From the time of the division of Korea, North Koreans
have fled to the South. Those who leave the North after entering China
go to a third country because China refuses to grant refugee status to
the defectors, and considers them illegal. If caught in China they are
repatriated back to North Korea to face serious consequences.
The
Inchon Diocese's Committee for the Reconciliation of the Nation works
to improve the relations between the two countries. On Jan. 15-16, 18
young people of the two sectors of the country met in a School for
Unity Program. They began with some awkwardness but quickly developed
into a closeness of friendship.
There has been in the
diocese programs where those who were refugees from the North were
invited to live with Catholic families to accustom themselves to the
culture and the South Korean way of doing things, but this was the
first time that young people of the North and South spent time in a formal way to get to know each other, and dream of a united Korea.
Defectors
in South Korea are usually called refugees but in recent years we have
been using the words "people of a new land", less disagreeable to the
North than the word they used in the past: "people who fled the North."
There is also the word with a stronger meaning: "residents who
renounced North Korea." During this program we heard "people of a new
land."
After the start of the program on the mainland
with a welcoming and a Mass they came to the Gyodong Peace Island, and to
the mission station. Kim Young-Ai (Theresa) one of the committee
members and a parishioner of the mission station gave a talk on Gyodong as the Peace Island and how many of the citizens still consider
themselves as people from the North who now live on the island, but
dream of some day returning to their place of birth.
There
are still many persons living here in the South who at the big holidays
come to Gyodong with nostalgia for their homeland. They may be those
who left the North during the Korean War or family members of those who
left. The distance to the nearest point in North Korea is about 2.5
kilometers. On a clear day you can see the North Koreans working in
their fields.
The group was taken on a sight seeing
tour of the island by Theresa and they spent some time in the area
overlooking the North. After the trip they returned to the mainland and
spent time together in discussion and expressing their views on the days
activities. They want
to continue this school for unity in the future.
One of the parishioners gave me a sheet of paper this morning
after Mass that she found on the internet. Without doubt it was taken
from an English speaking site and is making the rounds here on the
Korean internet. It does have a interesting lesson for us, and a word of
gratitude for those who spent time in bringing it to our attention and for those who worked to give us a worthwhile lesson for their labor.
It
was introduced, so said the paper, by a cabinet minister at a breakfast meeting that he attended. He gave credit for the idea to a foreigner. The topic was the way we are to aim for a 100
point life. We are given the code and how to decipher it. Each letter of the English alphabet is given a number value from 1 to 26. The first letter A =1, B=2 and Z=26. As shown below.
| A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
One of those at table
asked what is the value of hard work for a life well lived? The
minister converted the letters into numbers and it reached 98.
(8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11). No, it doesn't make the perfect 100.
How about knowledge? Knowledge gives you 96 points.
Money as a goal? That is only 72 points.
Leadership? Gives you 89 points.
What then gives you 100 points? Attitude, gives you the perfect 100.
For a life well lived we need to change our attitude.
The
global world in which we live enables us to see and hear what is going
on in other parts of the world and hopefully makes us wiser-- but--
depending on our ability to discern.
South Korea has mandatory military service and is one of the few
countries without alternative service for those who are conscientious
objectors. A seminary professor visits the issue in his article in the
Peace Weekly on the Social Gospel. He admits to understanding the
Korean situation for security but has problems with the way it is
implemented. Why do the seminarians have to bear arms? He agrees that
all need to be responsible for the security of the country but this can
be done with alternative service for the country.
There
are many other countries with compulsory military service who allow for
alternative service. Those that have problems with serving in the
military, are not confined to prison or treated as criminals
According
to a report from the United Nations those who in 2013 where in prison
because they refused to serve in the military for religious or
other reasons were 723, and 669 were Koreans. This shows, he says, a
serious issue with which the country should be concerned.
He goes on to ask: What does Catholicism teach about this issue? "Conscientious objectors who, out of principle, refuse
military service in those cases where it is obligatory because their conscience
rejects any kind of recourse to the use of force or because they are opposed to
the participation in a particular conflict, must be open to accepting
alternative forms of service. It seems just that
laws should make humane provision for the case of conscientious objectors who
refuse to carry arms, provided they accept some other form of community
service”(Compendium of the Social Gospel (#505).
