God Works Through Secondary Causes

An article in the Peace Weekly recounts the success story of two parishes in a Korean country diocese. Although the number of Catholics in the country has increased in the last 10 years, the number attending Masses has decreased. The article mentions two parishes that have not followed this trend.

According to the statistical report of 2009, only one of every four Catholics attends Mass. When those in pastoral work hear that some parishes are getting over 40 percent attending Sunday Mass, they are interested. The article goes on to tell us the secret of this success.

One of the parishes has 1,744 parishioners registered and 784 coming out to Mass on Sundays. The numbers on Sunday are such that they are required to put chairs in the Church to accommodate them. Even at daily Mass it's difficult to find a seat.

Explaining his pastoral policy, the pastor said, "More than having many events I try to make every one of the parishioners feel the joy and delight of the life of faith. When the Catholics at Mass feel a sense of peace the numbers increase."

He makes clear that he has not used programs to  evangelize or made efforts to get the tepid back, and yet the numbers increase.  Instead he stresses the joy of the Christian life. "The parishioners, who are often tired by the daily chores of living," he said, "when they come to our church feel respected. It's what we want them to feel."

The pastor and the assistant and the office help make sure that no one is irritated  or pressured; everyone is always greeted pleasantly and kindly. At the end of every Mass, the pastor and assistant are always outside the church greeting the people and sharing in their concerns. The telephone is always available to contact the priests, and they are always eager to help. This spirit of the parish gets communicated to others and is a reason for the return of the tepid and the automatic increase in evangelization.

Most parishes are large and intimacy is not easily achieved. The personality of the pastor and assistant is certainly a part of what  goes into the mix to bring about a welcoming atmosphere in a parish setting. We should probably all be given courses in human relations and what goes into making a good salesperson. Our trust in the grace of God  to break through  all the human frailties and lack of charisma in the pastoral teams is necessary, but neither should we forget that God  works through secondary causes.

Before Asking For a Miracle, First "Believe"

The Catholic Times spiritual column tells us the  story of a priest who was in France for a number of months and complained of pain in his right knee that was progressively  getting worse.

We are told that he  bumped his knee against  the car door;  he thought it was just a bruise but the pain not only increased, but he began to walk with a limb. Since he was in France and didn't have any insurance, he was not considering going to the hospital. An operation would be out of the question fearing the cost of such treatment without  insurance. Returning to Korea in his situation he didn't think possible, and he was not able to function as he desired with the pain.

Since he was in France and Lourdes was not  far away he decided to make the trip. Grabbing at any possibilities to remedy the situation. Going to Lourdes, he thought, something good could happen. He took the train to Lourdes the next day. In one way, he felt shame and childishness in asking for a miracle.

However, arriving at Lourdes, he convinced himself that he  was not  looking for a miracle but was on a pilgrimage. He went to the place of lodging run by Korean Sisters, left his luggage and hobbled over to the shrine.

It was the beginning of March, and the weather was bad and there were few pilgrims at the site but even that being the case, there were those  from many different countries. He sat outside  the cave and recited the rosary and took a drink of the water, and returned to his  place of lodging. That night  while eating with the sisters one of them said:

"Father, Lourdes is truly a place not easily to figure out. Many who live around the shrine  daily prepare their rice and tea with the water from the shrine, and nothing happens, and you have those who take the  miracle water home to their country in a small bucket, and  give it to those who need it, and just taking a drop of it are blessed with a miracle.

"I without much thought have drunk a great deal of the miracle water." the priest said.

"If you have drunk the water today, tomorrow go and wash in the water" the sister said.

"I plan to do it, the pain is just too much.  I will participate in the ceremony of being submerged in the water tomorrow"

"Father, tomorrow when you go to the shrine and attend the submerging ceremony  don't pray  for a miracle,  but  just thank God that your knee has been cured."

Pilgrimages to Macau

The  Catholic Times introduces us to Sister Theresa, a Korean Sister who is a  pilgrimage guide stationed in Macau. Officially accredited  by the  Macau Touring Office, she is the first sister to have worked in that capacity. She not only is a tour guide in name, but in reality is a competent  guide both in Lourdes, Japan and Macau.

She was invited to come to the Diocese of Macau in 2007 to work in the pilgrimage center. She began instructing guides in 2009, and in 2010 starting working as a guide herself.

