A university art professor in the Catholic Peace Weekly writes in the current affairs column on an assignment he gave the students to write about what they considered the best example of art education both at home and abroad. Reading the reports he was amazed since all the students had graduated from high schools in the humanities.
The professor went through all the papers and the overall impression was the students in high school felt a thirst for art that was never satisfied. Art and music were elective subjects. College entrance subjects such as Korean, English, mathematics pushed out the art subjects. They asked their teachers to make the art subjects more available but that was not possible because of college entrance preparations.
Hearing the voices of the students he was quick to make a club for those interested in music where they were involved in making a musical. In six months 20 of the students working together presented their musical which gave the professor a great thrill. He was overcome with emotion, after all, that is why they came to the art school.
There are many regular courses related to art. In the case of elementary school we have: 'joyful life', 'physical education', 'music' and 'art'; in middle schools: 'physical education', 'music' and 'art'; in high school: 'sports for health', 'sports and culture', 'sports and science', 'music and life', 'music and career', 'art creation', and 'art culture'. Also, courses such as 'drama', 'movie', and 'literature' are included in many curriculums. However, these subjects have been lost due to entrance examinations; students are suffering from cognitive, emotional, and physical development due to lack of the arts.
The results of education in the arts are just too many to count. It develops harmoniously the body, intellect, and spirit. It greatly relieves stress, gives one confidence and self-esteem; develops independent thinking and problem-solving skills; develops communication and creative expression skills; leading to a larger world. Also, according to medical experts, art education is very helpful for improving cognition, emotional development, and empathy in adolescents. Abandoning education in the arts is like giving up on the future of students.
The professor reminds the readers of the movie 'Dead Poet Society'. The first scene is the entrance ceremony at a prestigious high school academy, in America. The calligraphy on the banner that was hoisted high at the ceremony was engraved with four lessons: 'tradition', 'honor', 'discipline' and 'be the best'. All teachers, along with the principal, teach according to these lessons for good order. However, Mr. Keating from this school teaches in a different way. He teaches that love and friendship are more important than Latin grammar. Students realize the meaning of "Carpe Diem" (enjoy the present life).
One of the students had a role in A Midsummer Night's Dream.The audience applauded repeatedly. He was great in the role. However, the father was against his son taking time out of his studies to be in a play. He decided to transfer him to a military school. That night, the boy takes the father's hand gun from the desk drawer while his parents are sleeping and commits suicide. When the father sees his dead son, he wept uncontrollably over the body. The cry is still ringing in the ears of the professor.
Schools should not take away students' dreams like the academy in the movie. Art education in schools should be essential, not optional. Schools should never become a 'dead poet society'.
The environmental problems both in Korea and all over the world are constantly being reported in the media. Pope Francis, in Laudato si, his second encyclical: "On care for our common home" asks what is happening in our shared home? He mentions various environmental issues such as climate change, energy, waste, water and consumption.
A member of the bishops' environmental committee outlines some of the concerns faced by the church and society.Whenever she thinks about environmental issues she remembers the words of Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan: "Do you know where the longest journey in the world is? It is from the head to the heart. The second is from the heart to the feet." First of all: What we know to be true with the head has to be realized and felt with the heart and descend to the feet and practice.
Here in Korea almost everyone knows we are dealing with global warming, and climate change. But why don't we act? Why is it so difficult to move from the head to the feet?
Recently, China has been suffering from a waste disaster and began restricting garbage imports. Korea among the world nations started the separation of trash early on and is trying to reduce the generating of garbage by enforcing a waste disposal system. If the garbage is recycled, it will not be a problem, why did it begin to export garbage?
The first problem is that we make too much garbage. The annual amount of garbage generated in Korea is about 16,000 tons per day for municipal waste— 1.01kg per person per day— approximately 369 kg per year. Among the OECD countries, the output and consumption of plastic is the highest.
The second problem is the misconceptions and expectations about recycling. Korea's recycling rate was 86.1% in 2013, 93.6% in 2014 and 88.5% in 2015 according to National Statistics. These statistics are calculated as the amount of recycled material brought into the recycling facility and not the amount recycled. This is an error in calculating the separation rate as a recycling rate. Even with waste plastics alone, the actual recycling rate is only 14%. Trash has to be reduced.
The biggest cause of the problem is excessive garbage, so this has to enter the heart. The beautiful earth is not going to be destroyed right away, so my practice for the environment may feel that it is not so urgent. However, the plastics that we throw away become micro-plastics and penetrate almost everywhere, including fish, shellfish, bottled water etc.
In addition to the whale's belly, plastics, including vinyl, were in the seafood caught in our country. For our family's health now, environmental issues also require great effort. Of course, there are many things that need to be solved such as distribution and related laws as well as excessive packaging at the production stage, but if consumer's perception changes, the manufactures and distributer's will change.
Let's think about what I can do first. We Catholics remember the words: mea culpa "my fault my most grevious fault movement" that was wide spread among the believers for some time. This needs to be remembered and brought back into our lives.
Koreans remember the oil spill on the Taean Sea and was thought it would be difficult to solve within 10 years. The people wiped the oil up within a year with the use of hands and towels.
Carrying along with us a shopping bag, taking a tumbler and not using disposables. Let's practice eco-life (minimal life). Is it not the time for us to go on that long journey from the head to the heart and to the feet so that our descendants can live well in the earth God has given us?
The early monks and Church Fathers hearing the teaching of the Bible considered avarice not different from pride as their biggest obstacle in life.
A rector of a Catholic University writes in the Kyeongyang magazine on the place of avarice in the lives of many. Not really relevant, we might believe, to the monks and the Church Fathers but it was a sin that one needed to be on the watch, for it prevented one from approaching the virtues. Evagrius Ponticus, also called Evagrius the Solitary, considered avarice the vice that prevented one from joy, and pushed them into darkness and a life of sadness and anxiety.
St. Basil the father of monasticism in his sermons often mentioned: "I will tear down my barns" (Luke 12:18) as his talking point in sermons on avarice. He considered the avaricious person not satisfied with enough. They feel a great lack with enough. Pope Gregory I, mentioned the 7 daughters of avarice: betrayal, fraud, lying, falsification, apprehension, violence, apathy towards the poor. They all serve avarice.
St. Augustine sees avarice as the root of all evil. This was not limited to the material but in all areas of life where temperance was not in control.This applies to all our cravings which breaks the order of love. He introduces the two words 'frui': to enjoy— to love something for its own sake contrasted to 'uti' to love something for its use. God should be the object of our joy. The objects of possession (uti) are temporary, relative, limited. When exposed to these we have the break down of love followed by unhappiness which distances us from the virtuous life.
Avarice always wants a little bit more. The Latin word for pitiable, misery is 'miser', in English the derivitive is miser a skinflint—they were considered unhappy and miserable.
In Dante's Divine Comedy he put in Purgatory those that squandered their possessions and those who kept their possession and didn't share with others. They seem to be opposites but they are the same in their attachment to the material. Both in the Scriptures and in world history kings and servants, believers and nonbelievers, those with material goods and those without them, all can fall into this manner of life.
Avarice is the path to anxiety and feelings of inferiority. In society many are afraid of being fired, not carrying out their work well, losing their health, fear of old age, family members and friends leaving, these thoughts when they become chronic make them feel miserable. This, in turn, makes for creating a God that will get them through the difficulties felt.
The second problem is the feeling of inferiority that is nurtured. In a capitalist society, a person is judged by the money he has and when one falls short one is absorbed with its possession, not easily dispersed. This is why in the ten commandments we have the 9th and 10th to control this appetite. The craving for honors and material goods can give one the impression that happiness is there. But often behind the mask, we have frustration, depression, and loneliness This can be both a punishment and the means to leave this way of life.
When one sees life through the lens of profit, the workings of the community or the bigger society will always be seen passively or with apathy and life becomes more like an island.
A priest writing for priests in a pastoral bulletin mentions an incident that happened a long time ago. A religious sister in a parish took exception to the behavior of the pastor and opposed him. The priest angry, pushed her into a small room and locked the door. The nun reported the incident to her superior who notified the bishop.
The bishop immediately suspended the pastor and removed him from the parish. He shortly after died of cancer. He was authoritarian in his behavior, unable to change his mind once he had decided on something.
Priests, for the writer, seem less able to accept criticism and objections. Probably because of their position as a teacher, they fear to damage their authority. Since they are celibate and don't live in a family they are more likely to become narrow-minded and when shocked, find it difficult to accept and deal with the situation. It is said that you can tell what kind of person you are dealing with by how much opposition or criticism one can take. It is a good measure of personality. Accepting criticism is a gauge of love—an attitude towards seeking truth and justice. Jesus died with all kinds of opposition and criticism—an object of opposition.
Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan received a lot of praise and respect when the country was in trouble. However, as he grew older he began to get criticized. A newspaper reporter asked a priest who was active in social matters what he thought of the cardinal. The priest, critical of the Cardinal, said it was now difficult to expect anything from him.
Later, the same reporter interviewing the cardinal asked the Cardinal what he thought of the priest's comments. The Cardinal said: "I am grateful to those who have made me look back on my life." In this case, the Cardinal spoke wisely. It showed his big heart and proper attitude towards criticism which was well received by the people.
