Buyeo Catholic Church

Overview

Buyeo Church is a church of the Diocese of Daejeon located in Dongnam-ri, Buyeo-eup, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. After 1955, it was a Catholic mission chapel belonging to Gyuam Parish, and on December 9, 1972 it was elevated to a parish, with the Sacred Heart of Mary as patron. The present church held its dedication ceremony on October 19, 2014, presided over by Bishop Yu Heung-sik.

History

[Catholicism in the Buyeo region] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia writes that the Catholic faith spread to the Buyeo region around the Shinyu Persecution in 1801. Compared with neighboring Gongju, Cheongyang, Nonsan, Seocheon and other areas, it had few believers, so it did not suffer major persecution until martyrs emerged during the Byeongin Persecution, and after the persecution ended, believers from surrounding areas moved in and a full faith community was formed. The first places they settled were the Eunsan-myeon, Oesan-myeon and Naesan-myeon areas of Buyeo-gun. As a result, as Father Julien Gongbereu (Gong An-se) was dispatched to the Buyeo region on April 27, 1901, Hongsan Soyang-ri (now Geumsa-ri) Parish was separated from Gongju Parish and established, and the Buyeo-eup area came under the jurisdiction of this parish. On September 21, 1955, as Gyuam Parish was established in Gyuam-myeon, Buyeo-gun, a Catholic mission chapel belonging to Gyuam Parish was established in the Buyeo area.

[Catholic mission chapel period] The Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia writes that Buyeo Church originated from a Catholic mission chapel set up in downtown Buyeo after Gyuam Parish was established in 1955. With the help of Bishop Won (Adriano), Vicar of the Daejeon Vicariate, in 1959, a new Catholic mission chapel hall was built, laying the foundation for today’s Buyeo Church. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Catholic mission chapel believers purchased 726 pyeong of land at the present site in March 1959 and completed a temporary 47-pyeong hall in October of that year.

[Elevation to parish] As the number of believers in the Buyeo area kept growing and the need to elevate the Catholic mission chapel to a parish was raised, the Catholic mission chapel believers first prepared a church (47.6 pyeong), a rectory (32 pyeong) and a warehouse (23 pyeong) in December 1972. On December 9 of the same year, as Father Yu Bong-un was appointed as the first pastor, it was elevated to a parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia). The Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia writes that the purposes of establishing the parish were the great expansion of Church strength through the growth of new converts following the expansion and population increase within Buyeo-eup and the migration of believers from former Catholic villages in mountain areas, together with resolving the difficulty of the mother parish, Gyuam Church across the Geum River, in administering the Buyeo Catholic mission chapel east of the river.

[Blessing of the church and later projects] Immediately after taking office, Father Yu Bong-un finished the remaining work such as building the fence, creating flower beds and paving the garden, and then held the blessing ceremony of the church on May 29, 1973. In November of the following year, the Sisters Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus were dispatched, and in December 1980, 30,250 pyeong of woodland at mountain lot 88-1 in Gacheok-ri, Tancheon-myeon, Gongju-gun was purchased and a parish cemetery was created. In February 1983, the Marian Kindergarten was opened and in December the reconstruction of the kindergarten, convent and catechism rooms was completed, and in May 1986 the church was expanded and an education hall was newly built. In March 1988, there were church repair work and expansion of kindergarten classrooms, and in December of the same year, the Sisters of Divine Providence were dispatched in place of the Sisters Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and a Curia was established in the parish (all from the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

[The present church] The Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia writes that the present church was completed on October 19, 2014 and its dedication ceremony was held, presided over by Bishop Yu Heung-sik.

[Activities and present state] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia writes that as of 1997, the parish jurisdiction was organized into 14 districts and 21 groups, with one Legion of Mary Curia and 13 Praesidia, Ultreya, Marian Association, altar servers’ association, Association for the Deceased and other groups active, referring to 1 Curiae. The jurisdiction in the encyclopedia covers all of Buyeo-eup and part of Seokseong-myeon, while the Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia writes that it covers all of Buyeo-eup and parts of Chochon-myeon and Seokseong-myeon. According to the Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia, despite the decline and aging of believers in the rural area, Buyeo Church, centered on its groups such as the Legion of Mary, carried out visits to patients including at St. Joseph Clinic and nearby patients, and side-dish and rice sharing for elderly people living alone. In-person activities were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and after distancing was lifted in 2022, it is reorganizing for the resumption of activities.

[Church statistics and successive pastors] The Church statistics recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are 179 in 1973, 622 in 1978, 956 in 1983, 1,339 in 1988, 1,821 in 1993, and 1,244 in 1995. The Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia writes that the number of believers rose from 399 in 1973 to 956 in 1983 and 1,821 in 1993, then gradually declined to 1,487 in 662 households as of 2021, so the number of believers in 1973 differs by source. The successive priests were the first James Yu Bong-un (1973.1~1977.2), 2nd Michael Yun Yeong-gyun (1977.2~1984.11), 3rd Paul Yun In-yong (1984.11~1988.8), 4th Andrew Park Jong-u (1988.8~1991.8), 5th Michael Lee Eun-jin (1991.8~1998.2), and 6th Anselm Yu Jae-sik (1998.2~) (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 indicating the order), as of the time of writing of the encyclopedia.

Related Places and People

• Buyeo Geumsari Church: a parish established with Father Gongbereu appointed as the first pastor on April 27, 1901, which had jurisdiction over the Buyeo-eup area. The Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia writes that it was the fourth parish established in Chungcheong-do after Hapdeok, Gongseri and Gongju Parishes, and that it is also called Soyangi Parish, Geumsari Parish and St. Francis Xavier Church.
• Gyuam Church (Gyuam Parish): a parish established in Gyuam-myeon, Buyeo-gun on September 21, 1955, the mother parish of the Buyeo Catholic mission chapel (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia).
• Parishes of Geumsari, Hongsan and Gyuam: the Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia writes that parishes were first established in outlying areas with many believers such as Geumsari, Hongsan and Gyuam, and Buyeo Church in the county office town was established latest in 1972.
• Father James Yu Bong-un: appointed as the first pastor of Buyeo Parish on December 9, 1972, he held the church blessing ceremony on May 29, 1973 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Buyeo Parish” (vol. 6). Elevation from a Catholic mission chapel under Gyuam Parish to a parish on December 9, 1972, spread of Catholicism in the Buyeo region, land purchase in 1959, church blessing in 1973, later projects, Church statistics, successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2686
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia “Buyeo Church”. Parish establishment on December 9, 1972, purpose and changes, dedication of the present church on October 19, 2014, activities and number of believers in 2021, significance.
   https://www.grandculture.net/buyeo/toc/GC09001173
3. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Buyeo Culture Encyclopedia “Buyeo Geumsari Church”. Parish establishment on April 27, 1901, background of dispatch of Father Gongbereu.
   https://www.grandculture.net/buyeo/toc/GC09001171