St. Andrew Kim Taegon - Our Holy "Oppa" in the Philippines

-
St. Andrew Kim Taegon of Lolomboy, Bulacan
As what the title suggests, in our Philippine Church history, we were once visited by a Korean Saint, one of the most important to be exact. St. Andrew Kim Taegon is the First ordained Korean Priest in the history of the Catholic Church and it is considered a privilege that our country was once graced by an important Korean Saint and Martyr.  The life of St. Andrew Kim Taegon is a life of holiness with a twist, a life of courage and determination to bring the souls of his fellow Koreans to God, despite the risk of his life.

With the current fascination of Filipinos to anything related to Korean Culture, let us have a look one of the most illustrious Koreans in history that most Filipinos failed to realized, or never heard of before.

His Early Life

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon  was born in August 21, 1821 in Nol-Mae (Solmoe), Chu’ung-Chong Province (in South Central Korea. At the age of seven, the Kim family moved to Golbaemasil Mankok-ri, Youngin-gun County (Mirinae) Kyungki Province. Kim’s great-grandfather, Kim Jin-Hu was martyred in 1814. Kim’s grand-uncle, Kim Han-hyun was also martyred in 1816. Kim’s father, Kim Je-jun (Ignatius Kim), was subsequently martyred in 1839 for practicing Christianity. With so many male relatives martyred, Kim grew up very poor; his mother reduced to begging.

Korean Priests teaching the Korean faithful
The beginning of the Church in Korea 

During the 1592 invasion of Korea by Japan, Japanese soldiers introduced Christianity into Korea by baptizing Koreans. A Japanese commander, Konishi Yukinaga, took a Korean girl, Julia Ota-a to Japan and she became one of the first Korean Christians. Father Gregorious de Cespedes, a Jesuit priest, visited Konishi in Korea in 1593. Korean diplomat, Yi Gwang-jeong returned to Korea from Beijing bearing several theological books written by Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest living in China. Some two centuries later, members of the Silhak (practical learning) school were drawn to Christian thought because it advocated a social structure based upon merit rather than birth rank. Most early Christians had family ties to the Silhak school.

The persecution of Korean Catholics
During the late Joseon Dynasty and under its Confucian influence, Christianity was heavily suppressed and many Christians were persecuted and executed. Kim Taegon was born into this environment, and just one of several thousands of Catholic Christians who were tortured and executed because of their faith during this time. In 1866, Regent Heungseon Daewongun (father of King Gojong) signed a decree to execute all Catholics. Over 2,000 Catholics were beheaded at Jeoldusan, "Beheading Hill." Their bodies were thrown into the Han River. Some were as young as 13. Fewer than 40 were identified.

At this time, Korea was isolated from the world; the only outside contact being with Peking, where taxes were paid. Jesuits in China managed to smuggle Christian literature into Korea. In 1836, Korea saw its first consecrated missionaries arrived, only to find out that the people there were already practicing Korean Catholics and Koreans were already practicing Christianity.

St. Andre Kim Taegon in his
priestly vestment
A Call to Evangelize

After being baptized at age 15, Kim studied at a seminary in the Portuguese colony of Macau. He was ordained a priest in Shanghai after nine years in 1844 by the French bishop Jean-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste Ferréol.

A Fateful Visit in Lolomboy

According to research by writers, during the time when Christians were persecuted and persecuted in Korea. At the age of 16, he was a seminarian at that time when he went to Macau as a scholar of the Paris Foreign Mission Society. The civil war in China between 1837 - 1839 erupted that forced him to seek refuge and study in a Dominican convent located in Lolomboy, Bulacan. His knowledge in French made him an interpreter of Admiral Cecile of the French Army, an ally of Spain, went to Manila in 1842.  He lived in Lolomboy in 1837, 1839, and 1841.

St. Andrew Kim Taegon
His Mission and Martyrdom

He 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 practice 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."

Before Ferréol, the first bishop of Korea, he died from exhaustion on February 3, 1853, he wanted to be buried beside Kim, stating, “You will never know how sad I was to lose this young native priest. I have loved him as a father loved his son; it is a consolation for me to think of his eternal happiness.”

On May 6, 1984, Pope John Paul II canonized Kim along with 102 other Korean Martyrs, including Paul Chong Hasang, during his trip to Korea. Their memorial is  commemorated every September 20.

The Shrine of St. St. Andrew Kim Taegon in Lolomboy,
Bocaue, Bulacan
His Shrine in the Philippines

The Parish of Sto. Cristo and Saint Andrew Kim was established in 1959. The parish was declared a sister parish of a shrine also dedicated to Kim-Taegon in South Korea in 1986. Seoul Archbishop Stephen Cardinal Kim gave a statue of St. Andrew Kim-Taegon to the parish which was then enshrined on the old church building.

The construction of the New church building began in 2001 under the watch of then parish priest, Rev. Fr. Avel Sampana. The construction coincided with the 50th anniversary of the parish. The Shrine at present was under the custodianship of the Parish and the Sisters of St. Andrew, a congregation of Korean nuns.

A feature of the Shrine is located in the main chapel where the wood that was used to make the altar was from the actual tree were it is said that St. Andrew Kim used to stay and hugged, whenever he is homesick and missing his family. Another feature was the actual spot where he used to stay that can still be visited by pilgrims.

