How The Catholic Church Sees North Korea

The plight of the North Koreans, especially those not having enough to eat, is a problem we have had for many years. It is not getting any better and with the North's response to initiatives from the rest of the world being so negative, there has not been much sympathy for their unfortunate situation. The efforts of the North to bolster their nuclear capabilities and the sinking of the South Korean warship have made the problems more difficult to deal with.

The Catholic Church in Korea has tried over many years to work for reconciliation. The Bishop of Masan, the president of Caritas Korea, in an interview with Fides, said "Even if hope for reconciliation seems to be impossible to humanity, it is not impossible to God."

There are people in Korea who do not want to dialogue with the North, especially after the boat incident. The Catholic Church has made it clear that humanitarian aid for the sick and starving should not be politicized but must be carried out regardless of the circumstances.

In recent articles and in an editorial in a Catholic newspaper, this position of the Church has been emphasized. Caritas International, in its recent meeting to discuss programs in North Korea, said the current situation has made it more difficult to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the North: "The North Korean Government's militant attitude provokes further hard line stances among political sectors in the South and other countries involved. A vicious circle of aggressive actions might lead to further unintentional damage in relations...."

It is very clear to many that without more help now for the North, despite all the problems--even forgetting the humanitarian and Christian response that we are called to give--there will come a time when the many problems of the North will be a massive burden for the united Korea of the future. If the efforts of the South to help the North are not greatly increased, the results of this lack of commitment will have to be confronted when the day of a united Korea finally dawns.

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Migrant Workers In Cucumber Farms

Since I do a little farming, I enjoy reading about the joys and difficulties of the farmer's life. A writer in her weekly Catholic Times' opinion piece mentioned getting a box of cucumbers from a friend, and putting the smaller ones aside to pickle and eating the larger ones. The cucumbers started her reminiscing about the trip to a farm the previous year.

On her trip, she saw a number of foreign workers on the farm. Some were thinning the cucumber flowers, others were picking the small cucumbers and throwing them away, and others were looking for the large marketable ones.

She recalled a Korean proverb that said you can spot the signs of genius at an early age. This made her sad knowing that so many cucumbers were not allowed to mature but were picked and disposed of because not big enough or pretty enough for market. When not producing for the market, one can be unconcerned about the appearance of vegetables, but, sadly, farmers need a product that is marketable. Vegetables and fruits have to look good, being as perfect as possible so the farmer can ask for the best possible price. I was told at last year's harvest that very few of my sweet potatoes and peanuts were marketable; they were either too ugly or too small.

The writer felt sorry for the foreign workers after seeing their living quarters and the worn out bedding. She made a search of her kitchen and gathered together unused kitchen utensils and bedding that had piled up over the years, finding it difficult to give them even to the parish bazaar. Now she filled a number of cartons with them and notified her friend of her intention; the utensils and bedding were gratefully received.

Many foreign workers are working illegally in Korea, doing work that Koreans do not care to do, like farming. With its long hours and physical labor, it's work Koreans prefer not to do. Another reason for hiring foreign laborers is the increasing age of the population and the low birth rate. The fear that more jobs for foreigners mean fewer jobs for Koreans is no longer valid, for it actually gives Koreans more opportunities to work thanks to those who are doing the dirty, difficult and dangerous work. This enables many Koreans to continue working at more skilled jobs, otherwise many of these jobs would be going to other countries with cheaper labor costs and an abundance of workers.

Interview with the Bishop of Wonju Korea

The Wonju Diocese, one of the smaller dioceses in Korea (click here for an overview of the statistics), was the subject of an interview, written up in the Peace Weekly, with Bishop James Kim Ji -seok, the second ordinary of the diocese.

The interviewer asked about the foreigners now living in the diocese, those who are married to Koreans.

The bishop said this seldom happened in the past, but now we need to be concerned with families from different cultural backgrounds, and to get rid of the idea of being a homogeneous people concerned only with our own problems. We shouldn't forget who we are, our cultural heritage, but we have to become interested in learning the culture of those who have chosen to live among us, and they also have to become acquainted with ours. So far, there has been little progress, but we have to continue our efforts to accept those from another culture as Koreans and as Christians.

