Saint Andrew Kim Kaegön and
Paul Chong Hasang and Companions

September 20

Saint Andrew Kim Kaegön

Korean nobility; his parents were converts, his father a martyr. Andrew was baptized at age 15, then traveled 1,300 miles to the nearest seminary in Macao. Korea's first native priest, and the first priest to die for the faith in Korea. Leader of the Martyrs of Korea.

Died:  tortured and beheaded in 1846 at Seoul, Korea
Beatified:  1925

Canonized:  6 May 1984 by Pope John Paul II

Patronage:  Korean clergy

Readings
The Korean Church is unique because it was founded entirely by laypeople. This fledgling Church, so young and yet so strong in faith, withstood wave after wave of fierce persecution. Thus, in less than a century, it could boast of 10,000 martyrs. The death of these many martyrs became the leaven of the Church and led to today's splendid flowering of the Church in Korea. Even today their undying spirit sustains the Christians of the Church of Silence in the north of this tragically divided land.

Pope John Paul II at the canonization of Andrew in 1984

Source:  http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta54.htm

Saint Paul Chong Hasang

Son of Yak Jong Church who was martyred in 1801 in the persecution of Shin-Yu, an attack on the faith that killed all the clergy in the country. Son of Saint Yu Cecilia; brother of Saint Jung Hye. Paul, though a layman, reunited the scattered Christians, and encouraged them to keep their faith and live their faith. Wrote the Sang-Je-Sang-Su which explained to the Korean government why the Church was no threat to them. He crossed into China nine times, working as a servant to the Korean diplomatic corps. Once he was there, he worked to get the bishop of Beijing to send more priests to Korea. He pleaded directly to Rome for help, and on 9 September 1831, Pope Gregory X proclaimed the validity of the Korean Catholic diocese. When the clergy began to return, Paul entered the seminary. However, he died in the Gi Hye persecution of 1839 before he could be ordained. One of the great founders of the Catholic Church in Korea.

Born:  1795

Died:  martyred on 22 September 1839

Beatified:  6 June 1925

Canonized:  6 May 1984 by Pope John Paul II

Source:  http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp2y.htm