Korean Catholic Alternative Press--Internet

The Church in Korea does not have a history of Catholics kibitzing on what the bishops do in administering their diocese and the Church, at least publicly. The Church in Korea is not accustomed to this, and could be seen as a lack of respect for those who have the responsibility for teaching. And yet we know speaking out politely and with respect, to those who are in a position of authority, is an act of love and loyalty. The nahnews, has in one of its recent coverages of the bishops' Pastoral Messages, made some comments on the contents with suggestions to the bishops.

All the dioceses have a new year's message for the Catholics of their respective diocese. It usually comes out at the beginning of the liturgical year. A reporter for nahnews went through the messages of the last two years and had some points of suggestion.

The reporter's words seemed to say that the bishops are rather vague in the way they write their Pastoral Messages. In the eyes of the reporter the bishops are only interested in problems within the Church and do not have a vision for the relationship the Church should have for society. It was mostly a pep talk to the Catholics to renew their faith; statistics say the Catholics are losing some of their ardor in spreading the faith and are not as faithful as they were at Sunday Mass attendance.

The way the messages was written would make it difficult to evaluate it the following year. The reporter would like to see concrete suggestions that can be evaluated as to its success and less vagueness and indefiniteness in the writing of the messages. He did acknowledge that each diocese will have its own diocesan offices deal with the concrete plans, but the reporter thought this should appear in the message in someway. The writer would like to see more direction in the messages, with concrete targets and goals that can be evaluated the following year. He would also like to see the bishops mention in their messages what the dioceses will be doing to help in these plans.

Having someone on the sidelines making suggestions and giving a critique shows interest, concern and love for the Church. It should be a mark of maturity. The Korean Church should be able to take this change from the way things were done and accept it as a fraternal response of those who want to see the Church be more of what it was meant to be. We do not have a history of an Independent Catholic Press, with the Internet this is a possibility open to all. Each is free to add their personal suggestions to the matters at hand. It could be a blessing or a misfortune depending on how this will be accepted in the years to come. Loyalty to the Church should be a value that is understood by all and not doubted by anyone within the Church.

First African Priest Formed in Korea

The first African priest, to have finished the required course of studies for priesthood here in Korea, was ordained in his home country on Jan. 9th. He is a native of Zambia, Africa, his name, Ernest Mwila. Ernest finished the same formation program the Korean priests are required to finish before ordination here in Daejeon Catholic Seminary.

He was inspired by the Korean Sisters who were working in his country with orphans and those suffering from AIDS, and decided to come to Korea. He entered the seminary in Daejeon in 2002 and at the end of 8 years was ordained as a member of a religious order. The Korean bishop was thinking of being the ordaining prelate, but Ernest wanted to return to African and be ordained there.

The bishop of Daejeon gave Fr. Ernest a statue of Saint Kim Andrew and told him: "In the future when you are facing problems that seem too much to handle remember St. Andrew who studied to be a priest in a foreign county, and came back to his people to spread Jesus' message and died a martyr."

One of our Marknollers, while on his overseas training program in Korea, attended the seminary in Seoul. After seminary training he returned to the States to finish his course of studies. This is a good way to familiarize one with a different culture and acquaint one with the difficulties of living out side of one's own country, while at the same time continuing his education. The benefits to the students at the seminary is also a by product of this interaction; the cross fertilisation can't be anything but good for the Church.

The desire Fr. Ernest had to return to his own country, even though the bishop and the seminarians were prepared and even hoping he would be ordained in Korea, was something very laudable. He thanked all those who were kind to him over the years, and said that he will return to his impoverished country to plant love and hope among his people.

Motivations: from Thanks to Conversion

After teaching catechism and preparing our catechumens for baptism it usually is a natural step, finishing the catechumenate-- period of teaching catechism-- to receive baptism and enter the community of faith, participating in the sacramental life of the Church. However, it does not always work that way.

Living in a mission station we do not have many who show an interest in the Church, probably one or two a year. This year after teaching for over a year I felt that the father and daughter that had been preparing where a rather unique type of cathechumen. Usually, those who do not show an interest after starting the program, drop out or it becomes obvious they are not interested because of their absence from the classes and not attending Sunday Mass. However in this case the two of them were very faithful at both the classes and the Sunday Masses. There were few questions and showed little desire to be baptized.

Both of them had come out to the English classes that I was conducting and were very faithful. They asked if they could attend a catechism class so they started to study. After studying for over a year, I did not feel that I could accept them even in the "first initial stage of conversion".

