Exemplar of a Church Run Operation

St. Mary's Hospital, managed by the diocese  of Seoul, was selected as the number-one  hospital in the country for the outstanding services provided to its patients. In giving the award, the Korean Standard Association considered all business enterprises, not only hospitals. And this is not the first time for such praise, as the the editorial in the Peace Weekly points out, as does an accompanying article. Over the years, they have received other awards for the extraordinary care shown their patients. The credit belongs, say hospital personnel, to the respect they have for life, which is the motivating force behind the running of the hospital.
 
"The hospital that doesn't satisfy the desires of its patrons will not continue to exist" is their motto. St. Mary's has made it a regular part of their service to patients to listen carefully to those who come to the hospital, and has done everything possible to please them: doctors monitor patients around the clock, nurses follow the angel system of nursing, and first-time  patients are accompanied  by hospital personnel  while at the  hospital, and there are  many other ways they try to satisfy the needs of their patients.

Another reason for welcoming the award, the editorial cited, is that the hospital is following the teachings of Jesus. Our Lord told us to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the  reason the Church exists and the reason for all its works. Of all the works managed by the Church, hospitals especially, and other places that care for the sick, should be model examples of this kind of compassion.

The editorial notes that though there are many different operations run by the Church, too many to count, if these operations do not show the compassion of Jesus, there is no reason for their existence. The reason the Church is running these operations is not to make money, it goes on to say, but to express and share the love of Christ.
 
When customers are happy dealing with a Church-run organization, such as St. Mary's, it's a sign the organization is acting in a Christ-like way. The editorial expresses the hope that St. Mary's will be the model for all operations of the Church.

Know Thyself

On the spirituality page of the Korea Times, the columnist discusses his accidental meeting with a priest friend, who had recently returned from a pilgrimage to Egypt and Israel.

During dinner at a restaurant that evening, he asked him what was most memorable about the visit. Nothing really stood out, the priest said. All of it was a great experience, and he was full of gratitude that he was able to make the pilgrimage.  However, there was one place where he learned a lot about himself; it was on Mount Sinai.

His curiosity aroused, the columnist asked what he meant. The priest mentioned that they began the trip up the mountain at two o'clock in the morning. Each climber had a hand-flashlight and they began the ascent slowly. When they arrived at the top of the mountain, they were greeted with the thrilling sight of the sun's rays.  Meeting God in this place was the feeling he had, and he relished the time. During the climb he reflected on his life as a priest, the meaning of the ten commandments and the law of love to which they pointed. It was, he said, a meditation of great satisfaction, joy and thanks.

"Father, what did you do when you descended?" asked the columnist.

"My thinking was not healthy and I fell into temptation." replied the priest. "My body had become accustomed to many bad habits."

They were surprising revelations, which prompted the columnist to ask for an explanation. 

The priest mentioned that they all returned to their quarters, where they were to have breakfast, go to their rooms to wash up, and then begin the next leg of their pilgrimage. The whole place reeked of spices, he said, and he didn't like what was on the menu. He lost his appetite, and only had a glass of water before going to his room. The quarters were seen as expensive by the local inhabitants, but he saw them as horrible. He wanted to  put water in the tub to rest his tired body, but this was not possible: the shower was in poor shape, with little water coming out, and the soap and shampoo had seen better days. The air conditioner wasn't working, and now fuming with rage and drenched in sweat he went outside.

The members of the group, on seeing him, greeted him, with one individual remarking, "Father, your face this morning, when you arrived at the top of the mountain, was full of joy." This hit him like a ton of bricks. It was true, he said. Arriving on the mountain top after meditating on the Commandments and deciding to begin living a more loving life, he did feel filled with joy. And yet he had to admit that just a few hours later, not able to gratify his needs of comfort, he was filled with displeasure and criticism.That afternoon, he said, he had plenty of time to think about the kind of person he was. It's easy to be overcome with fine sentiments when meditating and seeing yourself the way you want to be seen, he mused, but it's often quite another thing to see yourself in less than ideal circumstances, with results that are quite different. We are "animals that easily forget" concluded the columnist. In our thoughts, we can flatter ourselves by believing we have made substantial progress in living a more loving life. Our actual living, however, is more difficult than settling for the self-serving reflections we make on the way we live. It was a lesson the priest did not expect from the pilgrimage but one he gratefully accepted. 

Most Sinful Countries of the World

 

Living in the information age we are bombarded by information, much of it of low quality and not verifiable, which makes discernment difficult. The internet adds to the problem, as does this blog and millions of others that abound in the blogosphere. To navigate this flow of information, what is necessary is the art of discernment. We know well the saying of St. Augustine, "Love God and do what you will." If we are living a life in harmony with the will of God, seeking his will in all things, then our thoughts and desires will direct us correctly in making the right judgements. This is the traditional Catholic teaching on discernment.

The View from the Ark in the Catholic Times presents us with one of these occasions where discernment is necessary. The columnist, referring to an article that appeared in Focus, the magazine of the British Broadcasting Company, mentions the most sinful nations of the world, according to the article, and what capital  sins those countries have the most difficulty dealing with.  Korea, overall, was listed as the 8th most sinful country of the world, and placed number one in the lust category. This was determined by the amount of money spent on pornography, in comparison with other countries.

