Disappearance of a Part of Old Korea

In my first assignment as assistant there were two villages of potters in the parish. As was true in some other Korean parishes I worked in, most of the potters were Catholics. Many of them shared a history that went back to the persecution when many of them took to the mountains and made a living making and selling clay pots. With the advent of plastics and stainless steel containers these villages disappeared.

Reading about a mission station of potters brought to mind not only my own experience with the potters, but the transportation difficulties that permitted a priest to visit some of these mission stations only twice a year. He would stay in the station for a few days, meet all the Catholics and say Mass and hear confessions, and if there were any catechumens they were prepared for baptism. It was a big day, a feast day for the mission station. Even those who were working in the cities would make time to come back for the liturgy and for the exam that would be necessary before receiving the sacraments. This system, started by the Paris Foreign Missionaries, allowed the priest time to talk individually to all the Catholics in the parish. Waiting for a turn to talk with the priest, they also had time to talk and renew acquaintances with friends. This "big day" that many looked forward to has now disappeared from the life of our Catholics.

There have also been many changes in the way of running a parish. Parishes are much bigger and the daily routines of many Christians have changed--they are busier and have more distractions to deal with. As a result, a change had to be made in the way of doing pastoral work. In my early days of working in Korea, simply going to Church was a treat for many. There was no radio, television or newspapers in the mission stations so meeting other Catholics at Mass served not only to renew their spirit but as a means of exchanging news. .

Looking back on those early days, I am again surprised by the resourcefulness of many in living through such difficult times. They had none of the conveniences of the present, and yet they were joyful and had enough toughness to persevere. They would walk for miles at night to attend a church function and would wait for hours for a bus that was late without any annoyance. At night, you could hear them ironing their clothes, using wooden beaters, after they had spent hours down at the river washing the clothes. It was for many a busy and a joyful life.

Leadership With or Without Servantship?

One of the upside-down things we see developing in Korean society is servant leadership. This type of leadership is increasingly being used by sectors of society, and without any help from the Church. Banks and industry are interested, and many books are published explaining how one can become a servant leader. Bloggers often refer to the term and even the president of Korea has told us he wants to be a servant leader.

It is ironic and very sad to see that the Catholic Church has not assumed a role in this type of leadership. The life of our Lord provides us with a good example. Seeing the disciples fighting among themselves, he called them together and said: "You know how those who exercise authority among the Gentiles lord it over them; their great ones make their importance felt. It cannot be like that with you. Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest, and whoever wants to rank first among you must serve the needs of all" (Matt. 20:25). It is strong language and even stronger was Jesus' own example of washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.

The Pope is considered to be the servant of the servants of God. We have talked this way about leadership in the Church for over a thousand years, but many do not see this in practice. During those early years, the Church was overly influenced by the secular custom of governing from the top down. Since Vatican II, the emphasis has been placed on sharing authority whenever possible. We have the circle instead of the pyramid. Even the "ministerial priesthood is in the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians." (CCC.#1547)

Strangely much of the talk about servant leadership is directed to the business world, with its emphasis on increasing production and profit. These motives should not be our reasons for using servant leadership; it is not results that are important but rather growth as Christians and relationships. The words and example of our Lord should guide what we take from the many current guidelines being offered today.


We should encourage more talk about what it means to be a good leader within the Church so all can get a better understanding of what is meant by the term. Besides being concerned with the welfare of everyone in the group, the leader needs to be co-responsible and in partnership, empowering, helping all to grow in every way possible, building community and leading us closer to Jesus. However, when our thoughts, words and deeds are motivated by unselfish love, all forms of leadership would be acceptable.

Ecology or Economy?

Both of our Catholic newspapers this week carried the story of 1,104 priests and 5 bishops who signed a statement in opposition to the government's 4-River Project, and agreed to continue the protest until the project is stopped. Opposition is gathering momentum and includes most of the religious groups in the country. Catholics promised to have Masses and sit-in protests at construction sites and to join the national campaign against the project and support, in the June nationwide local elections, political candidates who are against the project.

