D R A M A
 |
D R A M A Fr Pat Cunningham (left) tells the story of his brief career as a screen-star playing the role of a bishop in a historical drama on Korean Catholic Television. |
An Invitation to Star
"We didn't see you. Where were you?" The question came from Ireland, it was my family calling me. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, we spent all night watching the Academy Award Ceremony but we didn't see you anywhere!", they replied. Of course they didn't see me, they were making a joke about my appearing in the Korean Catholic Television (PBC) drama about the Korean martyr Choi Yang Ub. I never thought I would be in a drama until PBC contacted the Columban House looking for three people to play the roles of foreign priests and bishops. My first reaction was ‘No' but when I heard that I would be a bishop, I suddenly changed my mind!
So, myself and New Zealand Columbans Fr Robert Brennan and Fr Pat McMullen agreed to spend a day in the spotlight, in front of the cameras. Fr Brennan was to play the character Bishop Ferreol who was bishop of all Korea at the time, Fr McMullan was to play the character Fr Maubant and I was to play the character Bishop Maresca of Shanghai Diocese. All three were members of the Paris Foreign Missionary Society. I have to admit that I knew nothing about Fr Yang, so before recording I did a little research.
|
 Fr Robert Brennan |
|
Some of the Background Story
The story of the foundation of the Korean Catholic Church is famous because it was Korean people themselves who brought the faith to this country. Curious about stories they had heard from others, a group travelled to China to hear more about this religion based on the life and teachings of a man called Jesus. Having converted to Christianity they returned and became missionaries within their own homeland, living out the saying, "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians". A tremendously inspiring story and one Korean Catholics can be very proud of.
Like all missionaries who come to Korea I had heard of Korea's most famous saint and martyr Kim Dae Kon Andrea. However when I first came here I knew nothing of Choi Yang Ub Tomas. Now that I have come to know about him from the PBC drama, I can say "What an amazing man"! The strength and depth of his faith, his determination, his dedication to God's call, his service to the people, all remind me of the first great Gentile missionary of the Church: St. Paul.
Choi Yang Ub Tomas
Fr Yang was born in 1821, in the Province of Chungchong, the eldest of six children. Twenty-five years later he entered the seminary in Macau, China along with the man who would become Korea's most famous saint and martyr Kim Dae Kon Andrea. He was ordained in Shanghai Cathedral (thus providing my big moment in the drama, when they re-enacted the ordination scene). He then spent two years ministering as a priest in Northern China before returning to Korea in 1851. He criss-crossed the country extensively, helped build and then teach in a seminary; sent students abroad to study, and set up faith communities in all parts of the land. Ten years later, in 1861, he became very ill and passed away after eating poorly prepared food.
We can see today the fruit of his efforts in the great vitality that characterises the Korean Catholic Church. There are so many people giving themselves in so many fruitful apostolates. If Choi Yang Ob Tomas were to come back to visit us, I think he would be happy to see so many dedicated people doing so many good things.
Trials of An Actor
Fr Yang, as I said, was ordained in 1849 in Shanghai by Bishop Maresca – my character! So I got on the bus to this beautiful old church outside Seoul for the filming of the day of ordination. It was already very busy when I arrived, as the church was being prepared for recording. I had been told that my speaking part was very short (Praise the Lord!) but that I had to stay all day for all the different scenes to be shot.
When I first saw the script I got a great shock, my lines were all in Latin! Oh my goodness… my Latin is even weaker than my Korean! However, since each scene was recorded many times from different angles, as the day went on I grew in confidence. I was very impressed with the hard-working, professional group of people working in PBC. It takes a lot of effort to produce a short few minutes of TV drama and I learned that the first thing needed is patience.
Promising Career Cut Short
So it was all over within a day, my dramatic career was very brief but also very enjoyable. For one day I got to be both an actor and a bishop! Would I like to do more acting? Well if it means speaking in Latin again, I would like to announce my immediate retirement as a thespian!
Fr Pat Cunningham was ordained in 1995 and has ministered in Korea since then.
[Far East Magazine]