An-gye Catholic Church

Overview

Angye Church is a church in Yonggi-ri, Angye-myeon, Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, belonging to the Andong Diocese. The Angye Catholic mission chapel was elevated from the jurisdiction of Dain Parish to a parish on September 15, 1972, its patron saint is Francis Xavier, and its first pastor was Father Bertrand (Ahn Deok-hwa, Peter) of the Paris Foreign Missions Society.

History

[Beginning of the faith community] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the history of the faith community in this area began when the wife and son of Yang Jae-hyeon (Martino), who was martyred in Busan during the Mujin Persecution (1868), fled to Iyeon-dong, Danbuk-myeon after the persecution. Later, several Catholic mission chapels, including the Iyeon Catholic mission chapel, were established in the Angye area, and with the establishment of Yecheon Parish in June 1932, it came under that parish.

[Angye Catholic mission chapel] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in 1954 Lee Won-dal of the Iyeon Catholic mission chapel and others took the lead in purchasing land near the present church, and in June 1957, with the help of the Daegu Diocese, they purchased forest land and a Buddhist temple adjacent to the previously purchased land, remodeled the temple and used it as a mission-chapel hall, and it was at this time that it was formally elevated to the Angye Catholic mission chapel. The Digital Uiseong Cultural Encyclopedia records that Angye Church began with its authorization as the Angye Catholic mission chapel of Yecheon Parish on April 1, 1959, and that its affiliation was transferred to Dain Parish in 1961.

[Plan to establish a parish and Dain Parish] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in 1961 the Daegu Diocese drew up a plan to establish a parish in the Angye area and appointed Father Kim Gyu-tae (Timothy), but since the Angye Catholic mission chapel was using a hall converted from a temple and had no suitable rectory, Father Kim Gyu-tae moved his residence to the Dain Catholic mission chapel in Dain-myeon, Uiseong-gun. In May of that year, as the Dain Catholic mission chapel was elevated to a parish, the Angye Catholic mission chapel also came under Dain Parish. The Dain Parish entry states that on May 25, 1961, the Daegu Diocese established a parish in Angye with jurisdiction over 7 townships—Dain-myeon, Angye-myeon, Gucheon-myeon, Danmil-myeon, Sinpyeong-myeon, Bi-an-myeon, and Danbuk-myeon—and appointed Father Kim Gyu-tae as its first parish priest, but Father Kim repaired the 1 floor of the Dain Catholic mission chapel to use as a rectory and remained in Dain. After the decision to bring the parish to Dain, in April 1962 the Catholic mission chapels in Sangju-gun and Pungyang-myeon were incorporated into Dain Parish, and on May 29, 1969, with the establishment of the Andong Diocese, its affiliation changed from the Daegu Diocese to the Andong Diocese.

[Elevation to a parish] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that while the faithful of the Angye Catholic mission chapel strove continuously for elevation to a parish, they newly built a church and a rectory in September 1971, and on September 15 of the following year, upon elevation to a parish, Father Bertrand of the Paris Foreign Missions Society took office as the first pastor. At the time of elevation, the jurisdiction consisted of Angye-myeon, Danbuk-myeon, Danmil-myeon, Gucheon-myeon, Bi-an-myeon, and Sinpyeong-myeon, and it received the Geomgok Catholic mission chapel in Sinpyeong-myeon. The Dain Parish entry states that on September 15, 1972, the Angye Catholic mission chapel was separated and elevated to a parish, and lists the Ssangho Catholic mission chapel as belonging to the present Angye Parish. The Digital Uiseong Cultural Encyclopedia also records that in 1972 Father Ahn Deok-hwa (Peter) took office as the first priest together with elevation to a parish.

[Vacancy of the pastorate] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, when Father Bertrand was transferred to Uiseong Parish in December 1974, Angye Parish had no resident pastor until Father Linz took office in March 1976, and Father Dok (Park) of Dain Parish and Father Kim Uk-tae (Leo), director of the Andong Diocesan office, visited to provide pastoral care in his place.

