Every third or fourth year the young people of Korea meet from the 16 Korean dioceses to share their experiences and renew their faith. This year 2000 young people met in Seoul under the auspices of the diocese from Aug. 11 to 15 with the theme "It is me, do not be afraid" (John 6:20).
Both Catholic Weeklies reported on the event and the hope they have for the future. An interview with the bishop who was the committee head for the Korean Youth Day (KYD) mentions the situation of the young people in Korea. Words and phrases which have spread widely express the frustrations of the young having to give up: courtship, marriage, childbirth, job, home ownership, relationship etc. Briefly, they no longer have the hopes that the previous generation enjoyed.
An old Korean proverb: "From a stream, a dragon rises" meaning from rags to riches, a reality now rarely seen. The best of efforts in the eyes of many young people are of little avail in our society. Even during the struggles for democracy courtship and hope for a job were present. Today's college students don't have the time for romance and love but are busy getting the necessary qualifications to apply for jobs that are not there.
The workplace has been inundated with artificial intelligence, mechanization, and digitization, decreasing the jobs available, says the bishop. Capitalism has met many limitations. This requires a new way of looking at society and the need to accommodate.
In this kind of milieu where romance and love are missing, they have to find a place for spirituality and God.
The bishop is not asking them to lower their horizons but if they follow the dictates of society in attempts to find happiness they will face unlimited competition and conflict. One has to compete with another to find happiness. A new standard of values are necessary to replace the ones they have followed.
A new frame of reference is required. Following the worldly standard, they may find success, money but it will not bring true happiness. They have to find a different set of values and this says the bishop was the aim of the KYD.
This year different from the previous KYDs was the change in the age requirements. They took the example from the other national youth meetings in other countries and this year accepted those from 16 to 39. The bishop found that the impact on teenagers was far greater than on the older young people. The program was meant to show that not only is the head important but the person's whole being was a primary aim of the three days.
This year the numbers were lower than was expected. The participants were hosted by the local families who volunteered. In conclusion, the bishop wants pastoral workers not only to work with those who are coming to church but to go out to them where they are.
An 88-year-old Buddhist monk was taken to a hospital after a hunger fast of 41 days— demanding reform in the largest Buddhist order in Korea. Within the order he held important positions and was asking for the resignation of its leaders for corruption and illegal operations. Writing for a monthly bulletin for priests, the priest writer informs the readers of the issues involved.
A television program brought to light the suspicions of corruption within the order and the monk's demand for the resignation of the leaders. Those with the same understanding of the situation met together with the monk, and arranged for a press conference. Many of the different strata of society attended. Since the order receives government subsidies they asked the government to investigate the suspicions of corruption but only silence followed.
The writer makes known the virtuous life of the monk, who despite the hot weather continued the fast. His follow monks convinced him that he was more important alive then dead and he terminated the fast and entered a hospital.
Two days later the leader of the order declared he would retire. This was the desire of the fasting monk. Not only Buddhism but the other religious entities, although different in degree, desire to get rid of long-standing vices.
Religion is the soul and spirit of our society. The mass media gave the issue a hearing and made known to the citizens the need for reform. Like in society, religion is corrupted by money and power and when it becomes part of the structure we have it multiplying. Reformation within religion is one of the signs of the times.
In the Buddhist world, there has been a struggle to reform as was seen by the long-time fasting of other monks in the past. At time it was done with a club in their hand in attempts to get rid of evil customs. Corruption will always be present, and some monks will be in search of reform. Few priests within Catholicism demand the clearing away of long standing evils and demanding reform. On occasions, priests have criticized the doings in the church, but often they were not supported and suffered only pain. Recently, in one of the dioceses an older priest criticized the diocese and bishop and demanded reform. In response, the bishop punished the priest with suspension. In some way, it can be seen as an abuse of the bishop's authority.
The fasting of the monk brought change. The reforms in other religious groups and the clearing of long-standing evils will have to happen from the bottom up—like the candlelight vigils we experienced in our recent history in Korea.
In Korea recently 7 different religious groups have inaugurated a movement which in Korea would mean literally to 'live like' what we are called to do: live like mothers, like fathers, like children, like students, like teachers etc. A passable English translation: "Do what you're doing" (Age quod agis) familiar in the Catholic tradition. The hope of the leaders is to go beyond the religious groups and become a national campaign.
In 2014 the movement began under Catholic auspices but an editorial in the Catholic Times expresses sadness that it lost its vigor and a reason for the new beginning. The lay members of the different religious groups are to live according to the teachings of their respective groups and they hope this will go beyond those with religion.
