Dodong Catholic Church

History & origins

Dodong Parish was established on March 17, 1960, the date recorded in the official directory of the Archdiocese of Daegu. It marks the institutional establishment of an independent parish community on Ulleungdo. Archdiocesan reporting also states that in 2009, to commemorate the “50th anniversary of the church building,” a statue known as “Our Lady Protecting Dokdo” was installed on the hill behind the church. The anniversary of the building and the administrative establishment date of the parish should therefore be understood as distinct chronological references.

On August 17, 2015, priests from Dodong and Cheonbu parishes concelebrated Mass at the wharf on Dongdo, Dokdo. A bishops’ conference report carried by the Archdiocese of Daegu records this as the first Catholic Mass celebrated on Dokdo and explicitly states that Dokdo lies within the territory of Dodong Parish. The Mass was offered in connection with the 70th anniversary of liberation, remembrance of those who died for the country, and prayer for peace.

This event shows that the history of Dodong Parish has developed not only within Ulleungdo itself but also across a pastoral territory linking remote islands. The parish establishment in 1960, the installation of the Marian statue for the church building’s 50th anniversary in 2009, and the first Catholic Mass on Dokdo in 2015 are verifiable milestones reflecting institutional stability, local Marian devotion, and the geographic reach of island ministry.