Lessons Learned from the Poorest City in the World-Calcutta

A university professor recounts his trip to Calcutta, India, with a group of 20 students who had volunteered to spend two weeks working for the Sisters of Charity. Arriving at the airport in Calcutta, the professor and students had their first taste of what awaited them in this foreign land. The air was sultry, filled with the smell of the city; the public square in front of the airport a jumble of people and rickshaws moving quickly about. They took a bus to the Mother House of the order and after some difficulty arrived at their destination. .

The next  day, the cultural indoctrination continued in earnest. With a temperature over 38 Celsius, they were all sweating profusely. A city of more than 10 million, the poorest city in the world, Calcutta is a stark reminder of the poverty in many parts of the world: people sleeping on the sides of streets, beggars approaching foreigners with outstretched hands, young children carrying babies asking for alms, people drinking unclean water from pumps, street vendors with their merchandiize in no discernible order, revered cows rambling unattended along the streets, dogs sleeping together with their owner, red communist banners fluttering in the occasional breeze, and, of course, the untouchables--all of it leaving an unforgettable impression on the professor and his students.

The spirit of Blessed Teresa (1910-1997) still moves many from all  over the world to come for some short period of time to continue the work she  started. The day at the Mother House starts with a prayer and a hymn, and then each group is given their assignment. The professor's group was assigned to a sanatorium housing the terminally sick, the handicapped, orphans and homeless women. It was a busy  two weeks for the Korean volunteers.

They were in Calucutta for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Blessed Teresa, which was celebrated in the chapel, mostly with the volunteers in attendance. It was an emotional time for the students, as it must have been for many others in India. She is greatly respected by the people of Calcutta, although the city is 80% Hindu. She told them, "You pray to your God, and I will pray for you to my God." She  sacrificed herself for humanity:  willing to undergo the dark night for over half a century taking care of her sisters and brothers in the most poverty stricken city of the world. Those who have volunteered at the Mother House, on returning home know that they have not only helped others but helped themselves--now conscious of a  world that is mostly unknown to many of us.

Desire for the 'One Shot Big Kill'

Addiction to gambling is not only a problem in Korea but a worldwide  problem seen mostly in the economically advanced countries. The effects of gambling on our society were examined by an article in the Catholic  Peace Weekly. Legal gambling takes place at horse race tracks, cycling tournaments, casinos and where lottery tickets are sold.

There is no denying that gambling is a great money maker for the country and much good comes from the taxed revenues, like funding public welfare projects, and , no small matter, it puts people to work. However, this should not blind us to problems that society has to deal with because of the addiction of over 2 million citizens: divorce,  family problems, suicides,  sickness, loss of work and  larceny, to name just a few. In recent years, with the economic slow down, the numbers frequenting the legal gambling establishments has increased greatly. But the media continues to treat the addiction lightly, and the government does not see it as urgent--and here we are only considering the legal gambling. Illegal  and online gambling is even more pervasive than the legal gambling, and it goes on without any controls.

The article points out that the desire for the 'one shot big kill', and getting something you have not worked for are the main motivating factors behind the addiction.  Many who are working to help gamblers deal with their addiction believe that the efforts to help have not kept up with the spread of the gambling establishments. The government has not kept up and little money is going into prevention and therapy. 

The media also seems unconcerned; even the Church has not been involved to any great degree. Revenue and  employment possibilities from gambling are a great help to the economy but the price being paid is high. It is like the bingo parties the Catholic Church in the States uses to help fund their charity and school work. Does the end justify the means? --we might ask. Catholicism does not see gambling as a moral problem until it becomes detrimental to the person and the family. This happens in too many cases and then we are likely dealing with someone who is sick and needs help. Those who are helping on the therapeutic side of the issue see a need for more people to become interested in prevention and therapy, with more money allotted to help those who are addicted.

Stepping-stones to a New Society

The recent editorial in the Peace Weekly wants us to use the problems in our society as stepping-stones to a better future. Differences of opinion are to be expected when people live together, and, as we learn from history, can be the beginning of future progress.

Today, disagreements among members of our society are deep and acute: North and South, rich and poor, young and  old, city and country, and, recently, the  policies of the government.

The Cardinal of Seoul, in his message for the Assumption and Liberation Day, said this discord presents us with an opportunity to reflect on finding ways to help solve our disagreements. The key is to be willing to dialogue and not have personal or group opinions prejudice the way we approach the problems. He mentioned the importance of keeping in mind that it is justice and love that will help get us out of the quagmire we are in.

The Bishop of Taejon. in his message, referred to the words of Gandhi, found inscribed near his grave site:


Wealth without Work
Pleasure without Conscience
Science without Humanity
Knowledge without Character
Politics without Principle
Commerce without Morality
Worship without Sacrifice 
Are the downfall of society.   

