Jeonmin-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Jeonmindong Church is a church in Jeonmin-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, belonging to the Diocese of Daejeon, established on January 21, 1997 after separation from Daehwa-dong Church. Its patron is Saint Thomas the Apostle, and it belongs to the Daejeon Northern District.

History

〔Establishment〕 The parish history on the Jeonmindong Church website states that Jeonmindong Church was newly established after separation from Daehwa-dong Church on January 21, 1997 (Diocese of Daejeon official document No. 97-1). Its jurisdiction covered Jeonmin-dong, Munji-dong and Wonchon-dong; the local population at the time was 23,920 people and the number of faithful was 2,349, and its district was Daejeon District No. 1. The temporary church was in the basement of 325-8 in Jeonmin-dong, Yuseong-gu, and the rectory was at Expo A, Building 207, Room 1103. On January 29 the first pastor, Father Paul Jeong Jae-don, took office and celebrated the first Mass on January 30. The patron-saint page states that Father Jeong Jae-don took office as the first pastor and formed the community in the so-called “Encore Karaoke Church.”

〔Early activity in 1997〕 According to the parish history, on February 10, 1997 the first pastoral-council president, Andrew Choe Seung-geun, was elected; on February 16 parish bulletin issue No. 1 was published; and on February 21 the church moved to 303-5 in Jeonmin-dong (70 pyeong, across from the neighborhood office). On April 13 it held the first enrollment ceremony for catechumens and a welcome Mass (95 people); on May 20 the Church Building Promotion Committee was formed (chair Michael O Se-hwa); and on July 28 it signed a contract for 935 pyeong of church land for 20 hundred million won (Jeonmin-dong 467-1). On November 2 Confirmation for 342 people was celebrated by Bishop Joseph Gyeong Gap-ryong at the Expo Neighborhood Park.

〔Blessing of the church site and construction〕 In 1998, on February 15 the 1th assistant pastor, Father Joseph Gang Seung-su, took office; on May 10 it published “The Open Catechism of Jeonmindong Church”; and there were the blessing of the church site and a celebration Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Gyeong Gap-ryong on August 15, and the groundbreaking ceremony for the church building on November 7. On March 3, 1999 the 1th parish sisters took office (including Sister Regina Lee Yeong-suk of the Benedictine Sisters, convent superior, and others); on October 24 it moved to the basement of the new church; and on December 12 it held the ridge-beam ceremony for the new church. The patron-saint page states that construction began and 2 years and 9 months later, on October 24, 1999, it moved to the new church (now the basement).

〔Early 2000s〕 On March 23, 2000 there was a report on completion of phase 1 of parish construction (main-building and rectory frame work, basement interior finishing); followed by the opening Mass of Saetbyeol College (senior college) on April 12, the creation of a Eucharistic adoration room on September 1, the move to the new rectory (Jeonmin-dong 467-1) on September 23, and the move of the convent on October 18. It celebrated the church dedication Mass on August 17, 2003, and the patron-saint page states that the church was then dedicated with Bishop Joseph Gyeong Gap-ryong presiding and “God of Mercy” was enshrined as the parish patron. On February 3, 2004 it was designated by official document (No. 04-02) as the deanery-seat parish of the Daejeon Northern District.

〔Patron saint〕 According to the patron-saint page, the parish had not fixed its patron and was provisionally called “An Jung-geun Thomas Memorial Church” for a time. On April 1, 2005 it received diocesan approval for “Saint Thomas the Apostle” (feast day July 3) as parish patron, which the parish history records as “Patron-Saint Office Document No. 05-57 (05.4.15)”. In 2009, through offerings by the faithful, a statue of Saint Thomas the Apostle was enshrined in the lobby on the 1 floor, and on March 2, 2010 Bishop Lazarus Yu Heung-sik attended the unveiling and blessing. Afterwards the An Jung-geun Cultural Center on the 1 floor was renamed “Thomas Hall.”

