The feast day of Saint Veronica (July 12)

"Today, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Veronica, a true symbol of compassion and bravery. According to tradition, as Jesus carried His cross to Calvary, Veronica wiped His face with her veil, leaving the miraculous imprint of His image. Her story reminds us of the profound impact that simple acts of love, kindness, and courage can have on those who are suffering. May we all be inspired by her example to see and serve the face of Christ in everyone we meet."

"Wishing a blessed Feast Day of St. Veronica to all who bear her name and seek her intercession. May the story of her compassionate act on the road to Calvary remind us of the power of small acts of love. St. Veronica, guide our hands to serve and our hearts to love."

St. Andrew Kim Taegon (Korean)

Saint Kim Taegon Andrew, generally referred to as Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, was the first Korean-born Catholic priest and is the patron saint of Korea. 

In the late 18th Century, Roman Catholicism began to take root slowly in Korea and was introduced by lay people. In 1836, Korea saw its first consecrated missionary members of the Foreign Missions Society arrive. They found out that the people there were already practicing Catholicism.

Born of Korea’s traditional ruling class, Kim’s parents converted to Catholicism which was prohibited heavily in Confucian Korea – his father was subsequently martyred for practicing Christianity. After baptism at age 15, Kim studied at a seminary in the Portuguese colony of Macau. During his seminary years, he also spent time in Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines, where his statue was erected in the village. He was ordained a priest in Shanghai in 1844, by the French bishop Jean-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste Ferréol. After ordination, he returned to Korea to preach and evangelize.

In those days, the Joseon Dynasty ruled the country and Christianity was suppressed thereby causing many Christians to be persecuted and executed. Catholics had to covertly practice their faith. Kim was one of several thousand Christians who were executed during this time.