Macau's  relationship to the Korean Catholic Church goes back to the time when three of the first seminarians Kim Tae-gon, Choi Yang-eop and Choi Bang-je were sent  there to study for the priesthood. They walked for over six month, enduring many hardships, before arriving at the seminary and beginning their studies for the priesthood. There are many historical reminders of these first seminarians in Macau, but few Catholics, she laments, are familiar with the history.

For 450 years the history of the Church in Asia can find a connection to Macau.The Jesuits were in the forefront, sending missioners to different parts of Asia and bringing  Western culture to  Asia. It was from this base in Macau that missioners departed for, among other countries, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Without mentioning Macau, it is difficult to give a true picture of the Church's history in Asia.       
     
She finds it satisfying to be a pilgrimage guide for our Korean Catholics, and since Sister is familiar with our Catholic history the pilgrims find the time spent with Sister very worthwhile. She says that showing the Chinese around, however, is even more satisfying when she can  introduce them to Catholic history and the life of the religious.

She volunteers her services  every Saturday and Sunday to guide the pilgrims to the  the churches of St. Lawrence, St. Augustine and St. Joseph.  When she is showing around those who come from China, the religious habit is a point of curiosity and they  all start looking for their cameras.

The  diocese of Macau is a great deal older than Korean Catholicism and yet still needs foreign missioners. Sister is proud of the fact that the Korean Church is younger and  is blessed with zeal and many vocations. This is envied by the Church in Macau, and sister finds  joy in sharing  with them some of the passion of the Korean Church.  

A Smile is Etiquette, Duty, and Privilege

Writing for the Mission Station Pastoral Bulletin a lay person from the Andong Diocese recounts his problems with smiling. He tells us he talks often of the importance of smiling, both in private and when he lectures.

However, something that perplexed him greatly happened recently. He was asked to give his picture to a magazine, so he went to the photo studio to have his picture taken. The photographer took 10 shots and asked him to select one. The photographer asked him to say kimchi, cheese, and even whiskey, repeatedly.  The photographer shook his head and said, "Sorry, sir, but the smile is not coming across."

He returned home and with the help of his wife, practiced smiling.  However, again he wasn't able to do it. What resulted was an  awkward expression. He felt it was his  failure to smile in the past that brought him to this plight, "A day that you don't smile or laugh is a day lost," he remembered thinking--a time of  not loving or receiving love.

He tells us that God gave us two  instruments we can use to show we are loved: one is the bright smile and the other tender words. Practice makes perfect and that is also true in this area of smiling and kind words. This has to be worked at before a mirror, he says. Smiling comes with practice and needs  effort.

The writer tells us about a young man who lost his job  and tried to get work for over a year with no luck. He finally went to an employment office and noticed that those who were hired were not the young, those of  sturdy built, or the well dressed, but those with a bright expression. The young man practiced before a mirror for a week and finally did get a job.

The writer tells us if one examines carefully and with patience they will see that one who can smile continually is a good person. There are many times we greet others perfunctorily. When we shake hands, we turn our gaze from the person and miss the chance to receive love and  recognition. He tells us if we are not prepared to smile and say some kind words when meeting another, we should postpone the encounter.  A smile is etiquette, duty and privilege.

The writer admits that he still cannot smile comfortably and naturally. Although not indicative of the way he feels, he inadvertently and habitually greets others with a vacant stare.  When that happens, he brings to mind the words of a salesman. Having worked hard all day and, now tired, returning home, he stops for a few moments in the hall way, regains his  composure and with a deep breath tells himself he will be meeting--and greeting--the last customer of the day.

Korean Catholics Overseas

The following was published by the Catholic  Bishops' Committee of Korea for the Pastoral Care of Koreans Living Abroad, on Feb. 17, 2011.

According to the statistics, as of December 2010, the number of overseas Korean Catholics is 161,390, an increase of 2% (3,365) over the last year.

 

The statistics indicate that the number of priests sent to the Third World countries showed a drastic increase over the last year. In 2010, 330 priests were sent abroad, an increase of 80 over the previous year. While pastoral care of overseas Koreans has been the main reason of sending priests abroad traditionally, the statistics show that the number of priests sent for the missionary work in the Third World countries is growing these days.

 

Another noticeable phenomenon is the growth of Korean Catholic communities in Asia. The rate of increase in recent 3 years of overseas Korean Catholics in Asia is 15.4%, the highest number of all 6 continents. The number of overseas parishes for Koreans is 44, an increase of 4 over the previous year. In 2010, the number of Korean Catholics in Chinese underground churches were excluded. If they were counted in, the rate of increase would be about 20%.