Han Yong-woon (1879-1944) was a monk who reformed Buddhism and was a courageous independence fighter. On many occasions sharing Korean beer with his disciples, he would tell his disciples: "You have to find and criticize my shortcomings. You have to go deeper and higher beyond me. Without that, just following me you will not grow."
This is truly amazing that this attitude was expressed so clearly and unambiguously at a time when disciples would be afraid to step on the shadows of their teachers. Professor Park Na-hae, a professor of Korean Studies at Oslo University, is a person who has studied Korea's society. In his research on Han Yong-woon, the professor placed him among the greatest of Korea's teachers.
Our society and the times are changing rapidly. Human relations are among equals, self-righteousness and authoritarianism are not accepted. Changes have taken place among the church's clergy, but criticism and unfettered dialogue are still poorly established compared to the general public.
Anamnesis is a Greek word that means memory but with a difference. For the most part, it is recalling something in the past but for the Christian, we try to remember what happened in the past to make it present again so as to live more fully.
In the Old Testament, this is what the Jewish believers did with the events in their history. As part of their celebration of the Seder meal at Passover a child asks: "Why is this night different from all other nights?" The answer is the story of the freedom from the slavery of Egypt.
A parish priest in a column of the Catholic Times gives us his thoughts on the medium of remembrance. He recounts the delivering of briquettes to the members of a poor area of the city, 160 volunteers were involved in delivering 3000 briquettes and other items. It was difficult but all was forgotten at meal time with the local residents.
It all began remembering the poor in society—their existence and to empathize with their situation. In today's society, the marginated, those at the edges of society are often forgotten. Help for these must begin remembering they exist.
Memory is a quality that makes us human. Consequently, we recall past memories, record history and reflect and examine the past. We know the pain that occurs when memory is lost or evades our attempts to remember both on a personal and social level.
In a visit to Germany, the writer recalls the many monuments that remember the death of the Jewish people during the Holocaust; the remains of the Berlin wall, Checkpoint Charlie, which brings to mind the division of the country during the cold war; the Cathedral with its memories, bringing all to mind in the here and now with a desire for peace and love and no more war and division.
Memory plays a very important role in religion. Saint Augustine, who wrote "Confessions", emphasized memories as cognitive abilities that recall the past and call back to memory what was forgotten. Memory becomes the starting point for perception, it convinces us to recognize and love God. In this sense, the power of memory is a precondition for the life of faith.
The Catholic Mass we offer every Sunday, every day, is remembering the Last Supper of Jesus 2,000 years ago, bringing it back to our minds, remembering the sacrifice of the cross and remembering Him now, reconsidering His will and pledging to live accordingly. The present remembrance of the memory of Jesus Christ should be embodied in the practice of faith. However, among many believers attending Mass, remembrance is limited to the time of Mass but once they leave the church, all is forgotten.
We can not deny that the so-called "dementia of believers" is increasing in the church. Dementia is scary because it forgets, past memories are lost. Dementia patients are unhappy. We need a cure for the "forgetful believers" who have "deleted" from memory all God's graces, and find it easy to complain and grumble. When a computer no longer functions and does not work, it needs to be 'rebuilt' or 'formatted', a new rebirth.
We need to recognize the "forgetful believers", help them to heal, and direct them toward God and neighbor. Henri Nouwen in his book "The Living Reminder" shows ways this can be done. Not only priests but all believers should be able to renew memories of God and neighbors—a living memory medium—a warm and humble Advent practicing love and compassion.
In the Catholic Peace Weekly Column, the writer recalls Chaucer's The Canterbury Tale and the pilgrims on their long trip relieving their weariness retelling interesting stories from life. An old man, a steward, when his turn arrives begins talking but what he says is too much like a sermon and was told so by one of the members. He mentioned the ‘Four live coals the elders have: Boasting, anger, greed and telling lies. They last until death.
This scene shows the disconnect between the elderly and younger generations of another society and age but true today also in Korea. More so today since society has evolved into a horizontal democracy.The elderly are not recognized for their age, wrinkles, and experience. Society doesn't need the old. When ethical disputes arise in a small community, the elderly do not act as arbiters, this is done by vote or opinion polls.
The elderly didn't anticipate change nor prepare for it—yesterday, poverty, today material prosperity but an ambiguous future. Korea has become an aging society in 2017, (14% over 65). If you go to a local park, you can feel the depressing reality of an unprepared aged society.
