The road that our
young people have to walk in this age of pleasure is far from easy. "Who
in this age uses the word purity? If one wants to practice chastity
they have to refrain from dating." At first I found it difficult and
cried a lot, but after awhile sex became a pleasant pastime like eating
and talking." "One night stands are always possible. If the desire is
there on the part of each, what is the problem? We both pay for the
motel expense and it's a saving." These are some of the easy talk we
have about sex to introduce an article in the Kyeongyang magazine by one
who has studied the subject and lectures on sex.
Chastity is no longer a
value. 45.6 percent of 1,254 college students said they had sexual
intercourse, while half of those that did not have the experience said it
was the lack of an opportunity. 66.1 percent of those older than 23 had
a sexual experience while those older than 25 the percentage was 82.1
percent. This, the writer says, is not from another country but a
report about Korean students in our newspapers.
The attitude displayed by
the report, the writer finds disturbing. "Who in today's world uses the
word chastity?" It is a word from another age. Is chastity now considered a
vice and to be discarded?
Our sexual perceptions
are formed by our culture which in turn are influenced, unknowingly, by
the mass media. In the past we had the printed word; today, images,
there is a world of difference.
Students entering
college were asked to write about a first kiss in detail: 70 percent of
the women wrote about the falling snow and kissing under the street
lights, while the men talk about kissing in an alley. Why such a
similarity? What the young people saw over the years in ads, movies,
dramas, and musicals is what comes to mind. Our young people have seen
much more than kissing.
Big
business has made use of mass media to spread this sexual ideology far
and wide. The sexual craving needs to be satisfied. Love has to be
satisfied by sex. When the lover is absent than a 'one night stand' is
acceptable. The popular culture has made this a common feature and
habit in life. We see it in drama, movies, talk shows, in dating. Violence is inflicted on those who do not buy into this modern
ideological sex culture. Those who do not want to join in are ridiculed and considered sick.
Sexual ideology's biggest
evil is dealing a big blow to the culture of life. Sex and pleasure
without the possibility of life becomes normal. The writer wants to ask
those who are spreading this ideology how many times pregnant, how many
abortions, how many partners, how many encounters and separations? Does this life bring happiness? Common sense gives an obvious answer, and why do we fail to make it known?
Using the words of
Lincoln : You can fool all the people some of the
time, some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the
people all the time. In conclusion he uses God's words speaking to the Israelites when they entered a new land and are tempted by their Gods and
their way of life. "I am your God now that you are in the land of
pleasure don't follow your craven desires and follow after what you
see." Don't lose your way in this land but follow the way of chastity.
The young people of today have to follow the way of the martyrs.This
is the cross that will help heal the world.
A Religious Sister who heads a research center, and lectures at a university, hopes the the visit of the pope to Korea will be the start for changes in the Korean Church. She mentions the questionnaire that preceded the visit of the pope sponsored by the Catholic Times and was commented on frequently in the Catholic press. Hopefully, she says, the questionnaire will be the basis for future plans. She gives us her ideas on the opinion page of the Catholic Times.
The issues that came to the fore were clericalism, worldliness of the Church, formation of a middle class Church, an immature laity, were some of the points mentioned. The issues for renewal were comprehensive. She compares the issues to a cogwheel in which all are related and interact with one another.
She uses the example of a university professor who mentions that global life is made up of individual life and other co-life. A tree to live needs, the sun, air, wind, water, earth, likewise, we as a Church need each other to function as Church.
The questionnaire showed that the number one obstacle to renewal was authoritarianism and clericalism within the Church and this was one of the reasons for the immaturity of the laity. The authoritarianism of the clergy is the reason for the passivity and dependence of the laity. She mentions the need to form the laity to take an active part in the running of parishes. She hopes that this will be the results of renewal, but she still has in her thinking some serious doubts, and why should this be? She asks. She feels that the problem is not something outside of us but in ourselves. The clergy are going to have to examine themselves, they are the ones who need to come to a new understanding of their role. Without this examination the renewal will have difficulty.
