Seomyeon Catholic Church

Overview

Seomyeon Church is a church in Bujeon-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan Metropolitan City, belonging to the Diocese of Busan, established on December 11, 1960. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, it was separated and established from the Busanjin (now Beomil) Parish and the Yangjeong Parish, and its patron is the Korean Martyrs (the 103 Korean Martyrs). Its first pastor was Father Kim Namsu (Angelo), and the Jeonpo, Gaya, Danggam and Seongji Parishes branched off from this church.

History

〔Background of establishment〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, immediately after the 6–25 War, the number of faithful in the Bujeon-dong and Jeonpo-dong area centered on the Seomyeon Rotary increased sharply, but the overseeing Busanjin Parish was far away, causing great inconvenience. Accordingly, around 1955, local faithful including Park Deokhyeon (Matthew), Lee Giseong (Paul) and Lee Unseong (Lawrence) donated 386 pyeong of the present church site to the diocese and petitioned for the establishment of a parish. In 1957, the nearby Yangjeong Parish was established first, so the plan was postponed, and only on December 11, 1960 was its establishment decided, with Father Kim Namsu of Yangjeong Parish concurrently serving as the first pastor. The dedication ceremony for the 360-pyeong church was also held on the same day. The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia also states that Seomyeon Church was established to accommodate the growing number of faithful as the Seomyeon area developed rapidly after the 6–25 War, the Seomyeon Rotary was created, and the area was transformed into the center of Busan. The same source reports that in early 1960, Father Kim Namsu, pastor of Yangjeong Church, began construction of a church on a site of about 1,500 ㎡, and Seomyeon Church was established with a consecration ceremony on December 11, 1960.

〔Early pastoral care〕 Father Kim Namsu founded the Praesidium ‘Queen of Martyrs’ in January 1961 and, after inviting the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in October 1966 and laying the foundation of the parish, was transferred (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). ‘Seomyeon Kindergarten’ opened on March 13, 1967 (the Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia states that it opened as Saetbyeol Kindergarten and later became Seomyeon Kindergarten, and the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that it closed on February 15, 1989), and the Young Christian Workers (J.O.C.) was established in accordance with local characteristics (Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia). A catechism classroom and meeting rooms were newly built on December 29, 1974, and on September 5 of the following year the ‘Seongnyeon Association’ for free medical care was organized (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia states that in 1975 the Seongnyeon Association was founded and provided medical service to ordinary people among parishioners and non-believers who could not receive medical benefits.

〔Branching off〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Jeonpo Parish was separated on November 25, 1972, the Gaya Catholic mission chapel was raised to a parish on July 5 of the following year, and while separating the Danggam Parish on January 9, 1978, 267 households and 740 parish registers were transferred, and while separating the Seongji Parish on March 13, two months later, 186 households and 604 parish registers were transferred. The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia states that the Jeonpo Parish (in 1972), the Gaya Parish (in 1973), the Danggam Parish (in 1978) and the Seongji Parish (in 1978) branched off from Seomyeon Church.

〔1980s–1990s〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, a library was set up on June 4, 1978, a youth group magazine was first published on November 30, 1980, and the rectory in February 1987 and the convent in July of the following year were each renovated. On September 17, 1993, the parish logo and parish flag were produced. The same source stated that as the residential area under its jurisdiction turned into shops and the out-migrating population increased, a new plan to revitalize evangelization was urgently needed.

〔Remodeling and status〕 According to the Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia, in the 2000s the church lost vitality as its membership declined due to the aging of the faithful and the departure of residents, so in 2011 the entire church was remodeled to rebuild the deteriorated buildings and construct an education hall, and a consecration ceremony was held after remodeling on December 2, 2012. In 2012, the playground ‘SENDA’ for young people was created on the 3 floor of the education hall, and a senior college is also operated. As of 2013, the number of faithful was 5,961, and centered on the Council of the Lay Apostolate there were groups such as the Yeondo Association, the Seongnyeon Association, the Marian Association, the Agape Association, the Yangeop Association, the Daegeon Association and the Maria Association, with a land area of about 2,040 ㎡ and a total floor area of about 8,250 ㎡ for the church, education hall, cafeteria, rectory, convent and other buildings. The membership statistics in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia were 1,677 in 1961, 4,634 in 1967, 4,839 in 1973, 4,474 in 1979, 5,790 in 1984, 6,533 in 1989, 6,435 in 1993 and 5,880 in 1997, and its jurisdiction covered parts of Bujeon 1 and 2-dong, Buam 1 and 2-dong, Danggam 2-dong, Beomjeon-dong, and Beomcheon 2 and 4-dong.

Related places and people

• Busanjin (Beomil) Parish and Yangjeong Parish: the parishes from which the Seomyeon Parish was separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia states that Father Kim Namsu, pastor of Yangjeong Church, began construction of Seomyeon Church and took office as its first priest.
• Jeonpo, Gaya, Danggam and Seongji Parishes: the parishes that branched off from the Seomyeon Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Father Kim Namsu (Angelo): the first pastor of the Seomyeon Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Successive pastors (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as described in 1997): first Kim Namsu, Angelo (1960.12–1966.12), the 2 pastor Lee Cheolu, Paul (1966.12–1969.4), the 3 pastor Kim Gyeongu, Alexius (1969.4–1971.11), the 4 pastor Park Taesan, Joachim (1971.11–1972.12), the 5 pastor Lee Byeongman, Joseph (1972.12–1974.2), interim Lee Honggi, John the Baptist (1974.2–3), the 6 pastor Lee Okgun, Thaddeus (1974.3–1975.5), the 7 pastor Park Munseon, James (1975.7–1980.2), the 8 pastor Kim Changdae, Emmanuel (1980.2–1984.2), the 9 pastor Han Yeongil, Nicholas (1984.2–1987.1), the 10 pastor An Dalwon, Peter (1987.1–1994.2), the 11 pastor Kim Jeongsu, Andrew Kim Daegeon (1994.2–1995.2), the 12 pastor Lee Donghan, Thomas Aquinas (1995.2–).

References and sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Busan History and Culture Encyclopedia “Seomyeon Church”. Purpose of establishment and changes (1960.12.11.), branching off, remodeling and consecration in 2011–2012, status in 2013.
   https://www.grandculture.net/busan/toc/GC04210824
2. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Seomyeon Parish” (7 volume). Petition and process of establishment, branching off and transfer of parish registers, parish activities, membership statistics, list of successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3154