It's a movement to get rid of deception, manipulation, seeking authenticity, genuineness, honesty, sincerity in whatever is done. For Christians,not following the ways of the world but being true to one's beliefs and consciences. On Aug. 8th the movement was legally incorporated.
▲ Live like a good neighbor to others
▲ Like a family member, work to make a happy household
▲ Live like a truly religious person
▲ Live my occupation, turning away from temptations to corruption and abuse
▲ Share like a member of society
▲ Work toward peaceful unification like a good citizen
▲ Go beyond the differences of religion and personal ideologies to work for peace like a world citizen
Doing what you are doing, concentrating on the task at hand and doing it to the best of one's ability are words often heard but rarely achieved, distractions are many. Colossians 3:23-- "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."
Different religions don't find it easy to work together on some common task. But doing what we do, well, according to the dictates of our religion is a task that all can accept without difficulty. This can also be extended to the larger community of citizen who asked to do what their consciences tell them to do, to the best of their ability, should find agreement among the majority. Would this not help in bringing about a better society?
Recently we had the death by suicide of a popular politician, sympathetic to the struggling ones in society and showed this in his words and actions. He was lamented by many, those who agreed and disagreed with him. A university professor in a Catholic Peace Weekly column visits the issue and uses the occasion to reflect on suicide.
How difficult must it have been in his own mind to deal with the thoughts which came? He was a good man. His fault was not to report a gift of money which he acknowledged as stupidity. He was not asked or did he do anything because of the donation. The professor uses the words of the French sociologist Emile Durkheim to describe reasons for suicide.
First is the selfish suicide. It happens when you feel alienation because you cannot compromise or adapt to reality; it often happens in a society where the tendency towards individualism is strong.
Second is the altruistic suicide where a person is overly attached to the society or group to which he belongs. This is a society with a strong collective tendency.
Anomic suicide (socially alienated) a lack of connection with society—weak social cohesion. When we have extreme changes in society and a person feels confused and disconnected suicide is possible.
Catholic faith teaches that life is given. God created man from the dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being (Gen.2:7). My life is not my own. I was not born because I wanted to be born. God created man in His holy image. In the end, it was God's will that we were born on this earth. Therefore, a man should not cut off his precious life which God has given. This is a betrayal of God's love.
Saint Mother Teresa on a visit to the United States after giving a lecture was accosted by a woman who told her: "I have decided to end my life. I no longer have the strength nor the desire to go on."
Sister Teresa responded: "I have something to ask you before you kill yourself, come with me to Calcutta and work for a month."
The woman accepted the invitation and worked for those dying from hunger and disease along with Teresa. She realized how happy she should have been and reconsidered her thoughts on death. The darkness of her future turned into a bright light. She decided to live a new life caring for the precious life that God had given her.
In Korean, if the word for suicide is read backwards we have 'let's live'. If one has the courage to commit suicide one also has the courage to live. One of the well known and beloved Korean poets is Ku Sang whose poem: "The Place of the Flower" comes to mind as he concludes the article. "Life at times looks like a thorn bush but it's really a flower."
On the opinion page of the Catholic Times, a one time newspaper editor, reminds us how to discern fake news from the real thing. Among poor articles and fake news you have sentences with the passive ending: has been known, has been communicated and the like. Why is this so?
In press coverage, it is of high priority, in press ethics, to disclose the sources. In Korean, in the passive tense, the subject of the action is not known. The reporter did not make an accurate account of what transpired. This can happen when the reporter uses conjecture or prejudice or words like it is said that.... We have a lack of accuracy, objectivity, and fairness in journalism.
There are also other methods that do not use the passive voice to hide the subject of an action: criticized, evaluated, pointed out, all these expressions can hide the source.
▲The evaluation of the company showed various favorable positions.
▲ It is pointed out that it is against the law to raise that kind of money during the election year.
▲ Criticism was made that it was somewhat behind the times.
In the above sentences, there is no indication of who has evaluated, pointed out or criticized. In other words, an unidentified third person seems to be the subject of the action, and one can easily have doubts about the objectivity of the report.
At first glance, it seems to represent public opinion. In fact, the journalist's own evaluation, knowledge, and criticism are often irresponsibly transferred to an unidentified third party.
If you want to correct this sentence to conform to the press ethics principles, you should put a source for information.
▲ The evaluation of the company which has various achievements is in a favorable position according to Mr. So and So etc. and similarly with the other statements.
"It is known" is not the way reports should be made but nonetheless, not only general reporters but also famous anchor journalists and newspaper columnists use it without hesitation. One has little difficulty in understanding how this is part of the internet news world in which we live.
