Yeongun-dong Catholic Church

History & origins

Yeongun-dong Parish was established on May 3, 1987, by dividing the territory of Seoun-dong Parish as the Diocese of Cheongju expanded its pastoral presence in the growing city. Fr. Benedict Kim Byung-chul was appointed the first pastor that day, and the site of the present church was secured the following day. On May 17, about ninety Catholics from Yeongun-dong celebrated their first Mass at Sacred Heart Kindergarten on the grounds of Seoun-dong Parish. A temporary church was prepared in July, a groundbreaking ceremony for the new church was held that same month, and the basement church was completed in October.

As the community grew, another expansion project began in 1989 and was completed in April 1990. The church was dedicated on April 15, 1991. Parishioners actively raised funds and sold goods to make up for the shortfall in construction costs. The fact that building the church became not merely a construction project but also a means of strengthening communal bonds is an important feature of the parish's early history.

In 1994 a new convent and education center were added. In June of that year Yongam-dong Parish was separated from Yeongun-dong, with more than one thousand parishioners transferred to the new parish. Faith formation continued through Bible reading and the strengthening of neighborhood and small Christian communities, and in 1997 the parish marked its tenth anniversary with commemorative events and the publication of A Ten-Year History of Yeongun-dong Parish.

The formation of Yeongun-dong Parish illustrates how local parishes were divided and newly established in response to Cheongju's urban growth, while liturgical and educational facilities were built through the participation of the faithful. Its continuing emphasis on community-centered Catholic life, even through parish division and facility expansion, became a foundation of the parish's present identity.