Daesadong Church

Overview

Daesadong Church is a church in Jung-gu, Daejeon Metropolitan City, belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Daejeon. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, on September 7, 1980 it was separated and established from the Daehung-dong, Mok-dong, Seonhwa-dong, Yucheon-dong, and Munchang-dong Parishes, and its patron is Our Lady of Lourdes.

History

〔Establishment〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as housing, commercial and public facilities increased in the Munhwa-dong area centered on Daesadong under an urban development plan, and the population and the number of the faithful grew proportionally, the diocese felt the need to establish the Daesadong area as a separate pastoral district and established a parish in Daesadong on September 7, 1980. Its jurisdiction was Daesadong, Daehung 2-dong, Munhwa 1-dong, Seonhwa 1-dong, Oryu 1-dong, and Yongdu-dong. The first pastor was Father Cyrillo Byeon Gap-seon (1980.9–1985.3), followed by the 2 pastor, Augustine Yi Gye-chang (1985.3–1990.8), the 3 pastor, John Jo Seong-ok (1990.8–1993.3), and the 4 pastor, Andrea Yang Taek-gyu (1993.3–the time of writing).

〔Church Building〕 According to the encyclopedia, the parish immediately organized a church construction committee and on October 1980 began construction of a church with a floor area of 466 pyeong on a 394.5-pyeong site provided by the diocese. On June 30, 1981 it completed a building with 1 basement level and 3 above-ground levels comprising the church, catechetical rooms, the rectory, and the convent, and dedicated it on May 11 the following year. In 1991 and 1994 it added a warehouse, a garage, and offices, and on June 1985 purchased land of about 130 pyeong and on June 1995 land of about 100 pyeong.

〔Early Activities〕 The encyclopedia records that on October 25, 1981 it founded the Marian Credit Union for economic cooperation among the faithful, and on June 1983 it launched a parish bulletin containing parish news and other matters. In 1984 it made helping neighboring parishes its pastoral goal and used 50% of the parish budget for rural areas and campaigns to help neighboring parishes, and in 1985 it delivered church building funds to the parish in Queens in the United States, which had helped when the parish church was newly built.

〔Convent and Separation〕 According to the encyclopedia, following the Society of the Holy Word, which had been established on October 1, 1983 and withdrew on July 1992, a branch house of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres was established and active from February 17, 1995. On August 19, 1992 it separated Sajeong-dong, Anyeong-dong, Sanseo-dong, Chimsan-dong, Jeongsaeng-dong, Sanseong-dong, and Boksu-dong to newly establish Sanseong-dong Parish. The church statistics recorded in the encyclopedia are 1,323 faithful in 1980, 2,493 faithful in 1985, and 3,541 faithful in 1994, and as of the time of writing, 19 organizations were active in addition to 2 curiae and 27 praesidia of the Legion of Mary.

〔Record in the Address Book〕 The address book of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists Daesadong Parish as belonging to the Daejeon Central District, with the establishment date as August 27, 1980, the patron as Our Lady of Lourdes Mary, and the affiliated congregation as the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. Its establishment date differs from that in the encyclopedia (September 7, 1980).

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, on June 30, 1981 it completed a building with 1 basement level and 3 above-ground levels (a construction with a floor area of 466 pyeong) comprising the church, catechetical rooms, the rectory, and the convent, and dedicated it on May 11, 1982.

Related Places and Figures

• Daehung-dong, Mok-dong, Seonhwa-dong, Yucheon-dong, and Munchang-dong Parishes: They are the mother parishes from which Daesadong Parish was separated and established in 1980 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Sanseong-dong Parish: It was separated from Daesadong Parish and newly established on August 19, 1992 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Father Byeon Gap-seon (Cyrillo): He is the first pastor of Daesadong Parish (1980.9–1985.3) (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Daesadong Parish” (Diocese of Daejeon, Vol. 3). Establishment in 1980, church construction and dedication, credit union, convent, separation of Sanseong-dong, church statistics, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1272
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Address Book “Daesadong” (Diocese of Daejeon). Establishment date 1980.8.27, patron Our Lady of Lourdes Mary, Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, Daejeon Central District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201000663&gubun=4