In cyberspace, many individuals using SNS have little knowledge on how to cover news stories and write sentences tailored to press ethics. There are many cases in which the text of a large medium is modified with violation of serious ethics—plagiarism.
A few years ago, the slang for reporter, used sarcastically, was the word (ki-re-gi) made up from garbage and reporter. Some reporters were reporting the news in an unethical way instead of accurately, objectively and fairly as the writer mentioned in the above article.
"You Commie..." These words were addressed to a religious sister on her way to the convent after her work for the day was over. She writes about her experience and the thoughts that came to her in an article for the Kyeongyang magazine.
She wasn't able to make out the words at first; probably from his timidity in putting a knife in her back but quickly noticing that she wasn't responding the words were repeated. She gave no notice to the man, most likely he saw the yellow ribbon (a symbol remembering the victims and families of the Sewol ferry disaster in which 304 died) on her handbag, with which there is much prejudice and violence associated.
She blames the prejudiced mass media for attacking those who side with the weak of society with their "false news" inciting violence. Anti-communistic ideology and the belittling of women is a form of brain washing that continues to develop and get stronger.
She was overcome with anger loathing and contempt but also sorrow for the man. She wondered what would have happened if this encounter was at night, she was afraid to give it much thought. We all have different ways of dealing with the weak of society but she reminds us that it's an indication of the kind of person we are.
Each Sunday in a certain area of Seoul we have the feminists meeting and shouting: "We will rid ourselves of our corsets." Corsets signifying the feminine beauty demanded by society. Women are tired of the modern corsets that society demands from women. Women go makeup free, wear glasses and cut their hair short.
Sister is not concerned with what is happening for it is the response to the pent up feeling of many women. Time and communicating is necessary. Men and women are not on the earth to loathe each other.
We don't know where the 'Me Too' movement is going. The dignity of humans and gender equality is what sister is waiting to see develop. Violence is not only seen between men and women but in out ordinary lives, where we only tolerate, easily oppress and exclude.
The church needs to get rid of the pyrimid structure that still exists. The clergy have to change the way they use their authority. Need for transparency, listening and including all in the decision making for the community. Leaders are needed who are able to work together with the individual gifts of the members and the mission of the community as a whole.
We need a new understanding of the meaning of masculinity and femininity. She wants to go back to the beginning in the way God created us, to heal the breach. This is the way we can help to heal the darkness and violence we find in society with the salt and light of the mission we have received.
We all get old and the books on how to do this gracefully are many. In the Catholic Peace Weekly a review of a book written by a Seoul Diocesan priest on this issue has gone into a second printing within a month of publication.
Aging is part of life. When we reach middle age, wrinkles occur, energy diminishes, thoughts and attitudes become hardened. When young, we had the strength to listen to others, but with age, even this gets harder. Growing old gracefully is easy to talk about but not so easy in the doing.
Growing Old Gracefully is a guide to lead adults to communicate with 'dignified authority'. Since we are going to age it's best to do it with grace.
One of the traits of the elderly is to spend a great deal of time in the past and little time in the present and future. This mentality will obviously keep the young away and bring loneliness to the elderly. The older we get the more we fear change, but if we remain the same we will regress.
The writer gives us the word Olympics to help remember his 8 recipes for aging with grace. Openness, Listening, Yielding, Modesty (humility), Possessions, Interest, Clean and bright, (Smile, Spirit and Soul).
We need to be open and listen to the stories around us. Opening ourselves is sometimes accompanied by pain but without the pain, we fail to grow inwardly, personally and spiritually. Listening to those around us; stepping back and yielding to others; modesty and humility; not grasping our possessions but emptying ourselves; interest in life; clean and cheerful and finishing with the last chapter on Smiling, Spirit, and Soul.
One strong message of the book is the age question in Korea. How old are you? Unlike the West, Korea is a society with strong formal authority. The senior/junior relationship is very strong and makes for a great deal of formality, lack of spontaneity and naturalness.
We are obsessed with what we possess and often make much of the cultural bias of the young and forget the bias of the elderly. Real authority is not only based on age and position but comes from genuinely dignified and respectful behavior. Adults should not stick only to their own values and worldviews but have an open mind and listen to the opinions of others.
The writer emphasized the importance of the 'inner journey'. When focused on the 'external journey', we're overcome with youthful vigor, external appearance and desire to know the world; he recommends we begin learning to become a 'mature old person' through reading, retreats, prayer, and meditation. "Let's be like the sun during the twilight, passionately painting the the world beautifully."
