Martyred for the faith at Yanggeun in the Sinyu persecution, July 4, 1801. Beatified by Pope Francis on August 16, 2014.
Life
Agatha Yun Jeom-hye came from a yangban family of Yanggeun in Gyeonggi Province and was a woman believer who remained a virgin to give herself to God. She went up to Seoul, stayed in the home of Columba Kang Wan-suk, and helped with Church work.
After Father Zhou arrived, she gathered women who wished to remain virgins, guiding them to pray and live together, and served as their leader (hoejang). This is remembered as an early form of women living a consecrated life together in the Church in Korea.
Arrested in the Sinyu persecution of 1801, she kept the faith under harsh interrogation. Sent back to her home region of Yanggeun, she was martyred there on July 4, 1801.
Spirituality
Agatha Yun Jeom-hye's spirituality is a communal consecration that shares a life given to God with others. Not content to keep her virginity alone, she gathered like-minded women and led them in a life of prayer. Her life is an early seed of consecrated life in the Korean Church.
Reflection
Agatha Yun Jeom-hye gathered those who shared her desire and led them in a life of prayer together. Why not pray today for religious and all who live a consecrated life? Let us also express our thanks to the sisters who serve our parish.