Naedang Church

Overview

Naedang Church is a church in Naedang-dong, Seo-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. On January 1, 1966, it was separated and established from the Gyesan-dong Parish, and its patron saint is St. Francis Xavier (the encyclopedia renders it as Francisco Saberio). Construction began with funds raised by Austrian faithful, and on November 23, 1966 the church was dedicated. Sources differ on the first pastor: the Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia names Fr. Seo Gi-ho (Rudi), while the list of successive priests in the encyclopedia names Fr. Park Chang-su (John).

History

〔Land Purchase and Quasi-Parish〕 According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, the Naedang-dong Parish originated when Fr. Choi Jae-seon (John), the 12 pastor of the Gyesan Parish at the time, on April 1957 purchased 7,144 pyeong of land, the site that is now the parish grounds, as property of the diocese, and later planned the establishment of a parish as the Catholic population grew. The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia records this site as approximately 2 ten thousand 3617㎡ [7,144 pyeong] and names Gyesan Church as the mother parish of Naedang Church. On October 1962, with the help of the faithful of Gyesan-dong, a temporary church was prepared, and Fr. Rudolf Kranewitter (R. Kranewitter, Seo Gi-ho) was welcomed and it was established as a quasi-parish.

〔Elevation to Parish and Church Construction〕 According to the encyclopedia, Fr. Seo, with 4,100 dollars raised in Austria, began construction of the church building on April 1965, but in that year construction was temporarily suspended on October due to technical difficulties, while it was elevated to a parish on January 1966. The suspended construction resumed from March with the help of Austrian faithful, and on November 23 a church of 189 pyeong was dedicated. The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia also records that construction resumed from March 1966 and the church was dedicated on November 23, 1966. The establishment date is January 1, 1966, which is the same in the encyclopedia, the Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory, and the Daegu Archdiocese parish information.

〔Auxiliary Facilities〕 According to the encyclopedia, on January 1967 a branch convent of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres and the Sangji Kindergarten for the evangelization of non-believers were opened (the Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia records it as the opening of Sangji Kindergarten). As auxiliary buildings, on July 1970 the convent of 28 pyeong and on October 1977 the rectory of 87 pyeong were each completed, the rectory was expanded on June 1981, and on July 1989 the cramped convent was newly built. On July 1974 an auditorium was built and dedicated on the kindergarten rooftop, on March 1982 a dedication ceremony for the catechesis room was held, and on December 1986 a dedication ceremony for the education hall was held. Starting from April 1988, interior renovation of the church began, and in that year on June a Mass was offered to commemorate completion as the present church. The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia records that construction of auxiliary church buildings began from November 4, 1976.

〔Devotional Activities and Parish News〕 According to the encyclopedia, from June 1969 onward, as Cursillo was introduced to the Daegu Archdiocese, Cursillistas also emerged in the Naedang-dong Parish and began holding regular gatherings. The encyclopedia records that in the same year, on July 13 parish bulletin No. 1 was published, and after its title changed several times, from the issue published on June 1987, No. 859, onward it was integrated and renamed into the bulletin published by the diocese. On November 1976 it formed a sister-parish tie with the Daksam Parish belonging to the Salzburg Diocese in Austria, and in 1976 began showing films such as ‘Our Lady of Fatima,’ ‘Quo Vadis,’ ‘The Ten Commandments,’ and ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ using them for the re-education of the faithful and to raise funds. On August 1986 Fr. Park Hyeong-jin (Augustine) published the 《Family Prayer Book》 to strengthen the Holy Family, and on May 1987 founded Seongnodang (聖老堂), serving as a resting place for elderly faithful and non-believers in the district. On December 1987 a credit union was founded, and for the 20-year anniversary of the parish’s establishment, the parish motto, parish hymn, and parish flag were produced. On January 27, 1991 a Mass commemorating the 25-year anniversary of the parish’s establishment, a marriage renewal ceremony, and a celebration were held, and 《Naedang Church 25 Years》, which compiles the parish history, was published.

〔Parishes Split Off〕 The encyclopedia records that the Pyeongni Parish and the Duryu Parish held groundbreaking ceremonies on February 18, 1979 and April 1 respectively, and split off from the Naedang-dong Parish on November. The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia also records that Pyeongni Church and Duryu Church split off.

