Death of the Unconnected Who Die Alone

We live in a developed and prosperous society. Technological advances have made our lives comfortable but not all benefit. The Catholic Peace Weekly featured an article this week giving the readers some thoughts on those left behind. Many members of dysfunctional families in society for a myriad of reasons have no present connection with the family of birth.

Society has changed from the extended family to the nuclear, from an understanding of community to concern for the individual. Numbers living alone continue to grow and 'dying alone' is no longer a rare occurrence. The problem was examined in depth by the Catholic Peace Weekly— fear of some being in a  situation of not  'dying well'.

"I am single and legally have a family, but there is no interaction, so I am virtually unrelated. If I die, it is expected that the body will be left unattended for a long time enough to decompose and produce a foul odor. I don't want to be a public nuisance after I die, and hope that my body will be taken care of quickly after death."

The above words were recently posted on an internet bulletin board—a struggle not wanting to face a tragic death. He contacted the city hall, ward office, administrative welfare center, and social welfare organizations, but the only response was— impossible. No one contacted him, even at the internet cafe where he posted. This is why voices are calling for concern and support for unconnected people not seen by our present welfare system.

Kim's (pseudonym) family was poor. His older brother left home when he was 20, and he lost contact with his older sister after marriage. Kim, who was the youngest of three children, lived with their parents. However, his parents, who were not on good terms, eventually divorced. His father went to a temple and his mother abandoned them. So Kim's family was disbanded. "I have lost my relationship with my family, but I do not want and do not expect to be reconnected."
 
Kim was preparing for his death because of the changes in his body that came two years ago. He lost weight rapidly and his eyesight deteriorated. He began to prepare not to be miserable. "Death is something that comes to everyone. However, if left unattended for a long time after death, it turns into a miserable scene. It will be difficult for those who find my body. I don't want that. That’s why I want something to be done when I am in good shape. I can't expect my family to hold my funeral," Kim said. But he couldn't find the answer he was looking for anywhere.

Local governments used the budget as an excuse. The social welfare organization considered Kim in the suicide risk group and linked him to the Suicide Prevention Center. Kim said: "There aren't many people like me, but there are some, and they should be taken care of. I think the government or local governments should actively seek out those who are not connected with family."
 
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of those dying alone without connection with family was 1025 in 2012, 1271 in 2013, 1379 in 2014, 1676 in 2015, 1820 in 2016, 2008 in 2017, 2447 in 2018, 2656 in 2019, and 3,136 in 2020 and steadily increased to 3488 in 2021. From 2012 to 2021, the total number of those dying alone was 20,906, more than tripled in 10 years. In 2021, 2,643 were males, 739 females, and 106 unknowns, 3.5 times higher among males than females. For men, the increase came after 40, and for women, the increase was remarkable in those over the age of 60.

The director of the Well Dying Research Institute, explained: "The four conditions for a good death are to die in a familiar place, family and friends by their side, without pain, and maintaining human dignity until the end. It is important to hold a funeral after death, but it is necessary to pay attention to their lives before death." He added: "There are relatively few resources available to help them when they run into difficulty, so we have to think about how we can help them before they are in trouble."

Right Thinking and Manners

 

"You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working, and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves." -Saint Francis de Sales

 

Christianity is the religion of love and we learn to love by loving. However, it is not as simple as we would wish for clear thinking on the issue is far from common. Good manners and respect between peoples and nations are not something we take for granted or as having anything to do with love: willing  the good of the other.

 

Some of the basics we learned as infants: 'Please', 'Thank you, 'Excuse me, 'Sorry'. In Korea years ago we heard the phrase: '지도편달' (指導鞭撻) at the end of an encounter with another who was older or considered more experienced in society— asking for encouragement, (Whipped)— with the change in society this rightly was not an appropriate response of a free fellow human being. However, development most would agree is not rudeness or lack of manners.

 

We are familiar with the Definition of a Gentleman by St. Cardinal John Henry Newman. The first words: "It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say he is one who never inflicts pain. This description is both refined and, as far as it goes, accurate. He is mainly occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder the free and unembarrassed action of those about him, and he concurs with their movements rather than takes the initiative himself." 

 

At the end of the description of a gentleman he makes clear this has little to do with the religious beliefs of the individual, they should be the natural attainments and qualities of a correctly thinking human being.

