Galmal Catholic Church

Overview

Galmal Church is a church in Jipo-ri, Galmal-eup, Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, belonging to the Chuncheon Diocese. It began as the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel under Cheorwon Parish in 1957, and on August 15, 1991 it was separated from Uncheon Parish and established as Jipo-ri Parish, with Saint Charles Cho Shin-chol as its patron.

History

[Jipo-ri Catholic Mission Chapel] According to the Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia, the beginnings of Galmal Church go back to the Japanese colonial period. A believer who established an earthenware factory at Yeonbongjae in Jipo-ri, Galmal-myeon, Cheorwon-gun lived with believers from five households, forming a faith community, and refugees who had fled during the 6·25 War returned when the Cheorwon-Kimhwa area was recovered after the armistice, opened an earthenware factory and continued the faith community, leading to the establishment of the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel. At that time the number of believers was 40–50. This church originated with the establishment of the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel under Cheorwon Parish in 1957, and in the same year Catholic mission chapels were also established in Munhye-ri and Yonghwa-dong.

[Under Uncheon Parish and Parish Establishment] According to the Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia, the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel was transferred to the jurisdiction of Uncheon Parish in July 1971 when the Pocheon area was transferred to the Chuncheon Diocese. In September 1989 Bishop Thomas Park, then head of the Chuncheon Diocese, decided to elevate the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel to a parish, and in September 1990 the rectory was completed. On August 15, 1991 it was elevated from the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel under Uncheon Parish to a quasi-parish and established as ‘Jipo-ri Parish,’ and on April 19, 1999 it was elevated to a parish and renamed ‘Galmal Parish.’ The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that it was separated from Uncheon Parish and established on August 15, 1991, was first called ‘Jipo Parish’ and soon changed to its present name, and that Father Hong Giseon (Higino) took office upon the parish establishment. The “Catholicism” entry in the Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia lists Galmal Church as [1954] in its present list of churches, differing in year within the same source.

[Church Building and Present Status] According to the Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia, a new church was built on April 26, 1999, and the small chapel preserves the relics (toe bone) of Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon. The patron saint is Saint Charles Cho Shin-chol, one of the 103 saints martyred during the Gihae Persecution (1839). At the time of establishment the number of believers was only about 320, but by 2017 it had reached 1,095. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records the number of believers as 670 as of 1993. The Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia states that Galmal Church developed in earnest through the devoted efforts of Hong Su-myeong, who was active as president of the evangelization council in the 1960s.

[Jurisdiction] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia lists the jurisdiction as Galmal-eup, Sincheorwon-ri, Gampo-ri, Munhae-ri, Jipo-ri and Naedae-ri in Cheorwon-gun, while the Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia lists Sincheorwon-ri, Gangpo-ri, Guntan-ri, Munhye-ri, Jipo-ri and Naedae-ri in Galmal-eup, Cheorwon-gun, with differing place-name spellings.

Related Places and People

• Galmal Church Munhye Catholic Mission Chapel: It is a Catholic mission chapel belonging to Galmal Church in Munhye-ri, Galmal-eup, Cheorwon-gun. According to the Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia, it began in the house of believer Hwang Hyeon-seong (Peter) after the end of the Korean War, and in June 1957 Father Cronin (Peter), the first pastor of Cheorwon Church, built the Catholic mission chapel building with the help of the U.S. military. At first, together with the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel and the Yonghwa-dong Catholic mission chapel, it was under Cheorwon Church, and in July 1971 it was incorporated under Uncheon Church together with the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel, then in 1991 when the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel was elevated to Galmal Church, it came under Galmal Church. The early believers were only about twenty, but the number grew as soldiers and their families joined Mass, and through the initiative of Father Hong Giseon (Higino), the first pastor of Galmal Church, the Catholic mission chapel building was expanded in prefabricated construction on August 16, 1991, and the former building is now used as an education hall.
• Uncheon Church: It is the mother parish that supervised the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel from 1971 to 1991 (Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Cheorwon Church: It is the parish that established and supervised the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel in 1957 (Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Galmal Parish” (Vol. 1). Separation and establishment from Uncheon Parish on August 15, 1991, patron, jurisdiction, early name and church statistics, first pastor.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/189
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia “Galmal Church.” Origins of the Jipo-ri Catholic mission chapel, incorporation under Uncheon Parish in 1971, establishment of Jipo-ri Parish in 1991 and renaming to Galmal Parish in 1999, new church in 1999, patron saint, number of believers.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheorwon/toc/GC07801334
3. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia “Galmal Church Munhye Mission Chapel.” Establishment of the Munhye Mission Chapel and changes in jurisdiction.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheorwon/toc/GC07800920
4. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Cheorwon Culture Encyclopedia “Catholicism.” Overview of Catholicism in the Cheorwon area and list of churches and Catholic mission chapels.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheorwon/toc/GC07800020