I so enjoyed today’s catechesis, not just for the content and wonderful story of a Korean saint and priest, but the way Pope Francis told the story. On Wednesdays, at the general audience, the Pope is a storyteller but some days are more remarkable than others. Today was such a day – a real life story – the kind of story you’d love to tell – and should tell – to children. Tell it – read it – around the dinner table.
True life stories, biographies, are usually fascinating and often just plain riveting. And they always contain some great lesson for life such as determination, self-discipline, honesty, self-denial, humility, and a passion for something be it languages, art, music, teaching or living out a religious vocation.
If you are a parent, grandparent or aunt or uncle, you might want to share this story with the kids (and make sure the adults are listening). I made the same suggestion last week when Pope Francis spoke of the great missionary, St. Francis Xavier. You could use my column below where I offer a great deal of today’s catechesis or go here for the full English text (and great photos): General Audience – Activities of the Holy Father Pope Francis | Vatican.va
You might want to show your listeners where Korea is on a map, and perhaps explain a word from time to time, such as what is a ‘martyr’, what does ‘laity’ mean, etc.
Happy story-telling time!
POPE FRANCIS: “MAY GOSPEL BE PROCLAIMED IN ITS FULLNESSS, BEAUTY AND FREEDOM IN CHINA”
On May 27, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to Christians in China, a beautiful, powerful letter, in which he proclaimed May 24, feast of Our Lady Help of Christians as a world day of prayer for the Church in China.
Pope Francis acknowledged this at the general audience, saying, “Today is the World Day of Prayer for the Catholic Church in China. It coincides with the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, venerated and invoked at the Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai.
“On this occasion, I wish to offer an assurance of my remembrance and express my closeness to our brothers and sisters in China, sharing in their joys and hopes. I turn my thoughts especially to all those who suffer, pastors and faithful, that in the communion and solidarity of the universal Church they may experience consolation and encouragement.
The Holy Father concluded: “I invite everyone to raise their prayers to God that the Good News of Christ crucified and Risen may be proclaimed in its fullness, beauty, and freedom, bearing fruit for the good of the Catholic Church and all of Chinese society.”
Several chaplains who serve the Chinese Catholic community in various parts of Italy were at today’s audience. (Vatican photo).
APOSTOLIC ZEAL IN A FARAWAY LAND: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF KOREAN SAINT ANDREW KIM TAEGON, FIRST NATIVE PRIEST
Under sunny skies, Pope Francis presided at today’s weekly general audience in a jam-packed St. Peter’s Square where he continued his series of catecheses on apostolic zeal. He began by saying, “today we are going to find a great example of a saint of the passion for evangelization in a land far away, namely the Korean Church. Let us look at the Korean martyr and first priest St Andrew Kim Taegon.”
Then, in a kind of off-the-cuff statement, the Pope said, “But, the first Korean priest! You know something? The evangelization of Korea was done by the laity! It was the baptized laity who transmitted the faith, there were no priests, because they had none. Then, later … but the first evangelisation was done by the laity. Would we be capable of something like that?”
The Holy Father explained that, “about 200 years ago, the Korean land was the scene of a very severe persecution: Christians were persecuted and annihilated. At that time, believing in Jesus Christ in Korea meant being ready to bear witness even unto death. Specifically from the example of St Andrew Kim, we can draw out two concrete aspects of his life.
Francis then noted how very careful Andrew Kim had to be when talking to people about the faith, about Christ. Fr. Andrew, as well as the people he was talking to, could very well have been put in prison or even killed just for believing in Christ.
“The first aspect (of his life) was the way he used to meet with the faithful. Given the highly intimidating context, the saint was forced to approach Christians in a discreet manner, and always in the presence of other people, as if they had been talking to each other for a while. Then, to confirm the Christian identity of his interlocutor, St Andrew would implement these devices: first, there was a previously agreed upon sign of recognition: “You will meet with this Christian and he will have this sign on his outfit or in his hand.” “And after that, he would surreptitiously ask the question—but all this under his breath, eh?—“Are you a disciple of Jesus?” Since other people were watching the conversation, the saint had to speak in a low voice, saying only a few words, the most essential ones. So, for Andrew Kim, the expression that summed up the whole identity of the Christian was “disciple of Christ.” “Are you a disciple of Christ?”—but in a soft voice because it was dangerous. It was forbidden to be a Christian there.”
The Pope went on to look at another concrete example: “When he was still a seminarian, St Andrew had to find a way to secretly welcome missionary priests from abroad. This was not an easy task, as the regime of the time strictly forbade all foreigners from entering the territory. That’s why it had been, before this, so difficult to find a priest that could come to do missionary work: the laity undertook the mission.”
“One time,” Francis added, “—think about what St Andrew did—one time, he was walking in the snow, without eating, for so long that he fell to the ground exhausted, risking unconsciousness and freezing. At that point, he suddenly heard a voice, “Get up, walk!” Hearing that voice, Andrew came to his senses, catching a glimpse of something like a shadow of someone guiding him.
The Pope then made an important point: “This experience of the great Korean witness makes us understand a very important aspect of apostolic zeal; namely, the courage to get back up when one falls.
“But do saints fall? Yes! Indeed, from the earliest times. Think of St Peter: he committed a great sin, eh? But he found strength in God’s mercy and got up again. And in St Andrew we see this strength: he had fallen physically but he had the strength to go, go, go to carry the message forward.”
St. Andrew Kim is the patron saint of Korean clergy.
St. Andrew Kim Taegon shrine in Lolomboy Bocaue Bulacan –
The general audience in Vatican photos –
Joan's Rome 