One Layperson's Critique of Korean Catholicism

In a bulletin for priests, a member of the Justice and Peace of a diocese writes about finding lost lifestyles and activities.

According to a survey on the 'favorable impression and religious efficacy of major religions' released by Korea Research last November, unlike the decrease in other religions, the preference for Catholicism decreased considerably. Because the favorable impression for other religions also decreased, one can think that the overall popularity of religion has decreased in society and secularized rapidly with the development of science and technology

 

However, it seems difficult to say that religion is losing its power due to secularization  seeing as tens of thousands of people flock to emerging pseudo-religions in present day Korea. 

 

In the survey, more than 70% of the respondents said they gain positive effects in their lives through religion. In our secularized society, at least 7 out of 10 people affirm the role of religious teaching. On the other hand, Catholics since 2018, the population that believes in Catholicism has remained unchanged at 11% of the total population of Korea. The Catholic population has not changed much, but the affinity for Catholicism is decreasing and the number of those leaving the community has increased greatly.

 

The number of people who are showing a vocation to the religious life or priesthood has decreased significantly. Can we understand this phenomenon simply as a result of the secularization of our society, or as one of the naturally changing processes like the European churches? On the other hand, it is too irresponsible to regard it as a natural change like the European church. 

 

One religious priest said: "If people feel that way, it will be the result of our wrong lives." The writer thinks this is an accurate understanding of the situation. As a layperson, if you ask about the cause of this phenomenon, the answer that usually comes back is 'anti-church laity.' 

 

The church was indifferent to the daily life of the members of the church community. While focusing only on the quantitative growth of the church, the church community did not realize the 'mode of life and activity' (modus vivendi et operandi) of faith that the church community should clearly reveal as Christians.  

 

The priests and religious who fought against the Korean military dictatorship are a good example of this method, but even they were trapped in the methods of the 1980s. It was a good thing to be against the dictatorship but also important to enact a serious disaster punishment law to prevent the death of workers.

 

Enactment is also important. Has the church showed an interest on those on the fringe of society  such as the urban poor, sexual minorities, migrant workers, and the like? He wonders if the church has  researched this issue  and shown the 'way of life and operation' of faith  according to the teachings of Jesus in dealing with them.

 

It is not that there are no members of the church community accompanying them. However, they are still a minority in the church community, and unfortunately, their voices are weak. So, people are greatly disappointed by the indifferent attitude of the church, and the church has been placed in the current contradictory situation.

 

As the religious priest  said earlier: I think the time has come when we need to seriously reflect on 'how we have lived wrongly' and face the problems that exist. We should think together not only about justice, but also what kind of peace we want to  create together in our daily lives.

The Washington Declaration

The Vice Chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee of Seoul Archdiocese in the Catholic Peace Weekly gives the readers his understanding of the recent meeting in Washington.

On 26, President Yoon Seok-yeol visited the United States, held a summit meeting with President Joe Biden, and announced a joint agreement. The so-called “Washington Declaration” contained three main points. Looking at the composition of the agreement, the first thing that appears is that South Korea fully trusts the US extended deterrence and abides by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
 
Many argued that South Korea should also develop nuclear weapons as a solution to North Korea's nuclear threat, but the United States put the brakes on it. Nevertheless, in reality, measures to deter North Korea from using nuclear weapons were included in the second and third points of the Washington Summit. South Korea and the U.S. guarantee more in-depth nuclear-related policy decisions in Korea through the establishment of the Vice Ministerial Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), and regularly deploy US nuclear submarines loaded with nuclear weapons, to the Korean Peninsula.
 
The latest declaration is evaluated as containing measures for extended deterrence within the framework of the ROK-US alliance while banning South Korea from introducing its own nuclear weapons at a time when North Korea's nuclear technology is improving day by day. Due to recently heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, many people have insisted on possessing nuclear weapons, and as a result, such claims have subsided with this announcement, which is fortunate. However, it is worrisome whether the extended deterrence contained in the Washington Declaration will lead to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
 
In general, peace is often divided into two concepts. A state in which there is simply no war is said to be ‘negative peace’. The Washington Declaration is a plan that can ease nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but it cannot go beyond the level of passive peace. In contrast, ‘positive peace’ refers to a state in which the causes of conflict are resolved by resolving conflicts in a peaceful way and removing structural and cultural violence. The Washington Declaration is meaningful in that it banned South Korea from developing nuclear weapons and prevented a more dangerous encounter, but it is regrettable as a positive peace concept since it deals only with extended deterrence and no attempt was made in mediating fundamental problems between North and South Korea.
 
Against such an opinion, one might object, we should only wait for the situation in which the nuclear threat increases. It is argued how well the declaration was made as it discussed the use of nuclear weapons and decided to deploy more weapons with tremendous firepower called strategic assets. Of course, he does not mean tolerating and understanding the heightened nuclear tension.
 