Motivation is important and it is not infrequent that people come out to the Church because they are attracted by the building, they like the priest or the sisters in the parish, or are asked to do so by their parents or friends. This father and daughter I felt wanted to thank me for the time spent teaching English. This is no big problem, for you feel that the motivation will change and they will be open to the graces given by God during the catechumenate. The problem comes when you have done a sufficient amount of teaching and the motivation is still, ' thanks for the efforts in teaching English', what does one do? I have told them to take some time off and see what God is saying to them in their hearts. If they see some changes we will resume the steps to baptism.

Motivation is an important part of our faith life. We can do many things for many different reasons but we know that love trumps them all. In giving, St. Paul tells us to not to give out of necessity but with joy. We all have to work to purify our motivations in what we do daily and to get to a point where what we do is done out of love, and even the very laudable motive of thanks can be elevated to another dimension if we remember that it is all grace. Hopefully this father and daughter will begin to feel the love of God and want to respond in the months ahead.

Greeting People in Korea

Leaving a hospital after treatment an essayist expressed his shock at being addressed as 'abeonim' (the word father) by one of the nurses. The salutation of the nurse made him feel sad, although he new it was done with respect. I found the response strange but it does show how important titles are in Korean society. He was in his forties and a father but to be addressed as such was unsettling to him.

He mentions that he was in an office working as a civil servant for many years and addressed in a way befitting his position as an official of his grade; with the arrival of new staff those in the office found it difficult to address him in the same way they addressed the new arrivals, so called him doctor. It was difficult for the office people to address one who worked for 18 years in the office with the same title as those who were just recently joining the staff.

He mentioned being addressed as 'wonjang' (director, the head of a school). He was in a position that entitled him to the name but as he said, it is attributed to all kinds of people in Korea. He uses the example of going to a baduk club where he gave his skill level and was told to play with the 'wonjang'; the man who came was not older than twenty, he asked the writer to start with 3 pieces on the board. The writer did not think he was entitled to the title he had given himself and a little bit put out that he was asked to start with a handicap of 3.

In Korea you can address a person you meet for the first time with the title teacher, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt, or these days: Mr., Mrs. Ms and Miss-- Koreans have descended from one ancestor so all are related. However, in giving one of these titles you have to be careful that it fits the situation and the person.

In the extended family the names are complicated and many of the Koreans would not be familiar with all of them. He mentions even after marriage, before they had the first child, they addressed each other rather evasively. He never used the frequent 'Yobo', translated freely meaning 'dear' but literally 'look here'. After the first child they used the name of the child to address each other--the mother of so and so. This sounds strange to foreigners, but probably the sacredness of the name is implied, using the name may have overtones of possessing the person. This is a conjecture on my part and mentioned with little evidence.


I have always had difficulty with using titles. As a foreigner and a priest I do use the baptismal names of those I know. I have rarely added the honorific to the name as a Korean would. They would say Maria Ssi or use another honorific. Many years ago I asked the sisters in the parish whether what I was doing was permissible, and was told the parishioners will have little difficulty accepting it from a missioner. Even those with big positions in society I can address with their baptismal names. This has made life very easy, it is convenient, with little stress and apparently no problem for those addressed.(Being a foreigner they make the necessary allowances).

Parternership in Korean Catholic Church

The importance of age in Confucian society is obvious; Korea is one such society. Seniority was the way the society kept order in relationships; it is easily determined, and it works-- there need not be any quibbling for your birth certificate settles it. This makes for a hierarchical understanding of the work place. Korea's success can in no small way be attributed to this order they have in society. It is very Confucian and familiar to the Koreans.


In recent years the Catholic Church of Korea has been experimenting with team ministry among the priests: priests working together as equals, collaborative ministry, partnership. It is at odds with the hierarchical, and seniority system that Korea knows well and surprisingly the Church off and on, in recent years has shown an interest in this new form of ministry. There has been a lot of talk, some attempts and now a diocese is going to implement it for all the parishes in the years to come.

It is often said in jest, one Korean versus one Japanese, the Korean wins, you put two against two and the Japanese win. There may be some truth to this. This is one reason, it would seem, the collaborative ministry idea will not be very successful, but Korea does surprise.