〔The 2020s: Current Status and Jurisdiction〕 According to the Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia, as of January 2022 the parish priest was Lee Jeong-hyo (Jerome), the assistant priest was Park Jae-hyeon (Joseph), and there were 3,016 registered parishioners. It lists annual events such as special lectures for parents, a volleyball tournament, Fun Fun Volunteer training, a summer Bible school, a winter faith school, pilgrimages to holy sites, and club activities, and reports that the Lay Apostolate Council includes the Anna Society, the Marian Association, the Little Flower Society, the Mothers’ Association, the Altar Society, the Youth Association, the ME Group, the Holy Spirit Prayer Group, the Vocations Support Association, the Ministry for a Holy Death, the Prayer Group for Vocations, and the Curia. This source evaluates Naedang Church as a Catholic church needed for studying the spread of Catholicism in the Seo-gu area of Daegu and the status and role of Catholicism in the local community. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists the religious community as the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, the number of Catholic mission chapels as 0, and the jurisdiction as all of Naedang 2- and 3-dong, Bisan 4-dong, and Pyeongni 2-dong, along with parts of Namsan-dong, Daesin-dong, and Duryu-dong.

〔Church Statistics and Successive Pastors〕 The church statistics recorded in the encyclopedia are, in 1966, 1,515 people; in 1978, 4,012 people; in 1980, 3,081 people; in 1988, 4,802 people; and in 1993, 5,103 people. The successive priests were the first, Park Chang-su John (1966.1~1967.10), the 2 pastor, Park Won-chul Thomas (1967.10~12), the 3 pastor, Park Chun-taek Peter (1967.12~1972.10), the 4 pastor, Kim Jin-ho Stephen (1972.10~1975.10), the 5 pastor, Choi Bong-do Francis Xavier (1975.10~1980.5), the 6 pastor, Kang Chan-hyeong Pascal (1980.5~1986.1), the 7 pastor, Park Hyeong-jin Augustine (1986.1~1991.4), and the 8 pastor, Kim Yong-gil Paul (1991.4~time of writing). The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia names Fr. Seo Gi-ho (Rudi) as the first parish priest, while the encyclopedia describes Fr. Seo Gi-ho (Kranewitter) as the priest welcomed when the quasi-parish was established in 1962, yet lists Park Chang-su John as the first in its list of successive priests.

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, on November 23, 1966 a church of 189 pyeong was dedicated, and in 1988, from 4 to June, through interior renovation of the church, a Mass was offered to commemorate completion as the present church. Auxiliary buildings include the convent (year 1970, 28 pyeong, newly built in 1989), the rectory (year 1977, 87 pyeong, expanded in 1981), the rooftop auditorium of the kindergarten (year 1974), the catechesis room (year 1982), and the education hall (year 1986). The Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia records the current address as Naedang-dong 940-1.

Related Places and People

• Gyesan-dong Parish (Gyesan Church): The mother parish from which Naedang Church was separated (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Pyeongni Parish and Duryu Parish: Parishes split off from Naedang Church (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Fr. Seo Gi-ho (Rudolf Kranewitter, R. Kranewitter): He began construction of the church building with 4,100 dollars raised in Austria (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism).
• Fr. Choi Jae-seon (John): As the 12 head priest of the Gyesan Parish, on April 1957 he purchased the present parish site as property of the diocese (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism, Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia).
• Daksam Parish (Salzburg Diocese, Austria): The parish with which a sister-parish tie was formed on November 1976 (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism).

References and Sources

1. Korean Church History Research Institute, Encyclopedia of Korean Catholicism “Naedang-dong Parish” (Vol. 3). Land purchase and quasi-parish, church dedication in 1966, auxiliary facilities, devotional activities, split-off parishes, church statistics and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1063
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Daegu History and Culture Encyclopedia “Naedang Church”. Mother parish and land purchase, establishment and dedication in 1966, split-off, jurisdiction, and as-of-January 2022 status and significance.
   https://www.grandculture.net/daegu/toc/GC40004545
3. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Naedang” (Daegu Archdiocese). Establishment date 1966.01.01, patron St. Francis Xavier, religious community, jurisdiction.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000021&code=201000778&gubn2=all&char=all
4. Daegu Archdiocese, Parish Information “Naedang Church”. Establishment date January 1, 1966, patron saint St. Francis Xavier.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=13&premenu&srl=church_search