The government's response is to stress the benefits of the project: more water during times of drought, no flood damage or pollution, better water quality, more attractive sites and towns along the rivers, bicycle paths, river travel, more parks and places of amusement and entertainment. During and after construction many jobs will be created and when the project is completed the proposed changes are expected to bolster tourism and provide a needed stimulus to the economy.

An impressive list of benefits, but the anti-project supporters, environmentalists for the most part, have a rebuttal to every one of these benefits as seen by the government. They see the loss of wetlands and harm to wildlife. Farmers will lose land, the sledging of the water bed and construction of dams will add to the present pollution and, to make matters even worse, it will cost a fortune.

The president had overcome similar opposition several years ago. As mayor of Seoul, in 2005, he silenced critics when he cleaned up a long-forgotten sewage-filled stream in Seoul and let it run again through the center of the city. Now a popular sight-seeing destination for many, it is acknowledged by all as a very successful project.

The attempt of the government to convince the people of the need for the project has been a failure. Most of the citizens are opposed, and you have the ecologists and the specialists opposed; those who have their eyes on the economy and the construction companies see this as a great bonanza. The project has started and the elections will be coming up in June and no doubt the 4 river project will be brought into the picture. Again we have the fight between development readily seen, and aspects of life that are less open to scrutiny. In preparations for the elections, the 4-River Project will again have its pros and cons debated. If the government goes ahead with the project the verdict will come in the future.

The King and the Sage

We hear stories about Kings meeting with sages and being transformed by the encounter, often with few words being spoken. A newsletter carried a similar story going back 2500 years to China. It was about a king who thought he had everything he could want in life, and a severely crippled and physically repulsive man who had none of the things most of us consider important in life: health, physical beauty, and wealth. What he did have was wisdom, compassion, and virtue that all could see. When the king heard that such a man was living in his realm, he decided to see for himself if what he had heard was true.

After the meeting, the king saw a different world from the one he had seen before. "Strange to say," he said, "but the things I saw before, I no longer see, and the things I didn't see before, I now see. The sage had opened the king's inner eye, a quality of seeing that is often compared to seeing with the eye of the heart. This insight is captured in the well-known saying," It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."

The newsletter account goes on to tell of the miracles of Jesus curing the blind. Though Jesus restored sight to those who were physically blind, he was much more than a healer of the physical. He was and is also a healer of our inner blindness.

We are fortunate in not seeing all there is to see in the world; it would be more than we could bear. By growing in wisdom and compassion, however; we can look forward to the time when we will see more than we see now and what we thought we saw in the past may not be important. In the Beatitudes we are told: "Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God."

Thinking About Church in a New Way

There has been a great deal of discussion recently in our Korean seminaries on the topic of spirituality. The rectors are concerned to make the future priest a more integral person not only intellectually but also more human and spiritual. Can we know much more than we know now about living a spiritual life that fully integrates the whole of who we are? The seminary professors are intent on finding answers to this question that will be immediately practical not only for the clergy and religious but for all in the mystical body. We all should be striving for a personal wholeness the Church describes as holiness.

It is in community that the whole person comes to feel what it's like to be a part of a great work. By working together, we have access to special nourishment that will help us to work with joy and a sense of mission. Pope Benedict indicated that "lay people are not merely the clergy's collaborators, but rather share in the responsibility of the Church's ministry." When this is not understood, we have the beat of the drum but no one walking the beat.


Since we are all part of the mystical body the Church wants us all to feel we belong to that same Body. That we are members of this Body is a truth of faith but many who feel they are the less noble parts of the body do not have this feeling of belonging and consequently, lack the passion and joy for the work. When this feeling of belonging is experienced, and this gift is willingly and gratefully accepted, there is a change in attitude: persons act from conviction, and experience being partners in the work of discipleship.


This moment of real change will come when we begin living our belief that we are all one in Christ, all called to holiness, all offering the Mass together. Only when we gather together and work for the kingdom in a spirit of partnership will we experience what St. Peter said, using the words of the prophet Joel: "the young will see visions and the old will dream dreams."

