Soha Catholic Church

Overview

Sohwa Church is a church in Daemyeong-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Daegu. Originating from the small chapel inside Sohwa Nursery established in Daemyeong-dong in 1965, it was established as a parish on October 28, 1972, and its patron is St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Its name at its establishment was Seongdang-dong Parish, but it changed to Sohwa Parish in 1975.

History

[Origins] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that the founding of Sohwa Parish originates in the ‘Sohwa Nursery’ established in Daemyeong-dong in 1965 by Director Ok Ing-ae, a missionary who came from Germany for social welfare work. When a small chapel was prepared inside this nursery, Father Park Jae-su (John), pastor of Namsan-dong Parish, celebrated Mass every Thursday for the faithful of this area. The number of faithful attending Mass at the time was about 60, and a catechism class for catechumens was also operated, with about 30 people baptized that year.

[Parish establishment] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in 1972, as Sohwa Nursery moved to 5-4 Seongdang-dong, the 2 floor (135 pyeong) of the nursery building came to be used as a church, and from this time discussions on establishing a parish took concrete shape, leading to the establishment of the parish on October 28, 1972. It was separated from Namsan-dong Parish, Naedang-dong Parish, and Daemyeong-dong Parish, and its name at establishment was ‘Seongdang-dong Parish,’ but it changed to ‘Sohwa Parish’ in 1975. The establishment date October 28, 1972 is also listed in the address book of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea and in the parish information of the Archdiocese of Daegu.

[Church construction] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the first pastor, Father Kim Gyeong-sik, purchased a house to be used as a convent on February 1974, and the 2th pastor, Father Shin Sang-jo, purchased 366 pyeong of the present church site on November 1, 1976. With support from a German social welfare organization, Father Shin began construction the following year on May 22, 1977, completed it on November 25, and held the dedication ceremony for the church (290 pyeong) on January 8, 1978.

[Later history] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, after completing the church, while various devotional associations were being formed, the 3th pastor, Father Im Cheong, died in an unexpected accident on July 20, 1981, and Father Lee Jong-heung took office temporarily on the 25th of the same month. Under the 4th pastor, Father Shin Hyeon-ok, on June 13, 1982, 202 persons were transferred to Songhyeon-dong Parish following an adjustment of jurisdiction. Among the lay apostolic groups of the parish, the Elizabeth Association and the Marian Association stood out for visiting and comforting the Hansen’s disease patients on Sorokdo every year in conjunction with retreats. Renovation work on the church was carried out on December 18, 1989, a catechism room and an early childhood education room were prepared on April 10, 1990, and a library was prepared the following year on February 17. In 1995, under the theme ‘Families Living According to the Gospel,’ rosary prayers were offered for the sanctification of families, and the last Sunday of each month was designated Family Day so that whole families would celebrate Mass together. In 1997, to commemorate the 25rd anniversary of the parish’s founding, athletic meetings, historical materials exhibitions, and bazaars were held, and on February 10, 1999 the parish began to take charge of and operate the ‘House of Inseonghoe’.

[Jurisdiction and church statistics] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the jurisdiction as all of Daemyeong 3 and 7-dong and parts of Daemyeong 2 and 4-dong, Duryu 1 and 2-dong, and Seongdang 1 and 2-dong, and records the number of faithful as 2,167 in 1978, 2,758 in 1983, 3,451 in 1989, 3,680 in 1993, and 3,610 in 1997. The address book of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the jurisdictional area as Daemyeong 3 and 4-dong, Duryu-dong, and part of Seongdang-dong, the number of faithful as 1,118, the affiliated women’s religious institute as the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters, and notes that there is no Catholic mission chapel.

[Successive pastors] The successive pastors as recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first, Kim Gyeong-sik Boniface (1972.10–1975.1), the 2th, Shin Sang-jo Stephen (1975.1–1979.11), the 3th, Im Cheong Peter (1979.11–1981.7), interim Lee Jong-heung Chrysanthus (1981.7–9), the 4th, Shin Hyeon-ok Cyril (1981.9–1987.1), the 5th, Lee Seong-u Achilles (1987.1–1990.2), the 6st, Lee Seong-bae John (1990.2–1991.6), the 7th, Kim Yeong-u Chrysanthus (1991.6–1994.8), the 8th, Seo Jeong-seop Bartholomew (1994.8–1999.6), and interim Kim Sang-jo Andrew Daegeon (1999.6–as of the time the encyclopedia was compiled).

Architecture and Space

The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that the church, begun on May 22, 1977 and completed on November 25, has a scale of 290 pyeong and was built with support from a German social welfare organization. On April 10, 1990, a catechism room and an early childhood education room were prepared.

Related Places and Figures

• Sohwa Nursery: established in Daemyeong-dong in 1965 by Director Ok Ing-ae, a missionary who came from Germany, and the small chapel inside the nursery is the origin of Sohwa Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Namsan-dong Parish, Naedang-dong Parish, and Daemyeong-dong Parish: on October 28, 1972 Sohwa Parish was separated and established from these parishes (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Songhyeon-dong Parish: on June 13, 1982 202 persons of Sohwa Parish were transferred to this parish following an adjustment of jurisdiction (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Sorokdo: the Elizabeth Association and the Marian Association of Sohwa Parish visited and comforted the Hansen’s disease patients there every year in conjunction with retreats (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Sohwa Parish”. Origins in Sohwa Nursery, establishment and name change in 1972, church dedication in 1978, later history, church statistics, jurisdiction, and successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3630
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Sohwa” (Archdiocese of Daegu). Establishment date 1972.10.28, patron St. Therese of the Child Jesus, number of faithful, religious institute, jurisdictional area.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000021&code=201000850&gubn2=all&char=all
3. Archdiocese of Daegu, Parish Information “Sohwa”. Date of establishment October 28, 1972.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/area.html?menu=c4&number=64&premenu&srl=church_search