Korea has for the last ten years, as a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, placed first in the number of suicides: recorded was 29.1 persons for every hundred thousand, which was twice the average. Peace Weekly News gives the readers an understanding of the situation within the church.
From 1985, most of the countries which are members of the OECD have decreased in the number of suicides but Korea continues to increase, which makes for a gloomy future. Efforts are made to throw off the stigma by programs and seeking to understand those who are contemplating suicide. They have hope to decrease the numbers. Finland and Japan did succeed, and are good examples for Korea to follow.
The international Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) with the World Health Organization (WHO) has established the World Suicide Prevention Day which we remember today. The day alerts us to the ways we can prevent suicidal behavior, lessen the effects and educate those working to prevent suicides.
Preparing
for the day were many events, educational programs and campaigns in
society and churches. The Catholic Church also has programs for the
prevention and to spread the culture of life movement.
One Heart One Body Center of Seoul in preparation for September 10, conducted a survey and published their results. This is the first survey made dealing only with suicide. They wanted to determine the attitude and understanding of suicide within the church in order to establish programs in the future.
81% of those that responded felt that the problem was more with society than with the individual. With a change in society 84 % thought we would see a change in the number of suicides. 86,38 % had never had contact with those who were contemplating suicide. The majority have never attended any programs in the prevention of suicides. 78 % thought there was a need for such programs.
Respondents to the survey 88.54 % never had any suicidal thoughts-- reasons given: religious convictions 19.18 %, children 16.2 %, spouse/sweetheart 13.2%, parents 12.4%. The longer they lived and deeper the religious life, less thoughts of suicide. This coming December there will be a symposium with a Japanese counterpart in which the Center wants to conclude with a strategy for the future in suicide prevention.
Korean conglomerates helped by the government have done much to bring about the economic growth in Korea, but at the same time we have many negative results.
The Catholic Times has an article on Korean economics and the 'chaebols' ( business conglomerates). Both government parties have promised to make the 'chaebols' more transparent and democratic.
Is this not a sign that all see the abuses that we have and the need to remedy the situation? They have done much to develop Korea no one denies, but there is something else besides material development and economic growth. Many of the problems in Korean society stem from this close arrangement with the government.
The article sees two aspects of the problems with the chaebols. One problem is that a small number of businesses are influencing how industry, and the market are going. One easy example to illustrate the point is the way the big super markets have stopped the flow of money in the small stores and our traditional markets. Few people know, says the columnist, that it is not only the super markets, but the chaebols are the main share holders in many other businesses. A reason why the independent operations, and the ordinary folk have difficulties in the market.
The second problem is the chaebol families have control over many affiliates and subsidiaries. Consequently, their influence on economic matters is great even when their share of the financial holdings is small. Easing the control of a few of these chaebols on the market will make for a more democratic competitive playing field, and a brighter future for the independent entrepreneurs and the labor force,
In the encyclical Quartragesimo Anno (1931), Pius XI stressed how financial monopolies hurt the economy and also that it is the death of capitalism's central tenet of freedom for competition, Pope Pius also saw spreading to the political area as it did in Germany.
In our society, this monopolistic tendency continues and is hurting the free and healthy movement of our economy. Without efforts made to remedy the situation the condition of the citizens will be difficult. What we need is not the reformation of the labor force, but the reformation of the chaebols; necessary is to work for the democratization of the economy.
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called
resignation is confirmed desperation." This quote from Thoreau's Walden
we hear often, and sadly it may be truer to our reality than we would
like to believe, not only individually but in families, and for his
reasons.
In the Kyeongyang magazine, we have an article on the scars inflicted on the family and the church's concern. On October 4-25 we will have the Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the topic: “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the Contemporary World.”
The family in modern society is in extreme difficulty. The Church tried to surround the family with all kinds of protection in its laws and other safe-guards, but they have been seriously damaged. We need efforts and wisdom to work for a new culture and understanding of the Gospel to protect the family.
Pastoral care has a variety of environments in which we find families: immigrants, foreign workers, separated, prison, refugees, exiled, alienated/marginalized in the city, homeless, single parent, living with grandparents, handicapped, families with drug addicts, and alcoholic related problems. Families for cultural or societal reasons feel alienated, families who experience discrimination for one reason or another, elderly living alone. Families because of church laws have left the community, have divorced, remarried and living separated from their mate are all a concern for the church.The nation and society need to help these families with structures and systems. Those who are in the community of faith and facing these many problems are the concern of the church.