As we discover this short yet meaningful chapter in our Church history, let us keep in mind the suffering of our brethren who are still under persecution for various reasons and needed our prayers and support to keep the faith alive. As we honor their sacrifice. They help us to remember that faith is a virtue that makes it possible to know and believe in God. Their sacrifice also reminds us that we are blessed to live in a country where we are free to live our faith.

St. Andrew Kim Taegon, Pray for us!

References:

 Michael Walsh, ed. (1991) "Butler's Lives of the Saints", Harper Collins Publishers: New York.
The Fathers of the London Oratory, tr., (1859), The New Glories of the Catholic Church, p.118, Richardson and Son, London.
"The Lives of the 103 Korean Martyr Saints: St. Kim Tae-gon Andrew," Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea Newsletter No. 27 (1999).
Walker, Timothy (2015). "Historic Church Built in Honor of 18th Century Korean Saint in Bocaue, Bulacan". Philippine Lifestyle News. Retrieved December 3, 2017.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Nuestra Señora de la Regla: Cebu's Gracious Lady

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de la Regla de Cebu Aside to the famed Santo Niño de Cebu, there is another devotion that flourished in the island that pilgrims visit through the centuries succor in times of great need - the felicitous Nuestra Señora De la Regla. The miraculous image is venerated widely by the Cebuanos who believe that the prosperity they enjoy is a blessing achieved through the strength of her maternal intercession. The image is currently venerated at The National Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Regla in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, Cebu. Features of the image The image of the Virgin is patterned to the original located in Chipiona, Spain. The Our Lady of the Rule image carved from the trunk of dark Philippine hardwood, was installed at the her own altar of Our Lady of the Rule Church in Lapu-Lapu City. The Brown Madonna holds the Infant Jesus in a form of offering and showing - as if she is presenting the Child Jesus to the people and telling them to worship his Son -
Read more

Nuestra Señora da la Salud: The Powerful Health of the Sick

-
Image
Nuestra Señora da la Salud Within the confines of modern Quezon City, there is a precious treasure that was once one of great importance of Old Manila's Glorious Past. This principal treasure is the dark image of the Blessed Virgin, under the title of"Nuestra Señora de la Salud" (Our Lady of Health) brought by the Recollect missionaries to the Philippines in 1634. In the olden days, the Virgen de la Salud is one of the most celebrated Marian images in the country with numerous miracles were attributed to this Dark Virgin of Old San Nicolas Church. So numerous and well known that even high government officials of the time are in attendance and one of most awaited in the summer and it somehow rivals that of the Virgin of the Santo Rosario of Old Intramuros (now will be venerated in her new Shrine in Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.) However, after the ravages of World War 2, though the image was safe and kept by her custodians, the devotion her seemed to be forgotten by
Read more

Nuestra Señora de Barangay - The Mother and Protectress of the Barangay

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de Barangay Of all Marian images venerated in the country, there is a simple yet beautiful image of Our Lady that is very unique in our consciousness, the very Filipina image of the Virgin of the Barangay. The image of the "Virgen sang Barangay" gained much attention since its first public appearance in the 1950's as the Patroness of the Barangay sang Birhen Organization and began touring the nation for some years and numerous replicas of this image, whether it is a painting or a three-dimensional statue, this particular Venerada clearly shows how the Blessed Virgin became became our own Mother of the Filipino Nation and became a unifying force for centuries and still enjoys much love and veneration as time passed by.  The image The icon of the Virgin of the Baranggay depicts the Virgin presenting her Son to the barangay. The Virgin wears the traditional balintawak and wearing a red and yellow tapis on her waist while the Child is covered with
Read more

The Regal and Miraculous Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Bacolor of Bacolor, Pampanga

-
Image
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Bacolor (Church image) Bacolor, Pampanga, one of the most historic town one of the most populated in the province that was once the provincial capital of the province bearing the name "Villa de Bacolor" and dubbed as "Atenas de Pampanga" due to its significant role in the history, culture, economy and faith in Pampanga. Bacolor is also famous for its centuries old sunken San Guillermo Church where half of edifice was submerged by lahar during the Pinatubo eruption in the early 1990's and decades later as the church from the iconic ABS-CBN teleserye "May Bukas Pa". Bacolor is also known as one of the main Marian pilgrimage sites in the province and also of Central Luzon because it was in the famed Bacolor Church were the miraculous image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario - La Naval de Bacolor is enshrined. The Virgin of the Rosary of Bacolor became a silent witness of the colorful yet tra
Read more

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga - the Queen of Cavite

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga In the province of Cavite, located in Southern Luzon area, there lies a church in Cavite City, then known as Cavite Puerto where it has been, and still is, the center of pilgrimage in the whole province and outside, including Metro Manila and other provinces for the parish San Roque in Cavite City is the home of the famous Patroness of the Cavite - Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, the undisputed Queen of Cavite. For Caviteños, the Soledad will always be part of their lives for tremendous miracles were attributed through her intercession and it is no wonder that in almost every home in Cavite, altars and doorsteps are not complete without an image of the Soledad either in print, sculpture, reliefs and other media. The icon has received several titles in its history, including "Queen of Cavite" and "Exalted Patroness and the Celestial Guardian and Protectress of the Province of Cavite and its Port" (Spanish
Read more