She mentions a Jesuit priest who worked for the poor and lived with them. He died recently and she attended the funeral.The Church was filled. He was a cleric who lived with the poor and gave up all his authority and received authority by the way he lived.
The Sister mentions she saw where the real authority of the priests comes.
"When one walks in the fog,unknowingly, your clothes become damp." These words are handed down in Buddhism and was the title of her article. She hopes that there will be many priest who will want to work towards the ideal that they have received from their training. At ordination the young priests lie prostrate in front of the altar. She hopes that the priest will be conscious of what this signifies and prays that they will live this promise effectively in their lives.
She remembers well the smiling face of Pope Francis during his visit to Korea and the way he reacted with all those that he met. She hopes that we will have many pastors in the Church with this smile on their faces.
Beatification of Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 martyr companions at the
Gwanghwamun Gate recently was a memorable day for our Christians. An
essay in the Catholic Times reflects on the meaning of what happened on
that day: Korean history and Catholic history came together. Before we
lose the enthusiasm, the essayist wants us to reflect on three points
that arise from the beatification.
Blessed Paul Yun was
the first one on the list of martyrs beatified that day. Because of a
decree that came from the bishop of Beijing, Blessed Paul burned the
ancestral tablet and when his mother died he performed the funeral
according to the Catholic rite instead of the Confucian rite.
Confucianism, the writer reminds us, is still very strong in Korea. If
one should destroy the ancestral tablets even in the 21st century there
would be a lot of finger pointing. Paul had passed the first exam for
public office, was the son of a noble family and caused great scandal.
He was a person different from that of his age.
Magistrates
tried cajoling and force to change his thinking, but to no avail; he
was martyred in 1791.The most prominent among those beatified on August
16, 2014.
Paul Yun Ji-chung, became Korea's first Catholic martyr when he was
executed. Ordinary citizens would see these Catholics as
persons without respect for parents and king: lack of loyalty and filial
piety and worthy of death; they were against the basic values of
society.
Secondly we see the situation of Catholicism
change in a short period of time. From being a bunch of depraved
individuals to dignified members of society. Since the values of
politics and religion are different there has been pressure before and
after on religion. During the Chosen dynasty, Buddhism was oppressed;
in this modern world we have had religious demonstrations and signs of
dissatisfaction. Catholicism for over a hundred years was a persecuted
community that is today accepted. We would not find the equivalent of
such a quick change in Korean history.
On the day of
the beatification the Christians gathered in the center of Seoul in the
Gwanghawmun plaza where at the time of the persecution their
death was decided and taken to Seosomun where they were executed. Did
any of the children of the martyrs ever think that their ancestors
would be honored some two hundred years later in the very place they
were condemned to die?
Thirdly we have the timely
remarks of the pope on this occasion. These early martyrs formed a
beautiful community of equality in a time where
we had droughts, famine, and corrupt officials. Social position and
discrimination between men and women was a part of society. These early
Christians challenged the culture and lived the Gospel life of equality.
The
pope reminded us of these beginnings. Lay people took the
initiative and began the community of faith. With their intelligence,
faith and curiosity they took pride in their efforts, and the pope asked
that we don't forget this message of equality from the early Church.
In
conclusion the writer wants to bring to our attention the words from
the government documents from the time of the persecution. During the
interrogation of the martyrs in 1801 on three different occasions we have
them saying that there will be a Church built on the grave of Yun
Ji-chung. These are the prophetic words that we the descendents of the
martyrs need to examine.
Today is the Korean Autumn Festival Holiday called Chuseok. August
15th of the lunar year also called Hangawi: the full moon lunar 8th
month. A time to give thanks for the harvest, to our ancestors and to
God for the life we are meant to enjoy.
Chuseok means
a great deal to the Koreans, it has a long history, and families will
go great distances to spend part of the three day holiday at the home of
their parents. On the festival morning many will have the rites remembering the
ancestors, go to the grave site, and eat together: sharing their lives, and affection for each other.
Many of the
Catholics after the rites in the home will attend Mass in which the
deceased members of the family will be remembered, they recite the
office of the dead and thank God for his blessings and ask to be
renewed for a more fruitful life in the future. Reflection on death
helps to live the gift of life with greater joy.
The
readings for the Mass give us an indication where are thoughts should
be. Happiness is a desire that we all have. We sometimes understand
this happiness to be a feeling, the results of chemicals within the
body.This is not the way we want to understand happiness. Feeling good
is not what is meant by happiness. The parable for the Mass is taken
from Luke 12:15-21: the foolish greedy farmer who blessed with a good
harvest wants to tear down his barns and build larger ones to store his
harvest and hears that death is coming: to whom is he going to leave his
riches? Sharing never entered his mind.
Sermons today
will try to show where true happiness is found. All of us have heard
that material goods are not the answer, but what brings happiness is
answered in thousands of different ways. Humanists
will remember what the Greek philosophers recommended: contemplation of
the true, good and beautiful and the practice of the virtues. A
Christian wants to empty oneself, and be led by God and his graces. God wants us to be happy so we don't want to put any obstacles
in his way.
Fr. Anselm Grun, an authority on
spirituality is in Korea to give talks on spirituality and was written up in the Peace Weekly. He mentions that he finds Korea sadder than he
found it on his last visit. The Autumn Festival and the death of so
many young people in the Sewol tragedy, without any satisfaction coming
from efforts to uncover the truth, is not helping the mood of society.
The Benedictine Monk stresses
that our attitude is what makes for happiness.The search for wholeness
and spirituality brings joy into our lives. We are changed by the
relationship we have with God. Catholics attending the Masses on the
holiday will be hearing a great deal about what the obstacles are in
our search for happiness. Thinking of death and our ancestors will help
us to see life without the influence from our popular culture. Happy
Autumn Festival, and the joy that comes with gratitude.
Question number 11: Remembering the facts of history and seeing the behavior of some of the religious people in our society there is a great deal of doubt about their qualifications to speak to society. Before they fault our politics is it not necessary to put their own house in order?
That is right. The Church has to continually repent and reform herself. One of the areas that she needs to repent is the failure to be on the side of the poor and work for justice. The Catechism tells us: "Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, by the admission of faults to one's brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one's cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance" (Catechism of the Church #1435). Penance and change is connected with the working for justice and the protection of the rights of others and this includes the enduring of suffering in the pursuit.
When we are sick we go to the doctor, but not all doctors are free from disease. If we wanted to received treatment only from doctors that had no health problems many of our hospitals would have to close their doors. We likewise are wounded healers, but we go out to others to help in the healing of others. The speaking out about justice is the same. If I have to be completely just, and of noble character before I am allowed to speak out, the voice for justice will remain silent.
The Church has to continually examine herself and repent in the carrying of the cross. The Church has done many wrong things in its history. One of the greatest faults is to have failed to reject the temptations of power and itself becoming a power force, and siding with those in power. We have not always been on the side of the poor and often ignored the poor and the oppressed of society. We have to be with the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, prisoners, if we want to meet Jesus (Matt 25:31). It is not only to be with these who are hurting but to find the reasons for this situation and allow the light of the Gospel to shine on what we see, and proclaim the justice of God.
In Conclusion it is well to remember one of our great fallacies is the either-or way of looking at life instead of the both-and approach. Some would read the answers to the questions and wonder what happened to spiritually and the practice of the virtues. This is not denied, but rather taken for granted, the prerequisite to be God's efficient tool for justice. In Korea, many think the work for justice in the Gospel message has been overlooked. We have heard often that the Catholics who come into the Church are looking for peace of mind. With this kind of thinking we know that our mission to work for justice has not made a lasting impression on the Christians.
Question number 10: When we are like the world of politics and fight over right and wrong we are divided like society. Is it not possible to be quiet and pray?