 

In a Catholic Seminary curriculum, Philosophy and Logic are important subjects to learn before entering the study of Theology which are the attempts to give the students a grounding in how to think correctly. 

 

A lack of manners can be seen as a lack of clear thinking or understanding of some basic principles of logic. This is seen often in our media and sadly not infrequently in our Catholic Media.

 

Some of the more common logical fallacies (failure to think correctly) are listed below.

 

Ad Hominem: (To the Person) one of the most common and easiest to detect is not addressing the issue but attacking the character of the other.

 

Non Sequitur: (Does not follow) lack of any connection between the given premises and the conclusion that follows. 

 

Strawman fallacy: distorting or exaggerating the issue that is being discussed in some way not intended by one of the parties.

 

Argumentum ad populum: (Argument from the people) The majority say so therefore it must be so.

 

False Dilemma: Either or Thinking. Presenting only two options when there are many different choices that can be made. Black and White kind of thinking.

The different kinds of fallacies that are present in our discussions are considerable. However, 'right thinking' is presumed  along with respect, humility and a desire to find the truth between people and nations.

The Saints We Need Today

In the Eyes of the Believer column of the Catholic Times, a parish priest gives the readers his thoughts on one of the latest saints, Saint Titus Branzma.

On May 15, this year, Pope Francis held his first canonization ceremony in St. Peter's Square in Rome after the spread of COVID-19. They included Charles de Foucault, the "hermit of the Sahara Desert" and Devasahayam Pillai the first lay martyr of India.

 

Among those who entered the ranks of saints, in particular, Saint Titus Branzma, a martyr and journalist of the 20th century, stood out. The canonization of a journalist is a great lesson in an era in which fake news is rampant and the truth is threatened while post-truth is being used as a mechanism politically and in economics.

 

Born in 1881, Saint Branzma was a Dutch Carmelite friar, a theologian, and a reporter for the Catholic newspaper, and had a special affection for the church press working as an adviser. 

 

After the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, he wrote boldly against Nazi propaganda and defended Catholic education and Catholic freedom of the press against Nazi pressure. He was arrested for refusing to stop publishing any further articles of resistance against the Nazis, and in January 1942 transferred to a concentration camp, where he was subjected to biological testing.

 

The following month he was executed by lethal injection at the age of 61. The saint who tried to convey the message of truth, justice, love, and peace, through his own death showed the true identity, mission, and responsibility of a journalist, and became an example for all journalists. 

 

Pope Francis said in his Apostolic Exhortation Rejoice and Be Glad "holiness is not achieved by heroic gestures, but by the numerous small acts of everyday life." This was a reminder of the Pope that we are all called to holiness when we faithfully fulfill our duties in life.

 

Saint Branzma deeply recognized his identity as a journalist and priest, and faithfully lived his beliefs and convictions. As a result, through his devotion and sacrifice, he provided an opportunity for the church to communicate with the world and became the protagonist of an evangelical event that made the public aware of how the truth can change the world. 

 

Saint Branzma is the patron saint of the press in the post-truth era. In today's world, where lies by politicians and fake news on social media create social conflicts and divisions and promote hate and discrimination, adult commitment to the truth should be a model for all journalists. Fake news is a public enemy and evil of society. Anyone can become a victim of fake news and creates distrust, confrontation, fear, and anxiety in society, it is also a criminal act. 

 

There is a constant war without gunfire over the truth between power and the press, the press, and citizens, and the progressive and conservative media. It can be seen that there is a great deal of distrust in the media. Distrust in the media leads to social distrust, and the shadow in society will inevitably grow. The truth needs to be restored. Even in this age, the 2nd and 3rd Brandsma must appear. 

 

A Russian journalist who won last year's Nobel Peace Prize auctioned the medal to help Ukrainian refugees. He is Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of the independent press, who exposed the corruption of the Vladimir Putin regime and was threatened by the Russian authorities but continued to report the facts with courage and determination. 

 

He is scheduled to deliver a televised speech at the SIGNIS World Congress to be held from August 15 to 18 in Seoul. His story and those of his colleagues are eagerly awaited, as they do their best to report the truth. His independent press will help in restoring the credibility of the press. I want to nominate him as the second saint of Branzma.