〔After 2005〕 The parish history records the start of church expansion work (rectory) on February 21, 2005, on May 15, 2005 Confirmation for 279 people celebrated by Bishop Gyeong, installation of the church name above the church entrance on June 28, 2006, and on December 15, 2009 installation on the 2 floor of 14 small cathedral models. In 2012 it held a Parish Day event for the 15th anniversary of parish establishment on May 13; in 2017 a parish 20th anniversary event; and in 2022 a thanksgiving Mass, bazaar and commemorative Confirmation for the 25th anniversary of parish establishment (celebrated by Bishop Stephen Han Jeong-hyeon). In 2021 there was a blessing after remodeling Thomas Hall on the 1 floor, and in 2023 it offered a hand-copied Bible by all parishioners (393 participants).

〔Vocations from the parish and other records〕 The parish history states that on January 19, 2006 Father Peter Lee Yun-je of Gwanpyeong-dong came to a temporary residence in Jeonmin-dong and moved on February 27. Recorded in the chronology are Hilarius Lee Hyeong-ju from the parish, who received diaconal ordination in 2022 (priestly ordination at Waegwan Monastery of the Order of Saint Benedict on July 25, 2023), and Pascal Choe Jae-yeong, who received priestly ordination in 2012.

〔Successive pastors〕 The priests page lists successive pastors as 1th Paul Jeong Jae-don (1997.1~2002.2), 2th Paul Kim Dong-eok (2002.2~2004.2), 3th Anselm Gwon Tae-ung (2004.2~2009.1), 4th Peter Lee Gyeong-ryeol (2009.1~2014.1), 5th Aloysius Bang Gyeong-seok (2014.1~2019.1), 6th Francis Xavier Park Jin-yong (2019.1~2024.1) and 7th Damian Byeon Yun-cheol (2024.1.18~). Assistant pastors are recorded from 1th Joseph Gang Seung-su (1998.2~1999.2) to 17th Dominic Lee Seung-hyeon (2024.1.18~2026.1.22) and 18th John the Baptist Kim Dae-ju (2026.1.22~). Parish sisters are introduced from Sister Regina Lee Yeong-suk, 1th convent superior, who took office on March 1999, to Sister Hwa-mulla Kim, 11th convent superior (2025.9~). Here a blank after ‘~’ means still in office at the time of the website’s writing.

Architecture and Space

The parish introduction states that the parish logo uses the English initials J and M of Jeonmin-dong, with J and the cross symbolizing the church bell tower, and an octagonal gray mark stylizing the distinctive church building.

Related Places and People

• Daehwa-dong Church: It is the mother parish of Jeonmindong Church (parish introduction, parish history).
• Saint Thomas the Apostle: According to the patron-saint page, he was a fisherman from Galilee who became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. It recounts episodes at the Last Supper and the Resurrection appearance (John 14,5-6; 20,24-28), and relates that the church historian Eusebius says he preached in Parthia, while other traditions say he was martyred in India and buried in Mylapore outside Madras. He is the patron saint of architects, judges, surveyors and others, and in 1972 Pope Paul 6 proclaimed him Apostle of India.
• An Jung-geun Cultural Center and Thomas Hall: Before the patron was fixed, the provisional name was “An Jung-geun Thomas Memorial Church,” and the An Jung-geun Cultural Center on the 1 floor was later renamed and used as Thomas Hall (patron-saint page).

References and Sources

1. Jeonmindong Church, “Parish Introduction”. Establishment 1997.1.21, mother parish Daehwa-dong Church, jurisdiction, patron saint, parish logo.
   http://junmin.or.kr/?page_id=15
2. Jeonmindong Church, “Parish History”. Chronology 1997~2025: establishment and early activity, purchase, blessing and construction of church land, church dedication in 2003, patron approval, events and facilities.
   http://junmin.or.kr/?page_id=17
3. Jeonmindong Church, “Patron Saint”. Introduction to Saint Thomas the Apostle, process of deciding the parish patron, dedication of the church.
   http://junmin.or.kr/?page_id=13
4. Jeonmindong Church, “Priests / Sisters / Parish Vocations”. Names and terms of successive head and assistant priests and convent-superior sisters.
   http://junmin.or.kr/?page_id=19
5. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Jeonmin-dong”. Daejeon Northern District affiliation, location and website.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000016&code=201000726&gubn2=all&char=all