Bonri Catholic Church

Overview

Bonni Church is a church in Bonni-dong, Dalseo-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. It was separated from Songhyeon-dong Parish and established in 1983, and held its parish dedication ceremony on October 7, 1984. Its patron saint is St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon.

History

〔Background of Establishment〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that until the early 1970s, the Bonni-dong area had only three households registered in Sangni-dong Parish, so its church strength was minimal, but after its jurisdiction changed to Daemyeong-dong Parish and Daedeok Parish, the number of the faithful grew. This area belonged to Seongseo-eup, Dalseong-gun, then was incorporated when Daegu was elevated to a directly governed city in 1981, becoming a new residential area, and was transferred to Songhyeon-dong Parish on May 1982. On January 1983, the Archdiocese of Daegu decided to establish Bonni-dong Parish as part of the commemorative projects for the 200 anniversary of the Korean Catholic Church. Although less than 1 years had passed since its mother parish, Songhyeon-dong Parish, had been established, Fr. Sin Sang-jo (Stephen) of Daedeok Parish had been promoting the foundation plan since the early 1980s.

〔Establishment and First Pastor〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, construction of a new church began on June 18, 1983 on the 572-pyeong site already purchased under the direction of Fr. Sin Sang-jo, and two months later Fr. Choe Chang-deok took office as the first pastor at the same time as the parish was established. The establishment date differs by source: the encyclopedia gives August 23, 1983, while the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory and the Archdiocese of Daegu parish information give August 31, 1983. The list of former priests on the Bonni Church website records the tenure of the first pastor, Fr. Choe Chang-deok (F. Xavier), as beginning on August 31, 1983.

〔New Church Building and Dedication〕 According to the Bonni Church website chronology, the first pastor Fr. Choe Chang-deok took office on September 1, 1983, moved into a temporary rectory and celebrated Mass on September 4, and took over the parish registers of 151 households from Songhyeon Church on September 8. The first Mass was celebrated at the Bonni Church construction site on September 25, the topping-out ceremony for the church was held on November 20, and the Lay Apostolate Council was formed on November 27. The community moved from a tent into the main church building on January 7, 1984, held the parish completion inspection and the Stations of the Cross devotion on March 16, and enshrined the relics of the martyr Fr. Kim Dae-geon on March 27. A novena for the parish dedication ceremony was offered beginning on September 27, a statue of the Virgin Mary was installed on September 28, the parish dedication ceremony was held on October 7, and the 1 Parish Day event was held on October 28. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that a 424-pyeong church was built on October 6, 1984.

〔Late 1980s to 1990s〕 According to the Bonni Church website chronology, Fr. Choe Si-dong (John) took office as the 2 pastor on February 6, 1985, and Fr. Gwon Hyeok-si (Moses) took office as the 3 pastor on July 7, 1988. Work to transfer parish registers to Seongdang-dong Catholic Church was done on April 6, 1989, and the registers of families moving out to Seongdang-dong Catholic Church were transferred on April 18. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that Fr. Gwon Hyeok-si transferred the registers of 443 persons to Seongdang-dong Parish on April, and that the Youth Group was formed in 1990 and launched its newsletter “Sound”. On June 28, 1990, the diaconal ordinations of parishioners Kim Yeong-ho (Alphonsus) and Heo Nam-ho (Mark) were held, and on June 30, 1991 their first Masses and celebrations took place.

〔Division of Wolseong Parish〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that when Wolseong Parish was newly established on June 27, 1992 during the tenure of the 4 pastor, Fr. Yi Dae-gil (Simeon), Bonni-dong Parish transferred registers of 156 households and 479 persons. The Bonni Church website chronology states that Fr. Yi Dae-gil took office as the 4 pastor on July 10, 1992, parish jurisdictions were readjusted on September 8, a farewell gathering was held for parishioners being divided to Wolseong Church on December 6, and registers under Wolseong Church’s jurisdiction (156 households) were transferred on December 9. The same chronology records that the parish’s 10-year history was published on December 24, 1994, and the encyclopedia cites as a reference “Bonni Church 10 Years,” compiled by the Bonni Parish 10-Year History Compilation Committee (1994).

〔Late 1990s to 2000s〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that Fr. Hwang Ju-cheol, who took office as the 5 pastor on September 1997, distributed a 3-minute catechetical booklet every week as part of the re-education of the faithful. According to the Bonni Church website chronology, on October 13, 1996 it processed the transfer-out of households under the jurisdiction of the newly established Seongseo Parish (23 households and 60 persons), held a welcome ceremony for the 5 pastor Fr. Hwang Ju-cheol (Rogerio) on September 5, 1997, and on January 11, 1998 cleaned up registers outside the districts and transferred out 191 households and 510 persons. It records that an education-center building fund was established on November 18, 2001, an application to build the education center was submitted to the diocese on February 27, 2002, and the diocese’s construction approval was received on June 1, with the same entry also listed under 2004 dated June 1. On December 21, 2003, there were the parish’s 20 anniversary celebration and sanctuary renovation completion ceremony, and Confirmation presided over by the Archbishop, and on March 6, 2005 Gamsam Parish was newly established and Districts 13 and 15 were separated. In 2008, designating August 31 as the 25 anniversary day of the parish foundation, a sports festival was held on September 28, a commemorative concert on October 11, and a commemorative Mass and parish feast on November 23, and on September 1 the first pastor Fr. Choe Chang-deok was invited to celebrate Mass and give a special lecture on spirituality.

