Goseong Catholic Church

Overview

Goseong Church is a church in Goseong-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. On October 28, 1958 it was separated and established from Gyesan Church (Gyesan-dong Parish), and its name at the time of establishment was Chilseong Church (Chilseong-dong Parish). Its patron is Saint Paul the Apostle, and its first pastor was Father Shin Hyeon-ok (Cyril). It has a branch house of the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs.

History

[Background and site] The Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture states that the establishment of the church was promoted in anticipation of a large population inflow into Buk-gu, then the center of the industrial area, as Daegu emerged in the 1950s as a center of the sericulture, textile-weaving, and textile industries. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that the establishment of the Goseong-dong Parish was hastened by a believer’s donation of a church. According to the encyclopedia, in 1958 Kim Deok-ryong (Paul), a believer of the Gyesan-dong Parish, purchased more than 1,200 pyeong of land at the present parish site for the evangelization of northern Daegu within the parish jurisdiction, and built and donated a church together with local believers. The Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture states that Kim Deok-yong, then a member of the 6th pastoral council of Gyesan Church, purchased about 2,381 square meters [720 pyeong] of land as the church site (the two sources give the believer’s name and the site area differently).

[Parish establishment and dedication] According to the Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture, construction began on April 1958 and was completed on October 15, Chilseong Church was newly established on October 28, and the dedication ceremony for the church building was held on November 20. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia likewise records parish establishment on October and church dedication on November 20 of that year. The establishment date is also listed as October 28, 1958 in the Archdiocese of Daegu parish directory and in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea address book.

[Renaming] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that the original name at establishment was “Chilseong-dong Parish,” but it was renamed “Goseong-dong Parish” following the administrative district name change measure on April 1979. The Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture also states in its main text that it was renamed Goseong Church following the administrative district name change on April 1979, while the renaming date field at the top of the same entry gives April 22, 1959.

[Early activities and facilities] On June 1961 Paul Kindergarten was opened within the church and took part in early childhood education in the local community. A rectory was built in 1964 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia), and from 1971 small meetings began by district groups, developing small-community activities by group unit. On March 1974 the library “House of the Word” was established (the Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture gives March 10), and on September 1980 an education hall with a convent, auditorium, and meeting rooms and a total floor area of 255 pyeong was completed (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The encyclopedia lists as long-active organizations the Legion of Mary, the Association for the Deceased, the choir, the Marian Association, the altar society, the mothers’ association, the women’s association, the Inseong Association, the Myeongdo Association, the apostolic association, the united youth group, the teachers’ association, and the Cursillistas, among others.

[Changes in jurisdiction] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that the parish grew steadily after establishment, but its jurisdiction changed several times and its strength varied each time. On February 1976 the Nowon-dong Parish was established and part of the jurisdiction was transferred to it (the Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture calls this church “Won Church”), and on September 1982 the eastern area was transferred with the establishment of the Sangyeok-dong Parish. On December 1983 (the Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture gives the year 1983) the area was reduced again with the establishment of Oksan Parish, and on August 1984 the Chimsan-dong area was handed over with the new establishment of Chimsan Parish, forming the present area. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia describes the jurisdiction as parts of Goseong-dong and Nowon-dong 1 and 3, Wondae-dong 1 and 3, and Chilseong-dong 2, while the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea address book describes it as the whole of Goseong-dong 1 through 3 and parts of Nowon-dong 1, Chilseong-dong 2, and Chimsan 2 and 3-dong.

[Current status and successive pastors] The Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture records that as of January 2022 the pastor was Park Chang-wan (Leo), the assistant priest was Kim Eun-u (Pius), and registered believers numbered 2,380. It lists as organizations the pastoral council, the lay apostolate council, the liturgy committee, the district council, the social welfare committee, the education committee, the facilities and environment committee, the Sunday school, the mothers’ association, the Cursillo association, Saetbyeol Curia, the military chaplaincy support association, the altar society, the requiem association, the Inseong Association, the open mountaineering club, the vocations support association, and the youth group, among others. It states that annual activities include the diocesan mission rally, kimchi-sharing by the social welfare committee, parish community gatherings, small-community meetings, and story-sharing room meetings. The Church strength recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is 2,466 in 1988 and 3,095 in 1993. The successive priests in the encyclopedia are the first Shin Hyeon-ok, Cyril (1958.10–1962.7), 2th Lee Gi-su, James (1962.7–1970.11), 3nd Yu Seung-ryeol, Peter (1970.11–1975.2), 4th Jeong Sun-jae, Peter (1975.2–1978.12), 5th Lee Seong-u, Achilleo (1978.12–1979.2), 6st Lee Pan-seok, Joseph (1979.2–1984.8), 7th Park Won-chul, Thomas (1984.8–1988.6), 8th Choe Bong-do, Francis Xavier (1988.6–1992.2), and 9th Lee Jae-won, Job (1992.2–the time of writing).

[Significance] The Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture evaluates Goseong Church as a church in Buk-gu established at the end of the 1950s when Daegu began to emerge as a center of the textile industry, and as a Catholic church needed for studying the spread of Catholicism in Buk-gu after the 1950s and the status and role of Catholicism in the local community.

Related places and people

• Gyesan Church (Gyesan-dong Parish): the mother parish from which Goseong Church was separated in 1958 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture).
• Nowon-dong Parish, Sangyeok-dong Parish, Oksan Parish, and Chimsan Parish: parishes that received parts of Goseong Church’s jurisdiction and were established on February 1976, September 1982, in 1983, and on August 1984 respectively (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture describes Chimsan Church as a church separated and established from Goseong Church in 1984.
• Kim Deok-ryong (Paul, rendered as Kim Deok-yong in the Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture): a believer of the Gyesan-dong Parish who purchased the church site.
• Father Shin Hyeon-ok (Cyril): the first pastor (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture).

References and sources

1. Korean Church History Research Institute, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Goseong-dong Parish” (vol. 1). Separation and establishment in 1958, renaming, land donation and dedication, early facilities and activities, jurisdictional changes, strength and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/351
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Encyclopedia of Daegu History and Culture, “Goseong Church.” Background and process of establishment, construction and dedication in 1958, principal works, status as of January 2022 and significance.
   https://www.grandculture.net/daegu/toc/GC40004525
3. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory, “Goseong” (Archdiocese of Daegu). Establishment date 1958.10.28, patron Saint Paul the Apostle, religious congregation, jurisdictional area.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000021&code=201000767&gubn2=all&char=all
4. Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu, Parish Information, “Goseong Church.” Establishment date October 28, 1958.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=10&premenu&srl=church_search