The main reason the Church has to participate in society is that God is always participating in our world. "God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good." (Gen. 1:31). God created the world and when we act contrary to his intentions, the righteous person and prophets have brought it to our attention. Finally Jesus entered our world. The work of the Church is to do what Jesus started. God doesn't work only within the Church but through the Church in society at large. We need to talk in a healthy way about the problems we face. We are not believers only for ourselves, but called to give the light of the Gospel and make known the will of God to the whole world.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the explanation of the Lord's Prayer # 2820 we read: "Man's vocation to eternal life does not suppress, but actually reinforces, his duty to put into action in this world the energies and means received from the Creator to serve justice and peace." When the world is distancing itself from the Gospel message and we are only concerned about our salvation and turn our back to the problems of society, we do not have the correct understanding of our faith. It is not what God desires.
There are two understandings of the the word world: " God so loved the world that he sent his only son" (John 3:16). The other is from John 1:10. "He was in the world and through him the world was made, yet the world did not know who he was. " The world is the same but depending on our attitude we see it differently. When we see it with the eyes of the first meaning we see the world as God's masterpiece, and work to cultivate what God intended. When we are ignored and persecuted we continue to work to make the beauty of God's creation known.
In the early years of the Church and when it was introduced into Korea we had the stress on idols, fear of change, and opposition to equality on the part of those in power that brought persecution.These early Christians were not afraid of the conflict between their religion and the world, but stood up straight in the public square. We are the descendants of the martyrs and we want to be loved by the immoral world. We are told by Jesus to be prepared for persecution but we relegate this to the past.
A segment of the mass media reports that Catholics are leaving because of the participation of the Church in political issues. Rather the participation from the 1970 to 1980 saw a great increase in the numbers entering the Church. There are also many who today are attracted by the interest the Church has shown in society and are entering the Church. The Church is not participating in society to increase their numbers. However, there are many who are moved by this and become Catholic. The Church needs to stay in the center of our society and make clear the message of Jesus and to speak out about injustices and corruption. Speaking out about justice and fairness is the Church's original duty.
Question number nine: What is the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice that we have heard so much about in the news and newspaper articles from the time of the military rule?
This year is the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice. In 1974 one of the Diocesan Bishops, Chi Hak-sun, was imprisoned by the Military Government for his opposition to the human rights violations to extend the military rule of the government over the country. The Korean bishops made it clear that the work for justice is the duty of the bishops and supported Bishop Chi. He was released and put under house arrest living in a convent. He opposed the Yushin Constitution proclaimed by the military government and called it null and void, and was arrested again and sentenced to 15 years in prison. This was the start of the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice.
From this time, the Association began to have Masses and prayer meetings and declarations for the protection of human rights, restoration of democracy, freedom of the press and the protection of the laborers and the weak in society. Many of the priests where arrested for violation of the emergency measures of the government and imprisoned. They continued their opposition and suffered for it.
In 1980 they worked to stop torture, the release of prisoners of conscience, and to restore democracy. In 1987 the torture and death of Park
Jong-chul became a critical blow to the dictatorial rule. The student died during a police
interrogation. The Priests' Association began making the facts of the case known, and this extended the Association's influence in Korean society, and helped bring an end to the military rule of the government.
The Catholic Priests' Association for Justice continued to work for reconciliation and unity, and the end to harassment of workers, farmers, and students. With the help of a well known lawyer the corruption in big business was exposed, where money became the new God. The well know whistle blowing lawyer tried to bring his case to the mass media, but no one was interested, and finally went to the Priests' Association.
They continue to speak about issues that are in the news and seek to shed light, working for justice in society. The recent Sewol tragedy is one of the latest issues in which they are working to make known the truth behind the tragedy.
For the last forty years they have worked to make a just society with prayer and action. Many say what they did during the military rule was necessary and appreciated but now they are involved in too many issues. We had the same words expressed during the military rule. It is always necessary to see the evils we have in society and make them known. When the idol of money is attacked, the priests are called leftists; when authority is challenged we hear: servants of North Korea. The financial conglomerates, says the professor, have the mass media under their wing, and in search of money and power do the bidding of big business.
