Saturday, July 6, 2013
Building a Healthy Community
The Catholic Forum recently met with experts and activists to discuss the reasons for the weakening of community and to find solutions. Among the problems discussed: increasing polarization between those that have and those that don't, the large number of suicides, and the gradual breakup of communal society--all side effects of rapid economic development.
One of the participants, the mayor of Seoul, said that one of the principles behind the market is its omnipotence (though we have seen its failures); we need to change this thinking, he said, and go from competition to cooperation, from an emphasis on quantity to an emphasis on quality. A professor agreed with this assessment and said that although our material prosperity puts us among the developed countries, little of it has to do with the happiness of our people. Going along with neo-liberalism has increased the country's financial growth, he said, but many of us are having difficulty overcoming poverty, and the increasing number of suicides is showing us that something is seriously wrong with our society.
The mayor suggested several alternative ways of changing society: more emphasis on fostering a social economy, working for the common good, creating autonomous operations and a person-centered economic environment which we have seen, he said, being implemented already in developed countries, in an attempt to fill the gaps made by capitalism. There are many already with the financial means to back work cooperatives and social businesses, the mayor said, and he promised to assist in any way he can.
Another professor said we have to get rid of the idea that the welfare policies of the government are free, and even if it were possible, it would not continue for long. A priest mentioned that the wealthier we become the more need for an increase in our spiritual values. Cardinal Kim was a good example of this, as he continually searched for the transcendent in life, always being thankful for what life had to offer, living detached and willing to take up the cross.
The active motivating force for society, said another, should be love. The value of love, in contrast to law and ethics, is its dynamic staying power to move us with mutual respect, forgiveness, reconciliation--always moving us toward unity and cooperation.
The article ends with the words of one who works with cooperatives. "Cooperatives are now being talked about as another alternative, but there are voices of concern. To see them continue and develop without any protection and security within society is just talk. A realistic goal must be spelled out, and there has to be a relationship of solidarity among them, were his words of advice.
Pornography and the Mobile Culture
Mobile technology is allowing anyone interested to enter the cyberspace at
anytime and place. A recent Catholic Time's article reported on a forum,
conducted by the Bishops Mass Media Committee, that dealt with the
proliferation of mobile devices and pornography. With easier access to
mobile devices we are likely to see, according to the forum, a breakdown
of our traditional values. Determining what measures can be used to
counter this trend was an important consideration for the forum presenters.
The article mentions that when the porno actor from Japan came to Korea, he was greeted enthusiastically by the young people, and in the interview, he mimicked the sex act. Sadly, the reception he was given is perhaps a sign that pornography is becoming a staple of our culture, and that we can expect more out-of-wedlock pregnancies, abortions and abandoning of infants. As a result, many are asking for more action on this issue from the Church.
The sex act, a gift that is exchanged between the partners in marriage, is increasingly being commercialized and distorted by pornography. Those who are involved in marketing this travesty of love, distorting the sex act and, for some, making marriage more difficult, are denying the dignity of our person-hood, as one presenter expressed it.
It also magnifies the divisions in oneself, breaking the relationship we have with God and causing us to lose the direction of life. Porno and violence give birth to anxiety and sadness was one of the conclusions of the forum.
The director of the Bishops Committee mentioned that even in home theaters suggestive scenes without any filtering are becoming commonplace. We need to discern and oppose this take-over of our society by the commercialization of sex for quick and easy profits.
In another article, a journalist who was present at a parish sex education program for grammar and middle school children, said that hearing children speak about sex so openly and and frankly left her with mixed feelings. In her day all was negative and hush hush, but for these children it was very different. But she knows that what they know has come from the mass media and their smart phones and, being fragmentary, cannot give much discernment.
The article mentions that when the porno actor from Japan came to Korea, he was greeted enthusiastically by the young people, and in the interview, he mimicked the sex act. Sadly, the reception he was given is perhaps a sign that pornography is becoming a staple of our culture, and that we can expect more out-of-wedlock pregnancies, abortions and abandoning of infants. As a result, many are asking for more action on this issue from the Church.
The sex act, a gift that is exchanged between the partners in marriage, is increasingly being commercialized and distorted by pornography. Those who are involved in marketing this travesty of love, distorting the sex act and, for some, making marriage more difficult, are denying the dignity of our person-hood, as one presenter expressed it.
It also magnifies the divisions in oneself, breaking the relationship we have with God and causing us to lose the direction of life. Porno and violence give birth to anxiety and sadness was one of the conclusions of the forum.
