Geumho Church

Overview

Geumho Church is a church belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu, located in Geumho-eup, Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Beginning as the Geumho Catholic mission chapel under Hayang Parish in 1947, it was separated from Hayang Parish on September 11, 1963 and established as a parish; its patron is Saint Michael the Archangel and its first pastor was Father Kim Uk-tae (Leo).

History

〔Geumho Mission Chapel〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the Geumho mission chapel, the predecessor of Geumho Parish, took on the character of a mission chapel under Hayang Parish when Kim Du-su (Paul) purchased land in April 1947 and, in cooperation with Yu Gwang-hui (Joseph), newly built a mission chapel building. Thereafter, from March 1959 Father Lee Chang-ho (Andrew) of Hayang Parish formally took charge of pastoral care for the mission chapel, and the faithful of the mission chapel also actively carried out evangelization activities and worked steadily toward elevation to a parish.

〔Elevation to Parish〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, through the efforts of Father Lee Im-chun (Felix) and the faithful in 1962, the church was completed after 2 years of construction, and in September 1963, with its elevation to Geumho Parish, the Guryong mission chapel and the Singwang mission chapel were incorporated under the jurisdiction of the parish. The establishment date in the parish information of the Archdiocese of Daegu is September 11, 1963, and the chronology of churches in the Yeongcheon area in the Digital Yeongcheon Culture Encyclopedia also records the establishment of Geumho Church on September 11, 1963.

〔Growth〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that in 1976, the then parish priest, Father Park Sang-tae, donated a rectory he had personally purchased to the parish, making it possible to expand the church, and in September 1985 a branch house of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary was opened. Retreats for all the faithful and by group, nine days of prayer before major feasts, and prayer meetings in each district were held, and although most of the faithful were farmers so that an active life of faith could hardly be expected, it describes continued growth amid a steady life of prayer and evangelization activities.

〔New Sanctuary〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in May 1992 a new sanctuary with a site of 1,013 pyeong and a building area of 396 pyeong was completed and the dedication ceremony was held. The Naengcheon-ri entry of the Digital Yeongcheon Culture Encyclopedia records that Geumho Church started as a mission chapel in 1947, was separated from Hayang Parish in 1963 and located in Gyodae-ri, then moved to Naengcheon-ri in 1992.

〔Parishes in the Yeongcheon Area〕 The Digital Yeongcheon Culture Encyclopedia records that the four parishes in the Yeongcheon area (Geumho, Sinnyeong, Yeongcheon and Imgo), together with the Jinryang and Hayang parishes, belong to District 5, and that as of 2012, there were four parishes and six mission chapels—Singwang, Hwasan, Gogyeong, Bugan, Jacheon and Goeyeon—in the Yeongcheon area.

〔Jurisdiction and Statistics〕 The jurisdiction recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is Geumho-eup and part of Daepyeong-ri in Cheongtong-myeon in Yeongcheon-si, Daechang-myeon (Singwang-ri, Uncheon-ri, Jikcheon-ri and Yongho-ri), parts of Sangam-ri and Gyedang-ri in Wachon-myeon in Gyeongsan-si, and part of Jeongsang-dong in Unmun-myeon in Cheongdo-gun, and the affiliated mission chapel is 1 in Singwang. The statistics are over 100 in 1963, 839 in 1980, 843 in 1985, 827 in 1988, and 1,053 in 1993. The successive pastors were the first, Kim Uk-tae Leo (1963.9–1965.5), the 2 parish priest, Kim Gwang-rok Peter (1965.5–1971.11), the 3 parish priest, Park Sang-tae Ludovico (1971.11–1977.3), the 4 parish priest, Park Chun-sik James (1977.3–1979.1), the 5 parish priest, So Byeong-uk Francis (1979.2–1980.5), the 6 parish priest, Jeong Sun-jae Peter (1980.5–1982.9), the 7 parish priest, Lee Gil-jun Paul (1982.9–1985.10), the 8 parish priest, Kwon Hyeok-si Moses (1985.10–1988.6), the 9 parish priest, Kim Yeong-u Chrysanthus (1988.6–1991.7), the 10 parish priest, Park Gang-hui Andrew (1991.7–1992.7), and the 11 parish priest, Won Dong-su Paul (1992.7–).

Related Places and People

• Hayang Parish: the mother parish that had jurisdiction over the Geumho mission chapel and then separated and elevated it as Geumho Parish in 1963 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Guryong mission chapel and Singwang mission chapel: mission chapels incorporated under the jurisdiction of Geumho Parish in 1963, and the Singwang mission chapel is the affiliated mission chapel recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia.
• Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary: opened a branch house in Geumho Parish in September 1985 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Geumho Parish” (vol. 2). Separated and established from Hayang Parish on September 11, 1963, patron, beginnings of the Geumho mission chapel, completion of the church in 1962, new sanctuary in 1992, jurisdiction, statistics, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/804
2. Archdiocese of Daegu, parish information “Geumho Church”. Establishment date September 11, 1963, patron Saint Michael the Archangel.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=26&premenu=c1&srl=church_search&y_id=26
3. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Yeongcheon Culture Encyclopedia “Naengcheon-ri”. How Geumho Church started as a mission chapel in 1947, was separated from Hayang Parish in 1963 and later moved to Naengcheon-ri in 1992.
   https://www.grandculture.net/yeongcheon/toc/GC05100146
4. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Yeongcheon Culture Encyclopedia “Churches”. Chronology of churches in the Yeongcheon area (establishment of Geumho Church on September 11, 1963) and the current state of parishes and mission chapels in the Yeongcheon area.
   https://www.grandculture.net/yeongcheon/toc/GC05101816