21st Anniversary Catholic Peace Newspaper

It has been a mystery to me over the years to see the number of newspapers in Seoul-they seem to have a large readership and no talk of bankruptcy and problems with income. This could be my simple lack of information on the subject.

The president of the Peace Catholic Newspaper and Peace Broadcasting System in the“editorial” for the 21st anniversary of the Peace Newspaper had a rather gloomy assessment of the situation. In my own way below is a brief summary of what was said.


Because we have those that want to buy does not mean that we have to sell; nor need we sell because we have people who want to buy.

The media is a means and not an end. No matter what means are selected the end is the same, to live like human beings. How to live like a human being is different for all of us but there is a general consensus on what is meant to live a human life. Each one in his or her own way has to determine the general values of living a full human life. In a contest if there is no points given then you have no losers.

He listed what Gandhi said about the destruction of Nations:

1) politics without principles
2) business without morality
3) wealth without work
4) knowledge without character
5) science without humanity
6) pleasure without conscience
7) worship without sacrifice.

The president left us with the impression that no matter how hard the financial situation becomes he will not resort to anything that does not help us live a more fully human life.

This is an issue that certainly has many different responses. To give the readers what they want is a good way to keep the readership. It is good business policy and many would say common sense. However, success in one field many be a failure in another. I sympathize very much with what the president had to say however, there may me a middle course in how to handle the Catholic news. I do not believe a Catholic Paper should go in the direction of the National Catholic Reporter nor be like the old L'Osservatore Romano. Sandro Magister who knows the situation well said that L'Osservatore has been remodeled: "More interviews. More space given to women. Non-Catholic contributors. International news, and about the Churches and the religions. Major cultural topics. To prompt thought and discussion even outside of Catholic boundaries."

There has to be honesty in the media but not everything has to be said because it is out there being talked about. The change in the L'Osservatore Romano would be a good example for many of our Catholic papers. The editorial ended with a quote from Isaiah:

Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth;
The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind.
Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what
I create. Isaiah: 65:17-18

Korean Weddings Need not be Expensive

May is the peak wedding season in Korea and even though the times are difficult many Koreans opt for expensive weddings. The government during the non democratic days tried hard to change the habits derived from the culture but with little results.

In recent days there have been articles in the daily papers showing how expensive some of the weddings are but also those who make it a point of having a very simple wedding. If they choose to have a wedding in a first class hotel the weddings can cost 100 million won. This would include flowers, makeup, photographs, gift for the in-laws music and the wedding banquet. For many who are not that well off, the cash gifts from the guests which can range from 20,000 to 100,000 won will help pay for the expenses.

In Korea as elsewhere there is not any hard and fast rule that you can lay down and say this is the way it is done. The Culture for the most part influences the wealthy more than the middle and working class but the facts are that there are as many different ways of marrying as there are couples and this is truer today than in the past. There was a time when it was said that the groom’s families asks for three keys from the brides family: a key to a security box, car and house. These are the types of stories that make the papers. Those who are not wealthy have more freedom to do as they please while the wealthy may be more concerned about what others will think and what their social peers expect of them.

Just recently we had the wedding in the States of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s son. It took place in a small Catholic chapel (Holy Family Church) in Manhattan where 150 well wishes attended even though he only invited 100 of close family and friends. Cash gifts were declined. There was no rent for the wedding hall, no flower garlands, no red carpets- a Church Mass and the exchanging of vows before the priest. Ban’s two daughters also had very simple weddings by Korean standards.

A Catholic Church wedding can cost very little. In many cases it is the Mass stipend if there is to be a Mass . The rest will depend on how much the family wants to spend for photographs, clothes and banquet. This can be done with very little if the customs of the area do not make it difficult for the couple to do what they feel is appropriate.

We need more Koreans who have the place in society that the Secretary General has , who are willing to do what their common sense tells them is the thing to do. With the mass media carrying stories of this type a great deal can be done to change the way people conduct their weddings in our Society

Determination

When the weather is reasonable and time allows I usually go up the nearby mountain for a couple of hours' exercise- especially since the City of Busan has made a marvelous path and mountain-top park.

About half way up the mountain I have noticed a man working hard to put siding on a medium –sized steel-framed building. I never stopped to inquire about his work until today. He was resting near the entrance so I felt –“Ah, a good chance to chat.”

Wiping the sweat from his face, he said, “I began this little factory three years ago, on this land bought by my grandfather.”

Curious, I continued, “I noticed you are always working alone. Do you have any one to help- sons, relatives, and friends?”

“Yes, he replied, “but they all have jobs,”

“Will you be able to put on the roof, before the raining season in July?”

He laughed “Maybe I’ll be able to put on the roof in 3 or 4 years”

He smiled again as I made a gesture of rolling up my sleeves to help him.

“It will take time, but, for sure, I will get it done!” he explained confidently.

Now each time I pass his project I will remember what he taught me so well! Determination! I want to do it! I will do it!

Korean Mothers and Fathers Day 2009

It was May 8, 2009, Aw-baw-ee nal our Mothers and Fathers Day in Korea. Emotions run high on this day for Koreans. I was invited by my community of H.D. (lepers) villagers as the elder to dinner. Because there were many joining in, a local buffet was chosen-reasonable price but an excellent variety of food. As we feasted on all kinds of fish, meat, vegetables, fruit mostly Korean delicacies, but even some western cuisine- I had to stop- take a deep breath in joy and gratitude.

My thoughts went back to 50 years ago when I first came to Busan Korea. The refugees from the North Korea were everywhere. Not only did we have little food, clothing, medicine but even a place to sleep. This was the fallout of the terrible Korean fratricidal War, 1950-53. But today was very different. No worries or privations, thoughts about tomorrow, all had come to enjoy! All ate, were filled and there was much left over.

It has always surprised me how little time it takes to go from an underdeveloped country to a developed one. Korea has made this transition being now the 13 to 15 largest economy in the World. What would the Korea of the North and South be if united? It is an interesting thought to entertain and hopefully the North on its better days does have the thought flit through their minds.

The Problems Faced by the Early Christians

In reviewing the life of Choe Yang Eop (Thomas) the second Korean priest, in the Catholic Encyclopedia, I noticed his very wise words on the condition of the Church at that time.

He considered the yangban system of the society the reason for most of the problems in Society and in the Church. Yangbans were the upper classes of the Korean society. This division was seen even in the Church and Fr. Choe found this to be dividing the community. It was more of the discrimination that we are all too familiar with. This policy was followed by the government in appointing people to service. This was the culture of the times and what the culture expected, the Church was not confident enough in its Christianity to refuse to follow. He considered this an infringement of the rights of many of the citizens.

The second point he made was that missionaries who come to Korea should be familiar with the
situation in Korea and the customs. I was surprised that he did not mention learning the language well. He worked very close with the missionaries and knew the situation very well listening to the Catholic Korean Christians who would be dealing with the foreigner missionaries on a daily basis. When they had one of their own to talk to they would mention the difficulties with the missionaries.

In my own experience you notice that many who know the language well at times fail to have a way with people and those who do not know the language, many times, are accepted and are much more at home with the Christians. It is another proof that the non verbal is more important than the verbal.

The last point he made was that France should work diplomatically with Korea to get the Korean government to acknowledge freedom of religion. This was a problem that he was faced with every day of his life, the fear of death or imprisonment.

He was a very wise priest and one who had a great deal to say to us, living many years after his death.

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?