Hyomok Catholic Church

Overview

Hyomok Church is a church in Hyomok-dong, Dong-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. It was separated from Bokja Parish July 1977 and established, and its date of establishment is recorded as July 14, 1977. Its patron is the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

History

[Establishment] The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia states that Hyomok Church was separated from Bokja Parish July 1977 and established. As there was no church in the Hyomok-dong area, the faithful used the church inside the 2 Army Headquarters then stationed in Hyomok-dong, and as the number of faithful gradually increased, Hyomok Parish was established July 1977. The same entry names Jeong Gwang-yeong as the founder. The establishment date July 14, 1977 also appears in the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea directory and in the Archdiocese of Daegu parish information.

[Early communities] According to the Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia, in 1982 many communities were founded, including the Vocation Support Association, the Inseong Association, the Scholarship Association and the Military Chaplaincy Support Association. In 1986, for the first time in the diocese, it codified the rules of the parish lay apostolate council, and had the faithful elect the leaders of various organizations, including the leadership of the lay association, thereby seeking democratization within the parish and fostering an autonomous atmosphere among the laity.

[Basic communities and small communities] The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia states that Father Kim Sang-mok took office April 1991 and worked to revitalize the “basic communities” during his tenure. He reorganized the “basic communities” on a regional basis so that the Legion of Mary praesidia could perform that function, and awarded the “Holy Family Award” to exemplary families for the sanctification of families. He also paid attention to the small-community movement, subdividing the “ban” into “jo”-sized units to make a total of 99 ban, revived the ban Mass celebrated at home, and, by promoting intensive evangelization from early February 2001 to mid-March, shifted the previous Legion of Mary-centered missionary activity to “ban,” that is, small-community-centered missionary activity.

[Late 1990s] According to the Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia, when the lives of the faithful became very difficult due to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) crisis in 1997, the parish operated on a tight budget, not raising church dues except for a few people whose finances had improved, and even lowering them for those whose situation had worsened. As a result, in 1998 church-dues income decreased by about 380 won from the previous year, but Sunday offerings increased by 110 won, so the parish was run without major difficulty. Father Lee Sang-ho took office September 1998, stressed the importance of vocations and encouraged the faithful to take part in vocation support, increasing membership to about 700.

[Jurisdiction and present state] The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea directory lists its jurisdiction as all of Sincheon 4-dong and Hyomok 2-dong and parts of Manchon 1-dong and Hyomok 1-dong, the sisters’ congregation as the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, and the number of faithful as 2,757. The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia states that there are currently 1 pastor, 1 assistant priest and sisters, with about 3,451 registered members, and that Hyocheon Bible College, the Liturgy Committee, the Youth Education Committee, the Youth Committee, the District Council, the Council of Apostolic Organizations, the Catechists Association, the Apostolate, the Mothers’ Association, the Marian Association, the Banseok Association, the Choir, the Bible Writing Group and others are active. The same entry evaluates Hyomok Church as a Catholic church needed for studying the process of Catholic propagation in the Dong-gu area of Daegu from the 1970s to the 2010s and the status and role of Catholicism in the local community.

Related places and people

• Bokja Parish: Hyomok Church was separated from this parish and established in 1977 (Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Father Kim Sang-mok: the pastor who took office April 1991 and worked to revitalize the “basic communities” (Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Father Lee Sang-ho: the pastor who took office September 1998 and increased the membership of the Vocation Support Association to about 700 (Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia).

References and sources

1. The Academy of Korean Studies, Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia, “Hyomok Church.” Separation from Bokja Parish and establishment in 1977, use of the church inside the 2 Army Headquarters, basic communities and small communities, operation during the IMF period, present state.
   https://www.grandculture.net/daegu/toc/GC40020980
2. Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, Directory of the Catholic Church in Korea, “Hyomok” (Archdiocese of Daegu). Establishment date 1977.07.14, sisters’ congregation, patron Nativity of the Virgin Mary, jurisdiction.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000021&code=201000914&gubn2=all&char=all
3. Archdiocese of Daegu, Parish information, “Hyomok Church.” Establishment date July 14, 1977, patron Nativity of the Virgin Mary.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=85&premenu&srl=church_search