The initiative takes place within the framework of celebrations for the two hundredth anniversary of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon, an important figure in the work of evangelization of the Catholic Church in Korea.
Newsdesk (20/11/2021 1:06 PM, Gaudium Press) The Korean Church History Research Foundation, located in the Archdiocese of Seoul, has published an English translation of “The Letters of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon”, one of three memorial books about the activities of the first Catholic priest in the country.
Letters were originally written in Latin, Korean, and even Chinese characters
The records show 21 letters, dating from February 1842 to August 1846, when he tried to return to Korea after attending a seminary in Macau and being ordained a priest. Most of the letters were originally written in Latin. The 21st letter was written in Korean and the ninth in Chinese characters.
Some letters include stories of his travels in China in a small boat in which he was almost killed by a big wave, and his suffering as a Catholic priest persecuted under the heavily neo-Confucian Joseon regime that forbade outside religions as well as travel without official permission.
Korea was the only country in which Catholicism came through books
“We hope the book will share with the world the deep faith of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon and his pioneering spirit. The book should also inspire many by showing a young Korean intellectual who was able to speak and write in many languages and, through his personality and strong mentality, overcome difficulties in the historical context of Korean Catholicism,” said Father Cho Han-gun, director of the foundation.
The work points out that Korea was the only country in which Catholicism came through books rather than missionaries. And also that Koreans learned for themselves and accepted Catholicism of their own free will. To help readers better understand the meaning of the letters, the book also includes explanations of the historical background and context. (EPC)
Compiled by Roberta MacEwan