Homily for the Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and their Companions

Today's memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and their Companions commemorates 103 courageous Korean Christian martyrs canonized in 1984 by Pope John Paul II. Among them were Andrew, a 25-year-old priest, Paul, a 44-year-old seminarian, young adult sisters Columba and Agnes Kim, and Peter Ryau, a 13-year-old boy. In all, about 10,000 Korean Catholics were martyred before Korea allowed religious freedom. Today, in Korea, there are about 6 million Catholics, and that number is growing.

In 1592, during Japan's invasion, a few Koreans were baptized. Soon, Korea stopped relations with other nations. Toward the end of the 18th century, some Confucian scholars read books on Christ brought from China and converted to Christianity.

A few years later, a Chinese priest secretly traveled to Korea and discovered that there were 4,000 Catholics there, and they had never seen a priest. Between 1839 and 1867, there were violent persecutions, with the martyrdom of at least 3 bishops and 7 priests.

Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn was the first native Korean priest. His parents had converted to Christianity, and his father, a farmer, was martyred as well. Andrew was baptized when he was 15. He studied at the seminary in Macao, China. Six years later, back in Korea, he began secretly bringing missionaries into the country. Very soon afterward, he was arrested, tortured, and beheaded.

In a letter to his fellow Christians, Andrew stated, "We have received baptism, entrance into the Church, and the honor of being called Christians. Yet what good will this do us if we are Christians in name only and not in fact?"

By their example and intercession, may the martyrs guide us through the challenges we encounter in the living out of our faith.