A high school freshman complains that he has a headache when he goes to the study hall. Teachers have told the students to keep windows closed because of the fine dust. Consequently, we have a room filled with fine dust made by the 100 students using the hall— chemicals coming from the desks and equipment in the hall, the sweat and foot odors etc., and carbon dioxide from the breathing. So begins an article in the environment column of the Catholic Peace Weekly by a member of the bishops' committee on the environment.
In such a space the students can't help but feel somewhat dizzy. Burn the whole house trying to catch a house bug is what the writer of the article humorously feels is happening. In Europe, the determining factor for children to concentrate is the degree of carbon dioxide in the classroom. We are suffocating the children to prevent fine dust from entering the classroom.
Korea has an indoor cooking culture; air quality is worse than foreign countries. Indeed, many studies have reported that room air is from 100 to 1000 times worse than outdoor air. So it's not healthy to be in an airtight room for fear of fine dust, ventilation is important.
Why does fine dust occur? Briefly, fine dust occurs when you burn something. Internal combustion engines, use of fossil fuels, exhaust gas from power plants, smoke from factories all contribute to our air problems. Among them, thermal power plants and vehicles cause the most problems. Air conditioners continue to increase because of the heat and household appliances such as heating appliances, kimchi refrigerators, and the like fill our houses.
According to a recent report by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry: Korea's coal-fired power generation in 2017 increased 11.4% from the previous year, a record high. Vehicles, which are identified as the main cause of fine dust, has increased from 33% (2002) to 42% (2016). Korea desires a decrease in fine dust but is doing the opposite. There is a lot of worry about fine dust, but the behavior does not change.
To solve the fine dust problem fine dust itself has to be reduced. It's not possible to fundamentally solve fine dust by recommending the use of air cleaners or masks that avoids fine dust temporarily and does nothing to eradicate the cause.
Many people blamed China for causing fine dust. However, we know now that the amount of fine dust generated in Korea is greater than the fine dust from China. We are the ones generating most of the fine dust that is bad for health, more harmful to children and the elderly.
However, parents are not conscious of this as they idle the car and wait for their children in front of schools and academies. In the space where children are breathing, parents do not know that they are generating dust particles themselves and are part of the cause of air pollution. Beginning from what I can do is the beginning of change.
The decrease of fine dust depends on each one of us. When we use anything that requires energy from burning, we are adding to the amount of fine dust in the atmosphere. The more needs I have, the more energy required and we have a vicious cycle.
When we order goods, factories make them, they send them by vehicles, but all of this requires energy that comes from burning. So the only answer is to live uncomfortably. Minimal life, Eco-life is the answer. How long will we continue to live and do the opposite of what we so desire— breathing clean air?
Throughout the Catholic World, November is the month of the Holy Souls. In the Kyeongyang magazine, a religious sister gives us some thoughts on living a good life. We pray for the dead and are invited to meditate on death. It's not a topic of choice, especially when in today's world, money can give us the good things in life? Is this not the reason the Church furtively gives us a nudge to uncover what we want to keep covered.
Many are those who like to think of death as no more than a leave dropping from a tree, becoming dust and disappearing into the earth. She feels they are nihilistic in their understanding of life and then goes on to give the Christian view.
At a funeral Mass, we hear often the words: "Death where is your victory? Death where is your sting?" For St. Paul death is the beginning of a new life. She mentions how her community has a tradition of attending the funerals of the sisters' parents. Death is experienced as a death of their own parent. Yes, nihilistic thinking is not possible for a Christian for no matter how difficult, sad, and disappointing life may be, hope is always present.
The American province of the sisters has an average age of over eighty and she lists some of the last words of those who have died which the community sends on to the other members spread throughout the world. Many have gratitude for the opportunity they had to share their God-given talents with others.
She concludes her article with the Russian novelist Tolstoy who spent much time meditating on the meaning of death. She brings to our attention the novel: The Death of Ivan Ilyich and how he died in peace after understanding how artificial his life had been.
Trying to attain what everybody considered success he suppressed the feelings that were real for the artificiality of life which he went on to seek. To reflect on a life without meaning is painful and facing death without future meaning is tragic.
