A new book by Brothers Anthony and Han-Yol analyzes the lives and letters of Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon and Venerable Father Thomas Choe Yang-eop, both born in 1821. It contrasts their personalities through correspondence published in English for the first time.
Andrew Kim was beheaded in 1846 at age 25 as the first Korean Catholic martyr. Thomas Choe died from overwork in 1861 at age 40 after years of pastoral travel. The former left more adventurous and exaggerated writings while the latter detailed the lives of persecuted Christians analytically.
Thomas Choe has been under Vatican examination for beatification since 2004 when named Servant of God and was declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2016. A Vatican medical advisory panel recognized a healing attributed to him as miraculous on March 26.
Brother Anthony, now 84, continues writing and translating books on history and poetry. The volume is available on Amazon and Yes24.