Munhyeon Catholic Church

Overview

Munhyeon Church is a church in Munhyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Busan. On January 29, 1975, it was separated from Beomil Parish and founded, and its patron is the Good Shepherd.

History

〔Region and land purchase〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Munhyeon-dong, formerly called Jigetgol, was a remote place used as a residential area for leprosy patients during the Japanese colonial period, but a village took shape as Koreans returning from Japan around the 8·15 Liberation and refugees who moved to Busan during the Korean War in 1950 settled there. Military units were stationed there for a long time, delaying development, but when Busan City started the Daeyeon Pass road-widening work from April 1965, transportation improved and commercial areas formed, and the resident population began to grow. Seeing the area’s potential for growth, the diocese purchased a 479-pyeong site in Munhyeon Market on January 25, 1965.

〔Postponed foundation and parish establishment〕 The encyclopedia states that on March 20, 1969, the diocese intended to newly establish Munhyeon Parish together with Bongnae Parish and Jeonpo Parish and entrust their pastoral care to the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society, but due to diocesan circumstances the foundation of Munhyeon Parish alone was postponed indefinitely. In 1974, Park Tae-san (Joachim), pastor of Beomil Parish, pushed forward a concrete plan for a new parish, and the following year on January 29, Munhyeon Parish was established, with Kim Man-su, pastor of Mulgeum Parish, appointed as its first pastor while continuing to serve both parishes.

〔Construction of the first church〕 According to the encyclopedia, while construction proceeded that year on June 4 on a 492-pyeong site at the present parish location newly purchased by the diocese, the kendo hall Daewongwan in Munhyeon 1-dong and the 2 floor of the Daeseon bottle collection center were rented and used respectively as a temporary church and rectory. On October 5, with only the outer walls erected, the first Mass was celebrated at the rectory, and on April 26, 1976, a church with a total floor area of about 290 pyeong was completed.

〔Activities in the 1970s~90s〕 The encyclopedia states that on May 9, 1977, St. James House consisting of 3 classes was opened (renamed to Saemaeul Nursery in March 1982 and to Seongsin Kindergarten in November 1993), and that during the tenure of the 2 pastor, Father Ha Yong-dal, who devoted himself to a campaign to double the number of believers, 1,167 new baptisms resulted. In the 1980s, lay apostolic groups such as the St. Peter Society, Ultreya, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and the St. Joseph Society were founded, and on November 1986 the rectory, convent and catechetical rooms were fully renovated, and on December 1987 the apostolic hall was expanded, while organ concerts and faith lectures were held. During the tenure of the 7 pastor, Father Lee Jae-man, in 1991 a “My Bible Reading Chart” was produced and distributed. For the first time in the Diocese of Busan, a Korean traditional music Mass was celebrated for major feast Masses, and various bazaars and a permanent farm-produce direct-sales corner were operated to raise funds for the expansion and remodeling of annex buildings.

〔Parish statistics and jurisdiction〕 The encyclopedia lists the parish location at that time as Munhyeon 3-dong 240-26 in Nam-gu, its jurisdiction as all of Munhyeon 1~5-dong and Daeyeon 6-dong, and its statistics as 1977: 2,136 members, 1982: 3,493 members, 1987: 4,809 members, 1991: 5,604 members, 1995: 5,599 members. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists the parish as belonging to the Namcheon District, its establishment date as January 29, 1975, its affiliated sisters as the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters, its number of faithful as 5,627, and its number of Catholic mission chapels as 0.

〔Successive pastors〕 The successive priests listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first Kim Man-su (John Bosco) (1975.1~1978.1), the 2 Ha Yong-dal (Andrew) (1978.1~1981.2), the 3 O Nam-ju (Primo) (1981.2~1986.1), the 4 Kim Seung-ju (John Chrysostom) (1986.2~1989.1), the 5 Park Mun-seon (James) (1989.1~1990.1), the 6 O Chang-il (Joachim) (1990.2~1991.1), the 7 Lee Jae-man (Mark) (1991.2~1995.2), the 8 Kang Jong-seok (Peter) (1995.2~1997.1), and the 9 Lee Su-rak (John Bosco) (1997.2~the time of the encyclopedia’s compilation).

Architecture and Space

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, on January 25, 1965 a 479-pyeong site in Munhyeon Market was purchased, but construction proceeded on a 492-pyeong site at the present location newly purchased by the diocese, and on April 26, 1976 a church with a total floor area of about 290 pyeong was completed. On November 1986 the rectory, convent and catechetical rooms were fully renovated, and on December 1987 the apostolic hall was expanded.

Related Places and People

• Beomil Parish: The parish from which Munhyeon Parish was separated and established. In 1974, Beomil Parish pastor Father Park Tae-san promoted the plan for the new parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Bongnae Parish and Jeonpo Parish: Parishes that were scheduled to be newly established together with Munhyeon Parish on March 20, 1969, of which only Munhyeon Parish was postponed (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Mulgeum Parish: The parish whose pastor, Father Kim Man-su, was serving when he was appointed as the first pastor of Munhyeon Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Munhyeon Parish” (volume 5). Regional background, postponed foundation and parish establishment in 1975, church completion in 1976, pastoral activities, statistics, jurisdiction, successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2156
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory, “Munhyeon” (Diocese of Busan). Establishment date, patron, district, sisters, number of faithful, number of Catholic mission chapels. Directory entries: establishment date 1975.1.29, patron Good Shepherd, Namcheon District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201001396&gubun=4