Thursday, June 3, 2010

Catholic Korean Community in Germany

The Catholic Church in Korea has sent priests to all parts of the world to care for the Koreans living abroad. About 150,000 reside in 66 nations on six continents, according to the Committee for the Pastoral Care of Koreans Living Abroad. The number of Catholics in South America is the greatest and in Africa the least.

One overseas Catholic community that has been covered lately by the press in Korea is the Korean Catholic community in Germany. It had its fledgling start back in 1960, when many of our nurses and miners went to Germany to work. As with the beginning of the Church in Korea, they began to meet weekly, conducting services without a priest, similar also to what is done today with mission stations.

The Frankfurt area is also home to the second-largest Korean community in Europe; they will be celebrating 40 years as a Church this year. In 1970, with the coming of priests and religious, who were in Germany for studies, the community began in earnest.

On a visit to Germany In 1971, Cardinal Kim was asked for priests to take care of the Korean Catholics and 3 priests were sent to begin 3 parishes. Since that time, the Frankfurt community has grown to 1000 with 4 mission stations. All together there are now 6 Korean parishes in Germany.

Presently, the Frankfurt Church has been using another church building for their Masses, but is in the process of building their own church. Parish work remains very similar to how it was done in Korea: pastoral council, altar groups, working with the elderly, and the very important small group meetings, called Basic Christian Communities, that gather in different areas of the parish. One big difference from the other German parishes is that most of them receive help from the government because of the religious tax paid by Germans. The Korean community is completely independent of that money and is considered a new model of Church in Germany.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Patriot An Seen by Japanese Catholics

On March 26 a Mass was said in China at the Lushun Prison in Dalian where Patriot An was put to death. Ucanews article gives the details. The recent issue of Gaudium and Spes tells us about Bishop Daiji Tani of Saitama, who went to China with 51 Japanese Catholics.

When the bishop was a young man he took part in movements advocating for more rights for Koreans, denouncing the rampant prejudice against Koreans living in Japan at that time. It was then that he heard about An Jung-geun and, later, after making a trip to Patriot An's memorial museum, was greatly moved and decided to study his life.

"An was," said Bishop Tani, "a very devout Catholic who felt that there was no other path but killing. I have given much thought to this situation and can sympathize with his pain. Dialogue and talk about peace were of no avail in stopping the Japanese aggression. This year is the 100 anniversary of Patriot An's death and I wanted to visit Lushun. I want to have that same desire for peace."

Although many Japanese still consider Patriot An a terrorist, the bishop, surprisingly, some may think, made the trip to the prison in China and spoke glowingly of An's life and aspirations. There are many Japanese bishops, like Bishop Tani, who have made known their love and desire for justice for the Koreans. During the Koreans' fight for human rights, the Japanese bishops were on the side of the movement for freedom, and on a number of occasions gathered funds to help those in prison. When past president Kim Dae-jung was condemned to death, they worked to save his life. The effort to be on the side of those who are oppressed in another country is not an easy task, but during those dark 10 years the Japanese bishops worked for the oppressed here in Korea.

The writer of the article, after talking with Japanese priests, sees a big difference in the two Churches. In Japan, it is hard to distinguish bishops, priests and lay people when together in a group. The difference shows up in the roles they play in the church; rank is not considered important. The Japanese Church, in this regard, has a great deal to teach us.

Here in Korea the feelings against the Japanese are still present in the minds of our people. Some of the atrocities perpetrated by the Japanese are often recounted to ignite the passions of our Koreans. This seems to be a way we get back at those we have little sympathy for. It would be better for all of us if we could get into the habit of reevaluating these 'truths' from the past. People do change, as do companies, societies, communities, governments and nations. We must give them all a chance to change and allow ourselves the right to change as well. Hopefully, we will then react differently than we have in the past.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The Cardinal's Feelings On Keeping Peace

Cardinal Chong Jin-suk of Seoul was interviewed by the Chosun Ilbo as part of the series on the Korean War, "I and the Korean War." "Just seeing the title of the series," said the Cardinal, made me recollect the past. Ordinarily, I don't even want to think about it... the whole thing was so tragic I thought I had forgotten, but no, reading the series, I experienced it all over again."

At the start of the war, the Cardinal was studying at Seoul National in the Enginering Department. He wanted to be an inventor. Experiencing the cruelty of the war, he changed his mind and decided to become a priest.

Those who have experienced war have an understanding quite different from others. For them, he said, justice and peace are necessary for forgiveness. The interviewer mentioned that the Cardinal rarely speaks about personal matters, but felt that the matter being discussed here was important enough to prompt the Cardinal to share some of his feelings.