Church needs to help the nation assist families with their rights, with laws and structures, and help families gain these rights. Furthermore, we have families that because of church laws are having difficulties; their rights as believers have been taken away, concern has to be shown to them and the bishops in the synod will search for ways according to God's will to help these families.
Each diocese has a marriage tribunal to help with the process for annulments and concern for those with marriage problems. In many of the dioceses, the number of clergy whose concern is to help those with family problems continues to increase, which is encouraging.
The synod will have as its goal to help families live with less difficulty, and we need to pray for the success of the gathering of bishops in finding the will of God in these matters. The future of the world depends on family life and the reason our prayers need to be heart-felt.
Priests of Seoul gathered in their fourth meeting after the visit of Pope Francis to Korea last year. The topic of this meeting was how to move from a quantitative to a qualitative growth. The bishop in attendance reminded the participants that they were discussing for the whole diocese. The discussion was written up in the Catholic Times.
In attendance were about twenty priests. The results were not open to the public but with groupware programs, the priests of the diocese would be notified of the results. The inaugural talk dealt with the renewal of the priests of the diocese. "From the year 1980, we have heard requests for the renewal within the church and at the center was the renewal of priests." He explained this was saying we were not living up to our calling.
The priest took 7 points of renewal from Pope Francis' Joy of the Gospel.
*Does the Seoul Diocese have the will to renew?
* Do we have the will to see the decentralization of authority to the different zones in the diocese?
* Are the diocese and parishes willing to make the poor the central dimension of the work?
* Do we know the structural reasons for poverty, and have the courage and energy to work to improve the situation? Do we have the willingness to get involved with the Social Gospel?
*Do we have a plan for our own renewal?
* Specialization for city work.
*Improve the place of women within the church.
The priest presenter stressed the most important of these seven was the renewal of priests and programs to implement what is decided. He would like to see a committee established with clergy, religious, and laypeople present, and religious and lay people in the decision making.
This requires the solidarity of priests and the need to make decisions known to all-- a (manifesto). Study of Scripture, Church documents, and study in small groups would be required for our development. He would like to see all the clergy tithing; with the best of intentions the renewal, if we take it seriously, will have results after 10 or 20 years.
What do we mean by an ecological spirituality? Improvement of life in the 21st century will depend on our actions. We are already seeing the numbers of species reduced, and many continue to die. A column in the Peace Weekly acquaints us with this area of our spiritual life.
Thanks to the recent encyclical of Pope Francis we are all a little more understanding of the problems involved. We have the choice of destroying life and in the process killing ourselves. Or with our great potentiality, we can follow the direction of nature that continues to renew itself.
He mentions a number of authorities one of them David Korten: The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community. In this book during the empires, we had an unequal distribution of power and benefits. Our corporations are versions of the empires of the past, and as destructive of communities and the environment.
Problems that will arise will help us to change our way of thinking to concern for our 'Earth Community'. Understanding of ecology is spreading to various aspects of society. Movements are working for clean, safe and sustainable energy: wind, water, sun energy and bio-fuels. We have the 'Triple Bottom Line' thinking with more than profit as a goal but also the social and environmental results of work.
Eco-literacy is the study of the relationship between humans and nature. A connection not always measurable but a desire to have a good rapport with nature is a healthy result. The Rio Conference on the environment is continuing to get more participants and bodes well for the future.
Thomas Berry introduces us to the Ecozoic era. Earth is a communion of subjects not a collection of objects and exists and can survive only in its integral functioning. He gives us another era he calls the Technozoic--technology, which for a short-term benefit, nature is abused and controlled to an extreme. He compares the thinking of these two mentalities. Understanding the Ecozoic era is the only future that we have. Here we understand the rhythms of the earth and live accordingly.
In Ecozoic thinking, the whole earth and nature are all one body. We need to respect all of nature and protect the different species. Berry considers this new understanding as a grace. We need to be open to all life on the planet; the future of life will depend on our understanding of this reality.
