To share my vocation story with you, I reviewed my journey and what flows from the depths of my heart is love and gratitude towards the Lord. Sharing my story is a beautiful opportunity to rediscover the wonderful gift of God’s love and grace for me. He looked at me, small and weak, and with a loving gaze, called me, walked with me, and helped me to grow.
The faith life of my father’s family began after the Korean War, which erupted in 1950. During this War, his whole family was in a shelter and during that period they received much support from a generous Catholic. In fact, after the war, my father’s entire family was baptized. Even though my grandparents did not live long, still their faithful practice of a life of faith was exemplary. The witness of their faith impressed me even when I was very young. Grandma taught me how to pray; her composure while praying the rosary and the way she always held her prayer book are deeply engraved in my heart. Before she died, she gave me her Liturgy of the Hours.
While I was preparing for my First Communion I felt the first stirrings of interest in the religious life. The Sister who taught us catechism had such a sincere and joyful face that it made me think: “Sisters are happy people!”
I attended an intermediate school, also run by Sisters, and my dream of becoming a religious continued to grow within me. Before I began high school, my family moved to another city. During this move, I found my diary. I reread my past reflections and felt God’s merciful love embracing me warmly. In turn, I promised to dedicate my life to him. When I told my mother about my promise to God, she asked me to first finish high school and get my diploma before taking that step. She gave me a vocation leaflet from the Daughters of St. Paul, saying: “Since you really like reading books, this Congregation might be suitable for you.” Consequently, my mother was my first vocation director!
While studying at the university, I also accepted the commitment to be a catechist. On Sundays, in my free time, I would go to vocation encounters with the Daughters of St. Paul. During this time my grandmother died–a loss for me that was very painful and sad, and I began to experience some doubts about the best path for my future. But it was also during this time that I entered into a more profound relationship with the crucified Lord. In prayer, I felt him inviting me: “If you can let go of the things you like, then follow me”. So I entered the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Paul in 1997, motivated by a deep desire to live not only for myself, but for God and for others.
During the period of my initial formation, my sole and firm intention was to become a true Daughter of St. Paul. During my juniorate I sought God’s will for me by renouncing my personal plans and points of view. Throughout this journey I deeply felt the joy of living in communion with the Lord who lives in me and with the sisters of my community. Working in our bookstores, publishing house and various fields of diffusion, I was able to understand the significance of apostolic fatigue coupled with the joyful reward of proclaiming the Gospel with my whole being through the means of communication and personal witness.
In 2018 I was asked to go as a missionary to the United States. My deep desire to go abroad to evangelize was finally being granted. In the United States I carried out itinerant evangelization, visiting the Korean communities and working in the Book Center. During our missionary trips throughout this large country, like St. Paul the Apostle, I met immigrants who faced many challenges and I felt a profound joy in communicating the Word of God to them. During this time as a missionary, I learned humility and patience due to the fact that I was living in a nation with a language and culture different from my own. It was also a moment of grace that allowed me to experience the beauty of another culture, rich in its heritage of the Catholic faith. My encounters with generous Sisters and different people, each having their own story and path to the Lord, broadened my heart. Unfortunately, due to the covid-19 pandemic, my missionary experience was interrupted, and I had to return to Korea. This experience helped me understand that the most important thing in my life is to live with Christ who lives in me. I truly dedicate my love and my heart to the Lord who has called me to be a Daughter of St. Paul and has allowed me to participate in his own mission.
Tae Hee Theresia Kim, fsp