When the interviewer asked the Cardinal for his understanding of forgiveness in Catholicism, he replied, "Since I am a religious person, there are those who will want me to say that I should forgive unconditionally, but forgiveness has conditions. In the Catholic's understanding of confession, there are five steps. Reflecting on what was done, expressing sorrow, resolving not do it again, confessing publicly, and compensating for what was done. If one does not have these requisites, it shows no real desire to be forgiven and the forgiveness is without meaning.

For young people who have not experienced war but want peace, the Cardinal quotes the Latin phrase: Si vis pacem para bellum (If you want peace be ready for war). Peace does not come naturally, he said. Our history shows us if we can't defend ourselves, we will lose both freedom and peace; we have to be able to defend ourselves. Preparations for self defense are necessary.

In speaking of war and peace, it is easy to make it sound very complicated with all kinds of conditions. The Cardinal was very blunt and clear in what he expressed, but with so many variables on this issue it is difficult to come to a consensus. Over the centuries, the Church has developed the just war theory and until something better comes along it is a good starting point. War should only be a last resort when all conceivable alternatives have been tried and have failed. Hopefully, the recent Chon An incident will have the input of the United Nations before any unilateral action is taken. We can dream and pray for a different world order, but until we have a consensus on disarmament, it's good to keep in mind the Cardinal's Latin phrase: "If you want peace be ready for war"-- defense will always be part of the present wisdom.

Monday, May 31, 2010

"Two Temptations Faced By Lay People"

Catholic lay people are beginning to show an interest in the social principles of the Church, and showing this in their actions. Three years ago they started their own web site, Civil Action for Social Justice: www.casj.or.kr, showing concern for the powerless and working for the common good.

Since the end of the Second Vatican Council, we have a better understanding of what Christians are expected to do in society: work for dignity, freedom, peace, justice and solidarity. We also have the standards to examine our actions, and judge where to act.


An article in the Catholic Times by a member of the bishops' committee of Peace and Justice mentions that the Church had a great deal to do in bringing democracy back to Korea. All of us have the job to work for democratization of society and human development. And he stresses this is not only the work of the leaders in the church.


This is the work of the laity. We need the participation of lay people in groups and as individuals to work for justice. There is a place for the leaders of the Church and those in groups of service to foster this work, but it will be the lay people with their expertise working concretely in the many areas of society that will bring about the change.


Pope John Paul II in Christifideles Laici: " two temptations can be cited which they (lay people) have not always known how to avoid: the temptation of being so strongly interested in Church services and tasks that some fail to become actively engaged in their responsibilities in the professional, social, cultural and political world; and the temptation of legitimizing the unwarranted separation of faith from life, that is, a separation of the Gospel's acceptance from the actual living of the Gospel in various situations in the world."


The Church in Korea has become conscious that many of our lay people are very much involved in the work of the Church but are forgetting that their work is mainly to be in society and in the transformation of society. We are beginning to see more lay people activity in cyberspace and groups that are trying to bring about a change in society. There are more books and seminars on Catholic social teaching, which should cause a change in the participation of Catholics in the work of justice and peace.

The efforts of Korean priests in works dealing with human rights has been very clear, but it may have convinced the laity that the leadership will be working in that area, and they can continue with the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. The works of mercy are important, but it is not the only work that is expected of our laity.



Sunday, May 30, 2010

What Is The Aim of Education?

This past week was Catholic Education Week in Korea. Over 4000 gathered together to renew their mission as educators and to reaffirm the principles in the National Charter of Education.

Bishop Choi Boniface, who gave the opening remarks, said "Are we satisfied with the present education situation in Korea? Do the parents see smiles on the faces of their children? He was making clear that the current approach for achieving grades and preparing for college is not what education should be.

The attendees were of one mind, stressing education for the whole person and appreciating the value of life. Teachers should also be an example to students on how to live. This was well expressed by a speaker who said the aim of Catholic education is the "body, mind, emotions and the spirit, by which you are forming the whole person. A person who relates well with others, a virtuous person, is the fruit of that education."

In Korea, as in any society, the desires of those who are trying to do their job well are very much influenced by the society they live in. Parents, like all parents everywhere, are interested in getting their children to be successful, to go to the best schools and associate with those who will be of help to their children. But it may be too much to ask them to sacrifice their children's future for an ideal our society doesn't think important and doesn't encourage. Society has to change, the Church has to change, each of us has to change.

