Sudong Church

Overview

Sudong Church is a church in Sudong, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, belonging to the Cheongju Diocese. Established on September 6, 1964, separated from Seoundong Parish, its patron is Saint Anna. The Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism and the Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia describe it as the third parish in downtown Cheongju, after Seoundong Parish and Naedeok2-dong Parish.

History

〔Parish establishment〕 According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, the Cheongju Diocese, thanks to sustained growth in the 1960s, planned a third parish in downtown Cheongju, purchased 2,500 pyeong at the present church site, and established Sudong Parish as of September 6, 1964. The first pastor, Father Gerardo Hammond (G. Hammond, Ham Jedo), having no church building, set up a temporary church in the diocesan chancery within his jurisdiction and celebrated Mass. On December 29 of the same year, a branch convent of the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs was established, and in February and March of the following year, the Bokdae mission chapel and the Gaesin mission chapel were established respectively.

〔Construction and growth〕 According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, construction of a new church began on September 26, 1965, and on August 15, 1966 the church (157 pyeong), the rectory (77 pyeong) and the hall (140 pyeong) were completed and the blessing ceremony was held, and in May 1967 the convent was completed and St. Anna Kindergarten was opened. The Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia writes that the blessing was held in August 1966, that formal approval for the kindergarten was obtained in 1971, and that the present kindergarten was completed in November 1973. Sudong Parish grew by receiving pastoral jurisdiction over the Gangseo, Saeteomal and Sinjeon mission chapels from Osong Parish in February 1971 and over the Hwagye and Hyeongpyeong mission chapels from Naedeok2-dong Parish on May 1, 1972, and as a result, when Sajik-dong Parish was separated on September 28, 1974, it transferred 537 households and 1,611 parishioners.

〔Since the 1970s〕 According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, in 1979 it published 《Sudong 15 Years》, a history of the parish, in May 1985 it built a new education center (150 pyeong), and in 1986 it expanded the kindergarten to 4 classes (it notes 6 classes). From 1995 it conducted a fundraising campaign for a parish hall, began new construction on May 26, 1997, and on October 25, 1999, to commemorate the 35 anniversary of the parish founding, completed the “St. Anna Hall” of about 482 pyeong. From February 6, 2000 it conducted a family Bible-copying campaign.

〔Membership and successive pastors〕 Membership recorded in the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism is 937 in 1964, 2,032 in 1968, 2,098 in 1972, 1,295 in 1977, 2,781 in 1983, 3,086 in 1988, 3,056 in 1992, and 3,213 in 1998. The successive priests were the first, Gerardo Hammond (Ham Jedo) (1964.9–1982.8), the 2, Antonio Jeong Chung-il (1982.8–1987.8), the 3, Francis Seo Jeong-hyeok (1987.8–1993.4), the 4, Simon Kim Hong-yeol (1993.4–1997.6), and the 5, Matthew Lee Seung-yong (1997.6–). The jurisdiction is recorded as all of Sudong, Yeong-dong and Bukmun-ro 2 and 3-ga and part of Uam-dong.

〔Present state〕 According to the Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia, Sudong Church has produced 7 priests from the parish — Shin Sun-geun, Park Yong-su, Lee Beom-hyeon, Kim Seong-gyu, Im Seung-cheol, Yun Chang-yong and Kim Gwang-hyeon — and has the Anna Association, choir, Rosary Society, Yeondo Association, Monica Association, Ultreya, St. Cecilia Association and others, with a total of 3,218 faithful. The same source writes that the Korean Martyrs Sisters was established in 1967 and that the kindergarten opened in May of that year.

Related places and people

• Seoundong Church: the mother parish from which Sudong Parish was separated (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia).
• Sajik-dong Church: the parish separated and established from Sudong Parish on September 28, 1974 (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism).
• Osong Church and Naedeok2-dong Church: the parishes that transferred pastoral jurisdiction over some mission chapels to Sudong Parish in February 1971 and in May 1972 respectively (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism).
• Sisters of the Korean Martyrs: the religious congregation with a branch convent in Sudong Parish (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia).

References and sources

1. Research Institute for Korean Church History, Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism “Sudong Parish” (vol. 8). Parish founded in 1964, church blessed in 1966, separation of Sajik-dong Parish, St. Anna Hall, membership and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3705
2. Korea Central Research Institute, Digital Cheongju Culture Encyclopedia “Sudong Church”. Third church in Cheongju, church blessing, kindergarten, priests from the parish, organizations and present state.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheongju/toc/GC00200371
3. Catholic Diocese of Cheongju, parish information “Sudong Church”. Date of establishment September 6, 1964, patron Saint Anna.
   https://www.cdcj.or.kr/parish/parish/view/23013