Reading these words again, the bishop confessed that they made him somewhat depressed, knowing that they are still part of our reality: no less true today than they were 50 years ago when they were written. Reflecting on these words and making them a part of  our philosophy of life-- like the stepping-stones referred to in the editorial--could very well help avoid Gandhi's "downfall of society" and bring about a better future society for all.

Calling the Catholic Laity to see beyond their own Country

The Pontifical Council for the Laity with the cooperation of the Korean Bishops will convene The Congress of Catholic Laity in Asia from August 31 to September 5, with the theme:."Proclaming Jesus Christ in Asia today."  Attending the Congress here in Seoul will be 180 members and associate members of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences and about 200 Korean laity.

There will be panel discussions on the following topics: "Imitation and Christian  instruction of the laity; participation of the laity in the life of the parish and small communitites; the witness given by lay people in various sectors of society (work, education, media, politics; the engagement of the laity in the inculturation  of the Gospel and in the dialogue between faith and culture; experiences of the laity in ecumenical and inter-faith dialogue; witnesses of Christian charity and service to the poor; questions regarding religious freedom in the lives of Christians; the laity as builder of peace and justice."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

A Catholic Times' editorial pointed out the important question the Congress must face and answer: Are we, as Asians, prepared to be troubled enough with our situation to deal with it effectively. Not only should we be concious of the mission we have been given from the time of the apostles but we should be prepared to help solve the problems we are faced with.

Over 60 percent of the world's population lives in Asia; the  number of Catholics about 3 percent (1/6th of the African total). Half the population lives in poverty and must deal with all kinds of  social problems: paternalism, discrimination between the sexes, low birthrates, aging of the population, imigration, and the problems that come by living in a foreign culture.

The editorial goes on to tell us there are some bright spots on the Asian landscape. While in the West the numbers of Christians are decreasing and faith life is weakening, the opposite is happening in Asia. Here, the numbers of Christians and vocations are increasing. Although there are still many conflicts, the sensitivity we have for the spiritual makes Asia a field of great potential.

We need to take advantage of this potential by extending our vision beyond our own country and drawing up concrete proposals.  Laity should be prepared to reconsider their calling  and see themselves as major contributors to Asia's future.

A Cluster of a Million Roses

A priest tells us how moved he was by the words of an old Russian  pop song that was given new words by a well-known Korean vocalist some years ago.  An article he read about the song  impressed him enough to make him want to learn to sing the song: he liked the catchy tune and the words.

He attended the 30th anniversary to the priesthood of the Anglican Bishop of Seoul and at the congratulation ceremony, he heard the song again;  this time it was with the original Russian music but with the new words from the Korean vocalist.  The bishop at the meeting with the journalists asked," Were you  able to savor the  meaning of the song?" One of the journalists was surprised to hear this kind of music in such a serious setting but when the Bishop repeated the words from the first stanza and said  for us  this is Jesus isn't it? He came to spread among us millions of flowers.  It all made sense. Without his explanation most  would have missed the meaning of the song.

The original story behind the words in the Russian song was the unrequited love of an unknown painter for an actress. The actress happened to come to his town for a concert, and he decided to show his love for the actress by selling all his possessions and  buying a million roses to spread on the piazza in front of the hotel where the actress was staying. The Korean vocalist took this story and changed the words as found below.

Way in the past I  came from a star far away
Heard a small voice telling me
Go give love and return.

Only when loving
Will flowers bloom will the million flowers bloom
Only with  sincere love
Will roses of love bloom.


Without hate,hate,hate  in our hearts
Love  giving lavishly lavishly 
Will we have millions millions  millions of flowers bloom
And I will be able to return to my beautiful  longed for land  of stars.

 Many  tears of anquish have been shed, what is true love
 Many tears of anquish have been shed  what is true love
There were so many people separated it was a very sad world.

After many seasons had  past
After he gave of his all
Like a light suddenly
That love embraced me.

Without hate,hate,hate  in our hearts
Love given  lavishly, lavishly 
Will we have millions millions  millions of flowers bloom
And I will be able to return to my beautiful  longed for land  of stars.

Now if all should leave me
Love will remain
The one that came to me from  that star
Waited  so long
Being   together with him
many more flowers will bloom
Becoming one  we will return to the  eternal star.

No more hate no more hate
Only giving lavishly of  love
Will the million clusters of flowers  give bloom
And I will be able to go to the longed for and beautful   land of  stars.