The director of the Bishops Committee mentioned that even in home theaters suggestive scenes without any filtering are becoming commonplace. We need to discern and oppose this take-over of our society by the commercialization of sex for quick and easy profits.
In another article, a journalist who was present at a parish sex education program for grammar and middle school children, said that hearing children speak about sex so openly and and frankly left her with mixed feelings. In her day all was negative and hush hush, but for these children it was very different. But she knows that what they know has come from the mass media and their smart phones and, being fragmentary, cannot give much discernment.
The journalist concludes that this is an issue the Church will have to take seriously, including all adults, whether having children or not, if we are to protect all children--and ultimately our society--from the false sexual culture that is being promoted today.
Friday, July 5, 2013
The "I" and "Non-I" Syndrome
The Chinese character used in the above three words have to do with leather: and the verb would be embellishing the leather. With the passage of time, we have the meaning of change and to fix. To sharpen, clean, and polish any fine article will require love and earnestness. This is also true for the changes in the world, and it is only humans that can do it. What is necessary to change the world? Without any discussion necessary it is the heart that has to change and the young people actually want to see this change.
What enables a person to change his way of thinking? Is it criticism, ridicule, containment, pressure? This develops quickly into conflict. Looking over history, we see that this has been the case. One of the famous nationalists and patriots Shin Chae-ho expressed a view of history that evolves around competition between the “I” and “non-I”.This has been a fact in our history, and we know it leaves aftereffects: results are conflict and war. This is a way of bringing change. There is no quicker way, he says but also the way of inflicting many scars to the winners and losers both.
We have seen this in our conflict between the North and South: even after 60 years we have the aftereffects. The results of change that come from war show that it was better never to have gone to war. With war, we leave the area of the heart and enter the material realm and mobilizing all the material to achieve our purpose. It is difficult to say that this is a good method of achieving our goal. We are left with scars and with desolation.
With war we have left behind the interior dimensions of the heart and opted for the material.With the material strength we bring about great devastation. Consequently this is not the best way to bring about change. Conflicts bring about scars and wars leave us with desolation. Conflict and war presupposes the hostility between the parties which gives birth to criticism, ridicule, containment, pressure.This is certainly better than conflict and war but when it happens those who should be subjects are made into objects.
What has to happen is that each party should try to understand the other's position: to see the situation through the eyes of the other. There has to be sincerity and love it is only then that we will see change. This will enable the two parties to acquire what each lacks. This is the teaching of all our religious leaders of all persuasions. Sincerity and love will naturally be followed by praise and awe. With humility, each party will not be afraid to do what the world wants.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Progress or Regression?
A columnist of the Catholic Times, on seeing how the the disabled were treated during the Joseon Dynasty, which was the topic of a recent TV history program, was sufficiently surprised to write about it in her column. The disabled, she learned, were excused from many of the duties normally expected from citizens, and those who showed concern for the disabled would be commended, and those who abused them would be seriously punished.
Efforts were also made to help them become independent by giving them positions that fit their specialty, without concern for their place in society but only concerned to utilize their capabilities in the best way possible. For instance, a society for the blind was established, which produced many who went on to become prominent in government. The only thing that separated them from the other citizens was a bodily handicap, and the distress that often accompanies such handicaps. The columnist sadly comments that it seems we have been going backwards as a society in the way we treat the disabled among us.
A famous historical figure, a musician, during the kingship of Sejong the Great, was quoted in the TV program, in reference to what the government was doing for the blind: "There is no one we can dispense with in our society."
She introduces us to Fr. Cyril Axelrod, who is considered by many the Helen Keller of the 21st Century. Both blind and deaf, he came to Korea last month to visit with the Christians and to show them what a disabled person is able to do and to help the Christians achieve a new appreciation of the disabled in our society. He stresses in his talks that his disabilities, like all disabilities, can be incorporated into our lives as blessings.
In Korea, since 2011, over two and a half million citizens have been registered as disabled; each year, as small and serious accidents increase, the number of disabled also continues to increase. Accidents or disease after birth, she says, are responsible for disabling 9 out of 10 Koreans. She feels that being concerned for the welfare of the disabled should not be solely the concern for specially trained people but for all of us, and that our understanding of the disabled also needs to broaden and change if we are to keep pace with the latest knowledge in the field.
but there are still many who are unwilling to accept the disabled as being equally deserving of all the rights of other citizens.
There have been many changes in society but still many have an aversion for the places used by the disabled and this shows in the problems many have in building such facilities. The price of land decreases and many find it uncomfortable to be so near the disabled so they demonstrate against the building of these facilities.
Though we have to come to an understanding that the only difference between the disabled and others is only a matter of degree, we have yet to take the next step, as a society, and act on what we understand.