The
priest would like to see this issue discussed among citizens. Before the
change of government there was a movement among the politicians to work
for a change. The Catholic Church has made it clear where she stands on
the issue of conscientious objection but because of North Korea it is
not a issue that people want to discuss and this is also true within the
church. Since you have those who are serving the country at great
sacrifice, they do not look upon those who do not serve with
sympathy.
There are some Catholics who are in prison because of refusal to serve in the military but the overwhelming majority are Jehovah's Witnesses.
It is clear that the country is not going along with the rest of the
world on this issue, and they feel justified because of their particular
situation. Hopefully, with a change in the thinking of the citizens we
will see a change in the way we look upon the issue. These men who
return to civilian life after their prison terms will have a difficult
time because they are considered criminals, a label that will follow
them for life.
Death is a part of life and we often want to close our eyes to the
eventuality. You have those who welcome death, those who fight against
it, and those who are resigned. A film maker Lee Chang-jae, a university
professor of film, has made the documentary Hospice 2014, taken at a hospice managed by religious sisters. He wanted to film the life
of those who would face death, within a short period of time.
Although not a Catholic he selected the Mohyon Hospice because of the atmosphere.
The
Catholic Times has an interview with the film maker which gives us a
good idea of what he learned from his experience. The first hurdle was
to get permission to make the movie. The filming took 10 months; to
ask permission to take pictures in such an environment required a great
deal of maneuvering and sensitivity. He was able, after much talk, to convince the patients that it
would be guidance for those who would come after them, a great gift, and
they gave their permission.
Filming of the hour of
death was difficult; it is a time for mourning and he was with his
camera. With the editing he says he was present at the death bed of at
least 500 persons. Without his drinking, he said, it would not have been possible. He saw the film in the cutting room; doesn't have the
courage to see it in a movie house.
He decided to make
the film while on a 34 day pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de
Compostela in Spain. At that time in his life he was having some
personal problems that he needed to resolve. He did not give the
trip a lot of thought and packed his bag and was off. During the trip
he was systematically getting rid of his belongings. To lighten his
bag he was even throwing out his soaps and tooth paste. When he
returned home he found that there were items that he hadn't even used
once. In the journey of life he wonders how much do we possess that is
not necessary, and makes the journey more difficult.
If we
had the opportunity to experience death it would change our priorities,
our intentions would change, and we would rid ourselves of many of our attachments. He
learned a great deal from the leave taking of many. Rather choosing to be with the medical equipment is it not better to accept the values of life, and spend the
time with the family in preparation for separation?
He ended the interview with the questions asked by the doctors to the patients: Do you want me to put
you to sleep so that you will not feel any pain? Do you rather prefer
to feel a little pain and only half of you will be asleep? Or feel
pain but be wide awake so that you will be conscious of what is around you? What will you select? The response, he says, will tell us gently
our attitude towards life.
There are many things with which we are unaware, once we hear and see the
situation we are moved with tenderness, and the closer we approach we
realize the seriousness of the issue. The handicapped problem is one of
these, with many of the handicapped we are not dealing with a grave problem,
however, the developmentally handicapped is of another
kind. The Peace Weekly, with these words, begins the editorial on
developmental disabilities in Korean society.
Parents
want to live to take care of their child; putting it
another way they hope that the child dies the day before they do. It is
not difficult to understand the heart breaking grief of these parents. To
be responsible for these children for a few days is difficult, to be with
them every moment of the day for life is even hard to imagine.
According to statistics we have 200,000 with developmental
disabilities; the numbers of those caring for them are many.
Interest
of the government in the problems of the developmentally disabled seems
to be improving. It will still take some time before we see it
operational within society. Church outreach to the developmentally
disabled is not extensive. Of the 230 parishes in Seoul there are only 11 with programs for the disabled. This is the reality at present for the church which should be sensitive to this problem.
Whenever
these questions about the alienated and suffering in society appear
the government and the church should have concern and support. The
conventional response is often one as spectator. If we understood the
stress and difficulties of these families we would not
respond in this way. We often have a prejudice shown to them and a lack of understanding.
"
Do you know how much happiness the existence of my child gives to
those around. 'It is difficult, very difficult' they say, and in their
heart they give thanks. The disability of our child shows others the
importance of family and the meaning of life. I tell my child: you have a
big job to help in the work of God's salvation." These words of a mother of a child with disabilities gives us something to think about.