Some live but are dead. She mentions the words of Tolstoy in one of his novels where he compares life to that of a farmer. When the time is proper he plants seeds, cares for the plants, and at the proper time harvests. He follows the laws of nature and does the proper things at the proper times—living virtuously. It's the good we do that gives meaning to life and will live after we are gone.
Death, we need to remember, is part of life it focuses our attention on what is important. One of the losses is leaving those we love but for those who believe, that is just one aspect, for death is also a gift. The good done will be the reason for our gratitude for life. We remember the love of those who have gone before us and try to pass on that love to others. She makes her own the words of St.Paul: Death where is they victory, where is thy sting? (1 Cor. 15:55)
An
Authority in the field of suicide prevention and college professor has
an article in the Kyeongyang magazine on suicide and its psychological
underpinnings.
He begins telling the readers the theories for suicide
are many precisely because those who kill themselves are all different. The common element is no longer hope in life; no one is there to help. Seemingly it is an extreme position
and the act of one depressed.
In
examining the psychological state of a suicide from 80 to 90 percent
have some mental problem. However, in farming areas where they
use virulent farming chemicals to kill themselves, this is not so easily
discovered.
Stress is an element of many suicides.
Genetics, biology, personality, relationships with others, religious
convictions, physical health, all come into the mix and influence the
person's actions. In a study made in Finland, those who committed suicide were in 80% of the cases under great stress.
Influence
from society is many. Alienation is a reason. The more one is relating
the lower the rate of suicide. Loss of someone very close to
the person, the marriage situation has a big influence. Alone,
separated, divorce, the death of a spouse all have serious repercussions and for
men more than women. Children are a help in these cases. In Ireland,
those who marry before their 24th year have a higher rate of suicide.
Out of work for a long period of time is a cause. Migrants have more
suicides than the nationals because of the stress.
Freud saw
suicide as the extension of depression. Karl Menninger, the American
psychiatrist, said humans have a desire to kill, be killed or die. At
the beginning of thoughts of suicide, all three may be present. In the
end, one of the feelings predominate. With age the first two weaken and
the last remains. Another reason for some is the hope of another life
and release from the present one they didn't find to their liking.
One
of the famous Korean psychiatrists gives a number of reasons for
killing oneself. For some a way of getting back at what they see as
abandonment. You have the possibility of being on the other side of
wanting to kill. And ends up killing oneself. You have those who want to
join the dead of the family or friends after the difficulties they are
experiencing in this life. Punishment for their failure to achieve what
they desired. You have those who feel they are already dead; have no
longer reason to live and want to get rid of their pain.
The
pain of the attempted suicide and family is understandably great. The
family thinks they are part of the blame. Which means they need
support. Problems with the family: they don't know the 'why' of the
attempted suicide. Losing a family member from suicide is a very serious
issue for the family. Losing a family member by natural death is
painful, by suicide how much more the pain. We
should never underestimate the pain and do everything possible to help
with feelings of depression, guilt and anger etc. that accompany the
suicide. Support from the groups in society that are there to help is
often necessary.
In the Catholic Peace Weekly, a city dweller returns to the country to farm. He has become a farmer's poet and writes an ode to nature and the joy it has given him.
His house is 30 years old with a lot of stories to tell. He recalls a young couple who were planning to marry and even rented the room in which they were to live and bought a wardrobe cabinet but broke up because of family problems. The prospective couple left the cabinet in the room and sold it to the poet and his wife for half price.
When the neighbors heard they were thinking of buying the cabinet they with one voice, as if it was their situation, disapproved. Why not spend a few more dollars and buy a new one? Buying the cabinet of the failed couple will bring bad luck and many similar warnings continued. The farmer and his wife were going to live in a one room situation and not open to spending money, so the suggestions fell on deaf ears.
Both he and his wife have had the cabinet for 30 years and they have lived well without any fuss. What does it mean to live well? You eat, poop, and live honestly he says.
He and his wife one day recently sat in front of the wardrobe cabinet of the couple who broke up before marriage and exchanged stories. They hoped both found happiness in their new marriages and life. All that stuff about bad luck buying the wardrobe of the couple, all nonsense.
