30 Years Teaching in the CCD Program

By Church law, all parishes are required to have CCD programs, which provide religious education for the children of the parish. CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) has a long history in the Church and depends for its successful operation on lay volunteers to teach its many programs.  Parishes have always had difficulty in getting volunteers for the programs; finding suitable candidates, says the Peace Weekly, is "like picking a star from the sky."

The Incheon diocese recently held a ceremony to thank those who have devoted themselves to this work over the years. Few have been in the program for three years, even fewer have been teaching for 10 years, and unique in the Incheon diocese was Sophia,  who has taught continually for 30 years. Sophia, now 54 years old, has been teaching for over half of her years in her parish CCD.
 
Baptized in 1981, only two years later she was asked to teach by the sisters of the parish. For many  reasons she did not go into the religious life, but always wanted to be a teacher. She manages her own art academy and teaches in the parish during weekends. Thoughts of marriage were put aside as something that was to be considered later.

Asked to divulge her secret for devoting so much time to volunteer teaching, she answered: "There is no secret; the teaching is God's mission to the likes of me. He gives me the grace for which I am thankful. I take pride that I can cooperate in the pastoral work that has brought me to this day."

After so many years of service, many would have passed on their work to others. But not Sophia. She works diligently, listening to her recorded sermons to improve them for the children at Mass. To improve her teaching methods she goes to seminars and programs conducted by the Protestants, and gets in touch with her students at least once a week by telephone or by text messaging. She also visits the neighboring schools to contact the students she's unable to reach by these methods.   

When her students graduate from high school and  come to her to offer to teach in the CCD program, she feels great pride and joy. The young people today, she says, because of work or preparing to find work, and tending to personal needs, find service to the Church by volunteering to teach catechism a great burden.

At frequent teachers' meeting, Sophia will often pray: "Lord, may I be convinced  that my compensation is not here in this world but with you in the next. May I on this earth make you known, and with the children I teach realize that one day we are destined to be with you in glory. Amen."

Korean Lay Missioners in Malawi

"At first they thought we were reckless, then considered crazy but happy crazies."  Francis and Sophia, recently profiled by the Peace Weekly, are a married couple working as missionaries in Malawi, Africa, one of the poorest countries in the world, and a country ravaged by the AIDS epidemic.

They are working with the Marianists in the Lusublio Orphan Care Project in the diocese of Mzuzu, where thousands of orphans live. The couple are presently involved in starting worker-managed farms that help feed the orphans and the poor. To date there are five such farms in operation, and they plan to put more farmland under cultivation soon.

They are planting crops on reclaimed wasteland; though they lack fertilizer and good seed, they have no lack of know-how. Francis has a back ground in farming and has taken college-level courses in horticulture. Their main crop is corn but also planted are rice, tomatoes, beans, and other vegetables, and using seeds brought back from Korea, cabbage and eggplants.
 
They have also started a Food  Bank, the idea coming from examples in their Korean history: when the harvest was poor, food was donated to the needy; and when the harvest was good, the food was returned to the Food Bank for others to take. They recently lent 100 sacks of food to 100 families, receiving back in due course 70 sacks. This approach is still new and will take some time before getting to a point of self-sufficiency.
 
In visiting homes, they found none that had food set aside for the next day. The Malawians are fortunate to have one meal a day, which is one reason life expediency is less than 40 years, and the main reason Francis and Sophia wanted to begin the Food Bank.

Korea is no longer a receiver of aid, but, as the lives of Francis and Sophia have demonstrated, is now a  giver of aid. The Korean Church is also no longer in need of missioners but is sending money and missioners to other parts of the world. These missioners are no longer just priests and religious; lay people are also very much involved.
 
Both Francis and Sophia did not entertain the thought of becoming missioners until recently. It was in 2005 that they decided to leave the typical average life and go to the missions. They finished the two-year course at the Suwon seminary, and in 2008 left for Africa, leaving behind their two sons, who were working their way through college with part-time jobs supplementing the revenue from their scholarships.
 
