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A REFLECTION
Lent 2007

Two days ago, Chris (our son) informed us by phone that a debate arose during a catechists’ meeting at the Korean Catholic church he attends.  One group, mostly born and educated in the United States, said that the Transubstantiation occurs during the consecration when the priest says, “This is My Body. . .  This is the cup of My Blood . . . .”, while the other group, mostly immigrants from Korea including a Sister, insisted that the change occurs when the priest places his hands over the bread and wine and prays that the Holy Spirit change them into Our Lord’s Flesh and Blood (before the actual consecration). 

We were dismayed, because the latter position is totally foreign to what we have always believed as a rock-solid teaching of the Church and is clearly a distortion of the following doctrine: 

The essential signs of the Eucharistic sacrament are wheat bread and grape wine, on which the blessing of the Holy Spirit is invoked and the priest pronounces the words of consecration spoken by Jesus during the Last Supper:  “This is my body which will be given up for you. . . . This is the cup of my blood. . . .”  By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about.  Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity.  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1412 and 1413)

Then, we began wondering about the reasons why these Koreans believe as they do.  It does not seem that it was an innocent mistake or a consequence of ignorance about the dogma.  We later found out that this new doctrine on the Eucharist is being taught at the seminaries in Korea.   

When one reads the articles and books written by the leading modernist theologians (priests) in Korea and also examine the prevailing situation in the Church in Korea, quite a clear picture emerges as follows which highlights the modernist assertions and, as a result of them, the eroding discipline in the Catholic life in Korea and elsewhere:

1. Jesus Christ is not divine.  He was born and grew up as a mortal being like us and only later (when He was baptized) realized a special calling from God.  The most we can say about Jesus is that He is an adopted Son of God and is inferior to the Father or the Holy Spirit.

2. The Church was established solely by the Holy Spirit (at Pentecost), and not by Jesus.  (The implications of this are that we do not need to take seriously Jesus’ word that He built His Church on Peter; that the Church hierarchy cannot claim divine foundation; the seven Sacraments do not have a divine foundation, either; and that anyone “inspired by the Holy Spirit” can start a new church, which is basically the Protestant position.)

3. The Transfiguration and Resurrection of Jesus are not historical facts but fictions fabricated by His disciples.  This also goes against the official Church teaching that Jesus is truly a divine Person, equal to the Father and the Spirit, but, at the same time, has the full human nature by His Incarnation through the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

4. As the true Incarnation of God the Son and the full divinity of the Savior are not recognized, the miracles (which are signs of God the Son’s Incarnation in this world) are also rejected.  Miracles are superstitions, especially in this age of advanced science and dazzling technological progress.  Even if they were real, miracles are not important in our faith life (as if the humans finally succeeded in becoming powerful like God and do not need God any longer).

5. Because of the inseparable connection of the Blessed Mother with the Incarnation of God the Son, her role in the Church and for our Christian life is deliberately minimized in order to further downgrade the importance of God the Son’s Incarnation.  The doctrine of Mary’s intimate cooperation with her Son’s work of human salvation is also rejected.  Oddly, she is sometimes praised as a model for the feminists, who pursued her agenda, without seeking consent or help from Joseph (in severe distortion of her real character and vocation).   

6. The Pope is recognized only as the Bishop of Rome, equal in authority to other bishops.  The Pope’s Supremacy in the Church and Infallibility regarding the doctrines are denied.  Some of the pilgrims to Naju actually heard the Korean priests saying this loudly, when the pilgrims reminded them that the Vatican was not opposed to Naju. 

7. The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus only in a symbolic way.  In 2003, Archbishop Andrew Choi of the Kwangju Archdiocese (which includes the Naju Parish), who still maintains his negative position on Naju, said during his interview with Julia and her husband in March 2003: “It is not possible for the Eucharist to turn into flesh and blood.”  The modernists reject the Eucharistic miracles as superstitions, as these miracles are clear signs of God’s the Son’s Incarnation (taking human flesh and blood) and of the divinity as well as the human nature of Jesus Christ.

