Sinbong-dong Church

Overview

Sinbong-dong Church is a church in Bongmyeong-dong, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, belonging to the Diocese of Cheongju. As a large apartment complex was built in the Sinbong-dong area, it was established in 1992 after separating from Bongmyeong-dong Church, and its patron saint is St. Stephen.

History

[Establishment] According to the Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia, as a large apartment complex was built in the Sinbong-dong area of Heungdeok-gu, the need for a new church was raised, and it separated from Bongmyeong-dong Church in 1992. Parish information of the Diocese of Cheongju lists the date of establishment as on July 25, 1992. In 1994, it moved to lot 642-1 in Bongmyeong-dong and held its first Mass.

[New church building] According to the Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia, in June 1995 it signed a contract to purchase land of more than 600 pyeong in Sinbong-dong as the site for a new building, and in 1996 the design for the new church was completed. In October 1996 it signed a church construction contract with a Seoul construction company and held a groundbreaking ceremony in November, and 1 and a half years later, in March 1998, it held the dedication ceremony for the new church building and celebrated its first Mass.

[People] The Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia records that Bishop Jang Bong-hun, the then-current diocesan bishop, and Father Jang In-san, former professor at Daejeon Catholic University, served as pastors of Sinbong-dong Church.

[Organizations and jurisdiction] The Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia records that it had a lay council, choir, liturgy group, catechist association, altar servers, altar-linen group, vocation support association, Ultreya, Marian Association, St. Anne Association, St. Joseph Association, St. Vincent de Paul Society, mothers’ association, and others. It records that as of March 2011 it had jurisdiction over parts of Bongmyeong 2-dong, Songjeong-dong, Songjeol-dong, and Sinbong-dong.

Related Places and People

• Bongmyeong-dong Church: the parish from which Sinbong-dong Church separated in July 1992 (Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia “Bongmyeong-dong Church”). This entry records that, from Sachang-dong Parish—which had separated in 1980 from Sajik-dong Parish—Bongmyeong-dong Church separated in 1986.

References and Sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia “Sinbong-dong Church”. Separation from Bongmyeong-dong Church in 1992, move in 1994, new church building in 1996–1998, pastors, organizations and jurisdiction.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheongju/toc/GC00201913
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia “Bongmyeong-dong Church”. Separation from Sachang-dong Parish in 1986, separation of Sinbong-dong Church in July 1992.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheongju/toc/GC00200259
3. Diocese of Cheongju, parish information “Sinbong-dong Church”. Date of establishment on July 25, 1992, patron saint St. Stephen.
   https://www.cdcj.or.kr/parish/parish/view/23014