The diocese of Wonju has 10 percent of their priests working in social welfare projects; the bishop was asked the reason for this emphasis.

He said that Bishop Tji Hak-Soon, the first bishop, was very much interested in the poor and the alienated in the diocese, that the nation has a responsibility to help, and that it is also a concern of the Church.

He was asked about the large area of the diocese and the many mission stations and what he, as bishop, thought of the pastoral care of these mission stations.

The bishop agreed that there were many mission stations and that the area was large. The catechists and the volunteers are doing much good work but there is much not being done. I have, he said, for the past few years tried to get retired sisters to come and live in the mission stations, to pray and to teach; their presence alone helps to evangelize. One of the mission stations with the sisters in residence has come to a point where it will become a parish.

The interviewer asked a question (on the minds of many) concerning what our position should be when it comes to politics, the environment, and our relationship to North Korea. He stressed that there are all kinds of viewpoints, and it's difficult to know who is right or wrong. How are we to decide from among so many?

The bishop said it's not an easy question to answer. Everyone has his own way of thinking about these subjects. This is a fact, but when it comes to problems of life we have to have one voice. This teaching on life is very clear. To preserve life is the absolute duty of the Church. This does not change with the times and is a standard we should be united on.

The bishop was asked for some words that he would like to address to his Christians.

This Diocese is a small diocese, he said. At some of the diocesan functions we have had about 100 people attend. Because we are small, we have the opportunity to be more like a family; any Christian can easily meet and talk with his pastor. This is a sign of community. Those who leave the diocese find they very much miss this communal atmosphere. I pray that this feeling of community does not change.

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A Visit to Flower Village Korea

For the last two months, we have a new Internet TV Station that is going out to the world from Kkottongnae, meaning Flower Village, a Christian community, which provides the homeless and the abandoned with care and love in the hope that they will realize the love of God and find peace as the children of God.

In 1976, Fr Oh, the founder of Flower Village, saw 18 beggars living under a bridge in the parish where he was assigned, and decided to do something for them. He thought: “It is God's blessing that one can have the strength to beg for food”; he built a house of love, started accommodating the beggars at the house, the beginning of Flower Village.

With the help of many it has spread to other parts of Korea and the world. The work has proven a great blessing for the country, and for many who come in contact with poverty so great that it leaves one helpless. Kkottongnae is a heaven for many who are working in welfare: a place to send those who are homeless, who will be loved and taken care.

The Peace Weekly has an article describing the new Internet venture of the Flower Village. They have a small studio where five Religious of the Community are working in planning, production and implementation of programs, with the help of a volunteer who worked for a major network and directs the operation.

They introduce the different events of Flower Village, the facilities, recorded lectures, their work, the sponsors and many other areas that would be of interest to friends of Flower Village. Korean is the main language used, but you do have an English menu. The story of the village, in English, is done in animation for those who would like to hear and see the progress of the Flower Village from the beginning.

The head of the program, a lay volunteer, says they do not have the equipment and the necessary help the operation needs, so they have scaled the operation down to fit the situation. It does show the work and the spirituality of the Flower Village.

The dream of the founder was to have a world where no one gets abandoned, everyone is respected, and everybody loves the other as they love themselves. This dream is now being introduced to the world. For those who are interested you can access the Internet TV Station at www.kkottv.com.

Korean Catechetical Summer Camps

For many years, Catholic parishes in Korea have spent a great deal of time and money on summer camps for students enrolled in the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Pastors have tried all kinds of programs: sometimes including family members, separating the students into groups by age, and also having them all together from grammar to high school. The editorial in the Catholic Times this week stresses that it is not so much the contents of the programs that are important, as it is making clear to the students the reasons for having the programs.

Camps are an extension of the Sunday school programs that we have in all the parishes. The programs are not intended to give students all they want during their summer camp experience, but an effort to cultivate their learning abilities and heighten a Christian awareness of the meaning of life.

Understandably, the students often want to have more time for play. However, the primary reason for these summer camps is not to alleviate the stress that the students have built up during the year by focusing solely on playing games. Play is a means to the goals the camps are intended to achieve. The editorial judges that we have prepared these camps in years past with too much emphasis on play, and the unfortunate results can be seen in our churches and Sunday school programs. How many of our children, the editorial asks, have experienced God in some way by going to these camps?

