for three years and little communication between the hospital and union.

The hospital wants to keep the operational cost down for the hospital is in debt and the building is old so they are planning to build a 15 story hospital. The priest in the diocese who is in charge of the labor ministry feels there should be more dialogue between the administration and the union. The bishop has made it very clear in his talk for labor day that the Church is very strong on the rights of the laborers to work together to achieve their goal. Yet both sides see the problem in different ways.

You see this not infrequently. Not knowing all the facts it is difficult to take a position for all the parties have something going for them. Dialogue is important and probably some mediation would be a blessing.

The priest in charge of the diocese's labor ministry, said he believed the union had faced pressure from the hospital: "I believe that the union has been under pressure from the hospital. Losing so many union members in such a short period proves that," he said. The bishop reconfirmed the Church's recognition of labor unions’ role in his labor day message. " But the Church knows it only from the head and not the heart. That embarrasses me." he lamented. He has asked the head of the hospital to work with the union.

The Church in Korea has faced protests on labor issues at another hospital it runs. Last December, about 100 people attended a Mass outside Seoul archdiocese-run Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital in support of part-time workers whose contracts with the hospital were not renewed.

The hospital wants to run an efficient hospital to help the people in Incheon with the best medical services that can be had. This is not an easy job there is a great deal of competition and to improve the facilities it takes money. The union wants to make the life of their members better adapted to the conditions of our society. This brings about conflict. It should be obvious that the when the Church does get involved with schools and hospitals they have to run them according to the capitalistic principles of our society and that is a big danger for the Church. For many times they lose the very meaning of why they were established.

We have the law of love which when used in this context would bring a smile to the faces of many and yet the church is not in this work for profit which is the dilemma. Certainly the Church should be an example of what it means to be partners for a common goal but this requires a great deal of dialogue and the necessary disposition on the part of both parties.

Help for Internet Addiction

The Borame Youth Center administered by the Seoul Archdiocese has been entrusted by the Seoul City with a project for therapy and prevention of addiction of youth to the internet. The Center will be called, I WILL center. It will be staffed with 9 qualified persons. The plan is to construct a network that will take care of all aspects of the treatment and prevention of addiction of this type. Apparently it is know that this problem is not one that goes away on its own.

I have for many years felt that the internet was the greatest discovery in my life time. It has the good and the bad but it has the potential for much good if used correctly. I compare it to the printing press. It could be a help in making us all the wiser but the use of the internet can also have many handicaps. There are physical problems that come with excessive use. You have internet sexual addiction, gaming compulsion, indiscriminate information , relationship addiction, and compulsions to use the internet. The very use of the blog that I am using can be an addiction but it can also be a service.

There is an old scholastic aphorism: Quidquid recipitur ad modum recipientis recipitur. (What ever is received is received in the mode of the one receiving.) So having a mature set of values and a basic grounding in the old fashion virtues is a prerequisite for the healthy use of the internet, or for anything.

The Cardinal at the dedication of the center prayed that the light shown on this problem will continue to grow and be a help to our young people.

A Korean Mother's Love

I received the book “Herb Gathering Grandmother’s Single Eyed Love” in the mail recently from a priest in the diocese. I have no way of judging if that is a good translation of 나물 할머니의 외눈박이 사랑, a book of meditations on a mother’s love. On Parents Day May 8 it is a good time to reflect on a mother’s love.

The priest is one who has had many big positions in the diocese. He was the rector of the seminary and the head of the marriage tribunal and now a pastor of a big city parish. His mother died two years ago at the age of 92 and this book is his meditative reflections on the past 40 years of his mother's life. He has written many books but this is his first one with a strong emotional content. The reason for the title is that his mother when he was rector of the seminary would in the spring gather herbs from the nearby hills and acorns in the fall to make acorn jelly to give to the seminarians. She was called 'herb gathering grandmother' by the seminarians.

He writes: “I learned to pray in my mother’s womb, I learned about love at her knees, at her breast I received my Faith. When there were difficulties she would pray before the cross. That prayer has been the support of my life. My mother has been my breath, my love, and my respected teacher.”

