The Catholic Time's View from the Ark column by a religious sister gives us a view of the foreign community of young people in Korea.  Looking over the status of multicultural students for the past 10 years, the number is increasing every year from 46,954 in 2012 to 160,056 in 2022. The proportion of multicultural students among all students is also continuously increasing from 0.7% in 2012 to 3.0% in 2022. Looking at the proportion of multicultural students over the past five years, the proportion of those born domestically (internationally married) is still the highest but is gradually ..read more

   A professor in the sociology department of a Catholic University shares her thoughts on the kind of life she envisions in our world. Although he has now left the political arena, the primary slogan of a former politician still resonates with people. It was 'life with dinner.' "An economy that takes on a human form in a life with evenings." (This expression suggests a vision for an economy that values work-life balance and human dignity). This slogan captured people's hearts with an image that seemed to counteract the rapid growth of our society and the fatigue it caused. Imagin ..read more

The recent Catholic Times featured an article on Fr. Ham Je-do a Maryknoll Priest who was born in August 1933 in Philadelphia, USA, the son of an Irish immigrant family.  At that time the United States was going through a very difficult economic period. His parents also had a hard time finding work. After many twists and turns, his father worked at a tobacco shop and his mother worked at a department store. Father Ham,  grew up in a devout Christian family. It was when he met the late Bishop Jang Ik (John), (1933-2020) that Father Ham came to know the unfamiliar Korea across ..read more

A college professor reminisces over her resurrected life in the Catholic Peace column of the  Peace Weekly. She remembers the Paschal Vigil, the Feast of the Lord’s Resurrection, 10 years ago. On that day when 304 lives were lost in the cold sea. She parked her car in the dark parking lot in front of the church, sat there for a while, and then returned home. She couldn't handle the light that would brighten up the church announcing the resurrection. It seemed as though she was left sobbing, wounded, at Paengmok Port, which had become a graveside. It seemed like resurrection morning woul ..read more

The Catholic Times' View From the Ark column had an article by a university professor on Service to Others within the Church. Attending Sunday Mass while traveling can be burdensome, but seeking out local churches and participating in Mass with the locals has become a delightful experience. It's a precious time that allows for immersion in local culture while also providing peace and comfort amidst the potential for theft, wariness of strangers, and the fatigue and tension that can come with travel. Last October, she went on a free trip to Tokyo without any plans to visit a church. However, S ..read more

A member of the Taizé community, writing in his column for the Catholic Times, offers readers a glimpse into a past tragedy. Amy, a student who has just completed her third year at International Christian University in Tokyo, only learned in college that many people from various parts of Southeast Asia were captured by the Japanese army and lived as prisoners of war during World War II. This history is considered a significant issue abroad, including in the UK, but it is a past that many Japanese people are either unaware of or choose to ignore. Amy was overwhelmed with tremendous shame and g ..read more

"The way to fully trust in God is not to begin with the ideal of perfect faith, but rather to start by acknowledging our imperfect faith. This is the premise of a meditation on faith by a priest professor in the Catholic Peace Weekly. Surprisingly, the first gospel message we hear about the resurrection is the story of the disciples who did not believe and had doubts, even after seeing the resurrected Jesus. This is not to blame the disciples for their weak faith but to show that faith is something that penetrates our weak human nature and, therefore, often starts weakly. Just because it's Ea ..read more

The Columnist, a parish priest writing in the Catholic Times begins his reflection on the difference between Joy and pleasure gazing blankly at the screen with the topic: 'What Brings Me Joy' displayed.  He ponders on the meaning of Joy. He remembers his professor's example during his undergraduate days about the difference between 'joy' and 'pleasure'. "A hungry person would happily eat a bowl of black bean noodles. They might even enjoy two bowls. But if you keep giving them three, or four bowls, eating becomes not a joy but a terror. That's what happens to pleasure. Now think abo ..read more

”What’s the benefit of believing in God?” This question was asked of a broadcast writer and in her Catholic Peace column gives the readers her answer. She was confused by the question and was contemplating what to answer and her friend added: “They say religion is something you have to have as you get older.” The proper thing to do was invite her friend who had an interest in God to church, but she didn't do that. She felt a sense of disappointment that her faith life was seen as one asking for blessings, which she thought was hidden. She overdid it and answered: “I’m not here to get help.” M ..read more

The early church fathers who theologically established the teachings of Jesus had extensive knowledge of Greek philosophy, especially Platonic philosophy. Based on this philosophy, the early church fathers were able to firmly establish the foundation of the church. A Catholic University professor gives the readers of The Catholic Peace Weekly some understanding of the church's philosophical tradition. Today's elaborately systematized theology: Christology sacramentology and ecclesiology, were only possible with these theoretical works. This is why philosophical understanding is essential for ..read more