Ok-san Catholic Church

Overview

Oksan Church is a church in Sanhyeon-ri, Gongseong-myeon, Sangju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, belonging to the Diocese of Andong. Beginning as the Oksan Mission Chapel, it was elevated to a parish in 1995, with Saint Joseph as its patron. It owns and manages the Sangju Catholic Confession of Faith Monument, introduced as the only Confession of Faith monument in the Korean Church.

History

〔Beginning as a mission chapel〕 The Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia entry “Oksan Church” states that Oksan Church was founded as Oksan Mission Chapel in 1958, while the detailed information lists the founding as the establishment of Oksan Mission Chapel on May 28, 1957. The Korean Catholic Directory lists the founding date as May 28, 1957. On October 1960, space for a mission chapel was prepared under Seomundong Parish. When Namseongdong Church was established in 1963, Oksan was one of its affiliated mission chapels (Nakdong, Cheongni, Oksan, Wangsil, Oenam, Unpyeong, Yongpo, Uha and Sinsang) (Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia “Namseongdong Church”).

〔Activity of a sisters’ congregation〕 The main text of the Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia states that the Sisters of Christian Education were active from March 1983 to August, while the detailed information records that they arrived on March 1989 and withdrew on August in the same year, so the years differ from each other.

〔Elevation to a parish〕 According to the Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, Cheongni Mission Chapel, Wangsil Mission Chapel and Oenam Mission Chapel were incorporated on December 21, 1994, and Oksan Mission Chapel was elevated to Oksan Church on February 8, 1995. Father Heo Bo-rok (Philip) took office as the first pastor and celebrated the Mass commemorating the elevation on February 12, 1995. The Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia entry “Namseongdong Church” states that Oksan Mission Chapel under the jurisdiction of Namseongdong Church was elevated to Oksan Church on February 12, 1995. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia entry “Namseongdong Parish” states that 4 places, including Oksan, were transferred to the jurisdiction of Oksan Parish as of February 12, 1995.

〔Beautification of the Confession of Faith Monument site〕 According to the GoodNews guide to holy places, through the dedication in 1999 of Father Shin Gi-ryong of Oksan Church at the time, its parish council leadership and the head of the Cheongni Mission Chapel association, the beautification of the Confession of Faith Monument site was promoted, installing a large cross and altar, the Stations of the Cross, a Jubilee Year symbolic sculpture in 2000, and others. The Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia entry “Sangju Catholic Confession of Faith Monument” states that a large cross and altar and 14 Stations of the Cross were installed in 1999 and a Jubilee Year symbolic sculpture was erected in 2000.

〔New church and situation at the time〕 The Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia states that a new church was built in 2000. As of 2023, centered on the 11th pastor, about 150 people attended Sunday Mass and there were about 700 registered faithful, with Cheongni Mission Chapel, Wangsil Mission Chapel and Oenam Mission Chapel under its care. Most of the faithful were farmers growing rice and orchard fruits such as apples, grapes and pears.

Related Places and People

• Sangju Catholic Confession of Faith Monument: A monument in Samgoe-ri, Cheongni-myeon, Sangju-si; the Korean Catholic Directory lists its supervising (mother) parish as Oksan Parish. According to the Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia, Kim Sam-rok (1843–1935), Dominic, erected it around 1894–1900, and it is a granite monument 127 cm high, 40 cm wide and 22 cm thick, owned and managed by the Catholic Diocese of Andong Maintenance Foundation [Oksan Church]. It was designated as Gyeongsangbuk-do Cultural Property Material No. 562 on December 28, 2009, and its designation was changed to Gyeongsangbuk-do Cultural Property Material on November 19, 2021 and to Gyeongsangbuk-do Cultural Heritage Material on May 17, 2024.
• Circumstances of the discovery of the Confession of Faith Monument: According to GoodNews, it first became known within the Church when the parish priest of Seomundong Parish at the time happened to meet the second son of Kim Sun-gyeong, the grandson of Kim Sam-rok, and heard the story in 1982, and verification was carried out with the field survey by Father Oh Gi-seon of the Archdiocese of Seoul in 1984.
• Namseongdong Church: The parish to which Oksan Mission Chapel belonged before it was elevated to a parish in 1995 (Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia).
• Seomundong Church: The parish to which Oksan Mission Chapel belonged when space for the Oksan mission chapel was prepared in 1960 (Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia).
• Cheongni Mission Chapel, Wangsil Mission Chapel and Oenam Mission Chapel: Mission chapels incorporated into Oksan Parish on December 21, 1994 (Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. The Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia “Oksan Church”. Establishment as a mission chapel, mission chapel space in 1960, incorporation and elevation to a parish in 1994–1995, first pastor, new church in 2000, management of the Confession of Faith Monument, situation in 2023.
   https://www.grandculture.net/sangju/toc/GC09101171
2. GoodNews, Holy Places and Historic Sites “Confession of Faith Monument (Oksan Church)”. Origin of the Confession of Faith Monument, circumstances of its discovery and verification, beautification of the site in 1999, designation as Cultural Property Material in 2009.
   https://app.catholic.or.kr/web/holyplace/?flag=1&seq=2348
3. The Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia “Sangju Catholic Confession of Faith Monument”. Circumstances of the erection of the monument, dimensions, owner and manager Oksan Church, history of designation, beautification of the site in 1999–2000.
   https://www.grandculture.net/sangju/toc/GC09100666
4. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Sangju Cheongni Confession of Faith Monument”. Supervising (mother) parish Oksan, period of erection.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201003767&gubun=16
5. GoodNews, Korean Catholic Directory list of parishes in the Diocese of Andong. Date of establishment of Oksan Parish May 28, 1957.
   https://m.catholic.or.kr/web/addr/sResultList.asp?gubun=4&gubun2=&gyogu=201000025&search=
6. The Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Sangju Culture Encyclopedia “Namseongdong Church”. Oksan Mission Chapel was an affiliated mission chapel of Namseongdong Church and was elevated in 1995.
   https://www.grandculture.net/sangju/toc/GC09101161