That's right. He and his wife have become mountain dwellers. Not like living in the city where you have a monthly salary to look forward to. So they have a lot of second-hand goods scattered throughout the house: clothing, shoes, luggage, electronic goods are almost all used goods. He and his wife had a good laugh "They are living a secondhand life."
If you lived in a city surrounded by cement and asphalt and have lived with God-made forests, in comparison there is nothing besides comforts that money can buy, that they are missing.
However, what we have received in the mountain living are just too many to list. When you go to bed in the 17 pyeong earthen house and wake up in the morning, like an alarm clock, the mountain birds and grass insects are ready to sing for you. Better than any air conditioner is the mountain breezes, clean fresh air comes from the nearby forests. Mountain rivulets never dry; healthy, fresh green plants grow in a nearby garden, both on the mountains and plains you have all kinds of herbs and wild greens to eat.
No need to go by car to see the beautiful stirrings of nature. Each season has its flowers which bloom on their own: Purslanes, garden Portulaca, four o'clock flowers, and the sour-sweet wild raspberries are there. In the evening the shining abundance of stars but better than all are the grandmothers who like children one-moment sulky and the next moment laughing...You can't buy this with money. They are natures gift and joy.
On the day he wrote this he and his wife from 5 o'clock to 9 o'clock in the morning were out in the field working with the Sorghum and mung beans. Tired and sweating they returned to the house to wash and drink a fresh glass of water. His wife like a small child laughing: Water is delicious, a free gift of nature.
On Oct. 6th, 2016 the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops on Young People the Faith and Vocational Discernment was announced. Preparations have included questionnaires, seminars, feedback from many different groups, all went into the Instrumentum Laboris,(document to help in the discussion) preparing for the assembly which started on Oct. 3 and will continue until Oct. 28.
The Korean Church has spent a great deal of effort to determine the problems associated with the lives of the young and the way they look upon religion. Korean young people said, no doubt with some sarcasm, they are the 'give up generation' life is not as good for them as it was for their parents.
One of the bishops present from Korea was quoted as saying that he has met young people who are fearful of the sacrifices and the lifestyle that reunification between North and South Korea will demand but he believes that the majority are willing to accept the difficulties for they see the benefits.
We have for many years worried about a war between the North and South. This has changed, said the bishop. He responded to the news of a possible visit of Pope Francis to Korea. He does feel that this would be a good way for the North to join the international community but requires some change in the way the North has behaved in dealing with their citizens and religious freedom is not the least of these problems.
A young woman writes in the diocesan bulletin of her desires from the Synod. The young people have responded in great numbers both in group meetings and on the social media in their hopes for the Synod. They want to see authenticity, more concern for relationships, and concern for justice. She quotes from the document especially from # 66 to 71 and #158.
Young people want zero tolerance for sexual and financial scandals in the church and more so, desire for the light of the Gospel to shine in the world. They want to see more concern for relationships than with structures. A more welcoming, loving church and to experience the joy of the Gospel within the community. "Today’s young people are longing for an authentic Church. We want to say, especially to the hierarchy of the Church, that they should be a transparent, welcoming, honest, inviting, communicative, accessible, joyful and interactive community."
She mentions the place of women within society as a concern for the church. The church needs to be interested in the problems within society and dialog is required. Also, young people are usually very sensitive to the fight against corruption and the issue of discrimination— "indicating the promotion of the dignity of women as the first area of engagement."
She concludes her words by asking: before we propose the virtuous life to the young people the community of faith has to give us an example of what this means by living the virtuous life. This is what young people want to see and follow.
Anthony Bloom (1914-2003) was an atheist, studying medicine he had a dramatic conversion experience reading the bible. He later became the archbishop of the British Russian Orthodox Church. So begins the column: In the Believers Eyes of the Catholic Times.
When he was an atheist, the patients that came to him were treated as a means and tools to bring him success and wealth. But after his conversion he changed his attitude, treating each patient as an unique individual.
Bloom had an unforgettable experience when working one summer among the Alaskan Eskimos. Eskimo Christians do not distinguish between prayer and work because they have a deep understanding of the totality of life. At that time, Bloom participated in a volunteer program to build a high school. One day he was digging a trench for sewage. It was a tough job. An Eskimo approached and watched as he worked and said: "You dug a trench and glorify God." The Eskimo was only encouraging him but Bloom had never forgotten his words. No one was interested in him but the Eskimo showed interest. Thanks to his friend, Bloom gained strength, for every shovel of the earth became a prayer to God.
Archbishop Bloom says: "prayer has meaning only when it accompanies life. If life does not follow, and prayer and life are not in agreement, prayer becomes a kind of gracious poem offered to God, occasionally. Our life needs to become our prayer. This is action-prayer.
He mentions a Korean poet who in one of his writings speaks about a conversation with a friend who had to endure kidney dialysis for 20 years. His friend went to the hospital twice a week and sat on the dialysis bed for three or four hours. He showed the poet both arms that were filled with needle marks. The poet offered some words of concern on how difficult it must be and the friend smiled and answered: "This is the time in which I offer Mass. He was able to sublimate his time on the dialysis bed. Is not this action-prayer?
Is there harmony of work and prayer in the everyday life of believers? One of the chronic problems of Korean churches is that faith and life are separated. Faith life and spirituality are overly individualized and a chameleon-like way of living is prevalent, Many don't live the way they pray, life and prayer are separated.
In order for prayer to be manifested in life and actions, culture must be evangelized. How to eat food, how to earn money, how to use it, how to labor and rest, and so on. Prayer gives direction to the culture of love, justice, peace, and truth. Eventually, the prayer of action will bring about the glorification of God through the 'evangelization of culture'. "Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God" (Cor. 10:31).
The writer in a diocesan bulletin has some ideas he wants to share with the readers about his recent traffic accident. He was preparing to turn left and seeing the car that was moving straight ahead he moved to break and his foot slipped and he collided with the car. His car suffered no damage but the other car was dented. There was only slight damage but the whole day was confused and depressed. It was his first accident in thirty years of driving.
He learned how to drive while in the military under a far from gentle instructor. He was well advanced in age and made sure I understood what he said. Not infrequently, the student was tired and stressed, he would have nose bleeds and swollen face. The instructor made it clear that in driving you were risking your life and the life of others. Having learned under these conditions it was easy for him to consider himself a safe driver compared to others.
The reason for the accident was easily determined, he didn't follow the basics. No matter how hot it was there was no excuse for wearing slippers. Dress and shoes are important elements to be concerned with. Because he didn't follow some basic principles for driving the cost was a loss of peace of mind, money, damage to a car and inflicting pain.
He introduces us to Heinrich's Law: in a workplace, for every accident that causes a major injury, there are 29 accidents that cause minor injuries and 300 accidents that cause no injuries.
He recalls the many times he failed to do the right thing. The failure to defrost the windshield and still drove the car, dropping something while driving and picking it up, went into the other lane, in a hurry passing the car in front to make a right turn, driving without firmly shutting the car door and many others. He was given many warnings but, without reason, trusting in his confidence and insensibility to safety, with luck he avoided accidents until the recent one.
Whether a person or an organization, when we take notice of the basics and fundamental principles we avoid many troubles. We generally like to do things our way. However, this can often cause harm to others and even death. We can leave behind a blot, that will bother us for the rest of our lives.
The tragedies we have experienced in recent years in Korea have ignored some basic safety precautions for one reason or another that brought about a tragedy.
He reflects on his own driving habits over the years. Since he had no accidents he became complacent and oblivious to what could happen. When the accident did happen he was thrown for a loop. With the passage of time, he was able to see how fortunate he was to get off so easy and was thankful.
With age, the reflexes have slowed, the heart is young as ever but the body doesn't go along, which is all the more reason for not straying from the basics—not only with driving but in the many other areas of life. If we don't stay focused and follow the basics, problems easily arise. Fortunately, we receive warnings often. Conscious of what they are saying to us, we keep our eyes and ears open for we can't always hope for a pleasing outcome.