In Malawi, life is far from easy. Even though Francis and Sophia have to deal with the dry and raining seasons, with mosquitoes, lice and bedbugs, and the endemic diseases of the country, they are extremely happy. When the time comes, Francis wants to be buried in Malawi; Sophia says she doesn't want to be a burden to their friends in Malawi and wants to return to Korea. Francis answers that God will make the decision.                                                                                                                     

Foreigners in Religious Dialogue

Recently, a group of foreign religious leaders got together to discuss religious and cultural issues in Korea. The group of more than 10 included an Italian Catholic priest, a German Lutheran minister, a Muslim missionary from Turkey, a Buddhist monk from India, and a Won Buddhist Russian academic.
 
The Kyunghyang newspaper reported on the meeting, the first of its kind, sponsored by the Korea Dialogue Academy.

The Catholic priest, living in Korea as a missionary for over 20 years, said he felt that in religious matters the proper forms are more important than the  contents. He went on to say that Koreans change religions easily: Catholic to Protestant, Protestant to Catholic, Buddhist to Catholic, Catholic to Buddhist.  From the outside it appears that all is harmonious in the religious world. However, that is not the case, and can be easily seen in the context of the family, especially concerning marriages and family rites. There is also pressure at times to convert to or from a religion by family members. And the dialogue between religions can sometimes by contentious, and to avoid this possibility there is often fear of  going too deeply into any meaningful discussion.
 
The Russian Won Buddhist academic had a counter argument, believing that changing one's religion is a positive development. The frequent changing of religions gives support, he said, to the unimportance of dogma in today's society, and points to the current vitality of religion. On the other hand, the Muslim   missionary said that Muslim Turks will say they are, first, believers of Islam and then Turks, second. Obviously, their religion is not taken lightly.
 
The Buddhist from India said that a novice monk in India is required to give up all material possessions, while in Korea a monk takes his money with him;  money in Korea, he said, is the second Buddha. The reason is that the welfare of Buddhist monks in Korea is very poor. They have to take care of their hospital expenses and even buy their clothing, which requires at times having to work part-time.

A Polish sister counseling foreign workers said the workers are most frequently asked why they came to Korea, adding that the Korean like to make distinctions.  A Nepalese  Won Buddhist mentioned how a foreign woman worker was refused entrance to a bathhouse. She also criticized the discrimination towards the foreign workers in Korea.
 
The group meeting of foreign religious leaders in Korea was praised for providing a forum where cultural and religious issues could be discussed freely. It was a meeting that would be difficult to find in other countries. A priest from  Kwangju said the discussion took place in a peaceful atmosphere.  The missionary from Turkey said he disagrees with those who say Islam is not open to dialogue, maintaining that Islam is a religion that prides itself on its openness.
 
There is in formal meetings of religions a desire not to offend, which makes the dialogue very self-conscious. Easier than dialoguing about religion is discussing cultural differences This first attempt to take up religious issues, however, is a sign that many want to see more in-depth discussions about the religious differences that separate us. More understanding of these differences will help to break down some of the walls that now separate us in this crucial area of life, enabling the human family to move closer together.                                                                                                                                             

Culture Helped Catholicism to Grow

At the beginning of Catholicism in Korea, with the many difficulties that the new religion encountered and with the lack of leaders, it is surprising to learn that it was able to grow and spread throughout the country as quickly as it did. One important reason why this happened was given by the Peace Weekly, in its latest article in their series on Catholicism and other religions, as it discussed the relationship of 'Jeonggamrok' and Catholicism.

Jeonggamrok, a book of prophecy, whose author and date of publication are unknown, is a mixture of divination, including geomancy, Chinese Philosophy and Taoism. It has come down from the past in many versions, and has had many followers, exerting an immense influence on the intelligentsia, who were disillusioned with the ruling elite, as well as on the lower classes. During the  last years of the Jeosun Dynasty, the Jeonggamrok was studied and debated often by the anti-establishment movement.

