Daehwa-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Daehwa-dong Church is a church in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon Metropolitan City belonging to the Diocese of Daejeon. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, it was separated and established from Samsung-dong Parish on February 24, 1986 and originated as the Daehwa-dong Catholic mission chapel.

History

[Establishment of the mission chapel] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as the Daejeon 2 Industrial Complex moved into the Daehwa-dong area, the Daehwa-dong Catholic mission chapel under Samsung-dong Parish was established on July 7, 1985, and a chairpersons’ group and a pastoral council were formed. In the same year, a temporary prefabricated building was begun on July 14, and a church (110 pyeong) and offices (51 pyeong) were newly built and blessed on August 11. Father Marco Lee Chang-deok concurrently served the mission chapel.

[Elevation to parish] It was elevated to a parish on February 1986, with Father Anselmo Kwon Tae-ung taking office as the first pastor. Its jurisdiction covered all of Daehwa-dong, Sindae-dong, Yeonchuk-dong, Wa-dong, and Jeonmin-dong, and parts of Ojeong-dong and Eumnae-dong. Its successive pastors were the 1st, Anselmo Kwon Tae-ung (1986.2–1991.8), the 2th, Blasio Yu Yeong-so (1991.8–1993.3), and the 3th, Stefano Park Jun-hwan (1993.3–present at the time of writing) (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

[Construction of the church] According to the encyclopedia, when the church site was split in two by city planning, the present church site of 540 pyeong was purchased on August 11, 1987. Having received approval of the architectural design from the diocesan construction committee on April 7, 1989, the blessing of the site and groundbreaking Mass were offered on June 25 of the same year, and the parish moved into the church under construction in the following year on July 15. The newly built church, with a total floor area of 558.9 pyeong, consisting of 1 basement floor and 3 above-ground floors, completed its finishing work on June 1995 and was blessed on October 28. A branch of the Salesian Sisters convent was established on February 1, 1991.

[Church statistics and activities] The church figures recorded in the encyclopedia are 1,067 faithful in 1989, 1,494 in 1992, and 2,469 in 1994. It says that the number of faithful grew greatly as apartment complexes began to be occupied in the area from 1993. At the time of writing, as part of the re-education of the faithful, the parish held a monthly lecture with invited outside speakers, and carried out a feast for the elderly centered on the senior citizens’ section and aid to disadvantaged neighbors centered on the social welfare section.

[Record in the directory] The Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference directory lists Daehwa-dong Parish as belonging to the Daejeon Eastern District, with its date of establishment as February 24, 1986, its patron as St. Joseph the Worker, and its resident religious congregation as the Sisters of the Holy Heart of Mary of Mirinae. The encyclopedia gives its patron as St. Joseph.

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, a church (110 pyeong) and offices (51 pyeong) were newly built and blessed in a temporary prefabricated building on August 11, 1985. The present church site of 540 pyeong was purchased on August 11, 1987, the blessing of the site and groundbreaking Mass were offered on June 25, 1989, and the parish moved into the church under construction on July 15, 1990. The building, with a total floor area of 558.9 pyeong, consisting of 1 basement floors and 3 above-ground floors, completed its finishing work on June 1995 and was blessed on October 28.

Related Places and People

• Samsung-dong Parish: the mother parish from which Daehwa-dong Parish was separated and established in 1986, and the Daehwa-dong Catholic mission chapel was established under this parish in 1985 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Father (Anselmo) Kwon Tae-ung: the first pastor of Daehwa-dong Parish (1986.2–1991.8) (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Branch of the Salesian Sisters convent: established on February 1, 1991 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Daehwa-dong Parish” (Diocese of Daejeon, Vol. 3). Establishment of the Daehwa-dong Catholic mission chapel, elevation to parish in 1986, construction and blessing of the church in 1995, church statistics, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1330
2. Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Catholic Directory of Korea, “Daehwa-dong” (Diocese of Daejeon). Date of establishment 1986.2.24, patron St. Joseph the Worker, Sisters of the Holy Heart of Mary of Mirinae, Daejeon Eastern District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201000667&gubun=4