Su-an-bo Catholic Church

Overview

Suanbo Church is a church belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Cheongju, located in Oncheon-ri, Suanbo-myeon, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do. On December 8, 1962, the Suanbo Catholic mission chapel was elevated to a parish and established, with Saint Francis Xavier as patron, and Father Roberto Lilly (Jeong An-bin) of the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society appointed as the first pastor.

History

[Mission Chapel Period] According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, the Suanbo Catholic mission chapel became a mission chapel under the jurisdiction of the Chungju parish (now Gyohyeon-dong) in April 1956, and was incorporated there when the Jigok parish was established on February 1, 1960. The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia writes that it remained as the Suanbo mission chapel under the jurisdiction of Gyohyeon-dong Church from April 1956, and was incorporated as a mission chapel under the jurisdiction of Jihyeon-dong Church when Jihyeon-dong Church was established on December 25, 1960, thus giving a different date for the incorporation. As parishioners of the mission chapel suffered inconvenience in sacramental life because the distance to the parish was far (the Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia gives about 20 km), the Diocese of Cheongju elevated the Suanbo Catholic mission chapel to a parish on December 8, 1962.

[Parish Foundation] According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, the Diocese of Cheongju elevated the Suanbo Catholic mission chapel to a parish on December 8, 1962, and appointed Father Lilly of the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society as the first pastor. The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia writes that Bishop Paddy, the first bishop of the Diocese of Cheongju, established the Suanbo mission chapel as a parish and appointed Father Roberto Jeong An-bin of the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society, who had been assistant priest at Gyohyeon-dong Church, as the first pastor. The number of believers at the time of foundation was 318, and in 1974 it had increased to 1,214, and in 1997 the total population in the parish jurisdiction was 9,256, of whom 996 were believers (Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia).

[Church Construction] According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, immediately after taking office Father Lilly purchased 3,711 pyeong of the present church site for church construction, began construction on June 3, 1963, and, 1 year(s) after the parish foundation, completed the church on December 8. The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia likewise writes that the church groundbreaking was held in June 1963 and the dedication ceremony for the church and the rectory was held on December 8 of the same year.

[Changes in Mission Chapels under Jurisdiction] According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, at the time of foundation it received the Jangyeon mission chapel and the Suhoe mission chapel from the Jigok parish, established the Mireuk-ri mission chapel in April 1963, and received the Yeonpung mission chapel from the Goesan parish on December 8 of the same year. The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia writes that it established the “Mireulli mission chapel” in April 1963, incorporated Jangyeon-myeon, Goesan-gun, which had been under the jurisdiction of Jihyeon-dong Church, under Suanbo Church in December, and that in that year the Suhoe mission chapel and the Yeonpung mission chapel were incorporated into Suanbo Church.

[Projects during Father Lilly’s Tenure] According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, on September 18, 1966, it invited Sisters of the Korean Martyr Blesseds, and from 1968 began work to develop historic sites in the Yeonpung area. In 1971, as the Blessed Sisters withdrew, the Sacred Heart School for the Blind (secondary section) was established there, with Father Lilly serving as the first director, and after this school moved to the Jihyeon-dong parish in 1978, on May 1 of the same year the Blessed branch convent reopened and the Blessed clinic opened and operated until 1985. On November 27, 1983, the church retaining-wall construction and landscaping were carried out, and on September 17, 1989, the convent wall construction was carried out. To develop the Yeonpung historic sites, Father Lilly promoted holding martyr-honoring conventions, unveiling a martyr-honoring monument, erecting a statue of the Virgin Mary, erecting a statue of Saint Luke Hwang Seok-du and transferring his remains, and worked for parish development for about 30 years, then after retirement served as priest in charge of the Yeonpung historic sites, the encyclopedia writes.

[Succeeding Pastors] According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, the 2th pastor, Father Kim Gwang-myeong, focused on re-education of believers and worked to revitalize various devotional associations, the 3th pastor, Father Yu Min-seong, carried out the “Lost Sheep Finding Movement” and the “Love Letter Writing Movement,” and the 4th pastor, Father Jo Seong-hak, reorganized the jurisdiction and strengthened small-community activities. The encyclopedia writes that, as the jurisdiction was designated a tourist zone, it planned to carry out street missionary activities targeting local residents and tourists.

