Sinpyeong Catholic Church

Overview

Sinpyeong Church is a church in Sinpyeong-dong, Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. It was separated and established from Wonpyeong Parish in February 1979, and its patron saint is St. Joseph the Worker. It was founded for ministry in the industrial complex area of Gumi, which grew rapidly as an electronics industrial complex in the 1970s, and its first pastor was Father Kim Yeong-geun (Beda) of the Order of Saint Benedict.

History

[Background of the Foundation] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Gumi area, developed as an electronics industrial complex since 1971, was elevated to city status in 1978 and grew rapidly as a new industrial city, and countless young people from all over the country lived in dormitories in Sinpyeong-dong, Bisan-dong, Gongdan-dong and elsewhere. The Waegwan Vicariate, in charge of this area, planned a parish in Gumi for ministry in the industrial complex area and prepared the present church site in October 1978.

[Establishment of the Parish] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that on February 21 of the following year the Sinpyeong-dong Parish was separated from Wonpyeong Parish, while the Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia and the Archdiocese of Daegu parish information give February 22, 1979. According to the Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia, as believers living in Sinpyeong-dong and Gongdan-dong increased, a private house in Gongdan-dong was rented on February 5, 1979 and used as a temporary Catholic mission chapel, and on February 22 Sinpyeong Church was established at Sinpyeong 1-dong 54 (Yaeun-ro 45-gil 13), Gumi-si, separated from Wonpyeong Church, with Father Kim Yeong-geun (Beda) appointed as first pastor.

[Early Ministry] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, immediately after taking office the first pastor, Father Kim Yeong-geun, built a rectory, a convent and a workers’ hall to serve as temporary church and auditorium, completing the rectory in June, the convent in August and the workers’ hall in September of the same year. He then sought out lapsed believers, celebrated Catholic mission chapel Mass every Sunday at the Imeun Catholic mission chapel transferred from Wonpyeong Parish, and founded the Daegon Association, the Marian Association, the Youth Association and the Queen of Peace Praesidium.

[Construction of the New Church] The 2 pastor, Father Go Geon-sang (Melchior), promoted construction of a new church and completed it with the support of the Benedictine Order and the devotion of the believers, held the blessing ceremony on May 1, 1983 presided over by Abbot Lee Dong-ho (Placid), and opened Sacred Heart Kindergarten on March 14, 1981 for the education of believers’ children (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia also records that the completion ceremony for the new church was held on May 1, 1983, that the 1 Sinpyeong Parish athletic meet was held on September 7, 1986, and that a Marian grotto was built in May 1988.

[Later Ministry] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during the 3 years of the 3 pastor, Father Lee Seok-jin (Gregory), membership doubled, he revived the parish bulletin discontinued after issue 64 following its founding in 1979, and he expanded parish districts. The 4 pastor, Father Maeng Bong-sul (John), a priest of the Archdiocese of Daegu, made yearly home visits and interviews with all believers, promoted Bible reading, and organized the Inseong Association for scholarships and nursing-home visits. The 5 pastor, Father Jo Seong-taek (John the Apostle), encouraged participation in devotional groups including the Legion of Mary. The 6 pastor, Father Kim Yeong-gi (Andrew Daegeon), finding meeting rooms lacking, planned an education center, secured a site and built a temporary prefabricated meeting room, and the 7 pastor, Father Jeon Jae-cheon (Ambrose), who took office in July 1995, launched a committee for the education center, with construction underway as of November 2000.

[Membership and Status] The membership recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia was 413 in 1979, 1,390 in 1984, 2,934 in 1988, 3,190 in 1992, and 3,699 in 1999, and the jurisdiction covered all of Sinpyeong 1 and 2-dong, Gongdan 1 and 2-dong, Bisan-dong, Imeun-dong, Sangmo-dong, Gwangpyeong-dong, Sagok-dong and Otae-dong, plus part of Wonpyeong-dong. The Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia states that Father Son Jong-hyeon (John) took office on February 9, 2007, that as of 2016 Father Seo Jeong-man (Isidore) was pastor with 1,317 believers, and that there is a convent of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing. The same source states that the Sunday afternoon Mass for workers has been offered at Wonpyeong Church since 2015.

Related Places and People

• Wonpyeong Church: The mother parish from which Sinpyeong Parish was separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia).
• Waegwan Vicariate: It promoted the establishment of Sinpyeong Parish for ministry in the Gumi industrial complex area (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Father Kim Yeong-geun (Beda): A member of the Order of Saint Benedict who served as first pastor (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia).
• Abbot Lee Dong-ho (Placid): He presided over the blessing ceremony for the new church on May 1, 1983 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Imeun Catholic mission chapel: It was transferred from Wonpyeong Parish to Sinpyeong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Sacred Heart Kindergarten: It opened on March 14, 1981 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing: There is a convent at Sinpyeong Church (Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Gumi Culture Encyclopedia “Sinpyeong Church”. Temporary Catholic mission chapel, parish establishment in 1979, completion of the new church (1983), pastors and status.
   https://www.grandculture.net/gumi/toc/GC01202224
2. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Sinpyeong-dong Parish” (Vol. 8). Background of the Gumi industrial complex area, foundation, early ministry, church blessing, successive pastors, membership statistics, jurisdiction.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3983
3. Archdiocese of Daegu, Parish Information “Sinpyeong Church”. Date of establishment February 22, 1979; Patron St. Joseph the Worker.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=94&premenu=c1&srl=church_search&y_id=94