Gyeongsan Catholic Church

Overview

Gyeongsan Church is a church in Sajeong-dong, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. Founded in 1952 from the Okgok-dong Catholic mission chapel as its base (the Archdiocese of Daegu and the Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia give the founding date as March 25, while the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives August 10 as the date of separation and establishment from the Beomeo-dong parish), its patron is Queen of Heaven and its first pastor is Father Lee Gi-su (James).

History

[Faith community in the Gyeongsan area] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia and the Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia state that a faith community formed in the Gyeongsan area around 1880. The person who first prepared a Catholic mission chapel house was the 5-generation grandfather of Jeong Dal-gyu (Thomas), who lived in what is now Daemyeong-dong, Namcheon-myeon, and the place was near Donghaksan in Namcheon-myeon (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). Later, after the Gyesan-dong parish in Daegu was established and the number of believers in the Gyeongsan area grew, a Catholic mission chapel arose in Songbaek-dong, Namcheon-myeon, and Catholic mission chapels were also established in Sanjeon-dong, Namcheon-myeon in 1941 and in Okgok-dong, Gyeongsan-eup in 1943, respectively. The parish was founded from the Okgok-dong Catholic mission chapel among them.

[Establishment of the parish] The Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia states that Gyeongsan Church was established on March 25, 1952, that Father Lee Gi-su (James) took office as the first priest on June 15 of the same year, and that it was formally established with a blessing ceremony on August 10. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that it was separated and established from the Beomeo-dong parish on August 10, 1952. The first pastor, Father Lee Gi-su, used the former Catholic mission chapel hall as the church while devoting himself to evangelization, and the priests who succeeded him also worked for church construction before being transferred.

[Construction of the church] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, immediately after taking office, the 3 Father Kim Dong-eon secured a church site at 511 Jungbang-dong, Gyeongsan-eup with the proceeds from the sale of the Okgok-dong Catholic mission chapel in April 1957, donations from Chairman Lee Michael and Father Kwon Yeong-jo (Mark) of the Beomeo-dong parish, and other funds, and began building the church. On October 20, 1961, during the tenure of the 4 pastor, Father Park Chun-taek, the church was completed and blessed (the Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia also records completion on October 20, 1961). In July 1961, believers purchased forest land at San 62-1 and 62-2, Gapje-dong, Amnyang-myeon and made it a church cemetery, and built a rectory in August 1964, a convent with a donation from Kim Nam-i (Birta) in October 1969, and a kindergarten in December 1976, respectively.

[Construction of the new church] As the number of believers grew and the church became cramped, a plan for a new church was drawn up, the present Sajeong 2-dong site was purchased in May 1989, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in March the following year. The new church was completed in about 1 years (total floor area 604 pyeong, 3 stories above ground) and was blessed on April 6, 1991 (the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia; the Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia records it as building construction on April 6, 1991).

[Pastoral activities] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that a pastoral council and various devotional and activity groups have been organized, and that the present lay groups include the Legion of Mary as well as the Marian Association, the Saint Paul Association, the Tere Society, the Inseong Society, the Youth Federation, the Student Association, and others. Retreats and faith lectures were held 3 to 8 times a year for the re-education of believers, and in May 1981, during the tenure of the 11 Father Shin Hyeon-ok, a catechesis room was secured for systematic catechetical education. From 1982, a martyrs veneration festival or pilgrimage to holy places was held every year from 9 to October, a parish bulletin was published in July 1983, and a library was opened in January 1986 to lend over 500 volumes. A rice-saving campaign was carried out every Lent to help needy neighbors, and a bazaar for an orphanage or nursing home was held every year from 1982. The Mirinae Society of the Holy Heart of Mary entered the parish and cooperates in pastoral work. The Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia states that Gyeongsan Mary Kindergarten has been operated from 2011 to provide early childhood education.

