Abstract
Sung-Hae Kim conducted a survey among Korean Sisters of Charity to discover their understanding of the charism of charity and whether they thought there was a cultural gap between it and East Asian culture. A large percentage of the younger ones felt there was a gap, and in general the understanding of the charism was abstract. Kim discusses the virtues of simplicity, humility and charity found in Vincent de Paul’s conferences. She also describes how these virtues were perceived and lived out by Elizabeth Seton. The article concludes with an exploration of the Taoist counterparts to the Vincentian virtues. These are compassion, frugality, and not daring to take the lead in the world. The Taoist and Vincentian virtues complement each other, and as such, can strengthen the charism of charity.
Recommended Citation
Kim, Sung-Hae S.C.
(1997)
"The Charism of Charity in East Asian Culture: Reinterpretation of the Spirit of Simplicity, Humility, and Charity,"
Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 18:
Iss.
2, Article 3.
Available at:
https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol18/iss2/3