Bugang Catholic Church

Overview

Bugang Church is a church in Bugang-myeon, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, belonging to the Cheongju Diocese. It was separated from Cheongju Parish and established in 1957, and its patron is the Holy Name of Mary. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records its location as Bugang-ri, Buyong-myeon, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk.

History

〔Early history〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, a full-fledged faith community in the Bugang area began to form when Father Curier (Curier, Nam Il-ryang), the 3th pastor of Gongju Parish, established the Biryong (Biryong-ri, Nami-myeon, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk) Catholic mission chapel in 1907. The Biryong Catholic mission chapel was first under Gongju Parish, but around 1910 it became a Catholic mission chapel under Okcheon Parish, and in April 1914, when Father Joseph Yi Jong-sun, the 2th pastor of Okcheon Parish, moved his residence to Biryong, it was elevated to a parish in November of that year. When Daejeon Parish was established in November 1919, Biryong Parish became a Catholic mission chapel of Daejeon Parish, and in 1932, when Cheongju Parish was separated from Gamgok Parish and established, it again became a Catholic mission chapel under Cheongju Parish. The encyclopedia states that it is not certain whether there was a Catholic mission chapel in the Bugang area before the parish was founded, but it is clear that a faith community had formed in Yongpo (Bugang-ri, Buyong-myeon).

〔Founding of the parish〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, when the North Chungcheong region was designated as the Gamok Vicariate in September 1953 and the Church grew, Bugang Parish was separated from Cheongju Parish and founded in April 1957, and Father Daniel Schneider (D. Schneider, Seon) of Maryknoll took office as the first pastor. The Cheongju Diocese parish information lists the foundation date as on April 21, 1957.

〔Construction of the church〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Father Schneider, immediately after taking office, purchased a hanok building at 129-2 Bugang-ri and used it as a temporary church. Father Montuori, the 3th pastor, purchased 3,004 pyeong of the present church site in May 1961, began building the church in August of that year, and completed and blessed the church and the rectory on June 16 of the following year. In May 1963 he built the Biryong Catholic mission chapel hall. From November 1961 Sisters of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Pohang came and served, then withdrew in December 1965.

〔Growth and changes of mission chapels〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Maryknoll priests distributed relief supplies to local residents with the support of the Catholic Relief Committee (N.C.W.C.C.), and in June 1969 they purchased 316 pyeong of land and built houses for the poorest people in the villages of Odae and Gyodong. By the time the first Korean priest, Father John Gwak Dong-cheol, took office in October 1974, more than 2,300 people in the Bugang area had been baptized. Until the late 1970s, the Biryong and Cheoksan (Nami-myeon), Sangsam and Simok (Hyeondo-myeon), Munui and Mundong (Munui-myeon), and Maepo (Noho-ri, Buyong-myeon) Catholic mission chapels were under the parish, but with the adjustment of jurisdiction in April 1984, the entire Munui-myeon area, including the Munui Catholic mission chapel and the Mundong Catholic mission chapel, was transferred to Seowun-dong Parish, and the Catholic mission chapels of Hyeondo-myeon and the Cheoksan Catholic mission chapel of Nami-myeon were closed, leaving only the Biryong Catholic mission chapel and the Maepo Catholic mission chapel.

〔After the 1980s〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, a new Marian grotto was created in 1985, and construction of the education building “Our Lady Hall” (87 pyeong) began in June 1991 and was completed in January of the following year. From 1995 efforts were made to invite a sisters’ congregation again, and at that time 1 Sisters of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood served on dispatch 3 times a week. It records that in 1997, as a project marking the 40th anniversary of the parish foundation, the establishment of the Hyeondo Catholic mission chapel was promoted, and in 2000 efforts were made to raise funds to build the Biryong Catholic mission chapel building.

〔Church statistics and successive pastors〕 The statistics recorded in the encyclopedia are 1,522 in 1965, 1,921 in 1971, 1,668 in 1976, 768 in 1980, 1,030 in 1986, 1,179 in 1990, 1,284 in 1994, and 1,285 in 1996. The jurisdiction is recorded as the entire areas of Buyong-myeon, Nami-myeon, and Hyeondo-myeon. The successive pastors are the first Daniel Schneider (1957.4~1958.5), the 2th Francis Ryan (F. Ryan, Yang Seung-deok) (1958.5~1959.5), the 3th Angelo Montuori (A.S. Montuori, Mun Geum-san) (1959.5~1963.7), the 4th Leo Decman (L. Decman, Ma) (1963.7~1965.7), the 5th John Rozinski (No Sin-gi) (1965.7~1970.12), the 6th Michael Zunno (M. Zunno, Ju Eun-ro) (1971.3~1974.10), the 7th John Gwak Dong-cheol (1974.10~1979.5), the 8th Leo Yeon Je-sik (1979.5~1981.8), the 9th Francis Seo Jeong-hyeok (1981.8~1983.4), the 10th Thomas Yi Beom-hyeon (1984.5~1987.6), the 11th James Sin Seong-geun (1987.6~1989.6), the 12th Noel Sin Seong-guk (1989.6~1992.3), the 13th Marco Kim In-guk (1992.3~1994.5), the 14th Antonio Gu Yun-hoe (1994.5~1997.4), and the 15th Cyrillo Yi Su-han (1997.5~). As temporary pastors, Alfredo Fleming (Hyeon An-sin) (1967.9~12) and Father Gwak Dong-cheol (1983.4~1984.5) are recorded.

Related Places and People

• Cheongju Church (Cheongju Parish): the mother parish from which Bugang Parish was separated in 1957 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Biryong Catholic mission chapel: established in 1907, elevated to a parish in 1914, then returned to a Catholic mission chapel in 1919, and remained as a Catholic mission chapel under Bugang Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Maepo Catholic mission chapel: located in Noho-ri, Buyong-myeon, it is one of the two that remained as Catholic mission chapels under Bugang Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Seowun-dong Church: in April 1984 it received the jurisdiction over the entire Munui-myeon area from Bugang Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Bugang Parish” (Vol. 6). Foundation of the parish in 1957, history of the Biryong Catholic mission chapel, blessing of the church, changes of mission chapels, church statistics and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2664
2. Cheongju Diocese, parish information “Bugang Church”. Foundation date April 21, 1957, patron Holy Name of Mary.
   https://www.cdcj.or.kr/parish/parish/view/23036