One of the slogans of the camps: "Together With" refers to bringing teachers and students closer together, but how many students become closer to the teachers in understanding what was planned for the camps?

A quote from Pope John Paul: " Humans to mature must know the value of virtue, love it and become habituated with virtue." Are we being successful in getting summer camp students to know and love this value, making it a part of their lives? The answer, for the most part, would have to be No. The editorial was critical of teachers for not having done their job well enough, suggesting that more effort should be made in the future to have our teachers trained in spirituality. The power of example needs to be emphasized. Bringing the students closer to Jesus is the core task of the teacher and is what the summer camps are all about.

The editorial gives us an ideal but pastors have difficulty getting volunteers for the parish catechetical programs. To find teachers who are willing to give their time, and have the necessary knowledge and spirituality required is a colossal job. However, the effort certainly should be made, and prayers for all those working in education would also help.

Needs For A Good Summer Vacation

A columnist for the Catholic Times gives us ten commandments for a good summer vacation.

1st: Let us get rid of unnecessary baggage. While we laugh on the outside, inside we may have many things bothering us. Let us get rid of them and be content with our light baggage.

2nd: Let us bring our souls along with the body.

3rd: Let us get rid of confrontations. The knife we aim at others, let us use only in disciplining ourselves.

4th: Let us empty ourselves. The road to virtue is humility. When we empty ourselves, the world appears differently.

5th: Let us get rid of greed. Happiness and greed can't exist together: the more greed, the less happiness.

6th: Let us change. And not demand that others change.

7th: Let us study. Bring along some spiritual books.

8th: Let us be open to meeting others. If we approach others with a welcoming attitude, they will respond with a welcoming attitude.

9th: Let us go in search of the road of virtue. Get rid of all anger; criticism is of little use.

10th: Let us see all with a new light. Vacations can be discoveries of something new. If up until this time we have seen the sun only peeking through the clouds, let us get rid of the clouds and see the true sun, Jesus.

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A Sad Story Too Often Heard

A columnist in the recent Catholic Times gives us something to think about. He described the conversation he had with an ex-convict whose greatest problem was trusting others. Living in a world he found threatening, he grew up believing he must be strong and, if necessary, violent; it got him into prison.


He told a story that goes back to his 5th-grade grammar school days. He lived in a city and on one occasion relatives came to attend a wedding, staying overnight at his house. Since the group was in the city, they thought it a good idea to do some sightseeing before returning to the country. That evening he was invited to sing and, imitating a famous comedian on TV at that time, he was a big hit with everybody.

The next day when he returned from school, his mother, without a word, slapped him three hard blows to the face. He couldn't talk, it hurt so much. Money had been taken from a wallet of one of the relatives, and she thought he was the culprit. The young boy remembered the reception he got for singing the night before, and now to be slapped in front of them all for something he did not do was an insult he couldn't bear. The relative had placed the money in another bag and found it later. But no one apologized to the boy for the false accusation and his mother never seemed to give the incident a second thought.

When the boy was hit, he couldn't forget the feeling of wretchedness, the look on his mother's face, and the laughter of his relatives. He can still recall the whole scene without difficulty, and understands how they all felt, thinking he was the thief. The difficulty is that no one, at any time, said a word of apology or showed any sadness for what happened. Why didn't anybody express regret, he wanted to know, for the false accusation. He broke down and cried. The columnist also cried.

It's a sad story that could easily have had a different ending. Many times a word or two of sorrow expressed for some hurt we have caused others can change how a troubling situation is ultimately perceived. But these words of sorrow do not easily form in our mouths. We hope that our kindness in the future will take care of the scars, but it doesn't usually happen that way. The incident is often repressed, and those who have been hurt do not forget. Those in our family and in the communities to which we belong are usually the ones we find the hardest to apologize to. Ironically, those who intend to do the right thing at all times, the perfectionists among us, have the most difficulty saying, I'm sorry. These few words would make a big difference in society. Spoken when necessary, these words can often defuse a threatening situation that otherwise might linger with us, causing problems--as it did for the ex-convict--for many years,and maybe for life. .