Noam-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Noam-dong Church is a church belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Chuncheon, located in Noam-dong, Gangneung, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, and was established in October 1987 after separation from Imdang-dong Parish and Okcheon-dong Parish. Its patrons are the Holy Innocent Martyrs, and it is the first church in Korea to designate them as its patrons. As for the date of establishment, the Diocese of Chuncheon website lists it as October 23, 1987, while the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia lists it as October 20.

History

[Building the church] According to the Diocese of Chuncheon website, as the number of faithful in Gangneung grew, Bishop Thomas Park, who sought to build a new church in the south centered on Namdaecheon, built the present church and held the dedication ceremony on September 5, 1987, naming it for the first time in Korea as the “Holy Innocent Martyrs” Memorial Church. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that foundation work for the new church building began in September 26, 1986 and that the church and rectory, on a site of 1,500 pyeong with a total floor area of 150 pyeong, were completed and blessed on September 5, 1987.

[Establishment of the parish and jurisdiction] Noam-dong Parish was separated and established from Imdang-dong and Okcheon-dong Parishes. At the time of establishment, its jurisdiction covered Noam-dong, parts of Naegok-dong, parts of Ibam-dong, Wolhopyeong-dong and Sinseok-dong in Gangneung, Eodan-ri and Geumgwang-ri in Gujeong-myeon, Myeongju-gun, and parts of Gangdong-myeon (Diocese of Chuncheon website, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia), and the website states that after Ibam Church branched off, it has jurisdiction over the area west of Yulgok-ro and south of Gangbyeon-ro, starting from the Gangneung Gyosa Intersection.

[Projects in the early 1990s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, a branch house of the Caritas Sisters was installed in February 24, 1993, the convent building was completed in December of the same year, and an additional site of 120 pyeong was purchased for the construction of an education hall. It states that since January 1994 it has been raising funds for the construction of the education hall along with a campaign to double the number of faithful. Among its affiliated Catholic mission chapels, Anin Catholic mission chapel was transferred to the jurisdiction of Okgye Parish as a Catholic mission chapel effective June 1, 1994.

[Geumgwang-ri Catholic mission chapel] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that the Geumgwang-ri Catholic mission chapel built a Catholic mission chapel building of 40 pyeong in 1989 and forms a faith community through Catholic mission chapel services and other gatherings. The Diocese of Chuncheon website states that the Geumgwang-ri Catholic mission chapel is a Catholic village with a long history as a mission base in the Gangneung region, that the number of pilgrims visiting the Catholic mission chapel while recalling its historical significance is gradually increasing despite the poor building and surroundings, and that Mass is offered at the Catholic mission chapel 1 times a month.

[Church statistics and successive pastors] The numbers of faithful recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are, in 1989, 1,088, and in 1993, 1,279. Its successive pastors are the first pastor Anselmo Im Heon-gyu (1987.10–1993.8) and the 2 pastor John the Apostle Lee Jeong-haeng (1993.9–present at the time of writing). Here, “present” means the time of writing of this encyclopedia.

Related Places and People

• Imdang-dong and Okcheon-dong Parishes (Gangneung): the parent parishes from which Noam-dong Parish was separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Diocese of Chuncheon website).
• Ibam Church: a parish branched off from the jurisdiction of Noam-dong Parish (Diocese of Chuncheon website).
• Geumgwang-ri Catholic mission chapel: a Catholic mission chapel under Noam-dong Parish, a Catholic village that served as a mission base in the Gangneung region (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Diocese of Chuncheon website).
• Anin Catholic mission chapel and Okgye Parish: Anin Catholic mission chapel was transferred to Okgye Parish as a Catholic mission chapel on June 1, 1994 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Noam-dong Parish” (Vol. 2). Construction and blessing of the church in 1986–1987, separation and establishment, jurisdiction, Sisters’ branch house and education hall, Geumgwang-ri Catholic mission chapel, statistics on the faithful, and successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1107
2. Diocese of Chuncheon website, parish page “Noam-dong Holy Innocent Martyrs Parish”. Year of establishment 1987.10.23., construction of the church south of Namdaecheon and the dedication ceremony in 1987, jurisdiction, and history of the Geumgwang-ri Catholic mission chapel.
   https://www.cccatholic.or.kr/parish/parish/view/30