Ireland has a long history in the Catholic Church’s mission of evangelisation, a role that has left its mark not only within the country but across the globe. From Africa to South America, from India to Korea, Irish missionaries have spread the Christian faith. Paul J. Kim, a sought-after Catholic speaker, shares a personal perspective on this legacy. In a conversation with The Irish Catholic, Mr Kim shared his own family’s faith journey, highlighting the influence of Irish Columban missionaries in Korea, reflecting on his recent visit to Ireland, and considering the importance of immigrant communities in re-evangelising the emerald island.
“My father and mother are from an eastern coastal town in South Korea,” Mr Kim began, explaining his family’s Catholic roots. “Sometime in the 1960s, my father, out of curiosity, wanted to see what the Irish priests were building in his neighbourhood. He discovered it was a Catholic Church. At that time, many Koreans, like my father, were eager to learn English, so he thought the Irish priests would be a good source to learn from.” His father began attending the catechism classes led by the Columban missionaries, initially driven by the desire to improve his English. Over time, he found himself captivated by the message of the Gospel. “Eventually, he embraced the Catholic faith and became the first Catholic in my family,” Mr Kim explained.
Conversion
This encounter was only the start of conversions within Mr Kim’s family. His mother converted when his parents married, and later, his grandmother followed. “This led to a trickle effect that unexpectedly embedded Catholicism into our family narrative,” Mr Kim said. “As a result of the missionary efforts of those Columban Fathers, my siblings and I were born and raised Catholic.” The impact of Irish missionaries on his family did not end there. When Kim’s parents emigrated to the United States, they sought out community among other Korean immigrants, many of whom were Catholics. In Southern California, Korean Catholic parishes began to emerge, and some of the same Irish priests who had served in Korea were instrumental in founding these parishes. “I was baptised by one of those Irish Columban Fathers as an infant,” Mr Kim noted.
Paul Kim, on a recent visit to the country observed that the faith that was once brought to distant lands is now, in many cases, being returned to Ireland by the descendants of those who were evangelised. “Last time I visited Ireland, it was both beautiful and ironic,” he recalled. He had been invited to speak for a group called ‘Jesus Youth’, a Catholic movement largely composed of Indian Catholics living in Ireland.
Mr Kim’s reflection speaks to a larger trend in contemporary Ireland, where immigration has brought new life to Catholic communities that have been struggling”
“Before going, I had this stereotype in mind that I’d be speaking to redheaded Irish people. But when I arrived, the majority were Indian,” Mr Kim said. Most of these Indian Catholics were second-generation immigrants who had brought their faith with them from their homeland. For the online evangeliser, the significance of this encounter was profound. “It was peculiar to realise that these Indian Catholics were, in a sense, the spiritual children of the Irish missionaries who had originally gone to India. Now, they were the ones evangelising in Ireland. It was quite profound to see how the faith had come full circle.”
Mr Kim’s reflection speaks to a larger trend in contemporary Ireland, where immigration has brought new life to Catholic communities that have been struggling with declining numbers. Paul Kim was also “struck by the emptiness” he encountered during a visit to a local parish for Mass. He noted that “most of the congregation were elderly. There was maybe one young family.”
Change
The Catholic speaker expressed concern about whether the younger generations in Ireland still possess the same fervour for the faith that once sent missionaries all over the world. “From what I saw, there are still young people on fire for their faith,” he said, “but the overall situation in Ireland and Europe shows the Church has a lot of catching up to do.” Ireland, once known as the ‘land of saints and scholars,’ seems now to be more focused on cultural rather than spiritual celebrations of its Catholic heritage. Mr Kim pointed to the example of St Patrick, whose legacy has been reduced, in many cases, to parades and parties, while the deeper meaning of his mission has been forgotten. “What Patrick did, returning to a land where he had been enslaved to evangelise those who once held him captive, is incredible… It was a faith-filled response to a profound call from God,” Mr Kim said.
This sense of mission and response to God’s call is, in Mr Kim’s view, what is most needed in today’s world. “Our world is in bad shape,” he warned. “In the West, the secular culture is doing a far better job of evangelising than the Church is. People are forgetting God and rebelling against Him, and the breakdown of family, marriage, and society follows.” For Mr Kim, the values of the Gospel are more relevant than ever, but they are being drowned out by secular values that promote individualism, consumerism, and moral relativism.
The Holy Spirit, he believes, is still at work, inviting people to respond to the challenges of the present age, both in Ireland and around the world”
“Catholicism,” Mr Kim said, “once saved Europe, both culturally and spiritually, and it could do so again.” He acknowledged the failures of individuals within the Church, but he firmly believes that the overall impact of Catholicism has been profoundly positive.
“My hope for the Church, both in Ireland and globally, is that people will generously respond to God’s call to be witnesses,” Mr Kim concluded. “We desperately need more witnesses of faith today – laypeople, priests, religious, bishops, everyone.” The Holy Spirit, he believes, is still at work, inviting people to respond to the challenges of the present age, both in Ireland and around the world.