Daegun Catholic Church

About this place

Daegeon Catholic Church is a parish in Area 1 of the Geoje District of the Diocese of Masan, serving Catholics in Tongyeong. The Catholic directory names St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean Catholic priest, as its patron, and the parish name “Daegeon” directly reflects that patronal identity. It serves as a pastoral center where Catholics in central Tongyeong and the Mireukdo area gather for Mass, the sacraments, faith formation, and community life.

The patronage of St. Andrew Kim Taegon is central to understanding the spiritual meaning of the church. By placing a saint who symbolizes the priesthood and martyr witness of the Catholic Church in Korea at the heart of parish identity, the community is invited to remember that witness in ordinary Christian life. The church is also meaningful as the place where a growing Catholic community in Tongyeong formed an independent liturgical home; because official sources differ on the precise parish establishment year, this introduction focuses on its present identity and patronal significance. The current directory confirms that Daegeon belongs to Area 1 of the Geoje District and also has responsibility for a mission community. In Tongyeong, where urban, coastal, and island life are closely connected, the parish church serves as a center linking a pastoral area wider than the city neighborhood alone.