Naju Catholic Church

Overview

Naju Church is a church in Sanjeong-dong, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do, belonging to the Archdiocese of Gwangju. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Naju Catholic mission chapel opened September 1933 and the parish was established May 1935, and it is the first church built in Korea by the Columban Missionaries. Its patron is Our Lady of the Rosary.

History

〔Naju and Catholicism〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the relationship between Naju and Catholicism began with the martyrdom of three people martyred at Muhakdang in Naju in 1872: Kang Yeong-won (Paul), Yu Chi-seong (Andrew) and Yu Mun-bo (Andrew). Their martyrdom did not lead to evangelization of their neighbors, and the first person in Naju to receive baptism was Son Jeong-u (Peter), a Confucian scholar. After seeing a Chinese Bible at a relative’s house, Son Jeong-u studied the Bible alone from 3 to 4, learned the catechism from Father Cadars and Father Park Jae-su (John) of the Gyeryang parish, present-day Noan, was baptized in 1927, attended Sunday Mass at the Gyeryang parish, and held doctrinal discussions with the faithful.

〔Establishment of the mission chapel〕 The encyclopedia states that full-scale evangelization in the Naju area was carried out by Yi Lucia, wife of Im Tae-gil (Matthew), manager of the Sipal Bank branch established in Naju May 1933, and Yi Eung-beom (Augustine), an altar server of the Gyeryang parish. At Yi Lucia’s proposal to establish a mission chapel, Yi Eung-beom discussed establishing the Naju mission chapel with Father Park Jae-su of the Gyeryang parish and opened the Naju Catholic mission chapel in Im Tae-gil’s official residence September 1933. Through fervent evangelization, the number of the faithful grew from 17 at the beginning of the mission chapel to more than 100 after 2 years.

〔Establishment of the parish and construction of the church〕 According to the encyclopedia, in 1935 the Columban Missionaries secured a site of 3,000 pyeong in Bakjeong-ri, Naju-eup, the present church site, and newly built a church and rectory with an area of 50 pyeong and a school building of 35 pyeong, making Naju Church the first church built in Korea by the Columban Missionaries. In 1937, as the number of the faithful increased, about 500 additional pyeong of church land was purchased and a 80-pyeong concrete church was built. A church site of 500 pyeong was also secured at 340 Naegyo-ri, Hampyeong-eup, Hampyeong-gun, and in 1938 the Hampyeong mission chapel was raised to a parish and separated.

〔Postwar development〕 The encyclopedia states that after the armistice in 1953 a kindergarten was established and in the following year April Yeongsanpo was raised to a parish and separated. During Father Kim Chang-hyeon’s tenure, a mission-chapel building and 1,000 pyeong of land were purchased in Nampyeong and a catechist was dispatched, and a 665-pyeong church cemetery was created in Daeho-ri, Naju-eup. In 1956 a convent of the Sisters of Caritas was opened, February 12, 1958 a mission-chapel building and rectory were prepared in Deoknye-ri, Sanpo-myeon, and in the following year July 13 a 3,120-pyeong church cemetery was created at 81 Cheong-dong, Naju-si.

〔The 1960s to 80s〕 According to the encyclopedia, the church was expanded March 1961, the Hyeonhae Library was opened with the support of Archbishop Henry May 1970, and a hall was newly built and church landscaping was carried out May 1971. With aid from a Catholic relief organization, a communal sewer was installed, 12 pigsties were built for 12 poor households, and irrigation-channel work was subsidized. December 5, 1971 the Nampyeong mission chapel was raised to a parish and separated, May 1974 the rectory was repaired and sidewalk-block work was done in front of the church, December 1982 a new rectory was built, and December 1984 partition work was done on the 2 floor of the church. During Father Lee Cheon-su’s tenure, development of the Muhakdang shrine was promoted, and the encyclopedia states that as of the end of 1994 construction of an education hall was being planned.

〔Church statistics and jurisdiction〕 The church statistics recorded in the encyclopedia are 144 in 1936, 244 in 1951, 1,788 in 1961, 2,509 in 1971, 2,721 in 1981, 2,999 in 1988, and 3,490 in 1993. Its jurisdiction is recorded as Songwol-dong, Namoe-dong, Namnae-dong, Jungang-dong, Seongbuk-dong, Geumseong-dong, Togye-dong, Gyo-dong, Gwawon-dong, Sanjeong-dong, Seonae-dong, Geumgye-dong, Jukrim-dong, Bosan-dong, Seokhyeon-dong, Cheong-dong, Songchon-dong, Gyeonghyeon-dong and Daeho-dong in Naju-si, and Geumcheon-myeon in Naju-gun. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists the parish as belonging to the Naju-Hampyeong District, gives its establishment date as May 1935, its affiliated sisters as the Sisters of Caritas of Jesus, and its patron as the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary.

〔Successive pastors〕 The successive pastors recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first, Henry Harold (Harold Henry, Hyeonhae) (1935.5–1942.9), 2th Alberto Oh Gi-sun (1942.9–11), 3th Rusu Kim Pil-hyeon (1942.11–1944.9), 4th Stephen Kim Yang-hong (1944.9–1945.5), 5th Michael Park Mun-gyu (1945.5–1949.11), 6th Francis Woods Francis (Francis Woods, U) (1949.11–1951.7), 7th Patrick Lohan Patrick (Patrick Lohan, Han) (1952.5–1953.7), 8th Lucio Jang Ok-seok (1953.7–11), 9nd Paul Kim Chang-hyeon (1953.11–1964.9), 10th John Kim Byeong-jun (1964.9–1969.4), 11th Lucio Jang Ok-seok (1969.4–11), 12st Michael Kim Chung-ho (1969.11–1973.4), 13th Pius Jo Cheol-hyeon (1973.4–1976.11), 14th John Kim Hui-bae (1976.11–1979.2), 15th James Go Jae-yeong (1979.2–1981.9), 16rd Raphael Lee Seong-gyu (1981.9–1984.7), 17th John Lee Jong-hui (1984.7–1985.6), 18th John Park Hui-dong (1985.6–1987.2), 19th Lazarus Lee Cheon-su (1987.2–1991.2), and 20th Julian Kim Mu-ung (1991.2–present at the time of writing).

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, in 1935 the Columban Missionaries newly built a church and rectory with an area of 50 pyeong and a school building of 35 pyeong on a 3,000-pyeong site in Bakjeong-ri, Naju-eup, the present church site. In 1937 about 500 additional pyeong of land was purchased and a 80-pyeong concrete church was built, the church was expanded March 1961, a hall was newly built and church landscaping was carried out May 1971, a new rectory was built December 1982, and partition work was done on the 2 floor of the church December 1984.

Related Places and People

• Naju Muhakdang Shrine: the place where Kang Yeong-won (Paul), Yu Chi-seong (Andrew) and Yu Mun-bo (Andrew) were martyred at Muhakdang in 1872, and whose development as a shrine was promoted during Father Lee Cheon-su’s tenure (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Gyeryang parish, present-day Noan: the parish where Son Jeong-u learned the catechism and attended Sunday Mass, and the parish with whose Father Park Jae-su the establishment of the Naju mission chapel was discussed (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Hampyeong Parish: in 1938 the Hampyeong mission chapel was raised from the Naju Parish to a parish and separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Yeongsanpo Parish: April 1954 it was raised from the Naju Parish to a parish and separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Nampyeong Parish: December 5, 1971 the Nampyeong mission chapel was raised from the Naju Parish to a parish and separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Naju Parish” (Archdiocese of Gwangju, Vol. 2). Naju and Catholicism, establishment of the mission chapel, construction of the church in 1935, separation of parishes, expansion and annex facilities, church statistics, jurisdiction, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1021
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Directory of the Catholic Church in Korea “Naju” (Archdiocese of Gwangju). Establishment date 1935.05, patron the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, Sisters of Caritas of Jesus, Naju-Hampyeong District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201001124&gubun=4