The Diocese of Pusan has been experimenting since 2007 on collaborative ministry in parishes. This year the bishop will have 7 parishes in the Ulsan area working with this and in the future he hopes all the parishes will have a team ministry approach to the work. The bishop feels that up to now we have not see the synergistic principle working in our parishes, with this change he feels we will. By synergy he means that with two working together they will accomplish more than if they work separately--the results will be multiplied.

The intention is to have two priest working together as a team. The pastor will have the responsibilities under law for the parish. He will represent the parish in the larger community and where it is required by Church law, but in all the other workings of the parish they will work together and plan together as associate pastors. The people have desired this and they have had success with the experiments in this area over the years.

In Korea, Maryknoll has had a number of these attempts at team ministry but they all have failed. The problem with the failures is they are used against future attempts. It would seem all would see the value of working together as equals. It was Jesus' approach to the work. Most of the failures could be from a lack of preparation in working together and the motivation of those involved. Hopefully the Pusan efforts at team work bear fruit and be a stimulus to the whole Korean Church.

Catholic Church of Korea and Conscience

The Catholic Church of Korea is traditional in the way it teaches the message of Christianity. In all the areas of the catechism she does a good job; there is an area, however, pointed out at times for criticism by Catholics: the treatment of conscientious objection in present day Korean Catholicism-- the issue was approached in a previous blog.

A columnist in the recent Catholic Times spoke about the teaching of the Church on conscientious objection. The Catechism of the Catholic Church does say: "Public authorities should make equitable provision for those who for reasons of conscience refuse to bear arms; these are nonetheless obliged to serve the human community in some other way."

The second Catholic conscientious objector, now serving time in prison for refusing military service, is ignored by the official Church is the complaint of the columnist. The media, the Internet, the Catholic newspapers have maintained silence on the issue.

The writer gives us the results of a questionnaire that was presented to our Catholic seminarians in 2007. For reasons of conscience those who refuse military service should be allowed to have alternate service--46% agreed-- 48% disagreed. If we consider what the Church teaches, the results of this questionnaire are troubling. Moreover, those who knew the teaching of the Church on conscientious objection were only 30%. The writer concluded the lay-Catholics would be less knowledgeable.

The latest young man who refused to enter the military was a member of the Seoul, Catholic College Students Association. In the interview he had with the reporters, he made it clear the reason for his refusal to enter the service was his Catholic Faith. This is a dilemma that the Catholic Church in Korea faces, and will eventually have to take an official position that is clearer than that of the past.

Metanoia- Important Word For Our Lives

In the recent Catholic Peace Weekly , a priest with a doctorate in missiology mentioned his experience with a man in his religion class. The student had made a success of life, he was in his sixties, a model student sitting in the front row. However, on the face of the man he saw discontent. "Why is it that those in the upper classes don't exchange greetings with us , why is there so much 'do this and do that', I don't understand! Isn't this something that the school should deal with?" He was very critical and always complaining but there came a change.

This came about at the daily Mass they had at the school: each one of the students would express their thoughts on the readings and relate it to their lives. One day a man expressed himself in the following way:

"I am a person who by studying on my own was able to get a high position in government. I was a happy man , all was well . Suddenly a great misfortune entered my life. The son, I was greatly attached to, died in an accident while in the army. That incident was too much for me. I hated God and could not go to Church. Those that killed my son I could not forgive. It was during this time that I began to reflect on what God wanted from me. I gained some courage and decided to come to this school. I am still crying over the loss of my son but I have forgiven all those involved and looking forward to what I can do in the parish and society."

The man in his sixties complained and grumbled less. From his mouth you heard the words: "I don't know. " He was always a good student but now he reacted with the students in a different way. He was the first one to greet the students and color returned to his face. The sharing he heard at Mass brought change in his life.

The column starting in the Catholic Paper is written by a priest who has studied mission theology and is stressing that we have to experience God in our lives if we want to be a bearer of his message. We have to be open to God's graces, and the experiences of others, this will change and enable us to give what we have received.

In recent years I have begun to realize that the the word repentance , penance, remorse and the like, are words that we translate into English from the Greek word metanoia, which means a change of heart. The words we use, both in Korean and English- penance and sorrow of heart, are static words, it doesn't necessarily move from sadness to action. Metanoia is a very active word, requiring a change in what we were, to something we were not. Using the word metanoia for the words we use for repentance in the Scriptures would help to bring about a change in our thinking, a feeling of incompleteness. The day is probably not too far away when metanoia will begin to appear in our dictionaries. "To live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often." (Cardinal Newman)