North Korea's nuclear threat is unacceptable under any circumstances and must be stopped. However, the peace Christians seek is simply not completed with deterrence. Trying to deter the threat of the other country with greater force may be a partly realistic policy, but the church notes that extreme distrust lies at the base. Therefore, extended deterrence alone is not sufficient for the journey of peace. Rather than working for extended deterrence, they say that words and actions to build fundamental trust require greater thought and effort.
 

When a protruding spring is pressed with force, the length of the spring is reduced, but the force of the spring is condensed that much. On the surface, it seems to have softened, but there is a greater tension there. For true peace on the Korean Peninsula, he hopes we can now think about ways to restore mutual trust as much as the merits and efforts of extended deterrence. Deterrence is not a balance of power, but a balance of fear. Christians cannot be said to be at peace with this.
 

Romance Of Mission

 

In the  National Reconciliation and Unity column of the  Catholic Peace Weekly, the principal of a Korean Language  school in England titles her article: Begin and Someone Will Help.

In the summer of 2019, there was a research presentation by young female researchers at the Catholic Northeast Asia Peace Institute, and they asked the writer to come if possible. 'Do I really have to go there?' She hesitated but went. The place was the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society House in Seoul Korea.

 

One presenter talked about ‘remembering’. She said that memories that are not welcomed by the world are "like a self inflicted death." She remembered the back of an elderly Maryknoll priest she saw in the hallway that day, and mentioned it during the discussion. "Memories can be  suicidal, but most are death from natural causes." The lives and experiences of the elderly disappear with their death, so she hopes that the young will be interested in oral history.

 

A few days later, the head priest called. He asked her to take the oral history of Father Hamjedo (Fr. Jerry Hammond  of Maryknoll). The proposal came back like a boomerang. She soon had to return to England. 'Should I do it?' She had doubts, but decided to do it. Two talented young researchers soon joined. Thanks to their hard work, the project ended well.

 

She believed in the ability and dedication of the people she was working with, and it was already quite enjoyable to work with them. 「A Missionary's Journey: The Story of Father Hamjedo Who Loved North and South Korea」 was created that way. It contains the love and adventure, disappointment and frustration, and overcoming remorse of an American missionary who lived in Korea for 60 years.

 

The institute hoped to publish this book in English and  asked her to translate. She thought this to be  beyond her competence nevertheless, she  decided to do it. Her husband helped. He is British and  fluent in English. 

 

On May 10, the 100th anniversary of the Maryknoll Society's missionary work in the Korean Peninsula, a translated version of 「The Romance of the Mission」 was published. Sadly, the  Maryknoll Society in Korea has moved out of the old building. Father Ham was heartbroken by the loss, and believes this book was a small consolation. It is fortunate  that his memory of life in Korea has not disappeared from the world.

 

She has constantly asked: "Why should I?" She hesitated, because she wanted others to join in the effort and people joined. They turned the hardships of work into pleasure, and we made up for each other's deficiencies. So, if you think in your heart that something is the right thing to do, but you wonder whether it's you who should do it, just start. Then surely someone will help.

 

Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) Meeting In Korea

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The Catholic Peace Weekly reports on the meeting of theologians representing the Asian church and their discussion.

The Theological Committee (OTC) of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) held a meeting at the Seoul Archdiocese on the 5th to share theological prospects with professional theological committee members from Korea and other countries under the theme of 'Prospects for the Present and Future of the Church in Asia'.
 
The meeting was followed by keynote lectures by the Archbishop of Seoul (head of the Theological Committee) and the bishop from Indonesia (head of the Theological Committee) of Indonesia, followed by Q&A and free discussion by the members of the Theological Committee.
 
The Archbishop addressed various pastoral and theological issues facing the church and society. He mentioned pastoral care and efforts toward social integration as the number of migrant workers and multicultural families continues to increase in Asia. "The church must put more effort into pastoral and spiritual care for migrants” and said: “Amid the ecological crisis, the church in Asia must pay more attention to the cries of the poor in particular.
 
Above all, he spoke more strongly about the Asian church's response to the negative trends of modern society.  “Emerging Christian groups with fundamentalist inclinations are making efforts to infiltrate the Catholic Church, atheistic science and technology are having a negative impact, and many people are puzzled and confused due to relativistic values, secularism, and obsessive attachment to things in society. They are confused, lose their faith, and turn their backs on the church.” At the same time, he raised his voice that the church needs to be more concerned about how to lead to faith in Jesus Christ and salvation through Christ.

The Archbishop said: “The first step in Asian theology is dialogue and proclamation. It is necessary to look at and interpret the work from within.”  In addition, he said, “It is necessary to discern the working of the Holy Spirit within the complex reality of the Asian continent, and the reality and mission of the church within Asia.”
 
