Seongdong Catholic Church

Overview

Seongdong Church is a church in Seongdong-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, belonging to the Daegu Archdiocese. On May 30, 1926, it was elevated from a Catholic mission chapel under the Busanjin (present-day Beomil) Parish to a parish and established as ‘Gyeongju Parish,’ and on September 1, 1983, after separating Seonggeon Parish, it changed its name to ‘Seongdong Parish.’ Its patron is the Queen of Heaven (Queen of Heavenly Grace).

History

〔Early history and the mission-chapel era〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the Gyeongju area was the first place in Gyeongsangbuk-do where a faith community was formed, centered on the Danseoksan area in Sannae-myeon. After Father Robert of Daegu (Robert, Kim Bo-rok) established the ‘Jinmokjeong Catholic mission chapel’ in Sannae-myeon in 1883, several Catholic mission chapels were founded in succession, and from autumn 1912, catechist Jeong Jun-su (Stefano) of Daegu also began to preach the Gospel in downtown Gyeongju. Later, Seo Byeong-mun donated a house and about 400 pyeong of land in present-day Seongdong, Gyeongju-si, and on February 15, 1913, Father Julien (M. Julien, Kwon Yu-ryang), pastor of Busanjin Parish, established the ‘Gyeongju Catholic mission chapel.’ After the family of catechist Park Yeong-suk (Simon) from the Sangseonpil Catholic mission chapel in Eonyang settled here, the number of mission-chapel faithful began to grow, and on May 30, 1926, Gyeongju Mission was elevated to a parish, with Father Lee Seong-in appointed as the first pastor.

〔Church construction and the transfer of martyrs’ remains〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, construction of a church began immediately after the parish was established, and a wooden church was built the following year. On May 29, 1932, the remains of the Byeongin martyrs Heo In-baek (James), Lee Yang-deung (Peter), and Kim Jong-ryun (Luke), who had been buried in Jinmokjeong, were transferred to the church cemetery in Daegu. In 1939, a new Gothic-style church and rectory were completed.

〔Projects around Liberation〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that on August 25, 1946 a convent of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres was prepared, in 1950 Geunhwa Kindergarten was founded, and the following year, on October 5, Geunhwa Girls’ Higher Technical School was founded. After the Korean War, through the efforts of all the faithful, the church was rebuilt, and on May 6, 1959 the blessing ceremony was celebrated by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop E. R. Lambertini.

〔Branch parishes and commemorative projects〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as the number of parishioners continued to grow, Angang Parish was separated in 1967 and 250-odd parish registers were transferred, and the following year, on January 14, the parish bulletin was first published. In 1976, a rectory and catechism rooms were newly built, and the same year, on October 24, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the parish establishment, 《Gyeongju Parish: 50 Years》 was published. On October 31, 1983, Seonggeon Parish was separated, and on May 1, 1986, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its founding, 《Sixty Years of Gyeongju Church》 was published. In 1987, the parish monthly was launched (suspended August 1991), and the following year, on February, the Legion of Mary ‘Queen of Peace’ Curia marked the 30th anniversary of its founding. On October 7, 1993, Hwangseong Parish was separated, and on April 30, 1995, Yangnam Parish was separated.

〔Fire in 1992〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that on April 1, 1992 at dawn the church was lost in an electrical fire, and that at the time the encyclopedia was compiled the old school building of Geunhwa Girls’ Higher Technical School was being used as a temporary church. The photo captions show the wooden church built the year after the parish was established and the Seongdong Church newly built in 1959 and in use until it was lost in the fire.

〔Jurisdiction and statistics〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the jurisdiction as all of Seongdang-dong, Bulguk-dong, Bodeok-dong, Dongcheon-dong, Wolseong-dong, Jungbu-dong, Hwangnam-dong, Hwango-dong, and Oedong-eup, and parts of Yonggang-dong and Tapjeong-dong, lists 2 Catholic mission chapels at Ipsil and Mohwa, and records the number of faithful as 325 in 1928, 380 in 1935, 501 in 1942, 681 in 1950, 1,928 in 1967, 2,647 in 1975, 3,671 in 1981, 5,219 in 1987, 6,926 in 1992, and 6,383 in 1997. The Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference address book gives the present jurisdiction as all of Naenam, Nodong-dong, Noseo-dong, Dongbu-dong, Dongcheon-dong, Bomun-dong, Bukbu-dong, Bulguk-dong, Sajeong-dong, Seobu-dong, Seongdong-dong, and Hwango-dong in Gyeongju-si, and parts of Yonggang-dong, Jungbu-dong, Tapjeong-dong, Hwangseong-dong, Seonggeon-dong, and Chunghyo-dong, the number of faithful as 2,762, the number of Catholic mission chapels as 0, and the resident religious community as the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.