[Jurisdiction and church membership] The jurisdiction recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is all of Gyeongsan-eup, Gyeongsan-gun, Amnyang-myeon, Namcheon-myeon, and Jinryang-myeon, and part of Suseong-gu, Daegu-si. The jurisdiction recorded in the Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia is all of Sajeong-dong, Samnam-dong, Sambuk-dong, Sangbang-dong, Seosang-dong, Singyo-dong, and Okgok-dong in Gyeongsan-si, and parts of Oksan-dong, Jungbang-dong, and Jungsan-dong. Church membership was 793 in 1956, 1,156 in 1964, 1,382 in 1972, 1,471 in 1978, 1,860 in 1982, 2,476 in 1988, and 3,461 in 1993. Successive priests are the first Lee Gi-su James (1952.8-1956.4), the 2 Ryu Seon-i Joseph (1956.4-12), the 3 Kim Dong-eon Peter (1957.4-1958.11), the 4 Park Chun-taek Peter (1959.1-1962.7), the 5 Seo Jeong-do Bernard (1962.7-1964.6), the 6 Kim Dong-han Charles (1964.7-1969.4), the 7 Kim Gyeong-sik Boniface (1969.11-1972.10), the 8 Park Ung-geun Joseph (1972.10-1973.3), the 9 Choe Byeong-seon John (1973.3-1975.1), the 10 Kim Hyeon-su Paul (1975.1-1978.8), the 11 Shin Hyeon-ok Cyril (1978.8-1981.9), the 12 Choe Hong-gil Leo (1981.9-1983.1), the 13 Jeong Sun-jae Peter (1983.1-1987.1), the 14 Lee Dae-gil Simeon (1987.1-1989.6), the 15 Jeon Ju-won Paul (1989.6-1993.10), and the 16 Kim Sang-gyu Philip (1993.10-) (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

[Significance] The Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia evaluates Gyeongsan Church as the second church built in Gyeongsan-si, which has functioned from early on as a center of faith activities for Catholic believers in the Gyeongsan area.

Related places and people

• Jain Church: The Jain Catholic mission chapel, established in 1947 as a Catholic mission chapel of Hayang Church, was transferred to Gyeongsan Church when Gyeongsan Church was established in 1952, secured a site with the help of Father Kim Dong-han of Gyeongsan Church in 1969 and expanded the Catholic mission chapel building, and was elevated to a parish on October 28, 1972 (Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia).
• Okgok-dong Catholic mission chapel: The Catholic mission chapel that became the base of Gyeongsan Church, established in Okgok-dong, Gyeongsan-eup in 1943 and sold in 1957 to secure funds for a church site (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Beomeo-dong parish: According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the mother parish from which the Gyeongsan parish was separated and established in 1952, and Father Kwon Yeong-jo (Mark) of this parish donated funds for the church site.
• Mirinae Society of the Holy Heart of Mary (Mirinae Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary): The religious congregation that entered the parish and cooperates in pastoral work (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, parish information of the Archdiocese of Daegu).

References and sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Gyeongsan Parish” (Vol. 1). Separation and establishment from the Beomeo-dong parish on August 10, 1952, patron, jurisdiction, church membership, successive priests, Catholic mission chapel era, church site and completion in 1961, blessing of the new church in 1991, pastoral activities.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/290
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia “Gyeongsan Church”. Establishment on March 25, 1952 from the Okgok Catholic mission chapel as its base, appointment of the first priest, church completion in 1961, new construction in 1991, jurisdiction, Gyeongsan Mary Kindergarten.
   https://www.grandculture.net/gyeongsan/toc/GC08100980
3. Archdiocese of Daegu, parish information “Gyeongsan Church”. Founding date March 25, 1952, patron Queen of Heaven.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=22&premenu=c1&srl=church_search&y_id=22
4. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Gyeongsan Culture Encyclopedia “Jain Church”. How the Jain Catholic mission chapel came under Gyeongsan Church in 1952 and elevation to a parish in 1972.
   https://www.grandculture.net/gyeongsan/toc/GC08100975