8. The role of Jesus Christ for human salvation is trivialized, as the actual work of human salvation, that is, the evolutionary process of transforming the whole human race into “the cosmic Christ”, is being accomplished by the Holy Spirit (following the theory of Fr. Teilhard de Chardin).

9. The concepts like “sin” and “expiation” are no longer meaningful, as “salvation” is defined no longer as delivery from sin but from the imperfections of human life like ignorance, poverty, illness, economic inequality, environmental pollution, wars, and so on.  The Passion of Jesus was not necessary for human salvation, and, likewise, our work of penance is not recommended.  God is merciful and will not punish us regardless of our moral standing.  In other words, our sins are no longer obstacles in our salvation.  But, then, what about all the teachings in the Gospels and Epistles that repeatedly urge our repentance and sanctification?  Implications of this are that the Sacrament of Confession is not necessary and all the messages and signs in Naju concerning Our Lord’s suffering and bleeding as well as Julia’s sufferings are useless and extreme.

10. In Korea, all the kneelers in Catholic churches were removed soon after the Second Vatican Council.  Also, priests do not kneel after the Eucharistic consecration (they only bow).  Communion in the hand is virtually a rule.  These are signs of the deteriorating Eucharistic faith and devotion. 

11. Many of the beautiful statues of Our Lord, Our Lady, and Saints have been removed or replaced with new ones with modernistic appearances.  Some even resemble Buddha.   

12. A leading modernist theologian in Korea with a doctoral degree from Europe, was a member of the Naju Investigating Committee in the Kwangju Archdiocese.  He was the key person in the Committee for persuading the Kwangju Archdiocese to make a negative declaration on Naju on January 1, 1998.  He and two other priests in Korea received a formal warning from the Holy See in 1998 about their heretical publications, but all three priests are still actively promoting their heretical views.  In defiance of the warning from the Vatican, this priest wrote in a Catholic magazine in Korea that the Korean Bishops had failed to shield him from the attacks from the Vatican.  He still speaks at the annual retreats for all the Sisters who are also catechists in Korea.  The textbook they use was written by him.  One can imagine his pervasive influence on the numerous innocent people in Korea by infusing his views into the minds of their teachers. 

 

Now, by saying that the Transubstantiation is done not with the words of consecration given by Jesus but by the power of the priest’s prayer to the Holy Spirit alone, the modernist leaders in Korea are inventing a new doctrine on the Eucharist.  They are effectively removing the role of the consecration from the Holy Eucharist.  Then, how can they teach the doctrine of the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Sacrament?  This debate about when the Transubstantiation occurs is not a trivial matter but is a clear indication of the serious confusion and spiritual illness in the Catholic Church in Korea.  The situation there is far more serious than one may think.  No wonder that the Blessed Mother is revealing her extreme sorrows by shedding tears and tears of blood in Korea.  Korea also has the highest abortion rate in the world. 

On the other hand, the messages and signs in Naju, are powerful reminders that God’s work of human redemption has been accomplished by Our Lord’s Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection, and this work continues bearing fruit through the Church by the constant workings of the Holy Spirit; that this work is also being constantly and vitally assisted by the Blessed Mother, who is the Mother of the Savior and the Mother of the Church; and that we are also called to participate in that work wholeheartedly despite our unworthiness.  The Naju messages and signs reconfirm that our sins are the greatest obstacles for our sanctification and salvation and also for achieving peace and order on earth and that our repentance and reparation for our sins, with the help of God’s graces, are not only good but absolutely necessary for our salvation.  The messages and signs in Naju are effective antidotes against the terrible heresies that belittle Our Savior and His work and endanger our eternal salvation.  

Let us pray that the light of truth and love from God will shine brightly upon the Church and the world, without being impeded or distorted by the dark smoke of heresies, through the constant intercession and care of the Blessed Mother and that she may guide us, her poor children, to know what we need to do to help her and her Divine Son save more souls.  

Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world.”  (1 John 4:1-3) 

 

Benedict Sang M. Lee
March 7, 2007


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