[Church Strength and Jurisdiction] The church strength recorded by the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism is in 1976 1,222, in 1983 840, in 1988 827, in 1992 844, and in 1999 1,092. The jurisdiction was all of Sangmo-myeon, Chungju-si, all of Yeonpung-myeon, Goesan-gun and Jangyeon-myeon, Goesan-gun, and part of Songgye-ri, Hansu-myeon, Jecheon-si, and there were 1 mission chapels in Yeonpung. The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia gives the jurisdiction as Suanbo-myeon, Jangyeon-myeon and Yeonpung-myeon in Goesan-gun, and part of Hansu-myeon, Jecheon-si, and explains that the Central Police School under Suanbo Church has the character of a mission chapel. The successive pastors were the first, Roberto Lilly (Jeong An-bin) (1962.12–1992.8), the 2th, Augustine Kim Gwang-myeong (1992.8–1994.7), the 3th, Peter Yu Min-seong (1994.7–1997.6), the 4th, Laurence Jo Seong-hak (1997.6–1999.2), and the 5th, Joseph Hwang Gwang-hyeon (1999.2–) (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism). The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia writes that afterwards the 6th, Father John the Apostle Lee Jun-yeon, took office on February 10, 2004, and the 7rd, Father Peter Lee Hyeon-tae, took office on August 27, 2007.

[Activities] According to the Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia, it provides support to neighbors in need through the Suanbo Parish Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and pays scholarships every year to Yeonpung Elementary School, Yeonpung Middle School, Suanbo Elementary School, and Suanbo Middle School.

Architecture and Space

The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia writes that Suanbo Church is located on a slightly elevated hill overlooking the entire Suanbo-myeon area at a glance and has been chosen as a church with a beautiful garden. Its main buildings include a single-story red-brick church and rectory, and the pension-style Xavier Hall and Francis Hall where faith schools and various seminars are held. The Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism records the church site completed in 1963 as 3,711 pyeong.

Related Places and Figures

• Yeonpung Mission Chapel (Yeonpung Shrine): The Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism writes that it received the Yeonpung mission chapel from the Goesan parish on December 8, 1963, and from 1968 began developing historic sites in the Yeonpung area. The Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia “Jeong Roberto” writes that in 1963 it purchased the hyeongbang building where many Catholics were imprisoned and suffered hardship during the persecutions of the late Joseon period and used it as the chapel of the Yeonpung mission chapel, and in 1969 it developed the Yeonpung Martyrs’ Shrine of the Diocese of Cheongju centered on this mission-chapel building.
• Father Lilly (Jeong Roberto, Jeong An-bin): According to the Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia, he was born on October 19, 1928, in North Adams, Massachusetts, USA, came to Korea immediately after his priestly ordination in June 1960, served as assistant priest at Chungju Church in 1961, and was appointed pastor of Suanbo Church in 1962, donating his entire fortune inherited from his father to the construction of Suanbo Church. With this, he built 3 buildings, including the parish church, rectory, convent, novitiate, and warehouse. In 1970 he opened the Suanbo Credit Union, and from 1978 to 1989 he operated a clinic for residents of Suanbo-myeon and Salmi-myeon, and in 1975 received a Saemaul Movement merit plaque. In September 1992 he became pastor of Yeonpung Shrine and retired in February 2004. His writings include 《Mother Teresa》, 《In Search of Korean Martyrs’ Shrines》, and 《Record of a Visit to China》.
• Jihyeon-dong Church (Jigok Parish): It is the parish that had jurisdiction over the Suanbo mission chapel before it was elevated to a parish. The Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism writes that the Suanbo mission chapel was incorporated as its mission chapel when the Jigok parish was established on February 1, 1960, and the Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia writes that it was incorporated when Jihyeon-dong Church was established on December 25, 1960.

References and Sources

1. Institute of Korean Church History, Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism “Suanbo Parish” (vol. 8). Elevation to parish on December 8, 1962, patron, jurisdiction and mission chapels, church strength, successive priests, church completion in 1963, projects during Father Lilly’s tenure.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3730
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia “Suanbo Church”. Mission-chapel period and parish establishment, dedication of church and rectory in 1963, change in number of believers, successive pastors, jurisdiction, main buildings.
   https://www.grandculture.net/chungju/toc/GC01902142
3. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Chungju Cultural Encyclopedia “Jeong Roberto”. Life of Father Lilly (Jeong An-bin) and construction of Suanbo Church, development of Yeonpung mission chapel and Yeonpung Martyrs’ Shrine, operation of credit union and clinic.
   https://www.grandculture.net/chungju/toc/GC01901389