To repeat the musician's words, the theme of both the TV program and the column: "There is no one that we can dispense with in our society." We Christians, she says, who profess to be light and salt of the earth, should be the first to appreciate what this means.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Knowing Ourselves
Taking
a picture of our self and uploading it to the internet so everybody
can see how beautiful we are, and then listening to the comments, is not
an uncommon occurrence these days. Writing in the Kyeongyang magazine a
religious sister, whose
specialty is the media, brings to our attention this kind of personal
promotion, which reminded her of "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the
most
beautiful of all?" As a result of this personal indulgence, the
integrity of the self disappears, she says, and what remains is a desire
for praise, concerned only with the way others see us.
To what extent should we be concerned with our physical appearance? she asks. Reading recently that it was considered trendy in Korea to have cosmetic jaw surgery, she admitted to feeling emotionally uncomfortable. Why? Because having to chip away at the bones, there is always a danger of side effects; also because she became aware that so many of us are more concerned about external attractiveness than about the less noticeable spiritual qualities; and also because a woman's body has become a consumer item.
Life is like a drama, she says, being played out most noticeably on the social network service stage. The "I" of the actor is taking over the real "I". There is no way to know how much of what is being communicated is real, and what is hypocrisy and deception. The boundaries between the real and the virtual are disappearing, she said.
We are so busy taking pictures that we forget what is beautiful and interesting, and what gives us joy. Before we have time even to appreciate the beauty of what we see, we take out our smart phone ready to capture what we see in a photograph. Even when going out to enjoy our leisure time, we are busy taking pictures and often promoting the self.
Is the satisfaction we get from virtual space more meaningful to us than what we get from family and friends? Have we become like actors on a stage, receiving the applause of the audience and becoming entranced by the attention? she asks.
When we cannot express our true selves and are manipulated by others, we become slaves, she says, controlled by the vision of others and not being true to who we are. We forget that as Christians we are God's creation, made to be like him and to be true to ourselves. True happiness wants to be shared with others. When one is happy there is no need for words, our happiness just naturally flows out to others.
She tells us about a study that showed that those who associate with happy people also tend to be happy, and those around unhappy people tend to be unhappy. So it's good to keep in mind, she says, the thought that if I'm happy, those around me are also likely to be happy.
However, she points out that this happiness usually does not result from having a large audience of admiring fans. "Happy the man who meditates on wisdom and reflects on knowledge, who ponders her ways in his heart and understands her pathways" (Sirach 14:20-21). Those who do, she says, will have their happiness extend naturally to their friends, and to friends of their friends.
To what extent should we be concerned with our physical appearance? she asks. Reading recently that it was considered trendy in Korea to have cosmetic jaw surgery, she admitted to feeling emotionally uncomfortable. Why? Because having to chip away at the bones, there is always a danger of side effects; also because she became aware that so many of us are more concerned about external attractiveness than about the less noticeable spiritual qualities; and also because a woman's body has become a consumer item.
Life is like a drama, she says, being played out most noticeably on the social network service stage. The "I" of the actor is taking over the real "I". There is no way to know how much of what is being communicated is real, and what is hypocrisy and deception. The boundaries between the real and the virtual are disappearing, she said.
We are so busy taking pictures that we forget what is beautiful and interesting, and what gives us joy. Before we have time even to appreciate the beauty of what we see, we take out our smart phone ready to capture what we see in a photograph. Even when going out to enjoy our leisure time, we are busy taking pictures and often promoting the self.
Is the satisfaction we get from virtual space more meaningful to us than what we get from family and friends? Have we become like actors on a stage, receiving the applause of the audience and becoming entranced by the attention? she asks.
When we cannot express our true selves and are manipulated by others, we become slaves, she says, controlled by the vision of others and not being true to who we are. We forget that as Christians we are God's creation, made to be like him and to be true to ourselves. True happiness wants to be shared with others. When one is happy there is no need for words, our happiness just naturally flows out to others.
She tells us about a study that showed that those who associate with happy people also tend to be happy, and those around unhappy people tend to be unhappy. So it's good to keep in mind, she says, the thought that if I'm happy, those around me are also likely to be happy.
However, she points out that this happiness usually does not result from having a large audience of admiring fans. "Happy the man who meditates on wisdom and reflects on knowledge, who ponders her ways in his heart and understands her pathways" (Sirach 14:20-21). Those who do, she says, will have their happiness extend naturally to their friends, and to friends of their friends.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Last Foreign Bishop of Korea
Bishop McNaughton, the first bishop of the Inchon diocese, recently celebrated his 60th year of priesthood in a Korean Catholic parish of Boston. The Mass of Thanksgiving was written up in the Peace Weekly.
