Bongmyeong-dong Catholic Church

Overview

The Bongmyeong-dong Church is a church in Bongmyeong-dong, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, belonging to the Cheongju Diocese. It was separated and established from the Sachang-dong Parish on May 18, 1986, and its patron is Saint Matthew the Apostle. It completed a Neo-Romanesque church building with 3 above-ground floors and 1 basement floor in 1990.

History

[Background of Establishment] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the population surged from the late 1970s as a new town was formed in the western district, which had been a peripheral area of Cheongju-si. As a result, the Sachang-dong Parish was separated from the Sajik-dong Parish in July 1981, and the Bongmyeong-dong Parish was again separated from the Sachang-dong Parish on May 18, 1986, with Father Kim Won-taek appointed as the first parish priest. The Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia notes that, as many apartment complexes were built, including around the Cheongju Industrial Complex, and the area became densely populated, the need to establish a new church was raised.

[Construction of the Church] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Father Kim Won-taek devoted himself to uniting the faithful unsettled by the division and, based on the 647.7 pyeong of church land purchased by the diocese, began construction of a new church on March 17, 1988, completing a Neo-Romanesque church with 3 above-ground floors and 1 basement floor (total floor area 696 pyeong) on April 30, 1990. Afterwards, the faithful, centered on the pastoral council, revitalized apostolic organizations such as the Legion of Mary, the Monica Association, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia records that the dedication ceremony was held after 4 years of construction.

[Division and Name] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as the surrounding population continued to grow, the Bongmyeong 2-dong Parish (now Sinbong-dong) was newly established on July 25, 1992, and parish registers in the jurisdiction were transferred there. At that time, the parish name was changed to Bongmyeong 1-dong Parish, then in June 1996 it was restored to the founding name, Bongmyeong-dong Parish. It records that the 2th parish priest, Father Peter Kim Gwang-hyeok, carried out ministry for the stability and consolidation of the parish, promoting the reorganization of small Christian communities, the revitalization of neighborhood meetings, and a campaign to make prayer and service part of daily life.

[Church Growth and Successive Parish Priests] The church statistics recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are, in 1986, 797 persons, in 1989, 2,185 persons, in 1993, 1,909 persons, and in 1997, 1,881 persons. The successive priests were the first, Francis Kim Won-taek (1986.5–1992.7), the 2th, Peter Kim Gwang-hyeok (1992.7–1997.6), and the 3th, Matthew Lee Jung-gwon (1997.6–), and the jurisdiction is recorded as all of Bongmyeong 1-dong and parts of Sinbong-dong and Sachang-dong. The Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia records that priests Oh Dong-young and Kim Hak-bong came from the parish, that it has the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Association for the Deceased, the choir, the elementary and middle school teachers group, the youth group, the Monica Association, the Marian Association, the liturgy committee, the pastoral council and others, that it has jurisdiction over Bongmyeong 1-dong and part of Sachang-dong, and that the total number of faithful is 1,851 persons. The Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia gives July 1980 as the time when the Sachang-dong Parish was separated from the Sajik-dong Parish, differing from the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, which gives July 1981.

Architecture and Space

The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia describes this church building as Neo-Romanesque with 3 above-ground floors and 1 basement floor and a total floor area of 696 pyeong, recording that construction began on March 17, 1988 and was completed on April 30, 1990.

Related Places and Figures

• Sachang-dong Church: the mother parish from which the Bongmyeong-dong Parish was separated and established on May 18, 1986 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia).
• Sinbong-dong Church (former Bongmyeong 2-dong Parish): the parish newly established after separation from the Bongmyeong-dong Parish on July 25, 1992 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Bongmyeong-dong Parish” (vol. 6). Parish establishment in 1986, church completion in 1990, separation of the Sinbong-dong Parish, name changes, church growth and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2642
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia “Bongmyeong-dong Church”. Background of establishment, division of the Sinbong-dong Church, priests from the parish, organizations and current status.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheongju/toc/GC00200259
3. Catholic Cheongju Diocese, parish information “Bongmyeong-dong Church”. Date of establishment May 18, 1986, patron Saint Matthew.
   https://www.cdcj.or.kr/parish/parish/view/23006