The Theology and Ministry Program of the School of Humanities invites you to the oral defense of the M.A. Thesis entitled “Deepening the Theological Understanding of the Blessed Korean Martyrs Congregation’s Charism of Martyrdom through the Lens of St. John Paul II’s Theology of Martyrdom” by Fr. NGUYEN VAN TAM, B.M.C. on 26 March 2026, Thursday, 3:00-4:30 p.m. at DLC 307 (ISJA), 3/F Dela Costa Bldg., Loyola School of Theology. The Board of Examiners is composed of Fr. Manuel Francisco, S.J., S.T.D. (Adviser), Fr. Thomas Sherman, S.J., S.T.L., Ph.D. (Second Reader/Principal Examiner), Fr. Mark Aloysius, S.J., D.Phil., and Fr. Emmanuel Marfori, S.Th.D. The defense is being held in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Theological Studies with a field of specialization in Systematic Theology. It is open to the public.
Abstract: This research aims to foster a deeper theological understanding of the charism of martyrdom of the Congregation of the Blessed Korean Martyrs (BMC) by drawing on St. John Paul II’s theological insights on martyrdom. Through St. John Paul II’s theology of martyrdom as a witness of faith, suffering, and love for the truth, who is Christ, and as an expression of unconditional love that ignites faith, sustains hope, and points to eschatological fulfilment, this research argues that his theological insights enrich the theological foundation of BMC’s charism of martyrdom. Martyrdom is to be understood, based on BMC’s official constitution and documents, not merely as physical death but also as a continual act of spiritual fidelity, wherein the believer sanctifies oneself by rendering all honor and glory to God and by participating in the Church’s salvific mission. In this sense, martyrdom entails an existential and spiritual conformity to Christ’s self-giving, expressed through the faithful embodiment of the martyrs’ evangelical spirit and sustained within the life of the ecclesial community. The research on Saint John Paul II’s insights on martyrdom sheds light on the theological significance and relevance of martyrdom as a vital aspect of the BMC’s mission identity, thereby providing fresh inspiration for mission, formation, and the continuous witness of the consecrated life in today’s modern world.