A religious sister with a doctorate in clinical social welfare writes from her experience with young people in the Kyeongyang magazine. She has worked with problem youth since 1988 and since 2000, she has worked in a center preventing abuse of children. Dealing with battered children she laments on the condition of many of our families, society, and country; this abnormal condition of society has moved her greatly.
She has many stories to tell about the abuse of children. After installing a telephone line for the reporting of abuse of children the first child was a nine-year-old girl, skin and bones, with spots on her left hand as large as a coin where her father with cigarettes burned her hand.The next day three girls were brought in with black and blue marks on their back. The father appeared at the center with abusive language and threats, wanting the girls back.
A third grader in elementary school came to class, and the teacher noticed he was in pain. No signs on the exterior were seen; the teacher raised his upper outer clothing and saw the bruises all over his body and called the center.
"I am alright; my father must not know this. I told my new mother that I would not mention what happened. I have no trouble with the pain." The father denied beating the boy but when the bruises were shown to him, he broke down crying. Sister was upset more by the third grader not acting his age and trying to cover over what happened.
There is no reason to continue the retelling of these stories we know they exist. She continues with the results of this abuse among the young. The aftereffects of the abuse put the young into a world of darkness. Children are too young to have the inner strength to overcome the effects of abuse and serious mental problems arise.
She finishes her article with a wish that the Church become more active in this area. Jesus was concerned about the young and wants the Church to change the way they think about prevention and solutions to the problem. She gives us three proposals.
First, we should not accept this situation in society and be patient. Talks and efforts need to be made. Secondly, the church needs to open its door to all that are hurting. We need to change the image that we have of church as a place for the saved. Thirdly, education is needed for all the parishioners on ways to prevent abuse and violence in the family. Invite specialists to come to give talks on violence in the home, abuse of children and the elderly. These problems, important to remember, are not only seen in families with mental aberrations.
Both in society and church, persons that have emotional problems and have difficulty in controlling their anger need to receive help. Christians know the help Jesus, and his teaching has for us, and the need to draw nearer to him. A famous psychologist is quoted as saying, more die from problems we have among ourselves than all the many natural disasters. The bomb that we have in ourselves has to be defused.
"Charity is the greatest social commandment. It respects others and their rights. It requires the practice of justice, and it alone makes us capable of it. Charity inspires a life of self-giving" (Social Doctrine of the Church #583).
A lawyer writing in the diocesan bulletin recounts the tale of a driver who was in custody for retaliatory driving, and the writer was the lawyer who worked in his defense. The problem arises because the accused felt strongly that he also was a victim. Briefly, the incident may be described as follows:
The accused was driving in the first lane on the turnpike, and a follow traveler (plaintiff) was in the passing lane beside him. In front of the driver on his left was a freight truck that was going very slow, and the driver in the first lane surmised the plaintiff was looking for an opportunity to come back to the first lane, so he began to slow down to give the driver a chance to return. However, the driver did not respond. The accused then began to accelerate and the plaintiff, the one on his left- without any signaling suddenly made a turn to the first lane. The accused stepped on the break averting an accident. No sign of regret from the driver and a couple of meters later again without any signal moved to the passing lane. The accused was so angry; he made up his mind to stop the car and get an apology. With much effort he did get the plaintiff to stop, and the accused leaving his car belligerently demanded to know if the driver realized what he was doing? While he was bawling out the driver, a car smashed into the back of the plaintiff's car, there was a three-car pile up with six people injured.
We have the defendant who was doing everything possible to allow the plaintiff to return to the first lane, but he didn't take advantage of the opportunity given. When he did make the move, it was without any signal and the defendant considered he was mentally harmed by the actions of the plaintiff.
The defendant did not get any sign of sorrow for his efforts, and the anger (road rage) built up to the point that he wanted some compensation or to show he was not a pushover. He was so overcome with anger that he responded with retaliatory driving, both ended up as victims.
The lawyer told his readers that he learned a lot from this incident. When making a lane change the lawyer admits that he was not always thankful for the help given when it was received. He has often been at fault in actions on the roadways and is now able to make allowance for the faults of others. He is putting himself in the other person's shoes. The case in which he was defending the driver for road rage helped him to be conscious of the feelings of other drivers, and when he does change lanes and is helped, he is more expressive of thanks in his manner than in the past.
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