These prophecies also continued to influence society at the end of the Jeoson Dynasty, during the Japanese occupation, the independence movement, and into modern times. There were  ten places in Korea, named in the prophetic writings, that were considered safe havens from hunger and wars; and not a few people would  migrate to these areas, an indication of how influential the book had become.

Comparing the Jeonggamrok and Catholicism, the Peace Weekly notes huge differences. Jeonggamrok is  fragmentary, non-systematic and desultory, and yet it had a big influence on religion and politics, and prompted many to band together in secret societies that often planned insurrections.

During the last years of the Joseon Dynasty, the Jeonggamrok prophecies for the future began spreading throughout the country. At the same time Catholicism was also reaching a wide audience so they couldn't help  but influence each other. There are many within the Church who see this mixing of two ways of seeing the future as helping to spread Catholicism, even during the times of persecution. When one remembers that Catholicism was an import from outside the country, it helps to explain how it was able to put down roots so quickly in the  culture.

Why this book led to the acceptance of Catholicism in the country is not difficult to understand. We know that for many years Catholicism had no priests to lead the Christians. Their  introduction to Catholicism was not systematically possible, and those that entered were helped  by the hope that they found in the Jeonggamrok, even though much of this would be contrary to Catholic teaching.

Also helpful in the spread of Catholicism was the Nipokjeun, a book of prophecies similar to the Jeonggamrok, that circulated among members of the Catholic Church. Written in 1846, the book is believed to be the words of Yi Byok, John the Baptist, (1754-1785) who appeared in a dream to the author of the book. Yi Byok was a  leader in  the early church, and in the book he explains the principles of creation, why the first parents were expelled from paradise, and the basic Catholic teaching. He also points  out what he considers to be the errors of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism; and criticizes idolatry and the rites for parents, and directs us to  the future world. The  writer concludes that  the Nipokjeun was  the Catholic Jeonggamrok.


 

Unauthorized life" of many Foreign Workers

Few are the ways we have of appreciating the difficulties of those who are marginalized in our society. One good way, outside of being in their shoes, is to work with them to ameliorate their situation. Writing for the Bible and Life magazine, a priest who works as director of the office for foreign workers in his diocese gives us a brief vignette about a worker who was looking for help.

Chartan arrived in Korea in 2009. After working for two years in a factory, he left before the termination of the work contract. He called to ask the priest if he will now be considered an illegal worker. He left, he said, because of the discrimination at the factory against the foreign workers. Although Korean workers were given 3-4-day vacations, foreign workers had to work, and when they on their own took a day off, 40 dollars of their pay was deducted for each day, even though they were only paid about 30 dollars a day. When Chartan complained to the owner, he angrily told him  to leave and not come back.

The priest told him to report to the employment center to find out what could be done. An employee at the center called the factory and was told that Chartan left on his own. "Why would they send him away when there was so much work to be done?" they were told.  The immigration bureau was notified of his situation. Chartan kept repeating he didn't want to be an illegal.

The priest says it's difficult to believe either the owners or the workers, but he believes the workers to be more trustworthy because of their urgent conditions. He recommended that Chartan become an illegal like many others. He would then have the freedom to look for another job provided he was not taken into custody. This did not appeal to Chardan so he called the owner and asked to be taken back.

We have a society, the priest says, where many are doing things illegally. He quotes a poet who lived for some time doing what was not legally permitted, protesting what he considered violations of human rights.

The priest ends his article by noting that many with money and high positions do many things that are illegal--and get away with it--believing these things are necessary to succeed in our society. However, the foreign worker is required to do everything according to law. He wonders when the day will come when those without money and power will be able to live well.               

