Taehwa-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Taehwadong Church is a church in Taehwa-dong, Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, belonging to the Diocese of Andong. To commemorate the 25th silver jubilee of priestly ordination of Dubong, the first Bishop of Andong, it was separated and erected from Mokseong-dong Cathedral Parish on December 1, 1979, and its patron is the Queen of Martyrs. In 1997, it branched off Songhyeon-dong Parish.

History

[Background of establishment] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Diocese of Andong, whose Catholic strength had steadily grown since the establishment of Andong (now Mokseong-dong) Parish in June 1927, founded Dongbu-dong (now Yongsang-dong) Parish in 1973 and actively evangelized the eastern area, and the establishment of a new parish in the rapidly developing western area became urgently needed. On the occasion of the 25th silver jubilee of priestly ordination (June 29, 1978) of Dubong, the first diocesan bishop, the Diocese of Andong decided to build a new church in this area as a memorial church. The Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia also states that Taehwadong Church was built to commemorate the 25th silver jubilee of priestly ordination of Bishop Dubong, then diocesan bishop, and explains that Mokseong-dong Church, which had branched off Dongbu-dong Church in the cultural center by dividing the eastern area of Andong, 3 years later branched off the newly expanding western area to establish Taehwadong Church.

[Construction of the church building] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during 1976 the faithful conducted a campaign to raise funds for church construction and collected over 1,900 ten thousand won, and Bishop Dubong also requested cooperation from the United States and Germany and gathered aid funds. With these funds, construction of the new church began in July 1979, but Father A. Gaztambide, designated as the first pastor, was on home leave, so a brother of the Marist Teaching Brothers, who had been operating a student hall, was dispatched to supervise construction. In late November of the same year the church was completed as a modern 2-story building with a total floor area of 195 pyeong on a 265-pyeong site, and on December 5 a dedication ceremony was celebrated in a joint officiation by all priests of the Diocese of Andong. The Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia states that the groundbreaking was held in July 1979 and completion was in late November, and that construction costs were financed with 1,700 ten thousand won in support funds from parishes in the diocese and 5,000 ten thousand won in aid from overseas benefactors. The parish information of the Diocese of Andong lists the establishment date as December 9, 1979, and in the order of parish establishment on the Andong Diocese website, Taehwa-dong is 21th with an establishment date of December 1, 1979.

[Activities of the early pastors] The first pastor, Father Antonio Gaztambide (Han Sang-deok), purchased No. 302, Building A, Yeongnam Apartments, Taehwa-dong, in September 1981 for use as a convent, erected a statue of the Virgin Mary at Pungsan mission chapel in August 1983, and in December completed the hall of Jukjeon mission chapel and celebrated its blessing (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). Father Augustino Kim Sang-jin, the 2th pastor, began receiving offerings for church expansion in July 1987 as the number of faithful increased. Father Anselmo Kim Hak-rok, the 3th pastor, invigorated small-community ban meetings, performed prison ministry at Andong Prison, and founded the Vincentian association to practice sharing with the poor. On March 16, 1993 construction of a new education hall and convent began, and on October 9 it was completed and blessed.

[Branching off of Songhyeon-dong Parish and afterward] Under Father Ephrem Jang Hyeon-jun, the 5th pastor, Songhyeon-dong Parish was separated and erected in August 1997 as the number of faithful grew (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia states that Songhyeon-dong Church was separated from Taehwadong Church on August 2, 1997, Father Pio Choi Sung-geun took office as the first parish priest, Bishop Ignatius Park Seok-hui officiated the first Mass on August 24, 1998, Father Paul Kim Han-mo took office as the 2th parish priest on February 1, 2001, a church-building promotion committee was formed in February 2002, and a church dedication ceremony was celebrated on May 4, 2003. Father Aaron Kim Do-gyeom, the 6th pastor, repaired the roofs in September 2002 when the rectory and convent buildings leaked due to a typhoon. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that Taehwa-dong Parish strives to create a community of fellowship and to be reborn in the image of the small church it first aimed for, based on a stable parish community.

[Jurisdiction, statistics, and successive priests] The jurisdiction recorded by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia covers Taehwa-dong, Dangbuk-dong, Pyeonghwa-dong, Unan-dong, Namhu-myeon, Iljik-myeon, Pungsan-eup, and Icheon-dong in Andong-si. Parish statistics are 1980: 1,003 members, 1985: 1,303 members, 1990: 1,583 members, 1995: 2,458 members, 2000: 1,856 members, 2003: 1,861 members. Successive priests are the 1st, Antonio Gaztambide (Han Sang-deok) (1979.12-1986.1), 2th, Augustino Kim Sang-jin (1986.1-1990.7), 3th, Anselmo Kim Hak-rok (1990.7-1995.6), 4th, John the Baptist Kwon Sang-mok (1995.6-1996.2), acting, Vincenzio Jo Chang-rae (1996.2-6), 5th, Ephrem Jang Hyeon-jun (1996.6-1999.2), 6th, Aaron Kim Do-gyeom (1999.2-2004.1), 7nd, Stefano Nam Jeong-hong (2004.1-). The parish information of the Diocese of Andong lists the religious congregation dispatched to this parish as the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Service.

Architecture and Space

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the church was completed in late November 1979 as a modern 2-story building with a total floor area of 195 pyeong on a 265-pyeong site, and the dedication was held on December 5. A brother of the Marist Teaching Brothers supervised construction. In 1993, an education hall and convent were newly built and completed on October 9.

Related Places and Persons

• Mokseong-dong Cathedral Parish: the parish from which Taehwa-dong Parish was separated. The Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia states that it is the earliest established church in Andong.
• Dongbu-dong (now Yongsang-dong) Parish: the parish in eastern Andong established in 1973 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia).
• Songhyeon-dong Parish: separated and erected from Taehwa-dong Parish in August 1997 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia).
• Pungsan mission chapel and Jukjeon mission chapel: mission chapels where the erection of a Marian statue (August 1983) and completion of a hall (December 1983) took place under the first pastor (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Bishop R. Dupont: the first Bishop of Andong, in commemoration of whose 25th silver jubilee of priestly ordination Taehwadong Church was built (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia).
• Marist Teaching Brothers: a brother of this society supervised the new church construction (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Taehwa-dong Parish” (vol. 11). Separation and erection on December 1, 1979, patron, jurisdiction, statistics, successive priests, background of establishment and church construction, activities of pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/6307
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Andong Culture Encyclopedia “Churches”. Memorial establishment of Taehwadong Church for the silver jubilee, groundbreaking and completion in 1979, construction costs, branching off of Songhyeon-dong Church.
   https://www.grandculture.net/andong/toc/GC02402011
3. Diocese of Andong, Parish Information “Taehwadong Church”. Patron Queen of Martyrs, listed establishment date, dispatched religious congregation.
   https://www.acatholic.or.kr/sub3/sub1_view.asp?seq=12
4. Diocese of Andong, Jurisdiction and Parish Distribution Map. Order of parish establishment (Taehwa-dong 21th, December 1, 1979).
   https://www.acatholic.or.kr/sub1/sub1_4.asp