Sinnyung Church

Overview

Sinnyeong Church is a church in Sinnyeong-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, belonging to the Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu. The Sinnyeong Catholic mission chapel, founded in 1922, was elevated to a parish from the jurisdiction of Yeongcheon Parish on May 7, 1965, and its patron saint is the Resurrection of Jesus and its first pastor is Father Kim Uk-tae (Leo).

History

〔Sinnyeong Mission Chapel〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that Father Yu Heung-mo (Andrew), pastor of Yongpyeong Parish, founded the Sinnyeong Catholic mission chapel in Hwasan-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, the predecessor of Sinnyeong Parish, in 1922, when there were 15 faithful. In 1933, a mission chapel hall was prepared in Maeyang-dong, Sinnyeong-myeon, and with the establishment of Yeongcheon Parish in 1936, it came under the jurisdiction of that parish.

〔Elevation to Parish〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Sinnyeong Catholic mission chapel was elevated to a parish on May 7, 1965, and at that time it received the Yongpyeong Catholic mission chapel, which had become a mission chapel from Yongpyeong Parish in 1948. Parish information from the Archdiocese of Daegu also records the date of establishment as May 7, 1965 and the patron saint as the Resurrection of Jesus. The first pastor, Father Kim Uk-tae, organized lay organizations centered on the pastoral council to lay the foundation of the parish, and in October 1970 began construction of a new church on the present church site but was soon transferred. The 2th pastor, Father Kim Hyeon-su, completed the church on April 20 of the following year and also newly built a convent, inviting Sisters of the Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in May 1973.

〔1980–90s〕 From 1980, during the time of the 6th pastor, Father Park Chang-ho, retreats were held for all the faithful and for each group, together with pilgrimages to holy places twice a year, and in May 1980 the parish took part in the diocesan joint sports festival. The 8th pastor, Father Park Sang-ho, set aside a ‘Time of Reparation’ every Tuesday evening after Mass and carried out campaigns such as finding faithful of unknown residence, for the return of lapsed faithful. The 9th pastor, Father Son Seong-ho, built a hall of over 100 pyeong at the Hwasan (formerly Yongpyeong) Catholic mission chapel in August 1989. The 13th pastor, Father Seo Jun-hong, formed a church construction promotion committee in June 1996 and launched a fundraising campaign as the church had aged, but faced difficulties because the Sinnyeong area is a typical farming village and most of the faithful were elderly people and women. The succeeding 14th pastor, Father Park Yun-jo, continued the fundraising campaign, repaired the rectory and the church roof, and opened a faith school to train lay leaders and re-educate the faithful.

〔Construction of the New Church〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the 15th pastor, Father Lee Gyeong-su, strongly promoted the construction of a new church, held the groundbreaking ceremony for the church in March 2000, and expected completion around the end of March 2001.

〔Jurisdiction and Church Strength〕 The jurisdiction recorded by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia covers all of Sinnyeong-myeon, Hwasan-myeon and Cheongtong-myeon and part of Gunwi-gun, and the jurisdictional mission chapel is 1 Hwasan mission chapel. Church strength was 707 faithful in 1968, 764 faithful in 1972, 1,000 faithful in 1977, 1,208 faithful in 1982, 1,418 faithful in 1987, 1,251 faithful in 1992, 1,161 faithful in 1997, and 1,108 faithful in 1999. Successive pastors were the first, Father Kim Uk-tae Leo (1965.5~1970.11), the 2th, Father Kim Hyeon-su Paul (1970.11~1975.1), the 3th, Father Yu Seung-ryeol Bartholomew (1975.1~1977.9), the 4th, Father Park Seong-dae John (1977.9~1978.3), the 5th, Father Kim Mu-han Francis (1978.3~1980.5), the 6th, Father Park Chang-ho Joseph (1980.5~1983.8), the 7th, Father Yeo Chang-hwan Lawrence (1983.8~1986.1), the 8th, Father Park Sang-ho John (1986.1~1988.6), the 9th, Father Son Seong-ho Joseph (1988.6~1990.6), the 10th, Father Jeong Sun-jae Peter (1990.6~1991.6), the 11th, Father Park Yeong-il Paul (1991~1993.3), the 12th, Father Lee Seong-bae John (1993.3~10), the 13th, Father Seo Jun-hong Matthias (1993.10~1997.9), the 14th, Father Park Yun-jo Anthony (1997.9~1999.6), and the 15th, Father Lee Gyeong-su Raphael (1999.6~).

Related Places and People

• Yeongcheon Church: the mother parish that had jurisdiction over the Sinnyeong Catholic mission chapel after its establishment in 1936 and elevated it to Sinnyeong Parish in 1965 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Yongpyeong Parish and Yongpyeong Catholic mission chapel (Hwasan mission chapel): the parish where Father Yu Heung-mo, who founded the Sinnyeong Catholic mission chapel, was pastor, and in 1965 Sinnyeong Parish received the Yongpyeong Catholic mission chapel. In 1989 a hall was built at the Hwasan (formerly Yongpyeong) Catholic mission chapel (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: the congregation of Sisters invited by Sinnyeong Parish in May 1973 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Sinnyeong Parish” (Vol. 8). Elevation from a mission chapel under the jurisdiction of Yeongcheon Parish to a parish on May 7, 1965, founding of the Sinnyeong mission chapel, new church construction, jurisdictional area and mission chapels, church strength, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3897
2. Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu, parish information “Sinnyeong Church”. Date of establishment May 7, 1965, patron saint the Resurrection of Jesus.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=92&premenu=c1&srl=church_search&y_id=92