Yucheondong Church

History & origins

Yucheon-dong Parish was established on December 9, 1972, by separating portions of the territories of Daeheung-dong and Mokdong parishes. Both the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia and the Catholic Church directory in Korea confirm this date and identify St. Paul as the parish patron. The foundation came as population and Catholic numbers in Daejeon were increasing, creating a need to divide the broad jurisdictions of existing parishes into more accessible pastoral units.

In 1973, the Catholic Times reported that the Diocese of Daejeon had finalized the territory of Yucheon-dong Parish and announced that parish operations would begin on September 30 of that year. The jurisdiction then included not only Yucheon-dong but also Munhwa-dong, Oryu-dong, Doma-dong, Sanseong-dong, Anyeong-dong, Taepyeong-dong, Byeon-dong, Boksu-dong, Jeongnim-dong, Sajeong-dong, and the then Jinjam-myeon and Giseong-myeon of Daedeok-gun. This shows how extensive the territory entrusted to the new parish was at the outset.

As population and Catholic communities continued to grow, Yucheon-dong's jurisdiction was adjusted again. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that Taepyeong-dong Parish was separated from Yucheon-dong and established on February 19, 1985. The creation of a daughter parish reflected the need for more localized pastoral care as the Yucheon-dong community became firmly established and the surrounding areas expanded.

This chronology shows Yucheon-dong developing from a new parish carved out of Daeheung-dong and Mokdong, responsible at first for a very broad urban territory, into a mother parish from which surrounding pastoral units such as Taepyeong-dong later became independent. The present church was formed within this repeated process of urban Catholic growth and jurisdictional reorganization in Daejeon.