Cheonan Sinbang-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Sinbang-dong Church is a church of the Catholic Diocese of Daejeon located in Ssangyong-dong, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, established on February 2, 1998 by separation from Bongmyeong-dong Parish. Although the site is in Ssangyong-dong, because a parish already existed in Ssangyong-dong, it retains the founding name ‘Sinbang-dong’, and starting in 2006, it built a new church and celebrated the dedication on January 14.

History

〔Establishment and Temporary Church〕 According to the Digital Cheonan Culture Encyclopedia, as believers increased in western Cheonan, February 2, 1998, the Diocese of Daejeon decided to establish Sinbang-dong Parish by separation from Bongmyeong-dong Parish. At the time of establishment, the jurisdiction covered all of Sinbang-dong and parts of Daga-dong, Yonggok-dong and Ssangyong-dong, bounded by Chungmu-ro, with 295 households and 1,050 believers. At first it used a temporary meeting place prepared in the basement of Bongmyeong-dong Parish, and April 9, 1998, it completed a prefabricated church at Ssangyong 1-dong, No. 378-11, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, and moved there. The detailed information in the Culture Encyclopedia records Father Kwon Il-seong as the founder.

〔Parish Name〕 The Culture Encyclopedia explains that, although parish names generally follow their addresses, since a Catholic church had already been established in Ssangyong-dong, the name ‘Sinbang-dong Catholic Church’ was retained as is.

〔Construction and Dedication of the New Church〕 According to the Culture Encyclopedia, construction of the new church began from March 2006 and was completed in 2011, and a dedication Mass presided over by the head of the Diocese of Daejeon was celebrated on January 14, 2011. The Catholic Newspaper’s article dated January 15, 2012 (No. 2779) reported that Sinbang-dong Parish (then led by pastor Father Maeng Se-yeong) held the dedication ceremony for the new church at the site at Ssangyong-dong 378-11, presided over by Diocesan Bishop Yu Heung-sik, at 10:30 a.m. on the morning of the 14th. Both sources give the dedication date as January 14, but the Culture Encyclopedia describes it as occurring in 2011, while the Catholic Newspaper article is the issue dated January 15, 2012. The parish community prepared for the dedication over 13 years through efforts such as bazaars, a 1-share campaign, chain prayer, Rosary prayer, and offerings of sacramentals, and the newspaper reports that recently, through a 54-day prayer, they offered more than 50 ten-thousands of decades of Rosary prayer. Before the dedication, Father Maeng Se-yeong said, “In our beautiful new church, we seek to be reborn as a community that warmly shares the Lord’s love and proclaims the Gospel to our neighbors.”

〔Jurisdiction and Faithful〕 The Culture Encyclopedia notes that sisters have been dispatched and active since February 2004. At the time of writing, its jurisdiction comprised Sinbang-dong, Daga-dong, parts of Ssangyong 1-dong, parts of Ssangyong 2-dong, and part of Yonggok-dong, with a total of 3,047 faithful. Its main groups include the pastoral council, district and cell meetings, the Legion of Mary, Ultreya, the ME parents group, the choir, the ministry for the repose of souls, the St. Peter Association, the Nameless Martyrs Association, the St. Anna Association, the St. Joseph Association, the St. Monica Association, the St. Clare Association, the Holy Spirit prayer group, and the Peace prayer group, with a Sunday school in operation, and pastoral staff comprising 1 pastor, 1 assistant priest, and 2 evangelizing sisters, it says.

Architecture and Space

The Catholic Newspaper notes that the new church has a total floor area of 3,088.56㎡ and a total building area of 2,271.51㎡, divided into Building A and Building B.

Building A has 1 basement floor(s) and 2 above-ground floors, housing the church, catechesis rooms, the rectory, the convent, the equipment room, and more, while Building B has 2 above-ground floors and houses the church. The buildings are in modern style and are said to embody the image of Jesus embracing the community with his right hand from heaven (Catholic Newspaper).

Related Places and People

• Bongmyeong-dong Parish (Cheonan Bongmyeong-dong Church): This is the mother parish from which Sinbang-dong Parish was separated. Sinbang-dong Parish first kept a temporary meeting place in the basement of Bongmyeong-dong Parish (Digital Cheonan Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Cheonan Culture Encyclopedia “Sinbang-dong Catholic Church”. Establishment February 2, 1998, temporary meeting place in the basement of Bongmyeong-dong Parish and move to a prefabricated church April, origin of the parish name, start of new construction in 2006 and dedication ceremony, jurisdiction and number of faithful.
   https://www.grandculture.net/cheonan/toc/GC04501548
2. Catholic Newspaper, “[New Church Dedication] Cheonan Sinbang-dong Parish, Diocese of Daejeon” (issue dated January 15, 2012, No. 2779, p. 5). New church dedication ceremony, building size and style, preparation process for the dedication.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/201201100186282