September 25, 2005

Last Tuesday the Church celebrated the Feast of Andrew Kim Taegon and Paul Chong Hasang and their 101 Companions who were martyred for Christ in Korea in the persecutions of 1839-1846 and 1866-1867. Father Andrew went to Macao, China to study and was ordained to the priesthood only after many difficulties. He was beheaded in 1846 at the age of 26, having been a priest one year. Christianity took root in Korea in 1777 and the Catholic Church there is a rare instance of the Faith being established and nurtured solely by laypeople. Paul Chong was a lay catechist who made nine trips to China to find a priest. His own father was a martyr and his mother and sister are now canonized saints along with him. At the time of his death Paul Chong was a seminarian not yet ordained.

The first Vicars-Apostolic to Seoul were appointed in 1831 from the Société des Missions-Étrangères in Paris. The first died en route in Mongolia. The first French missionary bishop and priests gave their lives to protect the laity. Sixty-seven laypeople, including Paul Chong and his family, were executed between 1839 and 1841.

About 10,000 Koreans died for the Faith. Of these, 103 were beatified in 1925 by Pope Pius XI and canonized in 1986 by Pope John Paul II, making it possible for Korea to boast the largest number of martyr saints. What is important for us is: (1) their hunger for priests to bring them the Eucharist was sustained by the gift of Faith nurtured in sound instruction, and (2) the clergy and laity witnessed together in a joyful unity which edifies us today. We should remember that Holy Communion is bought at a great price and is not a means to unity, but is the proclamation of unity already achieved through profession of the Catholic Faith. Thus Communion is a sign of acceptance of the Faith of the Apostles.

The parish’s catechetical program for children began with Holy Mass on the Feast of the Korean Martyrs. The enrollment is the largest ever, and the young catechumens now have fifteen teachers under the supervision of Mary Durkan. This is a remarkable achievement for a midtown neighborhood where for a long time there were not many children. We look forward to the start of the catechetical program for adults (RCIA). I know that the Korean catechists are interceding for them in heaven.

Today the Catholics in Korea, who continue to suffer in many ways, are among the most vibrant and fast growing in the world. Koreans are among the most faithful and generous in our parish family. As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, I hope that very soon we shall complete the holy images in our sanctuary to represent the ethnic diversity of our parish and among them will be St. Andrew Kim Taegon.

Fr. George W. Rutler