 

The diocese which sent the highest numbers of priests is the Diocese of Pusan (26 priests in 9 countries), followed by the Diocese of Daejeon (24 priests in 6 countries) and the Diocese of Daegu (21 priests in 8 countries). Among the religious communities, Sisters of the Blessed Korean Martyrs sent abroad the largest number of Korean pastoral workers (38 sisters in 6 countries), followed by Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (35 sisters in 6 countries) and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (33 sisters in 17 countries).

 

There are 116,211 Catholics in North America accounting for 72% of the total overseas Korean Catholics. Then, there are 18,892 in Oceania, 10,725 in Asia, 8,479 in South America, 6,604 in Europe and 380 in Africa. Most overseas Korean Catholics are in the United States (91,141), followed by Canada (24,707), and Australia (13,922). Overseas Korean Catholics in Asia are mainly in three countries: Indonesia (2,126), the Philippines (1,395) and Vietnam (1,097).

 

According to the statistics of overseas Koreans published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea, the overseas Korean Catholics are presumed as 2.4% of the total number of overseas Koreans (6,822,606).

At Least Try Not to Hate

The Catholic Times' writer on spirituality discusses a common problem that is especially troubling for those desiring to live according to the teachings of Christianity. What do you do when loving another person seems impossible? He mentions the case of a young woman worker who came to him for help. "My boss at work," she explained, "is a woman I hate with a passion.  She  makes use of what I do with great ease and pleasure, but whenever I  go to her with a question, the only answer I get is "I don't know." And any time she does me a small favor she tells everybody in the office and makes me feel cheap. I find it difficult to sleep and I'm depressed. And I feel I can't quit because I got the job with the help of someone."

 

The writer let her cry. When she finally gained composure he asked her "How difficult are the working conditions that brought you to  hate your boss?" Her choked response was  "I hate her so much I want to kill her. I know it's wrong to hate like that, so I've tried to find her good points. As a woman to have  a position of authority in the company shows that she is very capable, doesn't it? That she has the ability I don't have made me jealous and is also  part of the problem."

 

We say the opposite of hate is love. And as followers of Jesus we know we have to love and not hate under any circumstances, which sometimes brings stress into our lives.The writer remembers a time when he had a similar problem to that of the young woman, and went to see an older member of the community to ask for help.  He was  reminded  that this problem was something  he had difficulty with in his confession for some time. Repeatedly he had heard that if you if can't love, at least try not to hate. In trying not to hate we may still hate, but we hate less, and over time it begins to diminish and we may then experience the beginnings of love. We sense something has changed, something more  fulfilling than hate has happened deep inside us.

Earth Day 2011

The Peace Weekly recently editorialized on the many environmental problems facing our society. Earth Day, April 22nd, commemorates our newly found ecological consciousness that began, according to the editorial, in 1969 when a devastating oil spill in California contaminated many of the beaches on the West coast. From this incident the grass-root movement took hold and spread to many other countries of the world.

This will be the 40th year since the first Earth Day of 1970 sought to alert the general public of the dangers to the environment. Buying water instead of drinking water from the the tap is now an accepted practice in many societies. And, increasingly, we are eating organic food to avoid the heavily processed foods on market shelves and the pesticide-sprayed and chemically fertilized produce from our farms. Our air is polluted with green-house gases and acid rain, and now the atmosphere has been further polluted with radioactive particles. Even in Korea, schools have recently given time off from classes  because of the fear of radioactive rain.

Humans are the ones that have caused the problem. God put everything in order and determined it to  be good, and told us to preserve and manage it. This has not been something we have done well, destroying much of what was given to us. We as Church should reflect on what we have done as members of the larger community. Do we see only the earth as a place for humans, and consider material progress and financial betterment as the only values of interest? Have we as  Church gone along with this thinking?

Many still see the preserving of our environment  as something foreign to our faith life. Humans appeared late  on the earth but  have destroyed much of what we were given. It is time for us to realize that the preservation of the environment is our work and we have to be active in its fulfillment. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church expresses it clearly (2415):  The seventh commandment (thou shalt not steal) enjoins respect for the integrity of creation. Animals are by nature, like plants and inanimate beings, destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity. Use of the mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the earth cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. Man's dominion over inanimate and living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of all, including generations to come. It requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation.