Muan Catholic Church

Overview

Muan Church is a church in Muan-eup, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do belonging to the Archdiocese of Gwangju. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, it began as the Muan Catholic mission chapel belonging to Hampyeong Parish in 1953, was separated from Hampyeong Parish and established on November 4, 1954, and its patron is Saint Charles.

History

[Arrival of the Gospel and founding of the mission chapel] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Catholic faith spread to the Muan area after the persecutions ended. In 1872, when several faithful were martyred in the Muhakdang incident in nearby Naju, there is still no record of faithful living in Muan. As descendants of faithful who had farmed tobacco in mountain areas moved to places such as Muan and Naju, the Gospel began to spread, and on July 1899, Father Yi Naesu (Augustine), who had assisted Father A. Deshayes of Mokpo Parish (now Sanjeong-dong), settled in Ujeok-dong, Muan (now Sacheon-ri, Mongtan-myeon). However, Father Yi returned to Mokpo Parish because of illness, and several priests stayed in Ujeok-dong for rest while caring for nearby faithful. In 1907, Father Tourneux moved the parish from Sanae (Sacheon) to Namsan in Noan, and in 1909, Father Cadars moved it again to Gyeryang; this Gyeryang Parish was renamed “Naju Parish” in 1927, and renamed “Noan Parish” in 1935 when the present Naju Parish was separated.

[From Hampyeong Parish to Muan mission chapel] The encyclopedia states that, as there were still not many faithful in the Muan area at that time, they attended nearby Naju Parish or Noan Parish to receive the sacraments. After liberation, on December 1945, Hampyeong Parish was separated from Naju Parish and established, so the area came under Hampyeong Parish, and in 1953 it was finally designated as “Muan Catholic mission chapel.” On January 21 of that year, under the guidance of Father Kim Changhyeon (Paul), the first pastor of Hampyeong Parish, 20 or so faithful, including chief catechist Magdalena Kim, gathered at the house of Kim Byeongok in Seongnae-ri, Muan-eup, and held their first Sunday prayer service. Later in that same year, on March 18, the faithful purchased and remodeled the house of Jeon Sundo in Seongdong-ri and used it as a mission chapel, and on May 24 they celebrated their first Mass officiated by Father Kim Changhyeon. On July 5, 1953, the mission chapel hall was blessed in a ceremony officiated by Father W. H. Henry, administrator of the Gwangju Diocese, and on November 4 in the following year it was raised to Muan Parish.

[Building the parish foundation] The encyclopedia records that the first pastor, Father Lee Mindu (Thaddeus), worked to build the parish foundation immediately after taking office, completing the rectory on November 20, 1954 with the support of the Gwangju Diocese, but died suddenly while visiting Naju Parish on December 16 in the following year. The 2 pastor, Father Kim Jeongyong, held a blessing ceremony for the belfry on June 7, 1956, began construction of a dining hall on October 8 while remodeling the existing church for use as the rectory, and from March 21 in the following year carried out work to expand the church grounds. Construction of a new church began on June 20, on December 22, 1957 a church of 102 pyeong was completed, and its dedication was celebrated on January 8 in the following year, officiated by Bishop Henry.

[Facilities of the 1960~70s] According to the encyclopedia, during the tenure of the 5 pastor, Father P. Muldoon, on May 1966 a new rectory of 30 pyeong was built, and the 6 pastor, Father Na Sangtaek, built the Cheonggye Catholic mission chapel building on February 12, 1971 and, on December 30 of the same year, built a Blessed Sacrament chapel with the cooperation of the faithful. The 9 pastor, Father Nam Jaehee, began construction of the convent and annex buildings on November 6, 1979 and completed them on April 5 in the following year, and from April 2, 1981 Sisters of the Caritas Sisters were dispatched to the parish to assist in pastoral ministry.

[Changes of the 1980~90s] The encyclopedia records that the Legio Mariae “Queen of Martyrs” praesidium was founded on October 16, 1985 and the “Mirror of Justice” curia, covering the Hampyeong and Illo areas, was established on September 7, 1986, and that retreats and Holy Spirit seminars were held frequently at that time to strengthen the devotion of the faithful. The Jido Catholic mission chapel was established on July 9, 1985, interior work on the Blessed Sacrament chapel was carried out on April in the following year with an altar, crucifix, statue of the Virgin Mary and other furnishings prepared, and on May 12 a Mangun Catholic mission chapel building of 80 pyeong was blessed. On August 1991, a completion ceremony for the branch convent of the Marian Catechist Sisters at Mangun Catholic mission chapel, officiated by Archbishop Victorinus Yun Gonghee, was held, and on September 8 an education center with a total floor area of 74 pyeong equipped with 4 classrooms was built, and on August 1993 this education center was expanded by 2 stories for use as the rectory. Effective September 19, 1993, Mangun Catholic mission chapel was raised to a quasi-parish, and 3 mission chapels under Muan Parish at Jido, Haeje and Imja were transferred to it, and effective February 4, 1997, Cheonggye Catholic mission chapel was also raised to a parish.