The bishop retired in 2002 and returned to the U.S., and his home state of Massachusetts. It gave the Korean community an opportunity to thank Bishop McNaughton for his many years of service to the Korean Church. During the sermon he recalled leaving for Korea on a boat from San Francisco, and 16 days later arriving at the harbor of Pusan. He was greeted by a delegation of Korean Catholics, which made him feel he was beginning life all over again.
His sermon, given in fluent Korean, said the journalist, was attentively listened to by the congregation. His forty one years as the ordinary of the diocese and his zeal for the growth of the church was praised by many in the congregation, who admired what the 'old missioner' had accomplished. The bishop regretted learning that while the numbers of Korean Catholics have increased, those going to church have decreased. He asked the parishioners to have a love for the poor and to share their faith. After Mass, there was a celebration for the bishop in the church hall.
Bishop McNaughton began his missioner life in the Cheongju diocese. He was pastor of two parishes in the city, and in 1961 was made a bishop and the first ordinary of the Inchon diocese, which he led for 41 years. In the beginning of his tenure as bishop, there were 9 parishes, 19 clergy and 23,000 Catholics. Today, it is the fourth largest diocese in the country, with 20 parishes, 300 clergy and 460,000 Catholics. His retirement brought to an end a long line of foreign bishops in the Korean Church.
Maryknoll came to Korea in 1923, and this year will celebrate 90 years of pastoral work in Korea, which began in Pyeongyang, North Korea, at that time Korea was a colony of Japan. In 1950, with the beginning of the Korean War, the Maryknollers moved South and were given the diocese of Cheongju, the diocese in which Bishop McNaughton began his missionary life.
One of the bishop's great achievements was building a seminary which has proven to be very successful, educating seminarians for future work in North Korea and China besides the diocesan clergy. It is a fitting memorial to his long years of service to the Korean people and will continue to serve them well into the future. After the sermon, the pastor thanked Bishop McNaughton for his many years of service to the Korean Church, and said the Korean clergy will be paying back the debt by working zealously in the vineyard of the Lord.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Young People are like Kites Buffetted by the Winds
In the diocesan bulletin, the head of one of the city youth centers discusses the differences among the young persons who come to the center for help. There are of course the young persons we would call ordinary, and persons who have been raised in poverty, the single parent youngsters, persons who have been abused, and persons who have been hurt in other ways. They are all individuals with special personalities, and he feels that as a person responsible for the center, he needs to respect the individuality of each of them.
Using the metaphor of flying kites, he looks on some of these young people as kites flying at low altitude, with little of the string released. Adults, however, who have an abundance of string can fly high in the sky. They are flying high above the winds that the young people have to contend with at their lower altitude. They are at the whim of the wind going high and falling low, always causing concern. Since the string they have doesn't allow them to go higher, they lose hope and their kites do at times nosedive to the earth. During this period, their emotions go to extremes. Environmental influences, which he refers to as the wind, can easily affect them. Like the quiet before the storm, they never know what to expect, he says, and as a result they often feel agitated. Since they feel confined (the string), they have difficulty with their own identity, and with those who are trying to hold on to them. One solution for some of them during this time of struggle and mental confusion is to break the string, to run away from home.
Many at the center, not surprisingly, have low self-esteem. One young man is not able to associate with his classmates and doesn't speak during the whole day. Another, when on the receiving end of a joke, cries, and one stays by himself all day long. After a year at the center, however, there are many who do change, he says. They approach you and greet you, and are willing to talk about what bothers them, whether with friends or with teachers. This is a sign that the interest that is shown them at the center does have good results.
Returning to the kite example, the adults want the young to fly higher and even though the wind is not blowing they give them more string; when the young do not want to go in that direction, the adults want to control the direction of flight. Our interest should be on the kite, the young person, and then, trusting them, give them enough string to fly where they want to go.
We say the youth are the leaders of the future but these leaders, he strongly points out, have to be given a future now. When they see the value of the present, the future will be all the brighter. We should trust and encourage them, accommodating ourselves to the direction they want to go. That, says our writer, would be enough.
The dilemmas faced by parents are extraordinarily difficult, characterizing the frustrations they usually encounter by the oft-used statement: "You are damned if you do and damned if you don't." It is important for all to realize that children are raised, as we hear often, not only by parents but by all of society. The health of society will determine how successful the nurturing will be, and is reason enough, he says, for all of us to be concerned with what is happening in the world around us.
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