By TAMI QUIGLEY Staff writer
“It is a great joy to be with you here today on this feast day so dear to the Korean people,” said Bishop Alfred Schlert, principal celebrant and homilist of a Mass of the Korean Martyrs Sept. 20 at Peace Retreat House, Weatherly.
The day was the Memorial of St. Father Andrew Kim Tae-gon, and seminarian St. Paul Chong Ha-sang and Companions, Martyrs.
The Mass was celebrated in the chapel on the picturesque grounds.
The Bishop also blessed an outdoor crucifix scene statue after the late afternoon liturgy, and a reception ensued.
The Korean Martyrs were the victims of religious persecution against Catholic Christians during the 19th century in Korea. At least 8,000, and as many as 10,000, adherents to the faith were killed during this period.
Peace Retreat House is run by the Sisters Apostles of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (SAHS). The name of the order was changed a few years ago from Sisters of Peace Pentecost to better reflect their charism.
The retreat house offers retreats, retreats for youth groups, prayer meetings, outdoor areas with Stations of the Cross and statues for reflection, and a campground with campfire site.
SAHS Sister Mary Jerome Kim, local superior, attended.
Concelebrating were Monsignor William Baker, pastor of All Saints, McAdoo; Father Francis Baransky, pastor of St. Richard, Barnesville; and Apostles of Jesus Father Barnabas Shayo, currently helping at All Saints.
Deacon James Warnagiris of All Saints assisted. Master of ceremonies was Father Keith Mathur, assistant in the Diocesan Curia and director of the Diocesan Office for Divine Worship.
The Mass included hymns and readings in Korean, and Bishop Schlert’s homily was translated into Korean.
“Today’s first reading speaks about the hope of the martyrs,” Bishop Schlert said, alluding to the Book of Wisdom 3:1-9, which begins, “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.”
Bishop Schlert said Father Andrew “watched his father be beheaded. Even so, knowing great danger, he became a priest nonetheless. Andrew followed his father to the same martyrdom. Seminarian Paul followed his vocation and was martyred. Decades later, 103 martyrs died in witness of their faith.
“These are the roots of the tremendous Catholic faith of the Korean people today,” Bishop Schlert said.
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Today we come to the altar with firm faith and thanks for their glorious martyrdom.”
“The Holy Spirit works with men and women of every vocation to have witness to their faith,” the Bishop said.
“In this country, we are called to bear the burden of the cross,” Bishop Schlert said. “Despite all our fears we are called to joyfully and courageously witness to our Catholic faith.”
“We rely on the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us at confirmation to live in the spirit of the holy martyrs and bring the light of Christ to each other and the community.”
Bishop Schlert said we ask that our lives model those of the holy martyrs every day as we are called to be disciples of Christ.
“We ask through our nourishment of the Holy Eucharist we may every day live our faith without reservation and follow the will of Christ.”
Bishop Schlert thanked the sisters, his brother priests, deacons and all gathered for living that example every day.
At the conclusion of the liturgy, the sisters presented Bishop Schlert with flowers in honor of his just celebrating 31 years of priesthood. They also gifted him with a rosary from their Mother General in Korea, and a statue of St. Andrew Kim with a prayer for an increase of vocations in the Diocese of Allentown.
St. Andrew Kim was the first Korean-born Catholic priest, the patron saint of Korea and was martyred at age 25 after being ordained a year. He died Sept. 16, 1846 and his feast day is Sept. 20. He was canonized along with the rest of the 103 Korean Martyrs by St. Pope John Paul II May 6, 1984.
St. Paul Chong Ha-sang died Sept. 22, 1839. His feast day is Sept. 22, and he is also venerated along with the rest of the 103 Korean Martyrs on Sept. 20.
St. Pope John Paul II canonized the 103 martyrs in May 1984, the 200th anniversary of Catholicism being brought to Korea. In a break with tradition, the ceremony did not take place in Rome, but in Seoul, South Korea. Their feast day is Sept. 20.
Pope Francis beatified 124 Korean martyrs in August 2014 during the Asian Youth Day in Gwanghwamun Plaza, Seoul, South Korea. Many martyrs brought the faith into Korea. Currently, Korean has the fourth largest number of saints in the Catholic world.
The outdoor crucifix scene includes the Blessed Mother, Mary Magdalene and St. John at the foot of the cross. The crucifix scene will eventually be surrounded by the Stations of the Cross.