Problem with Isolating the Disabled

In the Now Here Web Site a reporter has published an interview with Fr. Noel Cheon (Patrick Noel O'Neil) a 90 year old Columban Foreign Missionary who was ordained in 1956 and came to Korea the following year. He worked as a parish priest for 24 years before he began working with the developmentally disabled for the last 40 years.

In 1978, a 19-year-old person with developmental disabilities living in a Rehabilitation Center died of pulmonary tuberculosis.  Fr. Noel was at that time volunteering once a week with parishioners at the Center. He got a call from a Rehabilitation worker that Maria Kim, a 19-year-old intellectually disabled patient was in critical condition from acute pneumonia. He visited Maria Kim at the hospital. She passed away after she took Fr. Noel's hand and said "thank you".

 

Together with the parishioners of the parish they buried Maria Kim in a Catholic cemetery and erected a tombstone with the words asking for forgiveness. They asked for the body of Marie for dissection but the priest refused. She was not respected for her 19 years of life and felt that would not be the proper end to her short life.

 

The  Rehabilitation Center  included  alcoholics, orphans, the  developmentally disabled, the elderly living alone, tuberculosis patients all living together. Father Noel witnessed this reality, persons living together without concern for their different disabilities and circumstances who found it difficult to say what they wanted. And thinking of the society that was indifferent to the tragic death of the young woman, he decided to respond to the silent cry of the disabled. Father Noel  started a group home for the first time in Korean society and has continued for 40 years.

 

He realized that he didn't know anything about work with the disable  and went  looking for opportunities to learn during a sabbatical year after 24 years in parish  pastoral work. He studied facilities in New Zealand, Germany, the US, Ireland, the UK, and Australia, and listened to many seminars on the subject. The year 1980 was designated as the "year of the disabled" by the United Nations. 

 

He visited the 'L'Arche Community', a self-reliance community for the disabled founded by Jean Vainer, and lived with them for a month. He visited a large facility in New Zealand where about 1,500 people lived and was told by the staff, don't do it like us.

 

He was  deeply influenced by Denmark and Germany's welfare ideology, the 'principle of normalization' (The disable need the same experience of growth and development as the non-disabled and freedom of choice that fits their life cycle). After the Holocaust in Germany during World War II, it was a period of guilt in Western society which he experience in his travels. "I didn’t know anything about the welfare of the disabled, and even when I came back with a 17th-century mindset, I was learning 21st-century concepts."

On his return he immediately started living in a two-story house with a friend and a volunteer from the rehabilitation center. For those who left the rehabilitation center, it was the first 'de-institutionalization', and for Father Noel, it was the first time doing pastoral care for the developmentally disabled. "At that time, everyone thought I was crazy."

"There was a common perception in the local community that de-institutionalization and independence of the disabled did not fit into Korean culture— it was impossible to live with non-disabled people in the local community. He believed that de- institutionalization and self-reliance were not for him  alone, but for the people of society to work together. But among those who criticized his choice during the day, came to him to ask if a member of their family with a developmental disability could come and live with him.

 

After the interview, he visited the group homes  together.with the reporter. There are currently 14 group homes in Emmaus. "Cardinal Kim said that society is changing the church rather than the church changing society. That's the problem", he said. He also spoke about the pastoral care of the disabled in the current church.

 

Father Noel  said he understands the position of parents and families with developmental disabilities who are concerned about de-institutionalization. However, when other countries first pushed for de-institutionalization, he explained that the approval rate was about 17 percent at first, but 76 percent supported it 10 years later. 

 

He continued: "The biggest problem with the church is indifference. If the church itself is to be renewed, it must stand on the side of the marginalized."

 

 

Limits of Obedience to Authority

 In the Catholic Times, 'We see as much as we know" the priest columnist considers the issue: when can we resist public power? A serious issue in the past and present.
 
There was a time when the enemies of Jesus, preparing to trap him, asked if they should pay taxes to Rome. It's like asking a Korean if one should have paid taxes to Japan during the Japanese colonial period. No matter how you answer it, you are an enemy to one side. Jesus said, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s" (Matthew 22:21). After all, he is saying that we should pay taxes to the countries that have taken our country away. Not good news for independence activists.
 
In Philemon, the Apostle Paul sends Onesimus a runaway slave who stole from his master back to him. This is Paul's theology.
 
