Goejeong Church

Overview

Goejeong Church is a church belonging to the Diocese of Busan in Goejeong-dong, Saha-gu, Busan Metropolitan City, established on June 1, 1961 when the Goejeong Catholic mission chapel was elevated to a parish. Its patron saint is Our Lady of Lourdes, and as the first parish for the evangelization of the Goejeong and Hadan areas of Saha-gu, it spun off several parishes.

History

[Local background] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia explains that the name ‘Goejeong’ derives from the story that sprouts appeared even after cutting down the arbor tree standing where 8 villagers who resisted the tyranny of a cruel cheomsa in the late Joseon period had been arrested and beheaded. This area was incorporated into Busan on October 1, 1942, and as shantytown residents from Yeongju-dong and Donggwang-dong and fire refugees from Yongdusan moved in because of the 6-25 War, the population surged and it was called a newly formed village, that is, Sinchon. The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia also assesses that as Saha-myeon was incorporated into Busan in 1942, the Goejeong-Hadan area gradually took on an urban character, and after the 6-25 War, as refugees and the apartment development boom of the 1960s concentrated the population, the number of faithful grew and Goejeong Church was established.

[Mission-chapel era] The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia records that faith in this area began when believer Seo Ho-yeong (Thomas) moved from Gimhae-gun to Hadan-dong, Saha-gu in 1890 (Gojong 27). In 1926, for the growing faithful, the house of Seo Yohan at 439, Hadan-dong was designated as a Catholic mission chapel and the parish priest of Busanjin Parish made regular pastoral visits; later the mission chapel moved to the president’s house and then in October 1956 a mission-chapel building of about 66 m² was dedicated. Meanwhile in Sinchon (Goejeong-dong), after the 6-25 War the faithful surged with refugees, so Father Gwak Gervasio, parish priest of Jungang Church, secured a mission-chapel site at 467, Goejeong-dong and built a church building of 330 m², dedicated on May 1, 1958 (Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia). The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia explains that the Goejeong Catholic mission chapel began in 1952 when faithful centered on Kim Seong-gon (James) bought land at 428, Goejeong-dong and used one house as a mission chapel. As the faithful increased, in 1954 the existing building was demolished and the mission chapel rebuilt, and on land of 1,131 pyeong secured by Father Coxen of Jungang Parish, a church building of 100 pyeong was erected and dedicated on May 1, 1958.

[Parish establishment] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that Goejeong Parish was separated from Seodaesin Parish and established on June 1, 1961, and the Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia records that on the same day Goejeong Church was established by integrating surrounding mission chapels around the Goejeong Catholic mission chapel, with Father Gwak Gervasio of the Maryknoll Missioners appointed as first parish priest. With this, the Goejeong-dong and Hadan-dong areas of Saha-gu closed 71 years of the mission-chapel era (Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia). According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as the faithful surged with regional development, 4 chief catechists were appointed to share evangelization and catechesis for children and adults.

[New church building] The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia records that because the mission chapel had been raised to a parish, the church was too small for the faithful, so a groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 26, 1969, but construction dragged on for financial reasons and the dedication was barely held on February 10, 1974, and thanks to the new church the mission chapels under its jurisdiction were abolished. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the cramped church building was expanded to 193 pyeong and the dedication ceremony held on February 10, 1974. Later, as part of the church building was demolished under Busan City’s road-widening plan, a new site at 1066-1, Goejeong-dong was purchased, a church newly built, and dedicated on October 1, 1983 (both sources). The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia gives the new site area as about 1 ten thousand 6000 m², and the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia as more than 4,800 pyeong.

[Spin-off] According to the Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia, as large apartment complexes were built in the Saha district and Dadaepo area and the faithful greatly increased, Hadan Church spun off on February 6, 1988, and Dadae Church spun off on February 1, 1997, and at that time a new church building was built on the old church building and Saha Church was also separated. The same source summarizes that Hadan Church, Dadaepo Church, Saha Church, Jangnim Church, Molundae Church and others spun off from Goejeong Church. Because of traffic inconvenience and parish divisions, Goejeong Church became a relatively small church, but through remodeling of the church building and maintenance of the surrounding Way of the Cross, it became a base for regional evangelization.

[Parish cemetery and projects] On April 8, 1964, woodland was purchased at San 21, Gupyeong-dong, Saha-gu to create a parish cemetery. The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia records that this woodland is about 9,000 m², received permission as a private mass cemetery, holds more than 200 deceased faithful, and now mainly uses the Catholic public cemetery in Yangsan, while the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records it as woodland of 2,730 pyeong. In February 1971 Haetbit Kindergarten was established (both sources), and the Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia records that this kindergarten became so famous that children came not only from nearby but from far away. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that in May 1981 an evangelization bulletin was published to focus on regional evangelization.

[Church strength and present state] The church strength recorded by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is 1,926 members in 1962, 2,682 members in 1972, 6,863 members in 1982, and 10,223 members in 1993. Its jurisdiction was Gamcheon 1-dong, Gupyeong-dong, Goejeong 1-4-dong, Dadae-dong, Sinpyeong-dong, and part of Gamcheon 2-dong (account up to 1993). The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia records that on the occasion of the 50 anniversary of the parish founding, Goejeong Church is leading a new evangelization, and as of 2013, reports 7,562 faithful, a land area of about 1 ten thousand 6000 m², a total floor area of about 3,500 m², with main buildings being the church, rectory and convent.

Related Places and People

• Seodaesin Parish: the parish from which Goejeong Parish was separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). Jungang Parish: Father Gwak Gervasio secured the Goejeong mission-chapel church site while serving as parish priest (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Hadan Church, Dadae Church, Saha Church, Jangnim Church, Molundae Church: parishes spun off from Goejeong Church (Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Father Gwak Gervasio (J. Coxen): of the Maryknoll Missioners, first parish priest of Goejeong Parish (Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Successive parish priests (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, account of 1993): first Gwak Gervasio (1961.6~1962.1), 2 pastor Beninati Francesco (1962.1~1963.7), 3 pastor Seok Robert (1963.8~1967.2), 4 pastor An Roberto (1967.2~1967.8), 5 pastor Ban Guglielmo (1967.9~1968.7), 6 pastor Gu Jae-guk Donald (1968.8~1971.7), 7 pastor Pa Myeong-geon David (1971.7~1978.9), 8 pastor Lee Si-chan Daniel (1978.9~1984.1), 9 pastor Jeong Hwan-guk Aloysius (1984.1~1989.2), 10 pastor Park Tae-san Joachim (1989.2~1992.2), 11 pastor Jo Yong-geol Augustine (1992.2~).

References and Sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia “Goejeong Church”. Mission-chapel era, parish establishment (1961.6.1.), new church building (1974, 1983), spin-off, parish cemetery, state of 2013.
   https://www.grandculture.net/busan/toc/GC04210723
2. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Goejeong Parish” (volume 1). Place-name origin, mission-chapel establishment, parish establishment, successive parish priests, church-strength statistics, jurisdiction.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/468