Duam-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Duam-dong Church is a church in Duam-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Gwangju. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia and the Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia, it was separated and established from Jungheung-dong Parish on June 24, 1984, and originated from the Duam-dong Catholic mission chapel. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia lists the parish patron as St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon.

History

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, believers living in Duam-dong, Gakhwa-dong, Usan-dong, and Munhwa-dong were far from Jungheung-dong Church and had great difficulty attending Mass, and as the Duam-dong area was planned as a new housing and apartment complex, the number of believers was increasing daily. Accordingly, on June 10, 1983, it was decided to establish a mission chapel by leasing on a deposit basis a basement at No. 841-12 in Duam-dong, with an area of 30 pyeong, and on the evening of June 25, the first Mass was offered by Father Martin Bourke of Jungheung-dong Parish, the mother parish. This Mass was attended by 120 or more people, including Sister Helena Cha and Sister John Vienna Kim of Jungheung-dong Church, and Simon Jeong Sang-gi was appointed as head of the mission chapel. The same source states that the history of Duam-dong Parish began with the establishment of the Duam-dong Catholic mission chapel on June 24, 1983, while the Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia records that it began as the Duam-dong mission chapel on June 10, 1983.

As the basement used as the mission chapel became cramped and damp as the number of believers grew, a new mission-chapel site was sought, and on July 29 the mission chapel was moved to Hyesong Kindergarten, operated by Joseph Lee Geon-su, whose church register was then at Honam-dong Church, and Mass was offered there. As the mission chapel grew, the diocese secured land at No. 873-12 in Duam-dong for elevation to a parish, and 1 years after the establishment of the mission chapel it was elevated to a parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in June 1984, Room No. 103 of Myeongsin Villa Mansion at No. 888-18 in Duam-dong was leased for use as a rectory, and weekday Masses were celebrated there. In July 1984, on the present church land, the 1 phase of church construction (basement 1 floor, ground 1 floors, rectory, small chapel, and convent frame) was begun, and in November Mass was celebrated in the small chapel on the 1 floor. From February 1986, a branch of the Sisters of the Eucharist for Mutual Aid was established. In May 1987 the 2 phase of construction was begun, and on November 28 of that year the main church was completed. The Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia also records that the parish was completed on November 28, 1987, and names Father Joseph Dolan as the first pastor.

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the jurisdiction of Duam-dong Parish was largely a residential area, with large apartment complexes and a rather extensive territory. As land development and apartment construction increased the number of believers and made a division of the parish necessary, the Munheung-dong mission chapel was established in May 1990, and in the following year, on February 7, 1991, Munheung-dong Parish was established and divided off. On April 10, 1994, an office was newly built and blessed. The Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia records that believers moved out by division with the construction of Munheung-dong Church in 1991 and the construction of Sansu-dong Church in 1997.

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the jurisdiction, which in the mission-chapel period had been organized into 7 ban, increased after elevation to a parish and was expanded to 17 ban. From the time of elevation to a parish, in order to recruit catechumens for the expansion of the church, the mission pamphlet “Encounter with God” was distributed to local residents, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul helped needy neighbors, and the Association for the Deceased cared for bereaved families. In 1986 and 1987, feasts for the elderly were held and prisons were visited frequently. Members of the Legion of Mary carried out encouragement of lapsed Catholics, visits to the sick, encouragement of non-believers to enter the Church, catechetical instruction, and care for funeral homes, and they also conducted a campaign in which each pledged and practiced bringing 1 non-believers into the Church and becoming their godfathers or godmothers. To strengthen Legion activities, all members of the parish pastoral council joined Legion groups.

When heavy rain fell in the Gwangju region in July 1989, a campaign to help flood victims was conducted, including fundraising and collecting daily necessities, and in August of the same year a nine-day prayer for the reconciliation and unity of the nation was held and participation in a nationwide signature campaign took place. After 1990, pilgrimages to holy places and retreats were held to train catechism teachers to take charge of catechumen instruction and to educate group leaders (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

Faith Significance and Visiting Context

The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the jurisdiction of Duam-dong Church as Duam-dong and Usan-dong. The recorded church statistics are 511 persons in 1984, 1,430 persons in 1985, 3,037 persons in 1988, 3,963 persons in 1990, and 4,525 persons in 1994.

According to the Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia, as of 2021 the total number of parishioners is 4,978, the pastor is Father John Geumgu Kim Gye-hong, and the assistant priest is Father Patricio Lee Sang-hun. The parish carries out activities linked with the local community through feasts for the elderly and sharing meals.

Related Places and People

• Jungheung-dong Church: the mother parish from which Duam-dong Parish was separated in 1984.
• Munheung-dong Church: established by separation from Duam-dong Parish in 1991.
• Sansu-dong Church: believers moved out by division from Duam-dong Parish with its construction in 1997 (Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia).
• Nongseong-dong Church: the parish that delivered a remaining construction balance of 1 ten million won while Duam-dong Parish was under construction (Nongseong-dong parish entry, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

The successive pastors listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are as follows. First Joseph Dolan (1984.6–1987.2), 2th Michael Nallon (1987.2–1990), 3th Paul Kenny (1990–1994.2), 4th Justino Seo Sang-chae (1994.2–, listed as “present” in the dictionary).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Duam-dong Parish.” The separation and establishment from Jungheung-dong Parish on June 24, 1984, the patron St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon, jurisdiction, church statistics, successive pastors, the mission-chapel period and elevation to a parish, church construction and completion, division of Munheung-dong Parish, and parishioner activities were confirmed.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1500
2. Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia, “Duam-dong Church.” The start as Duam-dong mission chapel in 1983, the establishment on June 24, 1984, the completion on November 28, 1987, the first pastor, the branch of the Sisters of the Eucharist for Mutual Aid, the division moves to Munheung-dong and Sansu-dong, and the number of believers in 2021 were confirmed.
   https://gwangju.grandculture.net/gwangju/toc/GC60003266