TODAY'S SAINTS (Andrew Kim Taegon)

ANDREW KIM TAEGON

(d. 1846)

One of the Korean Martyrs

Also know as: Andrew Kim

Andrew Kim was born to the nobility. Both his parents converted to Christianity, and his father died a martyr. Christianity did not come to Korea until the 1600's. Korea's rulers, maintained a policy of total isolationism, keeping out any Western influence and making entry into Korea practically imposible. In 1784, Pietro Yi was the first Korean to be baptized at Pechino. but he denied his faiiith in the perseccutions of 1791, started when a Korean Christian noble refused to burn incensee to honor the memory of hhis mother.

By 1801, sporadic and localized persecutions had been extended to the entire country. One Chinese priest who had managed to enter Korea offered himself as a sacrifice, hoping that his death might stop the sufferings of other Christians. Authorities beheaded him on May 31, 1801, but did not end the persecutions. Martyrdom inspired the faithful, and Korea's tiny Catholic community petitioned other countries to send priests. France answered the Koreans' prayers, secretly slipping several bishops and priests, all members of the foreign Mission Society of Paris, into the country.

In 1839, the return of the conservative faction to Korean goverrnment resulted in widespread persecution, lasting until 1846. Three French clerics---two priests and the bishop Msgr. Laurence Imbert--all died by beheading on September 21, 1839.

Andrew Kim had been baptized at 15. He then traveled 1,300 miles from Korea to the nearest seminary in China. He also studied Latin in Macao. Slipping back into Korea in 1845, he became the forst native-born Korean ordained a priest, working tirelessly to bring the Sacraments to the people until Korean tribesmen captured, tortured, then beheaded him at the edge of a river at sunset on September 16, 1846. Terrified followers retrieved his body late that night, taking it into the mountains for a proper and safe burial.

Only two letters remain from Andrew Kim: one to the vicar apostolic bishop who ordained him, and one to his followers, exhorting them to keep the faith. One of those faithful was paul chong Hasang, who was kill less than a week later on September 22.

Persecutions rose again in 1861. Two more French bishops and a number of missionaries were martyred, as well as many ordinary Koreans. Estimattes rum as high as 10,000 over the two periods. Official persecutions ended in 1886; uup unttil 1881, Chrristianity was referred to in government documents as "the perversse doctrine." Today Christianity flourishes in South Korea and struggles on as the Church of Silence in communist North Korea.

On May 6, 1984, Pope John Paul II held services in Seoul to canonize 103 saints, including Andrew Kim and Paul Chong Hasang, as representatives of the Korean martyrs. The saints' feast day was inserted into the Calendar of the Universal Church.

Beatified: July 1925, martyrs of the 1839-46 persecutions

by Pope Pius XI; October 1968, martyrs of the 1861-66

pesecutions by Pope Paul VI

Canonized: May 6, 1984, by Pope John Paul II

Feast: September 20

Patronage: Korean clergy

FURTHER READING

"Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and Companion

Martyrs in Korea." Dafily Catholic. Section Two, vol. 10, no. 1778,

September 20, 1999, www.dailycatholic.org

www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/byname.asp

www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php

www.catholic-pages.com/dir/saints.asp