Jukjeon Catholic Church

Overview

Jukjeon Church is a church in Jukjeon-dong, Dalseo-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. On February 4, 1983 the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel and the Gamsam Catholic mission chapel were merged and established as a parish, whose patron is St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon. On September 1984 it celebrated the dedication of a new church with 2 floors above ground and 1 floors below ground.

History

[Early history and mission-chapel period] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that Fr. Robert, who had settled in Sinnamugol (present-day Yeonhwa-dong, Jicheon-myeon, Chilgok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do) since 1885, entrusted the area to Fr. Bodune on March 1887 and moved to the house of Yi Jang-eon (Francis) in Songgol, Saebanggol near Daegu (present-day Sangni-dong and Jukjeon-dong, Seo-gu, Daegu). Fr. Robert purchased a thatched house in Saebanggol, prepared a temporary church and began ministry, which is the foundation of the “Daegu (now Gyesan-dong) Parish.” In early 1891, after briefly leaving Daegu following the “Daegu Gyoan” incident, Fr. Robert returned on April and later that year moved the temporary parish from Saebanggol to Daeeobeol (present-day Ingyo-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu); Saebanggol thus became a Catholic mission chapel belonging to Daegu Parish. Songgol, where Fr. Robert had lived, was also used as a Catholic mission chapel from that time.

[Changes of the mission chapel] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, on November 1930 Fr. Jang Sun-do (Barbara), assistant priest of Gyesan-dong Parish, visited the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel for the Lenten sacrament, and on February 1932 the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel was transferred from Gyesan-dong Parish to Bisan-dong Parish. In 1940 the Gamsam Catholic mission chapel was established in neighboring Gamsam-dong, and in 1945 the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel moved to a new building at the present parish location. In 1968 its jurisdiction was changed to Sangni-dong Parish.

[Parish establishment] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that the Archdiocese of Daegu confirmed the creation of a new parish in Jukjeon-dong on November 9, 1982 as part of the 200 anniversary project of Catholicism, and the following year on February 4 the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel and the Gamsam Catholic mission chapel were merged to establish Jukjeon-dong Parish, with Fr. Yun Im-gyu as the first pastor. The founding date February 4, 1983 is also listed in the Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference directory and the Archdiocese of Daegu parish information.

[New church construction and later developments] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Fr. Yun Im-gyu celebrated Mass in a temporary tent church and began construction of a new church on the site of the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel on May 1983, completing a church with 2 floors above ground and 1 floors below ground (448 pyeong) and celebrating its dedication on September 1984. Convent construction also began on February, and on July a branch of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres was established. The 5 pastor, Fr. Choe Chang-deok, built a building with 3 floors above ground and 1 floors below ground (242 pyeong) in 1994 for use as an education center and convent, and as apartment complexes were built in the parish area and the number of faithful grew, it separated Seongseo Parish on September 1996 and Igok Parish on February 1998. The 6 pastor, Fr. Jeong In-yong, organized a pre-baptismal catechesis committee composed of lay people from 1997 to take charge of catechesis for catechumens. The 7 pastor, Fr. Won Dong-su, held a commemorative event on July 2003 to mark the 20 anniversary of the parish foundation.

[Jurisdiction and statistics] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the jurisdiction as all of Jukjeon-dong, Gamsam-dong and Janggi-dong in Dalseo-gu and parts of Naedang-dong and Jungni-dong in Seo-gu, and records 915 faithful in 1983, 2,250 in 1987, 3,519 in 1992, 3,333 in 1996, and 3,400 in 2001. The Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference directory gives the jurisdictional area as all of Jukjeon-dong and parts of Gamsam-dong, Naedang 4-dong, Yongsan-dong and Jungni-dong, the number of faithful as 2,421, the affiliated congregation as the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, and states that there is no mission chapel.

[Successive pastors] The successive priests listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first Thomas Yun Im-gyu (1983.2–1986.1), the 2 James Won Yu-sul (1986.1–1990.6), interim Paul Choe Hwi-in (1990.6–12), the 3 James Park Yeong-sik (1990.12–1992.6), the 4 Thaddeus Hwang Yong-sik (1992.6–1994.2), the 5 Francis Xavier Choe Chang-deok (1994.2–1997.8), the 6 Bartholomew Jeong In-yong (1997.8–2003.2), and the 7 Paul Won Dong-su (2003.2–at the time of writing of the encyclopedia).

Architecture and Space

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the church dedicated on September 1984 has 2 floors above ground and 1 floors below ground (448 pyeong), and the education-center-cum-convent building built in 1994 has 3 floors above ground and 1 floors below ground (242 pyeong).

Related Places and People

• Saebanggol (Sangni-dong and Jukjeon-dong): the place where Fr. Robert prepared a temporary church and Daegu Parish began, later becoming a Catholic mission chapel belonging to Daegu Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Gyesan-dong Church, Bisan-dong Church and Sangni-dong Church: the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel was transferred on February 1932 from Gyesan-dong Parish to Bisan-dong Parish, and in 1968 to Sangni-dong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Gamsam Catholic mission chapel: established in Gamsam-dong in 1940 and integrated with the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel in 1983 to become Jukjeon-dong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Seongseo Church and Igok Church: separated from Jukjeon-dong Parish on September 1996 and February 1998 respectively (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Fr. Robert (Robert, Kim Bo-rok): the priest who prepared a temporary church in Saebanggol and started Daegu Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic History Research Institute, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Jukjeon-dong Parish.” Early history of Saebanggol and Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel, parish establishment through integration of Jukjeon and Gamsam mission chapels in 1983, church dedication in 1984, separation of Seongseo and Igok parishes, statistics, jurisdiction, successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/5767
2. Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Korean Catholic Directory “Jukjeon” (Archdiocese of Daegu). Founding date 1983.02.04, patron St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon, number of faithful, congregation, jurisdictional area.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000021&code=201000888&gubn2=all&char=all
3. Archdiocese of Daegu, Parish Information “Jukjeoncheong.” Date of establishment February 4, 1983.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=75&premenu&srl=church_search