[After the 1980s] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the 3 pastor, Father Gong Han-yeong, newly built the church in November 1980 and erected a statue of the Virgin Mary in September 1982 (the Digital Uiseong Cultural Encyclopedia also records the completion of the church building in 1980), and that under the 4 pastor, Father Jeong Il, it actively participated in the cattle-driving demonstration in July 1985 against the collapse of cattle prices, led by the Catholic Farmers Association, and in the struggle in December of the same year against in-kind payments to the Farmland Improvement Association. The Digital Uiseong Cultural Encyclopedia also records that it spared no support and encouragement on the side of farmers during the cattle-driving demonstration opposing the government livestock policy in the 1980s. The 5 pastor, Father Lee Chun-u, newly built a hall at the Ssangho Catholic mission chapel in September 1986, and the 6 pastor, Father Kim Jae-mun, completed a small chapel and then, as part of the “One Heart, One Body Movement,” carried out a blood-donation campaign and a rice-donation campaign.

[After the 1990s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the 7 pastor, Father Jeong Jin-hun, completed the rectory and the education hall on November 9, 1992, and held the blessing ceremony officiated by Bishop Park Seok-hui (Ignatius) (the Digital Uiseong Cultural Encyclopedia records that the rectory and education hall, begun in 1992, were completed in 1997, and that the daycare center also held its opening ceremony at that time). Under the 8 pastor, Father Yu Jae-jun, in February 1997 2 sisters of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Assisi were dispatched, and in March of the same year the “Bona Children’s Home” was opened. Father Jo Chang-rae, the 9 pastor, who expanded the church in July 2000 and newly built a rectory, remodeled the former rectory into a convent and expanded the Bona Children’s Home. The Digital Uiseong Cultural Encyclopedia records that, as Angye Church is located in Angye-myeon, the center of western Uiseong-gun, it proclaims the Gospel to residents of the nearby 7 townships, and that it has opened the “Saint Bona Daycare Center” and continues volunteer service at Hanal Nursing Home, a free nursing home for elderly women.

[Jurisdiction and statistics] The jurisdiction recorded by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia covers the entire areas of Angye-myeon, Bi-an-myeon, Danbuk-myeon, Danmil-myeon, Gucheon-myeon, and Sinpyeong-myeon, and the Catholic mission chapel under its jurisdiction is Ssangho, 1 in number. The statistics are 180 persons in 1972, 415 persons in 1978, 635 persons in 1984, 601 persons in 1989, 643 persons in 1994, and 730 persons in 1999. Successive pastors are the first, Bertrand Peter (1972.9–1974.12), the 2, Linz Carlo (1976.3–1979.5), the 3, Gong Han-yeong Cosmas (1979.5–1983.1), the 4, Jeong Il Gabriel (1983.1–1986.1), the 5, Lee Chun-u Francis (1986.1–1987.2), the 6, Kim Jae-mun Ignatius (1987.2–1991.6), the 7, Jeong Jin-hun Thaddeus (1991.6–1994.1), the 8, Yu Jae-jun Thaddeus (1994.1–1999.2), and the 9, Jo Chang-rae Vincentio (1999.2–).

Related Places and Persons

• Dain Parish: The parish to which the Angye Catholic mission chapel belonged from 1961 to 1972, and Father Kim Gyu-tae remained in Dain even after being appointed as the first priest of Angye Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Ssangho Catholic mission chapel: The Catholic mission chapel under Angye Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). In September 1986 Father Lee Chun-u newly built a hall.
• Uiseong Parish: The parish to which Father Bertrand was transferred in December 1974 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Angye Parish” (Vol. 8). Elevation to a parish on September 15, 1972, patron saint, beginning of the faith community, Angye Catholic mission chapel, plan to establish a parish, new church construction, successive pastors, jurisdiction, statistics.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/4164
2. Korea University Center for Korean Studies, Digital Uiseong Cultural Encyclopedia “Angye Church”. Authorization of the Angye Catholic mission chapel on April 1, 1959, elevation to a parish in 1972 and first priest, completion of the church building in 1980, rectory, education hall and daycare center, local activities.
   https://www.grandculture.net/uiseong/toc/GC05201425
3. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Dain Parish” (Vol. 3). Plan to establish a parish in Angye and affiliation with Dain Parish on May 25, 1961, separation and elevation of the Angye Catholic mission chapel to a parish on September 15, 1972, establishment of the Andong Diocese in 1969.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1197