〔Jurisdiction and Present State〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the jurisdiction as Bonni-dong, Janggi-dong, Gamsam-dong, and part of Bon-dong, and gives the church strength as 1983 - 805 persons, 1988 - 3,075 persons, 1992 - 3,115 persons, and 1996 - 3,236 persons. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory gives the jurisdictional area as all of Bonni-dong and parts of Gamsam-dong, Bon-dong, and Janggi-dong, the number of the faithful as 2,011 persons, the affiliated sisters’ congregation as the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters, and notes that there is no Catholic mission chapel. The Archdiocese of Daegu parish information gives the establishment date as August 31, 1983.

〔Former Pastors〕 The Bonni Church website lists former priests as Choe Chang-deok, F. Xavier (1983.8.31~1985.2.5), Choe Si-dong, John (1985.2.6~1988.7.7), Gwon Hyeok-si, Moses (1988.7.8~1992.7.9), Yi Dae-gil, Simeon (1992.7.10~1997.9.4), Hwang Ju-cheol, Rogerio (1997.9.5~1998.6.11), Yi Hong-geun, Paul (1998.9.3~2002.6.27), Son Mu-jin, John (2002.6.28~2007.2.8), Bae Im-pyo, John (2007.2.9~2011.2.10), Yi Gang-tae, Peter (2011.2.11~2012.2.2), Chae Chang-rak, Joseph (2012.2.3~2016.1.28), Park Seung-jae, Aloysius (2016.1.29~2020.1.16), and Jeong Jae-seong, John (2020.1.17~2022.8.4). The bottom of the website shows the pastor as Kim Yul-seok, Matthew.

〔Clergy from the Parish〕 The parish website lists clergy from the parish as Fr. Kim Yeong-ho (Alphonsus), Fr. Heo Nam-ho (Mark), Fr. Sin Hong-sik (Luke), Fr. Ryu Ji-hyeon (Matthew), Fr. Park Jung-hyeok (John the Apostle), and Fr. Bang Su-hyeon (Peter) (all of the Archdiocese of Daegu), Fr. Yi Jeong-eun (John Bosco) (Salesians), Fr. Seok Yo-seop (Joseph) (Society of Jesus), and Fr. Bang Yeong-jin (Matthew) (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin). The chronology records the diaconal ordination of Sin Hong-sik (August 26, 1994) and first Mass (August 27), the priestly ordination of Ryu Ji-hyeon (August 23, 1996) and first Mass (August 24), the priestly ordination of Choe Chang-hyeok (Andrew) (June 24, 2004) and first Mass (June 27), and the priestly ordination of Yi Jeong-eun (January 24, 2011) and first Mass (January 30).

Related Places and People

• Songhyeon-dong Church: In 1983, Bonni-dong Parish was separated and established from this parish, and the Bonni area had been transferred to Songhyeon-dong Parish on May 1982 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Wolseong Church: In 1992, it was newly established receiving 156 households and 479 persons in parish registers from Bonni-dong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Bonni Church website).
• Gamsam Church: When newly established on March 6, 2005, Districts 13 and 15 of Bonni Church were separated (Bonni Church website).
• Seongdang-dong Church: It received part of the parish registers of Bonni-dong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Bonni Church website).
• Fr. Sin Sang-jo (Stephen): As a priest of Daedeok Parish, he promoted the plan to establish Bonni-dong Parish from the early 1980s (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Bonni-dong Parish”. Separation and establishment from Songhyeon-dong Parish, foundation process and church construction, division of Wolseong Parish, church strength, jurisdiction, and former priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2622
2. Bonni Catholic Church, Chronology. Chronology for 1983~2011: arrival of the first pastor, topping-out ceremony for the new church and dedication ceremony in 1984, transfer of parish registers, division of Wolseong and Gamsam Parishes, 25 anniversary events, and ordinations of clergy from the parish.
   http://www.bonli.org/p_201
3. Bonni Catholic Church, Former Priests. Former pastors and terms of office for 1983~2022.
   http://www.bonli.org/p_202
4. Bonni Catholic Church, Clergy from the Parish. List of clergy from the parish and their affiliations.
   http://www.bonli.org/p_205
5. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Bonni” (Archdiocese of Daegu). Establishment date 1983.08.31, patron St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon, number of the faithful, sisters’ congregation, and jurisdictional area.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000021&code=201000817&gubn2=all&char=all
6. Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu, Parish Information “Bonni-cheong”. Establishment date August 31, 1983.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=48&premenu&srl=church_search