〔Successive pastors〕 The pastors listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first, Lee Seong-in James (1926.5–1931.12), the 2th, Cadars (J. Cadars, Gang) Joseph (1931.12–1945.4), the 3th, Jeong Haeng-man Francis Xavier (1945.4–1947.4), the 4th, An Guk-mok Macarius (1947.4–1948), the 5th, Shin Won-sik Luke (1948.8–1950.12), the 6th, Kim Gyeong-u Alexius (1950.12–1955.1), the 7th, Yun Gwang-je David (1955.1–1960.12), the 8th, Kim Gwang-rok Peter (1960.12–1961.6), the 9th, Lee Gi-su James (1961.6–1962.1), the 10th, Lee Chang-ho Andrew (1962.1–7), the 11th, Park Chun-taek Peter (1962.7–1964.7), the 12th, Lee Chang-ho Paul (1964.7–1970.1), the 13th, Choe Si-dong John (1970.1–1972.11), the 14th, Gang Chan-hyeong Pascal (1972.11–1973.5), the 15th, Lee Seong-u Achilleus (1973.5–1977.7), the 16th, Kim Yong-gil Paul (1977.7–1980.1), the 17th, Park Do-sik Dominic (1980.2–1983.8), the 18th, Choe Hwi-in Paul (1983.9–1986.1), the 19th, Son Sang-o Luke (1986.1–1988.7), the 20th, Jeong Jae-wan Nicolaus (1988.7–1991.3), the 21th, Choe Yeong-su John (1991.3–1995.7), and the 22th, Hwang Yong-sik Thaddeus (1995.7–present at the time the encyclopedia was compiled).

Architecture and Space

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, there was a wooden church built the year after the parish was established, and in 1939 a new Gothic-style church and rectory were completed. The church rebuilt after the Korean War and blessed on May 6, 1959 was lost in a fire on April 1, 1992.

Related Places and People

• Busanjin (present-day Beomil) Parish: the parish where Father Julien, who established the Gyeongju Catholic mission chapel, served as pastor, and Gyeongju Mission was elevated from a Catholic mission chapel under this parish to a parish in 1926 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Jinmokjeong Catholic mission chapel: the Catholic mission chapel established by Father Robert in 1883, where the remains of the Byeongin martyrs Heo In-baek, Lee Yang-deung, and Kim Jong-ryun had been buried and were transferred on May 29, 1932 to the church cemetery in Daegu (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Seonggeon, Hwangseong, Yangnam, and Angang Parishes: separated from Seongdong Parish in 1983, on October 7, 1993, on April 30, 1995, and in 1967, respectively (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Seo Byeong-mun: donated a house and about 400 pyeong of land in present-day Seongdong, Gyeongju-si, laying the foundation for the establishment of the Gyeongju Catholic mission chapel (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Geunhwa Kindergarten and Geunhwa Girls’ Higher Technical School: founded in 1950 and on October 5, 1951, respectively (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Korean Church History Research Institute, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Seongdong Parish” (vol. 7). Mission-chapel era, elevation to parish in 1926, Gothic church in 1939, blessing in 1959, fire in 1992, branch parishes, statistics, jurisdiction, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3306
2. Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Catholic Address Book of Korea, “Seongdong” (Daegu Archdiocese). Foundation date 1926.05.30, patron Queen of Heavenly Grace, number of faithful, religious community, jurisdiction.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000021&code=201000839&gubn2=all&char=all
3. Daegu Archdiocese, Parish Information, “Seongdong-cheong.” Foundation date May 30, 1926.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=90&premenu&srl=church_search