Changing Old Habits

The older we are the harder it is to change and the more difficult it is to tap into the great potential within us. The situation is often compared to the proverbial pauper who lives and dies as a pauper, never realizing he is carrying in his pocket a priceless jewel. While the precise nature of this "jewel" has been debated, most explanations would include the ability and willingness to change. "To live is to change," said Cardinal Newman, "and to be perfect is to have changed often."

Avoiding change, because of our habits, is all too often the preferred behavior for most, even when circumstances clearly indicate something different needs to be done. "Sometimes," in the words of one popular saying, "you must do the thing you think you cannot do." Most of us would agree, but when habits are life-long, we easily find reasons to justify our habitual ways of thinking and doing--the change is too unfamiliar or threatening, too uninteresting, a waste of time or money, or both; I'm not capable; I'd rather play it safe.

Having convinced ourselves that our habitual ways are right, at least for us, we spend a great deal of time living passively: watching TV, listening to music, or whatever else does not require our doing anything differently. By sticking with this robotic lifestyle, we fail to see the many opportunities that would uncover our potential in doing something different, doing more, doing better. The learning experiences that then would become available would help us grow into that potential that lies buried within us. An especially important learning experience can be found in cooperative doing; working with others in any joint venture builds community, and everyone is strengthened in the process.

Our mission station community recently decided, with some hesitation, to take on the responsibility of remodeling the community bathroom ourselves; a contractor would not be hired. Today twelve men came to work on the project. The women were also involved, both in the work and in the kitchen. Not only are we remodeling a bathroom together, but we are coming together as a community of partners, and learning something about ourselves and each other that we did not know before. We should be a better community for this shared doing. When the project is completed, we can take satisfaction in having done something difficult but worthwhile. Not only was money saved, but the cooperative effort brought to our awareness some of the unexpected potential within each of us that normally lies hidden from view.

A Not So Easy Life

His job was to clean the large parking area in front of the rest stop. Feeling like a chipmunk circling around in a cage, he would move from one end of the area to another, sweeping with his broom. When that was done, he would clean the men's lavatory, and then back again to the parking area--a routine that lasted from 8 in the morning until 8 in the evening. He was not used to physical labor. With his back hurting and quickly feeling exhausted by the routine, he often wondered, as he rested and munched on his walnut cookies for energy, whether he could go through with the plan.

He was a priest who had decided "to go among his people" and live as the poorest among them had to live. Because he had entered the seminary right out of middle school and had no work experience, he felt he might have missed an important learning experience--an experience that would help him in his ministry, especially with those having work-related problems. So, during his sabbatical leave, he applied for the parking lot job. After one day on the job, he wanted to quit and realized that what he was feeling must be what many others feel every day of their lives, when working at something they dislike. He did stay for the one month he had agreed to, but he also knew, unlike those who have to stay on a job to feed their families, that his days as a sweeper were coming to an end.

After being called "Father" for 27 years, he was getting used to hearing "Uncle," a word that refers to a middle-aged man in Korea. What he found difficult to accept was not being given the respect every person is due simply because of our shared humanity. He learned, in a deeply personal and painful way, how others on the low-end of the economic ladder are often treated. He remembers seeing a woman standing in front of a coffee machine, complaining that the coffee came out so thick she couldn't drink it. He bought her another cup. The woman thanked him, but the words that still echo in mind were the words telling him he could have the coffee she couldn't drink.

Though the priest did not want anyone to know of his unusual work, the story was reported by the press, and was sent to me with the thought that the story would help me and others working in ministry to deepen our understanding of the difficulties many laypersons face in raising a family and living a Christian life.

Thinking back over his experiences, the ex-sweeper and now again functioning Catholic Priest wonders how long his monthly wage as a sweeper of slightly more than a thousand dollars would sustain a man and his family. He also thinks of the T-shirt costing a hundred dollars he once was given. He feels differently about it now. He also feels differently about the sermons he gives, about those who come to hear them, about those who don't throw cigarette butts on the ground and don't litter public places. The word love isn't so abstract to him anymore.