Gwangyang Catholic Church

Overview

Gwangyang Church is a church belonging to the Archdiocese of Gwangju in Gwangyang-eup, Gwangyang-si, Jeollanam-do. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel founded in 1931 was separated from Jeojeon-dong Parish October 29, 1975 and elevated to a parish, and its patron is St. Paul the Apostle.

History

[Mission chapel period] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel established in Chilsong-ri, Gwangyang-eup under the guidance of Fr. Jeong Su-gil (Joseph) of Suncheon Parish (now Jeojeon-dong) April 1931 was abolished after a short time. Later, through the efforts of An Byeong-ho (Benedict), appointed as a teacher at Gwangyang Seo National School, it was reopened in his house in Inseo-ri August 1933. September 26, 1935 Park Hyeon-su was the first to receive baptism at the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel, was appointed mission chapel president the following year March, and from August 1937 Francisco Jeon served as mission chapel president. However, after he left for the United States for employment the following year February, the number of the faithful declined and the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel was abolished again.

[Reopening of the mission chapel and new chapel construction] The encyclopedia states that the mission chapel was reopened in the house of Park Hyeon-su (Stephano), appointed as principal of Gwangyang Middle and Agricultural High School July 1, 1954, and that with the help of Fr. Mangan (Kevin Mangan, Man Gabino) of Jeojeon-dong Parish August 1956 the present church site and field of 864 pyeong were purchased and a chapel of 43 pyeong was newly built June 1958. From October 1965 priests of the Society of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who had begun ministry from Jeojeon-dong Parish, visited every Sunday to celebrate Mass, greatly expanding the church.

[Elevation to parish and expansion] According to the encyclopedia, the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel was elevated to a parish October 29, 1975. As the number of the faithful continued to grow, the chapel from the mission chapel period was remodeled into a church March 1981, and September 30, 1985 the church was expanded by about 20 pyeong and a warehouse was remodeled into an infant room (total floor area 63 pyeong). March 1983 the Geumho Catholic mission chapel was opened at unit 202 in building 4 of the Gwangyang Steelworks Dongbaek Apartments for the faithful working at Gwangyang Steelworks and their families, and the following year March mission chapel land of 403 pyeong was purchased in Gwangyeong-ri with support from the Gwangju diocesan office and Gwangyeong-dong Parish was separated February 1990.

[Church statistics and jurisdiction] The church statistics recorded in the encyclopedia are 484 faithful in 1980, 1,012 faithful in 1984, 2,339 faithful in 1988, and 1,681 faithful in 1993. Its affiliated mission chapel is the Geumhodo Catholic mission chapel, and its jurisdiction is listed as Gwangyang-eup in Gwangyang-myeon, Okgok-myeon, Bonggang-myeon, Okryong-myeon, Jinsang-myeon, Jinwol-myeon, and Daap-myeon. The Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference directory lists the present parish as belonging to the Suncheon District, with foundation date October 29, 1975 and patron St. Paul the Apostle.

[Successive parish priests] The successive priests listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first Corona (Juan Corona, Go) John (1975.10–1976.12), the 2 Castaneda (Severiano Castaneda, Kang) Severiano (1976.12–1980.1), the 3 Navarro (Jose Navarro, Nam) Joseph (1980.1–1983.9), the 4 Framol (Maurilio Framol, Kim) Maurilio (1983.9–1985.1), the 5 Albarez (Pablo Juan Albarez, An Myeong-cheol) John (1985.1–1988.4), the 6 Paul Choe Hyeong-rak (1988.4–1991.2), the 7 Emilio Choe Gi-won (1991.2–1994.2), and the 8 Andrea Kim Jae-gi (1994.2–present at the time of the encyclopedia’s compilation).

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, the present church site and field of 864 pyeong were purchased August 1956 and a chapel of 43 pyeong was newly built June 1958. The chapel was remodeled into a church March 1981, and September 30, 1985 the church was expanded by about 20 pyeong and a warehouse was remodeled into an infant room, bringing the total floor area to 63 pyeong.

Related Places and Figures

• Suncheon Parish (now Jeojeon-dong Parish): the parish to which Fr. Jeong Su-gil, who founded the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel in 1931, belonged, and from which Gwangyang Parish was separated October 29, 1975 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Geumho Catholic mission chapel: opened in the Gwangyang Steelworks Dongbaek Apartments for the faithful working at Gwangyang Steelworks and their families March 1983 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Gwangyeong-dong Parish: separated from Gwangyang Parish February 1990 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Park Hyeon-su (Stephano): first received baptism at the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel in 1935, and appointed as principal of Gwangyang Middle and Agricultural High School in 1954, reopened the mission chapel in his own house (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Korean Church History Research Institute, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Gwangyang Parish” (Archdiocese of Gwangju entry, vol. 1). Founding, abolition and reopening of the Gwangyang Catholic mission chapel, new chapel construction, elevation to parish in 1975, expansion, separation of the Geumho Catholic mission chapel and Gwangyeong-dong Parish, church statistics, jurisdiction, and successive priests. A Jeju Diocese entry under the same title (Gwangyang Parish) is a different parish and was not used.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/458
2. Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Korean Catholic Directory “Gwangyang” (Archdiocese of Gwangju). Foundation date 1975.10.29, patron St. Paul the Apostle, Suncheon District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201001117&gubun=4