Gethsemane Retreat House

Overview

The Gethsemane Retreat House is a retreat house of the Diocese of Chuncheon and a diocesan shrine located on the Soyang River in Nam-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. It was founded by Father Philip J. Crosbie (Korean name Jo Seon-hui, baptismal name Filippo) of the Missionary Society of St. Columban as a pilgrimage place for peace, repentance, and reparation.

History

According to the Diocese of Chuncheon’s introduction to its shrines, Father Crosbie was born in Australia in 1915, was ordained to the priesthood in 1939, and began ministry in the Diocese of Chuncheon in 1940. During the Japanese colonial period he experienced forced detention and expulsion, and when the Korean War broke out he was arrested by the communist army and underwent the “Death March” from Seoul to the north. Afterwards he spent 3 years as a prisoner of war in a camp along the Yalu River, witnessing the deaths of many people and leaving a written record of the wounds and pain of his captivity.

He was released in May 1953 and returned to his home country, then re-entered Korea in August 1954 to become pastor of Hongcheon Parish. This was his third entry into Korea. After retiring in 1990, he built the “House of Prayer for Peace and Reparation,” which he had long planned and prepared. This house of prayer, built on the present site in 1991, was renamed the “Gethsemane Retreat House” in 1996. The chronology of the Diocese of Chuncheon records the blessing of the Gethsemane Retreat House on May 27, 1996.

This place lies on the 38 parallel, and the diocese explains that its significance lies in having been created as a space for prayer for peace in the world and for the repentance of sinners by Father Crosbie, who lived through the turbulent modern history of the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War. When old age made further activity difficult, he left behind the words, “I leave half of my soul in Korea,” returned to his home country in November 1998, and passed away on March 24, 2005.

Significance for Faith and Context for Visiting

The address directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the Gethsemane Retreat House as a retreat/house of prayer belonging to the Diocese of Chuncheon, and records Father An Su-il (John Bosco) as its director.

References and Sources

1. Diocese of Chuncheon, Shrines – Gethsemane Retreat House (Witness of Faith, Father Filippo Crosbie). The biography of Father Crosbie and the circumstances of the founding and renaming were confirmed.
   https://www.cccatholic.or.kr/parish/holyland/16
2. Diocese of Chuncheon, History. The blessing of the Gethsemane Retreat House on May 27, 1996 was confirmed.
   https://www.cccatholic.or.kr/diocese/intro/history
3. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Catholic Directory in Korea – Gethsemane Retreat House. The affiliated diocese and the director were confirmed.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=g&char=all&code=201003915&gubn=15&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000013&tbxSearch=