The Bishop from Indonesia continued his lecture by introducing commentary on the Synod method in Germany and mission theology according to the situation in Asia introduced at the FABC 50th anniversary assembly held in Bangkok, Thailand last year. “We must rely on the Holy Tradition and the Holy Scriptures,” said the bishop “because these constitute primarily the sacred heritage of the Word of God.” Because the Church's holy Magisterium has the right to interpret in the Holy Spirit the heritage of the Word of God, and to discover and discern God's Presence and the Holy Spirit. “No matter how noble the mission, the egocentric method of mission to baptize people and make them members of the Church is no longer effective. Agape love, unconditional and self-sacrificing love, is needed. The paradigm of missions must be reconstructed with agape-like love that will lead us to the kingdom of God.”
 
 Meanwhile, the Asian Bishops' Conference Theological Committee held the 2023 regular meeting at the Spiritual Center of Myeongdong Cathedral, the seat of the Seoul Archdiocese, from the 1st to the 6th. At this regular meeting held in Seoul, about 20 members, including bishops' committee members and expert theological committee members, participated, and theologians representing bishops' conferences in each country discussed various theological prospects and tasks.
 

"Werther-effect" in Society

 

A professor writes about the "Werther-effect" in the Catholic Times— Let us Become One column—  Werther Effect refers to the identified rise in suicide rates following well-publicized reports of deaths by suicide of celebrities or other well-known figures in the media.

It happened shortly after the death of well known comedian. The professor had a chance to talk to a celebrity by chance. After a long conversation, he asked him whether there were special reasons for suicide that only celebrities have, and whether there are special difficulties that are unique to ordinary people and  celebrities. He looked a bit puzzled at my question and said: "Celebrities are just like ordinary people. It's not that they are committing suicide because they are a  celebrity, they are dealing with difficulties like other people."  His question was not very well expressed and was embarrassed for the way it came out.

 

After that, he came to think that celebrities, like all of us, can only be healthy if they have support and daily life around them. To do that, he thought that, first of all, celebrities should be able to balance their activities with their normal lives, and even small meetings with family and friends in their daily lives, time to learn and relax, and prepare for the unexpected non-celebrity period along with celebrity activities. 

These are also the contents that entertainment agencies should provide more support for by signing reasonable contracts with their celebrities. The public also needs to understand entertainers as professional artists and show restrained interest rather than calling them public figures and demanding excessive responsibility.

Celebrities themselves need to have the idea that a 'celebrity's life' or 'celebrity role performance' is not everything in their lives. If one's life is completely consumed by being a 'celebrity', later, when a 'celebrity life' that seems like one's everything is not possible, if a realistic life or alternative life to support it is not prepared, severe identity confusion and crisis may occur. Celebrity is a highly variable job, so you should be prepared to switch and move freely at any time.

Regarding celebrity suicide, we talk a lot about the Werther effect.  Strictly speaking, there is no clear causal relationship between celebrity suicides and imitated suicides.

Media coverage (including Internet sites and social media) of celebrity suicide rather than celebrity suicide itself affects the public more and plays a role in activating their potential suicide ability.
The media repeatedly reports the death of a celebrity and the shocks around them, and they seem to promote the Werther effect or even try to confirm the Werther effect, saying, “Since Mr. OOO’s death, suicide has already continued.”

In fact, people at risk of suicide tend to sympathize more than the general public when they hear reports of celebrity suicide, but they are reluctant to be recognized as someone who commits suicide under influence or who commits suicide after someone else. Rather, the media reports can be a very serious problem in that they have a kind of suggestive effect that causes suicidal thoughts in people who have not usually had specific suicidal thoughts.

The media must not use the death of a celebrity in an unfortunate way for its own commercial gain. The original role of the media is to refrain from detailed and stimulating suicide reports and to provide information or professional help providers that help people at risk of suicide get out of their own thoughts and look at the situation from a different perspective.

Our Faith Life Also Needs Coaching

 

In the recent Catholic Peace Weekly a University priest professor gives the readers some help in deepening their spiritual life.

 The word 'gold' is something  'precious'. The expression ‘my golden child’, often used by parents, was also used as the title of a drama aired in the early 2000s, and enjoyed great popularity as it dealt with the importance of family and conflict between generations within the family. Recently, an entertainment program called 'My Golden Kids' is attracting interest. As a program in which child-rearing experts coach parents on child-rearing, it is attracting a lot of attention, especially from young parents. 

 

These days, the reason why these topics are getting attention is probably because conflicts between generations in the family and parenting are emerging as social issues. The crisis of marriage and family is appearing as a common problem not only in Korea but  around the world. The reason why the Catholic Church chose: "The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world." as the theme of the 14th Synod of Bishops also reflects this reality.