The priest was very honest in the portrayal of the difficulties of his mother and one of them was a husband who was not always there when she needed him. She had to feed the family with her selling different commodities, and take care of her 6 children. He has seen the problems that married couples have had and hopes that his transparency in some way will help those families.

On Parent’s Day it is a good time to reflect on our parents love and in this case the sacrifice and service of the Korean Mothers.

Suicides in Korea

It is not always wise to take statistics at face value but it seems that the number of suicides in Korea is such that it is causing a great deal of concern in our society. A report from the Organization for Cooperation and Development (OECD) said that Korea had the highest number of deaths from suicide. The recent Catholic newspaper had an editorial that said that last year we had 35 people each day that ended their lives with suicide. It mentioned that those in there twenties the cause for death from suicide leads the list.

Suicide has become an 'epidemic' disease. Just recently there was a number of suicides in Gang won Do where 11 plotted their suicides together with the help of the internet. In recent months we had some very visible members of our society who had everything, ending their lives by suicide.

The editorial went on to say that the reasons are many .The students have stress that comes with examinations. The young people who see no future for themselves become depressed. The middle aged see the struggle to make a living for the family too much and the older people with infirmities and alienation see no reason to continue.

The culture of Death is spreading throughout the world. The media is telling us that we have the right over life and can end it when we choose. Life does become unbearable for many ,should they not have the freedom to end it when they want?

Our society does a good job in giving our young people very high expectations but there is a dark side to this. Life is not always fair and we do not always get what we want but that does not mean that life is not beautiful and a gift. One of our older priests was quoted as saying: “show me a person who has high expectations and I will fall asleep at his side.” Another came back with: "Keep your expectations low and be an overachiever." There was a tongue in cheek with this but something is being said which is not all that bizarre.

We know that God can write straight with crooked lines and we should not forget the wisdom of the ages both in the East and West. ‘새옹지마’ (an evil may sometimes turn out to be a blessing in disguise) ‘전화위복’ (misfortune turns into a blessing) and in our Easter Liturgy we have ‘Felix Culpa’ (happy fault).

For those of us in pastoral care we have known for some time now that most of the cases of suicide has little to do with sin and a great deal to do with sickness. We have no difficulty in giving those who are Catholic a Church Funeral but we have to make an effort to change the way we educate our children. Life is much more than what we do or what we have. It is all about who we are. Our very being is what is precious. The preciousness of life is always there no matter what we do or fail to do.

The Life on a Korean Farm

It has been obvious for many years that we in the country are losing many people to the city. I am a resident of a mission station that is on an island. There were more Catholics here 40 years ago than there are today. We have few young people and consequently the difficulty of finding farm workers.

The import of foreign farm goods makes the income of the farmers very unpredictable. The government does subsidize the rice farmers; I can’t imagine what would be the situation if they did not. One of the blessings of this island is no water problems and no natural disasters that have afflicted other areas of the country.

There is the problem with the schools for many choose to send their children to the city for an education. That means that it is not easy to keep the school morale strong.

Since the farmers are getting old they do not seem to have the desire to change the ways of their fathers. They are still working with plastic greenhouses and you find few who want to change to more creative ways of farming and the planting of different crops. There is one man who is coming out to the Church at present who has started planting blueberry plants. He gave us 4 to plant on our Church property and it was something to see. He brought his own peat moss that he imported from Canada and fertilizer. He is one that is trying something new. Hopefully it will work out.

I have not been able to figure out if the farmers are in a profitable business. The money they have to spend on equipment is extremely large. One farmer that I was talking to mentioned that in the beginning he was able to make money by using his equipment on the other farm plots and being remunerated but everybody wants their own equipment. This income has mostly disappeared. He told me the price of some of the equipment, and if true, I do not see how they can make any money farming. I do feel there is something important that I do not know about their life. The price of the land is going up all the time and probably the assets that they have is what keeps them going. Many of them are rich farmers but I wonder if it is the farming that has made them rich. It is fact that the governments of all the countries of the world want to see this life continue. They are willing to subsidize it, for the benefits are just too great to enumerate, even if it is not making a profit.