[Devotional groups] The encyclopedia states that, at the time of writing, the parish had, centered on the pastoral council, 1 Legio Mariae curiae (15 praesidia) and a junior praesidium, and that the Association for the Deceased, the Marian Association, a fellowship group for women aged 60 and older, the Saint Joseph Association, composed of men aged 60 and older and responsible for fellowship and beautification of parish grounds, the Shepherd, Blessed Sacrament and Sacred Heart groups, devotional groups for women faithful in their 30~50s, the Andrew Kim Daegeon, Logos and Holy Family groups, devotional groups for men faithful in their 30~50s, the Rosa Society mainly engaged in supporting Sunday school activities, and the youth group Agape were active.

[Church statistics and jurisdiction] The numbers of faithful recorded in the encyclopedia are in 1956 365 faithful, in 1965 1,674 faithful, in 1970 1,875 faithful, in 1975 1,845 faithful, in 1979 2,052 faithful, in 1983 2,529 faithful, in 1988 2,860 faithful, in 1991 3,129 faithful, and in 1995 2,755 faithful. Its jurisdiction is described as covering Muan-eup, Taebong-ri in Cheonggye-myeon, Sachang-ri in Mongtan-myeon and part of Hyeongyeong-myeon in Muan-gun, and all of Samjeong-ri in Eomda-myeon, Hampyeong-gun. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists the parish as belonging to the Mokpo-Muan District, its establishment date as November 4, 1954, its serving sisters as the Sisters of Jesus’ Caritas, and its patron as Saint Charles.

[Past parish priests] The past priests listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first, Lee Mindu Thaddeus (1954.11~1955.12), the 2, Kim Jeongyong Antonio (1956.4~1960.6), the 3, Bae Bongryong Paul (1960.6~1964.11), the 4, John J. Dohery (Hong) (1964.11~1965.5), the 5, Patrick P. Muldoon (Jo) (1965.5~1969.11), the 6, Na Sangtaek John (1969.11~1973.4), the 7, Kim Hongeon John Bosco (1973.4~1976.11), the 8, Lee Seonggyu Raphael (1976.11~1978.4), the 9, Nam Jaehee Juliano (1978.4~1981.9), the 10, Baek Yongsu Matthew (1981.9~1985.6), the 11, Kang Yeongsik Andrea (1985.6~1990.2), the 12, Shin Dongsool Raimundo (1990.2~1993.2), the 13, Kim Hyeongsu Pius (1993.2~1997.2), and the 14, Min Byeongcheon Paul (1997.2~the time of writing of the encyclopedia).

Architecture and space

According to the encyclopedia, while it was still a mission chapel, the mission chapel hall was blessed on July 5, 1953, and the rectory was completed on November 20, 1954. A blessing ceremony for the belfry was held on June 7, 1956, construction of a new church began on June 20, 1957, on December 22 a church of 102 pyeong was completed, and its dedication, officiated by Bishop Henry, was celebrated on January 8, 1958. On May 1966 a rectory of 30 pyeong was newly built, and on December 30, 1971 a Blessed Sacrament chapel was newly built with the cooperation of the faithful. On April 5, 1980 the convent and annex buildings were completed, and on September 8, 1991 an education center with a total floor area of 74 pyeong was built.

Related places and people

• Hampyeong Parish: separated from Naju Parish and established on December 1945, it administered the faithful in the Muan area until 1953, and on November 4, 1954 Muan Parish was separated from this parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Muhakdang incident in Naju: an incident in which several faithful were martyred at Muhakdang in Naju in 1872, and the encyclopedia notes that there is no record of faithful living in Muan at that time (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Cheonggye Catholic mission chapel: its chapel building was built on February 12, 1971 and it was raised to a parish effective February 4, 1997 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Mangun Catholic mission chapel: on May 12, 1986 its chapel building of 80 pyeong was blessed, and effective September 19, 1993 it was raised to a quasi-parish, receiving the Jido, Haeje and Imja mission chapels (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Muan Parish” (Archdiocese of Gwangju, Vol. 5). Arrival of the Gospel and founding of the mission chapel, elevation to parish in 1954, construction of the church and rectory, elevation of mission chapels to parishes, devotional groups, church statistics, jurisdiction, past priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2116
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Muan” (Archdiocese of Gwangju). Establishment date 1954.11.04, patron Saint Charles, sisters’ congregation, Mokpo-Muan District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201001145&gubun=4