The distinctive quality of a nation is not determined by the intelligentsia or popular leaders, he says, but by the ordinary citizens. No matter how good the laws and structures are, if the citizens do not follow them they are of little worth. When the citizens have a sense of dignity and are moved by conscience and good habits, this will be reflected in the personality of the country.

Korea went from a GNP of 100 dollars in 1960-1970 to over 20,000 dollars in 2010, which is the envy of many developing countries. In 1987, Korea rid herself of a dictatorship and became a democracy. There is little need to point out, the columnist notes, that economic improvement and political maturity allowed Korea to join the group of free and prosperous countries of the world. And in the last ten years, the influence of Korea's culture has spread to many parts of the world.

However, individual consciousness has not kept pace with economic development, he says. Greed, lust, envy, hunger for power, and the like are seen as the likely reasons for the immorality and corruption which has earned the country the low moral rating described in the Focus article. How can we rid ourselves of the stigma of being the 8th most sinful country in the world? he asks. We have to refine our moral education, work on our self-improvement, and work for the common good. Helping to change Korea's image in this all-important area of life, says the columnist, should be the duty of everyone.  

The wrong-headed desires of some politicians to gain power is offset by the virtues of sincerity, authenticity, and justice exhibited by others. The overwhelming desire of all citizens is that the individual should live as a caring human being, and that our society, made up of such human beings, is working for the common good.

 

     

Smart Phone Addiction

Korea is the most wired country in the world, having also the highest percentage of smart phones. Not only is this a positive sign of the efforts made to promote internet technology but like everything else when taken to an extreme often has a negative result, which seems to have occurred in Korea.

Stories abound on how the internet has been abused, similar to what has happened in other countries. The result of this addiction is causing great concern around the world. An article in the Peace Weekly, which discusses a paper given by Doctor Lee Jung-hun, a psychiatrist at the Catholic University of Daegu, gives us some interesting facts on the situation. So serious has it become, according to Dr. Lee, that the  government has started tailored programs to deal with the addiction, providing special classes in internet addiction and organizing holiday camps to wean students off their dependency to smart phones and the internet.
          
In 2012, a survey was made of youngsters, from the ages of 10 to19, who were considered internet addicts; it showed an increase in addiction from 7 percent from the previous year to 18.4 percent. The addiction rate of those from 10 to 49 years old was 11.1 percent. The result of the study indicates that there may be problems with the emotional life of those addicted to using smart phones.

Dr. Lee presented a paper on addiction to smart phones and the internet at the annual meeting in San Francisco of the American Psychiatric Association. He made a study of 276 high school students, from four schools, who were 16 years old, and found that the higher the incidence of addiction, the more the students were prone to accidents and problems with attention deficit disorders. They also had problems with depression, anxiety, delinquency, aggressiveness and relating. Problems with reasoning correctly were also uncovered. He also found behavioral differences with how the smart phones were used. Using them in the toilet, before going to bed, and when making personal contact via the social network service were also signs of addiction.

There are numerous applications for smart phones, and they continue to develop them, making them increasingly attractive and causing many to move away from the PC to the smart phone. The earlier one begins to access the Internet, the easier it is to become addicted. Efforts to discover the reasons for the addiction, Dr.  Lee said, should continue to be made. It is a serious problem and though Korea has started to take appropriate steps to deal with the problem, it will not be easily solved, since Korea has developed more than other countries in the world of cyberspace.

Dilemma for the Church

The United States Supreme Court recently struck down the defense of marriage act as unconstitutional. The Korean Times desk columnist discusses the subject, seeing it from a Korean Catholic layperson's perspective. The bishops responded to the decision with sadness, he says, since it gives approval to same-sex marriage, contrary to the understanding of the Catholic Church.

In society today, he goes on to say, the Church has to deal with  secularization exemplified in the cases of sexuality and life issues: abortion, artificial insemination, capital punishment, euthanasia. With the recent advances in science and in collusion with commercial interests, there is also growing disagreement over embryonic stem cell research.

When we look into the controversy surrounding these issues, we see society distancing itself from the certainties of religion and the ethical standards of the past. When it comes to the  present situation in the States, we notice that even though Christianity has been an important part of the American culture, the traditional influence of bishops on life issues is losing its ability to sway the people. In polls, the numbers supporting the Catholic position continue to decrease. 

In Korea, it is easy to see that even though Catholicism has respect within society, the influence of the Church, as a newcomer to the scene, is less important among the majority of Koreans, which makes the teaching of life issues mostly a Catholic concern.

However, the problem is not only a failure to influence the larger society, for even Catholics overall are not in agreement with what the Church teaches, which is the greater problem. In many of the issues of life: abortion, artificial insemination, contraception, homosexuality, and the like, the response of Catholics is no different from others, and even at times more in opposition. This is the present reality, and the columnist sees this as the central dilemma that the Church has to face.

The numbers of those in the West who see homosexuality as a serious issue is not small. It is not only the small number of those who see it as a sickness, but the Church itself requires respect for all; even when it considers homosexuality not normal, it has to be concerned about the pastoral issues dealing with this inclination, which he says is another dilemma which the Church faces.

Koreans still have a very unified Catholicism, and it's easy to understand the way Catholics would tend to look upon the Catholicism of the West, though the thinking of Korean Catholics is probably not much different from the Catholicism of the West, only not as vocal and as  opposed as some in the West. In promoting the culture of life, the Church faces many difficulties, says the columnist, which will not be easy to overcome.

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 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.