Obedience to Authority: Let everyone obey the authorities that are over him, for there is no authority except God and all authority that exist is established by God" (Rom. 13:1).
 
The Apostle Peter also speaks of slavery: "You household slaves,obey your masters with all deference, not only the good and the reasonable ones but even those who are harsh (1 Peter 2:18).
 
The Catholic Church thus explicitly presents a "duty of obedience" (1900) even to secular authorities. However, Adolf Eichmann, who was the murderer of the Jews at Hitler's command, also obeyed authority. Then he must be innocent. We face a difficult dilemma here. It is necessary to set a standard for how far one must obey.
 
The Catechism thus teaches that public authority is only effective "within the limits of the moral order" (1923) and "when striving for the common good of society" (1921). That means you don't have to obey the captain of a pirate ship. It is God who gave the authority, but God who gave the law of love. Human beings have been empowered by God, but when that authority gives orders that undermine 'Respect for Man' (1907), 'Social Well-being' (1908), and 'Peace for Humanity' (1909), one may listen to those opposed.
 
Let's say a person belonged to a group that obeyed bin, Laden. He was a terrorist who promoted a religion of terrorism. Therefore, obeying that person contradicts the law of conscience, which is to love our neighbor. To not grant freedom of religion is to not respect human dignity. This is true of other situations in our world which will continue to cause pain for many.
 
However, when you still do not know how to behave concerning the authority of public officials, Catholics need to respect the decisions of the Church. We are believers in Jesus his body the church, not politicians.
 
"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me" (Matthew 10:40). The late Cardinal Kim Su-hwan told a high-ranking police official who said he would send the police into the Myeongdong Cathedral to arrest the students. This was just before the June 29 declaration for democratization: "If you want to arrest students, step on me, then on the priests and nuns and go in."

Conveying what is not Experienced

In the Here and Now Site was an interview with the director of the Research Institute of the New Generation on the Catholic Sunday School Program of the Church. Some of the random thoughts  were that teenagers who are bright are not deeply religious. The longer the religious life, the more unhappy and want to leave the church. The parish community must come together for a personal encounter with God.

This is a brief summary of some of  the thoughts in the interview. Youth ministry is said to be in crisis. Teenagers say, "After graduating from Sunday school, they won’t go to church anymore," and they do what they say when they graduate from secondary school Sunday school. The director makes clear  that children not coming to church once they are  adults is not something new. Rather, the church was taking this for granted because of its long history.

 

The "Guidebook for Korean Catholic Youth Pastoral Care" published last year by the Bishops’ Conference redefines the concept of youth pastoral care while analyzing the causes of youth pastoral crisis and suggests the direction of pastoral care required by the times. The church officially diagnosed the youth pastoral situation as a crisis from its research. 

 

Was there a reason to create a guidebook? There has been no substantial change in youth pastoral care, but at least in the Korean Catholic Church, the release of this guidebook is a change. If you look at the 'Guideline', it was determined that the long-standing debate without practice is the biggest cause of youth ministry not being dynamic.

 

There are problems with pastoral systems and programs.  The debate over the causes of youth pastoral crisis has been going on for a long time, but why hasn't it changed?  There are a lot of problems with youth pastoral care in the church, and the contents are outlined in the guidebook. But how much you agree with it is another matter. There is a big difference in consciousness between the priests who have been engaged in youth pastoral care and the priests who have been in charge of youth pastoral care.

The reality of youth pastoral care through his study the director learned important facts. Children go to church because their mothers and grandmothers tells them to go, and even children who work hard at Sunday school say that after Sunday school, they will no longer come to church.

 

The crisis of youth pastoral care as seen by Pope Francis emphasizes joy in faith, but why isn't this the reality? One does not find the meaning for living a life of faith in the here and now. Researchers have conceptualized this as a 'personal encounter with God'. One is not  happy because one does not have a personal encounter with God. After reading the Pope's book, he was convinced of the credibility of the book's conclusions. In the Apostolic Exhortation of  Pope Francis Christ Lives to young people the story of accompaniment with God is given, and it can be seen that this concept of 'personal encounter with God' is in line with what the universal Church is talking about. 

 

If we understand that Jesus is with us all the time, but we do not recognize it, and that the failure to meet God personally is the reason why we are not happy even after a long life of faith, the answer is simple. He is convinced that knowing that Jesus is with them and nurturing this  personal encounter with God will change the way children accept their faith. Consequently we have hope for youth ministry.

