Hupyeong-dong Catholic Church

History & origins

Hupyeongdong Parish was born as Chuncheon developed an industrial complex and large apartment areas around Hupyeongdong, causing a sharp increase in the local population. Ungyodong Parish could no longer adequately serve the growing number of Catholics, so a new parish was planned for all of Hupyeongdong together with parts of Hyojadong and Gyodong and the areas of Hail-ri, Mancheon-ri, and Sanggeol-ri in Dong-myeon. The new community began with 1,098 Catholics.

The church building was prepared before the parish’s official establishment. A dedication ceremony was held on July 3, 1980, even though the building still lacked fully installed window glass and adequate seating. Catholics celebrated Mass in the unfinished space and gradually provided what was needed, building the practical life of the parish together. The official diocesan information records August 26, 1980, as the establishment date of Hupyeongdong Parish of the Good Shepherd.

After the parish became established, its jurisdiction was adjusted as urban development and Catholic population patterns changed. In 2014, the Mancheon community separated to form the new Mancheon Parish. The history of Hupyeongdong Parish therefore reflects Chuncheon’s urban growth: a new pastoral unit was created to meet changing needs, parishioners built their community under limited conditions, and in time the parish itself became the source of another parish.

The dedication of the church in July 1980 and the formal establishment of the parish in August are recorded as distinct stages. A place for celebrating Mass was prepared first, and the independent parish structure followed. This sequence shows how the lived community began before every institutional step was complete and is an important key to understanding the early history of Hupyeongdong Parish.