These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegōn, Priest, and Paul Chōng Ha-Sang, and Companions, Martyrs, September 20

Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light. (Lk 8:16-18)

We celebrate today the first martyrs of Korea. Andrew Kim Taegōn was the first native born Korean priest. He was martyred at age 25. Paul Chōng Ha-sang was a catechist. He wrote the first catechism in Korean and was 45 when he gave his life for Christ. There were 103 Korean martyrs canonized together. It is estimated that in the 1800’s between 8,000 to 10,000 were killed for their faith. May their light continue to shine on Korea and the whole world!