 

Modern society and culture change so fast that it is difficult to cope with the flow, but the modern cultural trend that harms or blocks the bond of family and marriage is also a major cause. Under these circumstances, it is only natural that preparation and education for healthy marriages and families emerge as particularly important issues. Adults say: "I grew up on my own when I was a child," but in fact, no one grew up on their own. Whether at home or through various groups or relationships, we are all raised by someone.

 

There are times when he officiates at a wedding Mass, and often says  during the sermon: "It's hard to live alone, but how much harder is it to live together? Priests prepare for 10 years to live alone, but isn’t the time the two of you prepared just not enough time to live together forever?" No matter how much you prepare, you will be learning to live together everyday of your lives, and it is  certain that the future marriage and family life will change a lot depending on how you prepare.

 

However, it seems that there are many people who do not realize that coaching is necessary even in our faith life. The Apostle Paul also approached believers with the heart of a mother nurturing children. "What I fed you with was milk, not solid food,for you were not ready for it; and indeed,you are still not ready for it since you are still unspiritual. (1 Corinthians 3:2)

 

'My faith is like gold.' This title is a parody of the previous drama and parenting program, but how precious the faith we have received is, and at the same time how weak and easy it is for the candle of faith to go out like a candle shaking in the wind. I want to tell you what kind of effort and how much effort to put in.

 

In order to become a Catholic, catechumens must complete a course in  the  doctrine which lasts from 6 months to 10 months. However, can such a short education be enough to fill the life of a believer who will have to live the rest of his life as a person of faith? How much more so since we are asking for eternal life here and now?  

 

As a result, I see many people who do not come to church after being baptized. Most of them say they do not know what to do after the doctrine of preliminary believers is over, and there is no one around them who can teach them how to live as believers in the future.

 

However, the situation of the believer who has the faith from birth is also not easy. Although he inherits his parents' faith and lives as a believer, he often confesses that his faith does not grow and remains in an infant state.

 

Religion is not automatically completed by being baptized, nor does one automatically become an adult by being confirmed. Since faith is engraved in each person's life, it is a process of ripening in a long journey. Now ask yourself what did I do with my faith to deepen it and make it more mature? 

 

 

Trancendentals And Their Meaning

 

In the Catholic Times a person asked about the concept of truth, goodness and beauty of a seminary professor and below is the answer that was given. I have  added unity to the list of three.

The concept of truth, goodness  beauty and unity is both a philosophical and a theological concept, and  comes from the attributes of God. God is the source of truth, goodness, beauty and unity. Truth, goodness, beauty and unity of this world are only finite concepts that reflect the essence of God. Because God is perfect, God's truth, goodness, beauty and unity are also perfect.

The truth, goodness beauty and unity in human beings can only be understood as analogous concepts resembling the true, goodness, beauty and unity of God. Therefore, human beings are said to be beings resembling God's image, which means analogically resembling God's attributes.

Therefore, the truth, goodness, beauty and unity experienced by human beings allow them to experience God analogically, and the deeper this experience, the higher the intensity of experiencing God.

After all, truth, goodness, beauty and unity are God's gifts to human beings so that they can know and worship God, and when they do it freely, they will become human beings who freely express their personality and take ethical actions. 

In that respect, it is important to frequently experience and realize truth, goodness, beauty and unity  Because it will eventually lead humanity to God. Truth is the state of being in accordance with fact or reality. It is the ultimate goal in the search of all knowledge. Goodness is the state  of being morally right or virtuous. It is the ultimate goal of all inquiry and action. Beauty is the state of being aesthetically pleasing or attractive the ultimate goal of all creative endeavors. Unity is the state of being integrated. It is the ultimate goal of all.

The transcendentals go back to ancient philosophy and understood as qualities that exist beyond the physical world and  essential to human understanding and existence.

In Christian philosophy, the concept of the transcendental was developed by the Scholastic theologians, such as Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. Aquinas taught that the  transcendentals are attributes of God and are therefore inherently good. He argued that these qualities can be found in all things because they reflect God's goodness, truth, beauty, and unity.

However, today when we go  to search on the internet for the transcendentals  often we get three: the true, the good and the beautiful unity is missing. Our culture is not too interested in unity as we can see in our religions, politics, culture, race, and daily life. Materialism, our personal worldview, the value we give to things takes precedence over the dignity of the human being  and the common good. What is useful is of more value than truth and the good.

The fundamental message of Sacred Scripture proclaims that the human person is a creature of God  and sees in his being the image of God the element that characterizes and distinguishes him: "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gen 1:27). God places the human creature at the center and summit of the created order. Man (in Hebrew, "adam") is formed from the earth ("adamah") and God blows into his nostrils the breath of life (cf. Gen 2:7). Therefore, "being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons. Further, he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead." (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church #108)

 

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