 

There are many people who are not positive about this.  They've already been with teenagers and it didn't work out. However, examine closely, you are not accompanying them, but are accompanied by them. 

 

"The handbook finds a key principle in youth pastoral care, especially in 'the image of Jesus who was with the two disciples on their way to Emmaus and became the gospel to them'. It is the presence as a companion for evangelization. The Church hopes that priests, religious and laity, following the example of Jesus, will actively participate in the art of companionship with youth. 

 

The handbook provided a great direction for a "personal encounter with God" and is useful for learning how to view youth and how to approach pastoral care. However, the specific action to be taken remains the task.

 

It can be difficult if we go into the problem of method specifically. When the director asked the priests if they had experienced God as a teenager, no one answered yes. It's  difficult to convey what one should know but never experienced. But is it really that difficult? Those who have a personal encounter with God among those who live a religious life can tell us. All you need to do is to meet someone who is devout and makes you want to be like them. There are probably a few people like that in the parish. The problem will be solved when the youth meet with those who have experienced personal

encounters with God—those alive with a strong faith life. Our parish offers a community experience of praying together and a program that connects various people in the parish to meet children.

 

The key is to make me feel that Jesus is with me in my life. That's why Synodalitas is so important. The handbook describes it as an 'educational pastoral community', but the pastoral care of youth should not be left only to catechists, religious and priests. The entire parish must be involved.

 

Lastly, the director mentioned what he would like to emphasize about youth ministry. We talk a lot about paying attention to the youth, but the church is not youth-friendly and welcoming. He  wants to do a proper research on youth. In fact, the church doesn't do research in other fields well, but if they don't understand the youth of today, what will happen in the future? In Europe, there are some priests who are worried that the church will be sold because there are no believers. Please, before it's too late, he hopes the church will pay attention to research that is in the guidebook to understand young people, and to prepare for the future.

 

 

 

Superstition in Korean Society

  

 

Shamanism and Superstition are two words with many subdivisions. Before the entrance of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Christianity into Korea, Shamanism was present. Korean shamanism seeks to explain both natural and supernatural influences on human life and a way of contacting the spirit world.

Fortune tellers have a similar goal but different approaches. Shamans are often called 'mudangs' and fortune tellers often consider their workplaces the philosopher's room. Their identity is not limited to any special name or location; they are doing very well in Korean society. For the most part, they work to make people happy for that means they will have a bright future.

This way of life doesn't require any license or certification. Open to all who are interested and with the employment opportunities in society being what they are we see an increase of Shamans and fortune tellers.
 

In the Catholic Times, Honorary Journalist Column the writer recounts going to a restaurant with a friend she hadn't seen for some time. On the TV that was turned on in the dining room a celebrity who visited a shaman was talking about fortune-telling and emphasizing that he was a 'Catholic believer'.

At a table behind the writer, she heard the mocking remarks about Catholics who have no trouble visiting 'mudangs' to learn about their future. The writer was not happy to hear what the celebrity was saying but she felt she was sitting on a cushion of thorns.

Shamans and superstition-related content are increasing through broadcasting and YouTube. No matter how much the content is used for fun she is worried that believers will get soaked into shamanism like what happens when out in a drizzle. In particular, in the last election, news reports on shamanistic doings in society, Shincheonji Church (a newly Christian Church Movement) were often in the news.

These days, it feels that various strange teachings, shamanism, and superstitions that were hiding in the dark are coming out to the sun and walking around with boldness. It was for her a time to go a little more deeply into the different areas of this life style.

Western divination methods are mixed up with our own physiognomy, fortune-telling, zodiac signs, tarot cards, lucky days, the four pillars, (year, month, day, and hour of birth) things to do when moving or celebrating, spraying salt to chase ghosts that followed after going to a house, marriage beliefs, and many folk beliefs and superstitions that permeate our lives.

These folk beliefs and superstitions are not what a Christian should be concerned with and she concludes her article by telling the readers that she was proud that she didn't believe in these superstitious ways of so many but after thought, surprised that she unknowingly was involved with some of these beliefs and superstitions. She prays that we will be awake to the shamanism and superstitions that penetrate society.