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Saint Andrew Kim Kaegön
Korean nobility; his parents were converts, his father a martyr. Andrew
was baptized at age 15, then traveled 1,300 miles to the nearest seminary
in Macao. Korea's first native priest, and the first priest to die for the
faith in Korea. Leader of the Martyrs of Korea.
Died: tortured and beheaded in 1846 at Seoul, Korea
Beatified: 1925
Canonized: 6 May 1984 by Pope John Paul II
Patronage: Korean clergy
Readings
The Korean Church is unique because it was founded entirely by laypeople.
This fledgling Church, so young and yet so strong in faith, withstood wave
after wave of fierce persecution. Thus, in less than a century, it could
boast of 10,000 martyrs. The death of these many martyrs became the leaven
of the Church and led to today's splendid flowering of the Church in
Korea. Even today their undying spirit sustains the Christians of the
Church of Silence in the north of this tragically divided land.
Pope John Paul II at the canonization of Andrew in 1984
Source:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta54.htm
Saint Paul Chong
Hasang
Son of Yak Jong Church who was martyred in 1801 in the persecution of
Shin-Yu, an attack on the faith that killed all the clergy in the country.
Son of Saint Yu Cecilia; brother of Saint Jung Hye. Paul, though a layman,
reunited the scattered Christians, and encouraged them to keep their faith
and live their faith. Wrote the Sang-Je-Sang-Su which explained to the
Korean government why the Church was no threat to them. He crossed into
China nine times, working as a servant to the Korean diplomatic corps.
Once he was there, he worked to get the bishop of Beijing to send more
priests to Korea. He pleaded directly to Rome for help, and on 9 September
1831, Pope Gregory X proclaimed the validity of the Korean Catholic
diocese. When the clergy began to return, Paul entered the seminary.
However, he died in the Gi Hye persecution of 1839 before he could be
ordained. One of the great founders of the Catholic Church in Korea.
Born: 1795
Died: martyred on 22 September 1839
Beatified: 6 June 1925
Canonized: 6 May 1984 by Pope John Paul II
Source:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp2y.htm |
