Some priests were going over their plans for the new year when one of them said he hoped to meet in the new year
someone who will 'scratch the gourd', a Korean expression
meaning to nag.
The
columnist writing on spirituality for the Catholic Times said that the
unexpected words were met with laughter and incomprehension. "Haven't
you heard," one of them replied, "the complaints of husbands at the
nagging of their wives? At those times, we rejoice in our celibacy, but
you have never been nagged and don't know the harm it can do, otherwise
you would not be saying that."
Hearing these words the priest
shook his head in disagreement, "You do not know how spiritually
motivated those nagging words really are. When we go behind those
nagging words, we see they are often meant to stop the husband's bluster
and self-importance, forcing him to face reality.
The wife is concerned, he continued, about managing the household. educating the children,
putting aside money for retirement; she is concerned for the
total welfare of the family. On the other hand, the husband wants to be
seen as more than the family breadwinner and appreciated as a worthwhile person apart from his role in the family.
It isn't that the wife doesn't know this, the priest said. She is not talking this way to destroy the husband's sense of self. No wife would be doing that, It is an attempt to make him a better husband and father.
"Look at ourselves," he explained. "As priests we appear to our parishioners as able
to know and do everything, which often causes us to bluster and act
big. It is because we have not been faced with the 'scratching of the
gourd'. We all want to do certain things, to display ourselves, make
ourselves known. Don't we need someone to tell us what should and should
not be done? Someone to 'scratch the gourd'?. To have persons helping us face reality and to see ourselves more objectively is a great blessing. It may be uncomfortable, hurt, but it's good for us."
The
'scratching of the gourd' is not an attempt to inflict pain, but the
scratching, if done out of love, will help us grow and keep us from
being carried away by our feelings. It will help us find a middle ground
where we can confidently stand, seeing ourselves as others see us.
The issue of suicides is once again big news with the recent suicide of a celebrity. "A caring culture that respects life will go a long way to reducing
suicides," said a professor in an interview with the Catholic Times
Working
in the preventive medicine department of the Catholic University
Medical School, the professor laments the lack of a support system
within society to prevent suicides, and praises the Gate Keeper Movement
who have taken on the task. All of us have the mission of gate keepers, she said, in helping to put an end to the suicides. Last year in the Seoul Diocese there were efforts to educate the parishioners about the Gate Keepers, and to making us more sensitive to picking up the signs of those who were contemplating suicide among all segments of society.
The
most likely danger signals are feelings of isolation, recent divorce,
unemployment, bodily disabilities, death of a loved one, mental traumas,
past mental problems, dependence on alcohol, and depression. Also at
risk are people of fragile temperament who are placed in a situation
where they see only the dark side, and those who have experienced a
loss, even in small matters. Once suicide has been attempted the chances
are high that they will try again.
If our intervention is not successful, persuading persons at-risk to
seek professional help would be the next step. Also important: the
media has to stop sensationalizing their accounts of these deaths. The
Seoul diocese has also helped by providing information on suicide prevention from their One-Body One-Spirit Center in suicide prevention.
Why
so many suicides? The professor said that a random sample taken on
eight different occasions found discord in the family harder to accept
than problems with school studies and violence. Children who need help
from family and are not receiving it are especially in need of
help--help that often can only be given by religion; the schools cannot fill
that gap. She hopes that the Sunday School teachers, the Legion of
Mary, and other organizations will take a more active interest in the
problem, and use the Gate Keeper's educational programs to help stem a
growing threat to a stable, sane
society.
Because of our rapidly changing society, it has become increasingly
important, said the new rector of Taejon seminary, recently interviewed
by both Catholic papers, to teach today's seminarians that despite all
the societal changes there are truths and values that do not change. Korea has seven seminaries and although there is a drop from the past they are still doing well.
While
engaged in the formation of priests as imitators of Christ, as persons
who can respond to the times, the seminary cannot be oblivious to the
many changes occurring in society, the rector said, but must strive to
convey to its students what is unchangeable. Particularly important for
priests are the unchanging goals of self-emptying, learning and service,
which will continue to motivate our teachers and students, he said,
with even greater emphasis placed on improving the quality of the
educational and spiritual formation of the candidates. As the world has
become more technologically sophisticated, the priests also must keep up
with these recent advances, and our seminary professors, he added, will
provide a mirror to our students so they can more clearly discern and
respond to our changing times.This will be especially helpful for
students here from abroad, who have the added burden of adjusting to a
new culture.
Since the Korean Church has grown and prospered in
recent years, the Church felt it was time to cooperate in the formation
of seminarians from other countries. And today, Taejon seminary has the
most foreign seminarians in the country, with most coming from Asia.
After ordination; they will return to their country, and in this way the
Korean Church is helping in the evangelization of many Catholics in
these countries.
This year the seminary will sponsor a school for
teaching courses on marriage and the family, which will be similar to
those taught at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on
Marriage and the Family. The students, future teachers of marriage and
family studies, will be concerned with long-standing, troublesome
problems in Korea such as suicides, abortions, bullying--in a word,
violence.
The rector hopes that priests, religious and
laypeople who have
completed their theology courses will be motivated to take these special
studies in marriage and family, in preparation for leadership roles in
these fields. The objective of the school is to pass along the ability
to see sex and sanctity from a Gospel
viewpoint, to discern in every human encounter a "theology of the body,"
and to strengthen the
family, where many of our problems are unknowingly nurtured, and
subsequently spread throughout society.
The Peace Weekly column on the culture of life reports that clinical
tests often do not respect the dignity of those tested. One striking
example, mentioned by a Catholic University professor, took place in the
US between 1932 and 1972 . Nearly four hundred black, poor and
illiterate persons were involved in a clinical test on syphilis.
They were never told they had syphilis, or what the tests involved,
or did they give permission for the tests.
Gaining more knowledge
of the
natural progression of syphilis was the object of the tests. And even
though
the researchers had enough knowledge for remedial treatments, they were
not interested and
prevented their test subjects from getting help. It was clearly the
exploitation of a poor and vulnerable group without the resources to do
anything about it.
Also mentioned in the column was a group of
pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical tests in India in 2005. The
subjects--minors, the disabled,
illiterate, poor, and tribal people--were encouraged by their doctors to
join the clinical tests. The columnist said that the consent to the test
was
not clearly ascertained, and that the minors did not receive their
parents' approval.
During the clinical tests about 1,730 died.
Today,
young people with part-time jobs and college students volunteer for
clinical tests because of the money being offered. The invitations to
volunteer are often seen on
Internet portals. Many of these invitations are for bioequivalence
testing, which ascertain whether the generic medicines are absorbed into
the body as well as the brand-name
products, whether the generic delivers the same therapeutic effect as
the brand counterpart, and whether it can be safely substituted for the
brand
product.
The columnist reminds us that when a patent for a drug
runs out, other drug companies can manufacture and sell that drug as a
generic. This is the reason pharmaceutical companies have trials to
prove that their generic product has the same therapeutic effect
and is as safe as the brand counterpart. One week they use the brand
name drug and the following week the generic drug, analyzing and
comparing the effects of the two.
Many laws are now on the books,
thanks
to the 1932-72 case, to prevent the abuses. Our
columnist concludes with the hope that the government, the
pharmaceutical industry, and related
organizations will be more concerned with their test subjects than they
have been in the past. She
hopes for the day when the clinical tests have an oversight committee
established to periodically study the trials and make sure the rights of
the subjects are respected.
In a world where financial crises seem commonplace, a modern corrective,
the employee-owned cooperative, is flourishing. Called "an innovative
approach to development and economic democracy," the worker cooperative
movement is the focus of a bishop's article in the Catholic Times that
addresses the current economic problems in the world.
The
co-op movement, he said, is the natural product of humanity trying to
solve the
recurring economic problems all societies have had to face throughout
history. Whether it was our tribal ancestors cooperating with other
members of the tribe to protect themselves from wild animals, or helping
one another to plant rice fields, or joining together to take care of
their water reservoirs,
rivers and forests--all are examples, the bishop said, of members of
society working harmoniously together for a
common goal, furthering the good of all and their growth both as
individuals and
as active participants in their society.
Considering these
valuable goals, the bishop sees the growth of the co-op movement as an
opportunity for more people to show love for one another and to enjoy a
more fulfilling life. The movement, he says, encompasses and puts into
practice the teachings of Jesus.
Italy has shown a
great interest in the co-op movement, and its Emilia Romagna province
leads the world in the number of co-ops and successes. Like other
developed countries, it has been struggling with
the current worldwide financial crisis. Last year, the unemployment rate
in the country was more than 11 percent, and among the 20 to
30-year-olds, 36.5 percent.
However, the bishop says that the
mecca of
the cooperative moment, Emilia Romagna, surprisingly, was
very much at
peace. The support of the cooperative network has cushioned the
tremendous shock from the outside, depressed economies. With the
strongest cooperative economy in the EU (European Union), the worker
cooperatives of Emilia Romagna, representing 30 percent of the area's
GDP (gross domestic product) and involving 57 percent of the population,
has one of the highest living standards in the EU and one of the lowest
rates of unemployment at 3 percent.
The economic needs of the
different co-ops are handled by the Lega Co-op. Each co-op gives 3
percent of their profits to Lega, which uses
the money to develop the movement, help the struggling co-ops by
reducing the salary of workers, instead of firing them, and by
transferring workers, when necessary, to other co-ops. It makes for a
nurturing work environment. The bishop sums up his observations by
calling the worker cooperative movement a powerful influence for
developing peace, trust and
sharing, a manifestation of love in the workplace.
Why do bad things happen to good people is a question that invariably pops up when teaching those interested in Christianity. When hearing about the crucifixion, many will ask, Why
did Christ, the loving son of the Father, die on the cross? Isn't this
the koan we all must face in trying to answer their question? The recent
accidental death of a young man in a snowboarding accident raises the question in another context, but in this case, the accidental death of the young man may more easily help us see the mystery in a larger context.
The story of the young man, only 21 years-old, was carried on the front page of both
Catholic papers. He
was a Sunday school teacher on an outing at a ski camp with altar boys from the
parish. After the accident, he was moved
to a hospital in Seoul and never recovered consciousness. His parents,
knowing their son's wish to be a religious, and his continued service to
others, decided to give his organs to others in need. He was talented,
playing the
guitar, drums and piano, and would teach how to play them without pay. He also served
as an accompanist for the children in the Sunday school program
The
doctors removed his heart, liver, pancreas, two kidneys, and the two corneas, all of which were to be given to patients who were waiting. Bones and skin were also taken. The mother said that the organ gifts of her son helped her to come to terms with his death, and to remember what her son was able to do for others.
The
story mentioned that Korea was still a country that finds it
difficult to donate body parts after death. Korea remains very low in
comparison to other countries who donate organs. The director of the
organ transplant center said that in the United States 35 out of
100 thousand donate organs; in Korea, only five out of 100 thousand donate. The director thanks the young man's parents and believes that the donation of their son's organs will help change the thinking of
many Koreans.
In
Korea, there are numerous patients who are waiting in hospitals for an
organ transplant. Since there are not enough organs donated, many will
die without the organ needed. The gift of one's organs is a wonderful,
selfless act of kindness, and hopefully Korea will be able to overcome some of the traditional
animosity that is associated with the donation of organs after death.
Cardinal
Kim donated his cornea, which made a difference in the numbers that
began giving but the numbers are still small and do not come close to
helping the thousands that are waiting for organs. The
editorial in the Catholic Times expressed the hope that the story of the young man will help to
renew the interest of the public in donating organs so that the many who are waiting with hope may finally have the opportunity of realizing that hope.
Koreans are very
generous people, and this is often seen within parishes by the way
priests are treated. Especially is this the case during Name Days (commemorating the feast day of the Saint whose baptismal name one has)
and the silver and golden anniversaries of ordination. The departures
and arrivals of priests, and their retirements are also often
commemorated with elaborate ceremonies that put a burden on the
parishioners. The Peace Weekly had an article on what a diocese in
Korea decided to do by simplifying and lessening the financial burden and the time spent by the parishioners with these ceremonies.
A priest from the diocese, at a meeting of all the priests of the diocese, said
that in this Year of Faith the priests first had to be evangelized and
renewed, and mentioned that he finds it embarrassing to see what many
have accepted as a gift at their retirement or at the anniversary of ordination. Because secular priests do not take the vow of poverty, accepting these gifts is considered permissible. However, the priest found
this to be not in keeping with their call as followers of Jesus. He
also mentioned that this was another example of authoritarianism in our
lives, which we have to work against. His talk was instrumental in getting the priests of the diocese to simplify and take away some of the burdens the Christians were experiencing.
Mentioned
also was the example of other priests who would leave their parishes on
their name days so as to dissuade the Christians from making the day
financially burdensome. The priest hopes that the steps taken in the
diocese will spread throughout the Korean Church.
The Koreans
are big-hearted people and show their appreciation to their priests for
their pastoral care. A woman leader in the diocese was quoted as saying
that for Koreans, good morals and manners require that we show
appreciation, but this has to be appropriate to the situation, she
said, to prevent criticism after the ceremonies are over.
This
article in the Peace Weekly received a big response. Some applauded
while others had some misgivings. On the open forum internet bulletin
board, many thought the Catholics, along with the
priests, would do well to live more simply. Some were concerned that the
Korean appreciation of morality and manners handed down over the
centuries will be lost.
There are probably no other national
communities that go all out for their priests as do the Korean
Catholics. The example of the diocese will certainly have repercussions
in other dioceses. There are those who have made efforts in the past to
change the customs that put a financial burden on the Christians. To
have these ideas appear during this Year of Faith, however,
is a good sign that the clergy is also looking for ways to live more in
harmony with the call they have received as disciples of Jesus.