Fortunate if you do not hear the word old fogey, (has been) when the elderly try to convey the wisdom of life that has been learned from trial and error. When news that an elderly man acted strangely in a public place such as a subway, not infrequently, you hear hateful language about the person.
Young people have something to say. Pre-modern patriarchal society is no longer the way society is seen. The abundance created by the older generation is criticized for its inequality in favoring those who have. The young often say it is difficult to find an adult who they respect. Not difficult to see why the steward's words have some truth but the young don't want to understand. Instead, they want the elderly to ask why they have lost their authority and find it difficult to adapt to the new age.
The generation gap is not only harmful in the home but also in society. The elderly with pain and patience have accumulated wisdom which is a precious social asset. Elders are responsible for transferring the assets of the past, and the young have an obligation to inherit it. The younger generation condemns "old fashioned" too easily. But it should not be forgotten that the old way was a structure that held up home and nation until the present.
In October, youths at the Bishops' Synod, listened to the white-haired bishops. Bishops also listened to the courageous remarks of young people. A layman in Samoa in the South Pacific likened this view to an old sage and a young man in a canoe. "The old sage knows how to read the constellations and sail the sea, and the young man has the strength needed to go forward."
A healthy society is where seniors dream and their sons and daughters live as prophets (Acts of the Apostles 2:17).
'Do I have to get married?' 'Is not divorce a matter of choice? The perception of Korean society on marriage and family is changing rapidly. According to a 2018 report of the National Bureau of Statistics: 48.1 percent of respondents thought that one should marry. One in three (30.3%) agreed with the idea that "men and women can live together, have children without marriage", for the first time, over half , 56.4% agreed that one need not marry. As for divorce, the percentage of people who think they may or may not has increased to 46.3%, and the percentage of people who think that they should not is down to 33.2%.
The Church teaches that marriage, childbirth, and nurturing are both important obligations and fundamental rights in the order of God's creation. But in a rapidly changing reality, Catholic bioethics and church teaching are losing power. Catholic believers are more influenced by the social atmosphere than by church teachings. In a survey of 1,000 Catholics, six out of ten believers (59.8%) were in favor of 'conditional divorce', and the understanding of the ethical aspects of specific practical issues such as contraception, abortion, and euthanasia, show no big differences from the general population.
The church can not be ignorant of social change. Pastors must walk together with the believers. The National Statistical Office conducted a survey of 9,000 citizens over 13 years old in May on the theme of family, education, health, safety and the environment.
Statistics show that families are changing. The number of members living away from home has increased steadily since 2014, to 20.1%. The reason for living apart from the spouse was mainly due to work (67.3%), and unmarried children often live away because of work (57.3%) and study (35.6%). The number of parents living with their children is decreasing to 27.1%, and the proportion of parents living alone is increasing to 69.5%.
With respect to parental support, the idea that "families should be responsible" is diminishing, and the idea that each are responsible is increasing. 48.3% of parents thought that 'family, government and society should all be concerned with the retired, family responsiblity (26.7%). In fact, the proportion of parents solving their own problems is increasing to 55.5%, and the percentage of children providing for the parents has decreased to 44.4%.
How should church pastors respond to the emergence of new and varied forms rather than the traditional home. "It is true that there is a request that the church should be able to provide services in line with a changing world, but what is more important is to rethink the universal and traditional values that the church can give," said a priest working wtih families. The desire to be loved and to love remains. We need to experience God and help people feel a sense of belonging to a community. In addition to this, we can look at changes in the areas where the church is deeply interested, such as youth issues, mental health, environment,
Among Korean youths their biggest concerns were occupation, study, and appearance. According to age groups, students aged 13 to 18: study (47.3 percent), appearance (13.1 percent). Those aged 19 to 24: working (45.1 percent) and studying (14.9 percent). 49.1% of the respondents said they shared their problems mostly with friends, followed by parents (28.0%) and (13.8%) solved their own problems. 76.7% of the students enrolled in secondary school thought of themselves as worthy, but the rate of satisfaction with themselves was relatively low (64.2%).
In the past year, 5.1% of the respondents had at least once thought of suicide. The reason was economic difficulties (37.3%), illness (15.2%), family disagreement (14.1%), loneliness, solitude (12.3% ). For teenagers, the biggest problem were grades and attendance at school (35.7%). 54.4% of the respondents said they were stressed in everyday life, and 71.8% of them found the stress at the workplace, 49.6% in school and 40.8% in family life.
Regarding environmental problems, anxiety about fine dust (82.5%) was the highest. To prevent environmental pollution, efforts are needed in disposing and separating household articles for recycling (91.7%) and to reduce food waste (83.6%). Approval for tax burdens for environmental protection was 50.1%.
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