Gyerim-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Gyerim-dong Church is a church in Naengnim-dong, Sangju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, belonging to the Andong Diocese. In 1990, it was separated and established from Seomun-dong Parish and Namseong-dong Parish, and its patron is Saint Paul Jeong Hasang. It belongs to the Sangju District of the Andong Diocese and administers the Gilmaeul Catholic mission chapel.

History

[Background of foundation] The Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia entry “Gyerim-dong Church” states that it is a parish newly established because the jurisdiction of Seomun-dong Church was too vast to accommodate its many faithful. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, division had already been anticipated before its foundation as the Church grew in Sangju, and in 1989, the diocesan office and the faithful of Seomun-dong and Namseong-dong Parishes cooperated to secure the present church site.

[Promotion of construction and foundation of the parish] According to the Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, the Church Construction Promotion Committee was formed on January 25, 1987, and after purchasing the church construction site in March 1989, work on establishing the parish began. On June 1, 1990, the parish and the rectory were completed, the Catholic Gyerim-dong Church was established, and Father Kim Sang-jin (Augustine) took office as the first pastor. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that it was separated and established from Seomun-dong Parish and Namseong-dong Parish on July 14, 1990, and explains that the foundation of the parish was announced in July 1990 while construction was in progress. The Korean Catholic Directory lists the foundation date as July 15, 1990. Thus the foundation date differs by source (June 1 in the Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, July 14 in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, and July 15 in the directory). The Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia entry “Seomun-dong Church” states that Seomun-dong Church branched off Gyerim-dong Church in 1990.

[Blessing of the church and early activities] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Father Kim Sang-jin (Augustine), who took office as the first pastor, worked with the faithful to complete the church and blessed the buildings with a total floor area of 320 pyeong, including the church, the rectory, and the catechetical rooms, on November 11, 1990. The parish organized lay associations and invited the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Assisi, striving to settle the parish.

[House of Sharing] According to the Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, the parish began operating the ‘House of Sharing’ in December 1992, practicing sharing with neighbors in need in cooperation with volunteers from various churches in the Sangju area. On August 23, 2007, the new ‘House of Sharing’ was built and completed. Here, lunch is provided to elderly recipients of free meals in the Sangju area, and food delivery volunteer service is offered for elderly people living alone and those with limited mobility.

[Jurisdiction and church statistics] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, at the time of foundation the jurisdiction comprised Gyesan-dong, Naengnim-dong, Bokyong-dong, Inbong-dong, Jukjeon-dong and Hwasan-dong in Sangju-si, part of Seongdong-dong, and the Sabeol-myeon area of Sangju-gun, with 6 affiliated mission chapels including Maeho (Maeho-ri, Sabeol-myeon), Maehyeop (Maehyeop-ri), Muksang (Muksang-ri), Sabeol (Deokdam-ri), Samdeok (Samdeok-ri) and Mokga (Mokga-ri). Church statistics were over 1,200 in 1990 and 1,641 in 1993. Successive pastors are listed as the first, Augustine Kim Sang-jin (1990.7–1994.1), and the 2th, Aaron Kim Do-gyeom (1994.1–). According to the Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, as of 2023, the administered mission chapel is the Gilmaeul Catholic mission chapel in Geumdang-ri, Jungdong-myeon, Sangju-si, with 2,029 registered faithful.

Related Places and People

• Seomun-dong Church: It is one of the mother parishes from which the Gyerim-dong Parish was separated. The Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia states that Gyerim-dong Church was newly established because the jurisdiction of Seomun-dong Church was vast.
• Namseong-dong Church: Together with Seomun-dong Parish, it is the mother parish from which the Gyerim-dong Parish was separated in 1990 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Gilmaeul Catholic mission chapel: A mission chapel administered by Gyerim-dong Church, located in Geumdang-ri, Jungdong-myeon, Sangju-si (Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Gyerim-dong Parish” (Vol. 1, entry on a parish of the Andong Diocese). Separation and foundation in 1990, patron, jurisdiction and mission chapels, church statistics, successive priests, preparation of the site and blessing of the church in November 1990.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/309
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, “Gyerim-dong Church”. Background of foundation, the Church Construction Promotion Committee and completion and foundation in 1990, first pastor, House of Sharing, Gilmaeul mission chapel, status in 2023.
   https://www.grandculture.net/sangju/toc/GC09101159
3. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, “Seomun-dong Church”. Branching off of Gyerim-dong Church from Seomun-dong Church in 1990.
   https://www.grandculture.net/sangju/toc/GC09101167
4. GoodNews, Korean Catholic Directory, list of parishes of the Andong Diocese. Foundation date of Gyerim-dong Parish as July 15, 1990.
   https://m.catholic.or.kr/web/addr/sResultList.asp?gubun=4&gubun2=&gyogu=201000025&search=
5. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, “Catholic Church”. Overview of Catholicism in the Sangju area, including Gyerim-dong Church among 8 churches of the Sangju District.
   https://www.grandculture.net/sangju/toc/GC09101157