Maryknoll Korea's 100th Anniversary Celebration

On  Oct. 25th the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of Maryknoll, the foreign Mission Society of the Catholic Church in the United States, in the diocese of Cheongju, thanks to the kind invitation of the bishop. The celebration took place in the cathedral parish with Cardinal Chong, the main celebrant, the Maryknoll Vicar General, the Asian Regional Superior, the apostolic delegate, 15 bishops, many priests and sisters, and over 800 lay people.  They were there to give thanks and offer congratulations to the Society.

The Cardinal, in his sermon, recounted the history of the Korean Maryknoll presence from its time in North Korea to the present--a total of 88 years, with 15 Maryknollers remaining in the country. Two priests of the Brothers of St. Luke Hwang Sok-tu Mission Society were present and  said they will be following the spirit of the Maryknoll Society and the zeal shown by the missioners. 

Bishop Chang Gabriel gave a plaque thanking the Society to the Maryknoll Vicar General and a candle to our local superior commemorating the 100th anniversary celebration.

The editorial in the Peace Weekly mentioned that in comparison to the Jesuits and the Paris Foreign Mission Society,  Maryknoll has a brief but unique history. It was established to work in Asia and went through the trying times of the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and the control of China by the Communists: a time of persecutions and martyrs.
  
Maryknoll founded the dioceses of Pyongyang, Cheongju, and Incheon, and also was present in other parts of the country. The editorial mentions that the society worked in Korea under the occupation  of the Japanese and the Communists, which made for a very difficult working environment.

In the Peace Weekly interview with Fr. Hammond, the Maryknoll local superior, he recalls an incident while he was a student in the seminary. " Maryknollers have a feeling of sorrow and regret," he said, "when we think of Pyongyang. Monsignor George Carroll, who had spent years there before being forced out, later during a talk to his seminary students  broke down crying. I remember it still very clearly," he said. "When we think of the division of the country and the war our hearts become heavy."

Maryknollers would like to see, as would all Koreans, a unified Korea again. The feelings of sorrow and anger continue to show in the different attitudes toward the North when it comes to dialoguing with the North and giving aid. What can we, who are not directly involved, do to bring about better relations with the North?  We can pray and make efforts to heal some of our own mental and emotional scars that remain since the partition of the country.  

The Turtle and Learning

Once frightened by a turtle you will be frightened by the lid of a kettle. What we feared in the past, the look-alike will do the same in the present. With these words, the desk columnist of the Catholic Times introduces what he calls the learning syndrome: what has been learned in the past, if similar to what is being learned in the present and the connections and differences are not noted will greatly influence our present actions.


For example, learning to operate a machine will facilitate the use of another machine later on, each learning experience bringing about a change that prepares us to respond more efficiently for the next learning experience. Even the most primitive of people when seeing a recurring natural event such as black clouds have learned to 'read' the signs and go to high ground.

A recurring modern example, and a chronic problem in developed societies, is speculating in real estate. We have learned that the price of real estate in our country does not decline but steadily moves up, which encourages even more speculation.


As members of the Church we have learned many things about the disciples of Jesus. The columnist wants us to focus on the rich young man mentioned in Scripture. According to the standards of today, he would be an outstanding example of youth. However, he is shown to be one who missed the central teaching of life. He lacked love. He was like the farmer who never harvests.

In our society, we have an excess of those Christians who have more than what the rich young man enjoyed. They fear that giving up material possessions will result in losing everything worth having. What makes matters worse is that they think they are in the right, even though they are doing the opposite of what Jesus taught.

We have heard that a little learning is a dangerous thing, a reminder that we often deceive ourselves by thinking we know more than we know. The columnist finds fault even with the leaders of opinion in the Church for making it difficult to go deeper into what we believe. Without the necessary correct  learning, it will be difficult to live the true Christian life.

However, even correct teaching from experience is not always followed by correct learning and living. This has too often been seen. Not learning to be vulnerable and surrendering to God prevents us from accepting all that God wants us to learn.