In years past, Incheon Diocese had a wonderful program, the YCS (the Young Christian Student Movement) that trained students for leadership and to be salt and light in society. "See, Judge and Act" was how it described the goals of the program. It was very successful and you could see a change in the children but parents thought it was taking too much time away from school studies and the program was discontinued. Understandably, parents do not want their children to be drop outs from society no matter how mature and virtuous they become. Until this attitude changes, effort and programs, like the YCS, will not have the results we would like. As noted in a Peace Weekly editorial, there is still the quest to be number one, and studying solely to get a better job.

The editorial goes on to suggest that this tunnel vision approach to education could change. It compares the educator who is Catholic to the 3 percent salt in the sea that keeps the sea from putrefying. If more Catholic educators, despite their numbers, lived the Christian life exemplified by Jesus, we can then expect a change, as well, in the classroom.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

What Is Really Insignificant?

A writer for the Catholic Times describes her reactions when she saw a one million, four hundred thousand dollar car on her way home in a taxi. As the car passed by, the taxi driver gave her some facts on the car and mentioned there are two such cars in the country. (I went to the internet to see what such a car looked like and the first reference that came up was, if it can be believed, an eight million dollar car a German company is planning to introduce soon.) The driver, seeing her expression of doubt, added that the owner of the car probably doesn't have time to go home and relax. The taxi driver thought it was time for some humor. It was like seeing, she said, one of the most expensive homes in Seoul passing by. She was busy trying to calm herself; anything else the driver continued to say about the car was not registering. When she arrived at her destination and paid her taxi fare, she remembered later, that she forgot to get the change.

She wanted to know why she was getting angry about something she knew was unimportant. Why were small things upsetting her while the serious things tended not to? It reminded her of the shepherd boy calling out wolf so many times that when the wolf did come, no one listened. Having heard so many lies over many years, she believes it becomes difficult to respond properly even when hearing matters of import. She had become apathetic, or, more accurately, wanted to be. The latent anger she has buried within tends to appear at trifles that are the common fate of most of us.

Organic lettuce, two days after purchase, became mush; the dry cleaner made her pay the price of a coat for a jumber; the bus she waited for a half hour passed by because no one was getting off; the printer was jamming; she had no oil to prepare her fried rice. She was getting upset at these trifles, and blamed her reactions to a lack of virtue.

She mentions the well-known Zen story about the university professor who goes to a master of the spiritual life to ask for some help in living with wisdom. They sat down at a table and the master offered him tea, and as he poured the tea he didn't stop. The tea fell from the cup onto the floor and the professor protested, "What are you doing? The cup is full isn't it?" The master said, "Like this cup, you are filled with all kinds of thoughts, desires, plans and convictions. To accept what I want to give, you have to empty your cup, otherwise, like the tea, what I say will be wasted." The writer wonders if she also is too "filled up" to see what is important in life.

She concludes with the hope that she will come to see what is important and not be sidetracked with the purely inconvenient. However, she admits that separating the significant from the insignificant is not always easy. She is not sure that the feeling aroused by the car she saw was something insignificant.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Not All That Glitters Is Precious

It is refreshing to hear stories of persons who don't follow mainstream thinking. The managing director of the Catholic Peace Weekly and Peace Broadcasting, celebrating 22 years of service to the Catholic community, in the anniversary editorial proclaimed this direction for the paper--a very bold statement in today's world.

Twenty-two years is not a long time, but he says they have seen, heard and learned a great deal during that time. The introduction of smart phones to the Korean society has brought in many changes, affecting not only the way we act but the way we think.

He also notes that computers, without discounting their enormous benefits, are in some ways a mixed blessing to our children. Having been introduced to the imaginary world of computers at an early age, children are having difficulty distinguishing the real from the imaginary. These same children will become the adults of tomorrow. By putting ourselves in their shoes, we might begin to understand the scope of the problem and what can be done to help solve it.

When these technological advances begin to lose their charm, we will, he feels, get back to the things of God, but when that day comes, he worries that it may be too late. We have to contend with the success and widespread use of the new technologies by all levels of society, which can distort the way our society sees many of the values of the past. If listening to God in our hearts means not following the crowd, then we will not unthinkingly accept everything that is new.

He was encouraged to hear a writer say he was not going to write with his eyes on the audience rating; his writing will be determined by what he thinks is good. It's a position the director has expressed many times, though it's not considered good business practice. To keep the values of the past and not be influenced by the distortions of the present, he is willing to take a step into the past. There are, after all, values in life besides material success. What we need now are more successful examples of those who are swimming against the current to maintain their integrity and honor, not only for themselves but for the society they live in.