 The vocalist was reflecting on her life which was filled with many trials and sadness; for many love is not what  it was thought to be. Despite her own divorce and many other trials this song  expressed her faith life.  The refrain appears  six times with its catchy rhythm.

Koreans love to sing and many of their songs can be interpreted as hymns: a desire for what is not. Not paying too much attention to the  theology one can understand the emotion that underlies the words and the hope that always remains in the healthy person's heart.

Trying to Bridge the Gap between East and West

The Catholic Times has interviewed the only Korean teaching in the Gregorian Graduate School of Missiology. She  supervises master and doctorate treatises on Asian studies at the school and at the Angelicum and the Lateran where she also teaches.

Her special interests are inculturation studies and fostering dialogue between religions, both of which are useful not only for Asia but for the universal Church and for deepening our spiritual journey. To prepare for this, she switched from a physics major in college to study theology, believing that progress in the study of theology is progress in her faith life. Language study, however, was difficult and she was humbled by it. She persevered and soon after received an offer to teach at the Gregorian in Rome, living in the city for the last 19 years.

Her doctoral study compared mankind's beliefs in a transcendent reality with Buddhist views on the subject, and the place of revelation in Asian thought generally. She researched the beginnings of the New Age Movement and the reasons for its growth, and now is  gathering material for a treatise tentatively titled: "Theology, Culture and Religions of Asia." A timely topic since Asian religions have been introduced recently to the rest of the world because of globalization. Many westerners feel an emptiness in their lives and are searching for an experience that will fill this void. For some, the teachings of Buddhism have filled this void.
 
Many who come to Europe to study other cultures and beliefs develop a better understanding of their own culture and religious tradition and take more of an interest in it. She feels that it is important to have an understanding of Asian spirituality, philosophy, and direction of life; they are not in opposition to the teachings of Catholicism, and can be a way of deepening our own faith life. One of the  greatest hindrances in serving God, she feels, is holding on to an inflated sense of personal importance: the 'nobility obliges' attitude taken in its  bad sense. There has to be ways of uncovering this trait and  work to rid oneself of the consequences of such  an attitude in formation.
 
She firmly believes that the study of theology should be not only for religious and priests, but for all.  It is necessary for lay people to take an interest in studying theology and share this knowledge with others. She sympathizes with the Korean Church which is not like the Church in the West where you have many criticizing the Church. There is a different attitude towards the Church, and  Korean  laity  will have  much to add to our understanding of Church; she hopes this will be part of the  future.

Three Problems Confronting Korea

In this week's opinion piece in the Catholic Times, the head of the Family Academy examines three problems confronting Korea today by using thoughts taken from Pope Benedict's  encyclical  "Charity in Truth."

 "The way humanity treats the environment influences the way it treats itself, and vice versa" (#51). If we have a weakness in one part of the ecological system this will affect other parts of the system.

"If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology" (#51). The way we treat life is the way we will treat our environment.

Ecology is a major concern for Korean society, the writer believes. What we are doing to destroy our environment is an insult to humankind, and whatever we do to make our environment live, makes us live.

The second problem is the low birthrate in Korea. Young people do not find marriage an easy possibility. The increasing difficulties of  finding a good job that will make raising a family easier is a worry not  only for the individual but for families. This is one reason the young are avoiding marriage and, when married, deciding not to have children or to have one or two at the most.

"Uncertainty over working conditions caused by mobility and deregulation, when it becomes endemic, tends to create new forms of psychological instability, giving rise to the difficulty in forging coherent life-plans, including that of marriage. This leads to situations of human decline, to say nothing of the waste of social resources. In comparison with the casualties of industrial society in the past, unemployment today provokes new forms of economic marginalization, and the current crisis can only make this situation worse" (#25).

Finding work in Korea for the young is a big problem. The writer does not want us to see the fire on the other side of the river but here at our feet; government, business and the whole of society should be working together to do something about it.

The third problem is the serious matter of our peninsular. The attempt to strengthen the alliance between Korea and the United States brings to the fore the  struggle between the two super powers, the United States and China and  casts a shadow on the peninsular. The efforts to find peace has not brought the dream of a united Korea any closer to be realized. And with the tension mounting, the goal should not be to feel safer but to go beyond the peninsular and prepare for peace throughout Northeast Asia.

"Today humanity appears much more interactive than in the past: this shared sense of being close to one another must be transformed into true communion. The development of peoples depends, above all, on a recognition that the human race is a single family working together in true communion, not simply a group of subjects who happen to live side by side" (#53).

The thinking expressed in this opinion piece is shared by many of our Koreans, especially those who believe we are relying too much on the West when there should be more effort given to living in peace with the people of  Northeast Asia. This will explain much of the rhetoric that we hear and possibly some of the antics that are being reported.