For 72-year-old widower, call to priesthood began half a world away

Published: 2004-07-16

SAN ANTONIO (CNS) -- When Father Philip Chung-jin Kim was ordained a priest of the San Antonio Archdiocese this year, he was answering a call that began half a world away in war-torn Korea. The 72-year-old priest had been a young South Korean refugee fleeing North Korean troops, an office boy for war correspondents with Stars and Stripes newspaper and a policeman in the royal Korean palace. Later, in America, he became a college student at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, a production artist for the San Antonio archdiocesan newspaper, a successful business owner, a deacon, a devoted husband, father and grandfather and, finally, a widower. On June 5, surrounded by many of those who had played key roles in his faith journey, Father Kim received the sacrament of holy orders from San Antonio Archbishop Patrick F. Flores in the parish church where he had raised his family, St. Pius X.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .