Beomil Catholic Church

History & origins

The origins of Beomil Parish reach back to the late nineteenth century, when the opening and growth of Busan created a need for a new pastoral center. After mission stations were established in the Busan area at Bamdae, Jeoryeongdo, and Dongnae in 1888, the Apostolic Vicariate decided to create a Busan parish responsible for the wider Gyeongsangnam-do region. In early 1890, Fr. Jozeau (Moses) was appointed the first pastor and settled at Jeoryeongdo, marking the beginning of the first parish in the Gyeongsangnam-do region.

The parish soon moved its center as Busan itself changed. It transferred to Choryang in 1891 and then to Beomil-dong in 1916, where it took the name “Busanjin Parish.” A wooden church was built there in 1916, and another church was constructed in 1936 as the community continued to grow. These moves reflected changes in population and transportation patterns in Busan, with the pastoral center following the city’s evolving geography.

After liberation and through the Korean War, Busan’s population expanded sharply, and Busanjin Parish began to divide its large territory into new parishes. Daechong-dong, Choryang, Dongnae, Donghang, Suyeong, Gupo, Seomyeon, Daeyeon, and Sujeong were among the communities that emerged from this lineage, and Munhyeon Parish was separated in 1975. These divisions did not represent decline but the creation of a denser pastoral network suited to a growing city.

Construction of another new church began in 1964 and the building was completed by the end of 1965. On September 18, 1966, the parish name was changed from “Busanjin” to “Beomil.” The history of Beomil Parish can thus be understood as a movement from Jeoryeongdo to Choryang and Beomil-dong, followed by the formation of many daughter parishes that broadened the foundations of Catholic life in the Busan region.