One parish in Seoul starting in March, will have a Mass on each Sunday afternoon for the developmentally disabled and their families.
There have been Masses for the mentally impaired on occasions but this is
the first time there will be a regular Sunday Mass for the
developmentally disabled. After the
Mass will be time for play. A program for healing will be prepared for the
mothers. All in the diocese will be welcomed.
Today begins the week of prayer for Christian Unity that will end on
Jan. 25, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Christians remember
the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John 17:21: "that all be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; I pray that they may be [one] in us, that the world may believe that you sent me."
Nothing
can compare to the harm done to the mission to evangelize given to the
Church by Jesus than the divisions and disunity of those who believe in
Jesus. Here is one of the more serious reasons for Christians not to
attack each other, work to understand and respect each
other and work for unity.
Both Catholic papers gave
space to the Unity Octave and one article gave us questions and
answers by the priest director of the Bishops' Committee for Church Unity and Religious Dialogue. Listed below are a few of the questions and answers.
Why do we
need to work for unity? Isn't it necessary for a family to work for
harmony? One third of the Korean population is Christian. We are all in
the family of Jesus and need to treat each other as family and friends.
In living the Gospel we need to have the fellowship and brotherly love
among ourselves.
What are the works of the movement for
unity in Korea? Not only have we worked together in works for our
neighbors but in national calamities and in
movements for human rights. We have worked
together in the independence movement. We worked together in the democratization of the country in the 1970s; we have worked for the
eradication of capital punishment and many other movements to better
society. The translation of the Common Bible is probably the high point
of working together.
By dialoguing and with study what changes can we hope to achieve? We will understand each other better.
Catholics can refrain from saying that Protestants have left their home and are now without a mother, and Protestants can refrain from
calling the Catholic Church Mary's Church. Catholics often say we are
closer to the Buddhism than the Protestants. These and similar phrases
do not help in getting to know and understand each other. We can
hope for the day when Catholics and Protestants can discuss the Bible
and even their religious life together.
What are the
biggest problems in achieving unity? Christian history of Korea is
short and many have accepted their religious belief as something
private and not connected with others. Consequently the
difficulty in changing one's prejudiced opinion of another. Faith
life has to do mostly with our prayers and spiritual works but it is not expressed in our daily lives. This will take time says the priest, and a reason working with other Christians will be difficult.
However, this is also the reason we have to work together for unity.
Changing family life will change the world, so believes the priest in his article in the Kyeongyang magazine. He is speaking about a program for engaged couples. They begin on Friday evening and conclude on Sunday afternoon. One of the participants expressed it this way: "We have talked with each other a great deal, I thought, but never have we been so focused, or talked at such depth as we did, a good preparation for the future."
The priest has been involved with the program for the last 5 years. The program is supervised by Marriage Encounter couples and one priest. The numbers who want to make the program are many so one has to register at least two or three months in advance. You have priests who make the program a condition for their witnessing the marriage, you have those who give the engaged couple the registration for the program as a gift. In most of the programs about one third of the couples are not both Catholic, and you have one couple in each program without any religious affiliation.
Older married couples talk of their experience of married life, the difficulties they experienced and the way they solved them. These are the topics the engaged couples will discuss in their time together. Preparation for the one day of marriage with their presents, meals, invitations and the like, is not as important, they realize, as the groundwork for a long married life, and the problems they will face.
Couples preparing for marriage are celebrating their new life together but also are concerned about the future. They see many who shortly after marriage divorce because of incompatibility. Instead of sacrificing and understanding the other, each considers their own needs. Working to overcome the difficulties of married life together is more difficult for some, than to call it quits.
During the program with the interviews, and confessions the priest meets couples who are at peace, mature, and those who are uncomfortable, and young. You have women who cry, couples who decide to leave during the program; couples who fight severely during the program and those who postpone their marriage or decide to cancel their marriage.
A dynamic sign that the program is serving a good purpose and having good results. Surprisingly, to get priests and couples to partake as leaders in the weekend is not always easy, but those who take the program and after marriage want to be of help during the weekends are more than they need. He hopes to see the number of programs increased and the weekends spread to all of the dioceses in the country. We blogged this Weekend back in Dec. 14th of 2010, and was glad to see the growth in the numbers of those interested has increased.
