Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon (21 August 1821 to 16 September 1846). He was the very first Korean-born Roman Catholic priest and the patron saint of Korea. He was canonized along with more than 120 others by Saint John Paul II on 6 May 1984.
After being baptized at age 15, Kim studied at a seminary in the Portuguese colony of Macau. He also spent time in study at Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines, where today he is also venerated. He was ordained a priest in Shanghai after nine years (1844) and then returned to Korea to preach and evangelize. During the Joseon Dynasty, Christianity was suppressed and many Christians were persecuted and executed. Catholics had to covertly practise their faith. Kim was one of several thousand Christians who were executed during this time. In 1846, at the age of 25, he was tortured and beheaded near Seoul on the Han River. His last words were:
This is my last hour of life, listen to me attentively: if I have held communication with foreigners, it has been for my religion and for my God. It is for Him that I die. My immortal life is on the point of beginning. Become Christians if you wish to be happy after death, because God has eternal chastisements in store for those who have refused to know Him.
Saint Andrew and his companions leave us with a legacy of the words of Jesus being put into action: If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Lk 9:23). Let us ask this holy martyr to pray for us today, that we too will have the courage to take up our own crosses and to follow wherever the Lord should lead us.
Have a great day.
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