Bullo Catholic Church

History & origins

The Catholic community in Bullo began within the wide territory of Dongchon Parish. In the spring of 1957, when Dongchon divided its catechumen classes among several locations, catechumens from Bullo, Dodo, and Pyeonggwang gathered for instruction at the home of Joseph Yang Gyu-sik in Bullo-dong. As the number of catechumens and faithful grew, Father Mark Kwon Yeong-jo purchased a house in Bullo-dong on May 20, 1962, converted it into a hall, and established Bullo Mission Station, appointing Yang as its first mission president.

The mission station gradually developed a more independent community structure. The Legion of Mary was introduced in 1982, and regular Saturday anticipated Mass began the following year. The hall was expanded and Sunday school and devotional groups were organized. In June 1983 Dongchon Parish purchased the site of the present church in preparation for eventual elevation to parish status, and a church-building committee was formed in 1990.

Groundbreaking for the new church took place on April 20, 1991, and on December 12 of that year Bullo Mission Station was elevated to parish status. The new church was completed on December 27 and was dedicated on April 19, 1992. The progression from a home catechism class to a mission station, then to organized devotional and educational life and finally to an independent parish with its own church, shows how Bullo grew through both local Catholic initiative and the expansion of diocesan pastoral care.