Nokdong Church

Overview

Nokdong Church is a church in Bongam-ri, Doyang-eup, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, belonging to the Archdiocese of Gwangju. Beginning as the Nokdong Catholic mission chapel formed by the faithful in the late 1950s, it consecrated its church and was raised to a parish on December 12, 1980, and according to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia its patron is the Risen Christ.

History

[Nokdong Catholic Mission Chapel] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Nokdong Parish began as the Nokdong Catholic mission chapel formed by the faithful living in Nokdong (now Bongam-ri), Pyeonghwa-dong, Bukchon and other areas in the late 1950s. Centered on Kim Jae-yeon (Laurentius), who was appointed catechist president by Father Michael (J. Michael, Kwon Yagobo), pastor of Sorokdo Parish, in September 1960, it pursued evangelization of the Nokdong area, and in April 1961, with Father Kwon’s help, it purchased 320 pyeong of church land at 2686 Bongam-ri, Doyang-eup and built a small church and a rectory in 1963. The Digital Goheung Culture Encyclopedia writes that evangelization was carried out from the late 1950s centered on catechist president Kim Jae-yeon, the Goheung Parish Nokdong Catholic mission chapel was established in 1959, the first chapel was near the old port of Nokdong Harbor, and it records the purchase of the church land as 1962, differing from the Encyclopedia (April 1961).

[Under Goheung Parish and Growth] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Nokdong Catholic mission chapel was transferred to the jurisdiction of Goheung Parish in December 1970 when the Goheung Catholic mission chapel was raised to a parish. Father Spies (R. Spies, Pa Raimundo), assistant priest of Goheung Parish, resided in the chapel, began regional evangelization and charity work for Hansen’s disease patients on Sorokdo, purchased 962 pyeong of church land at the present parish site, and invited two sisters to assist in pastoral ministry. In 1973, it built a 2-story rectory and used the old rectory as a catechism room. Father Lee Manuel, who came to the chapel in July 1978, organized the Queen of Peace Praesidium and the youth group, began church expansion work in April 1980, and on December 12 of that year consecrated the church and raised it to a parish. The Digital Goheung Culture Encyclopedia writes that great progress was made through the efforts of Father Spies (Spies) of Goheung Parish and his successor Father Alba (Alba), additional church land in Bongam-ri was purchased, the dedication ceremony was held on December 12, 1980 and it was raised to a parish, with Father Serrano Manuel (Juan Manuel Serrano, Korean name Lee Man-u) appointed as the first pastor.

[Growth after Elevation to Parish] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, on February 10, 1982 it established a branch convent of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres and in August of the same year remodeled a building used by teachers into a convent. In May, beginning with the founding of the “Golden Palace” Praesidium, many Legions were founded, and on December 26 it built the youth group office and religious-goods center. In April 1985 it recovered 50 pyeong of land around the parish main gate that had been privately owned, erected a wall and main gate, and in July purchased 1 thousand pyeong of land and in September built an auditorium (25 pyeong). In November it broke ground for the St. Paul of Chartres Kindergarten on the parish grounds, consecrated it on April 1 of the following year, and in 1993 changed its name to “St. Paul Kindergarten.” In February 1991 the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres withdrew and sisters of the Mirinae Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Our Lady were dispatched.

[Establishment of Mission Chapels] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Geumsan Catholic mission chapel, which had celebrated chapel rites in a shop run by a faithful for the past 5 years, consecrated on April 15, 1989 a chapel building with 1,084 pyeong of land, 147 pyeong of total floor area, with one semi-basement floor and 2 above-ground floors, using it as a church, convent, catechism rooms and more. The Geumdang Catholic mission chapel in Cha-u-ri, Geumdang-myeon, Wando-gun, after a groundbreaking ceremony in October 1989, consecrated on October 28, 1991 a chapel building with 70 pyeong of total floor area, equipped with a church and convent.

[Promotion of a New Church] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia writes that, as the church had become too small from growth in the number of faithful and the building had aged, it launched a fundraising campaign for a new church building from 1993, and organized a church-building promotion committee on April 17, 1994 to pursue construction of a new church.

[Statistics and Jurisdiction] The statistics recorded by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are 391 persons in 1981, 687 persons in 1985, 1,006 persons in 1990, and 1,133 persons in 1993, and its jurisdictional area is Doyang-eup, Dodeok-myeon and Geumsan-myeon of Goheung-gun and Geumdang-myeon of Wando-gun, with the chapels under its jurisdiction being Geumsan and Geumdang. Successive pastors are the first Serrano (Lee Man-u) Manuel (1980.12–1981.7), the 2 pastor Moreno (O) Oton (1981.7–1984.8), the 3 pastor Gonzalez (Kim) Joseph (1984.8–1992.3), and the 4 pastor Cabral (Yang Jin-hong) Gerardo (1992.3–) (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The Digital Goheung Culture Encyclopedia records, as of 2025, the jurisdictional area as Doyang-eup, Dodeok-myeon and parts of Pungyang-myeon, with jurisdiction over the Geumsan Chapel on Geogeumdo and the Geumdang Chapel on Geumdangdo (Wando-gun), and writes that the Mirinae Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Our Lady assist in pastoral ministry and operate a migrant support center. As of 2025, the pastor is Father Kim Jong-bok (Ignatius), the number of registered faithful is 1,679, and Sunday Mass attendance averages more than 160. The church has the Daegon Association, responsible for vehicle service by senior faithful, and the Dere Society, responsible for services such as church cleaning.

Related Places and People

• Sorokdo Church: Catechist president Kim Jae-yeon of the Nokdong Catholic mission chapel received his appointment in September 1960 from Father Kwon Yagobo, pastor of Sorokdo Parish, and with Father Kwon’s help purchased the church land (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Goheung Church: It is the mother parish that came to have jurisdiction over the Nokdong Catholic mission chapel when it was raised to a parish in 1970. The Digital Goheung Culture Encyclopedia writes that Goheung Church began as the Beolgyo Church Goheung Catholic mission chapel in 1956 and was raised to a parish in 1970, and Nokdong Church began as the Nokdong Catholic mission chapel in 1959 and was raised to a parish in 1980 (“Catholicism”).
• Geumsan and Geumdang Chapels: They are chapels under Nokdong Church’s jurisdiction, with the Geumsan Chapel on Geogeumdo and the Geumdang Chapel in Cha-u-ri, Geumdang-myeon, Wando-gun (Geumdangdo) (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Goheung Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Nokdong Parish” (Vol. 3). Establishment by separation from Goheung Parish on December 12, 1980, patron, jurisdictional area and chapels, statistics, successive priests, chapel era, founding and growth, Geumsan and Geumdang chapel buildings.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1121
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Goheung Culture Encyclopedia “Nokdong Church”. Establishment of the Nokdong Catholic mission chapel in 1959, elevation to parish and first pastor on December 12, 1980, status in 2025.
   https://www.grandculture.net/goheung/toc/GC10100891
3. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Goheung Culture Encyclopedia “Catholicism”. Overview of Catholic history in the Goheung area and the years of elevation of Goheung Church and Nokdong Church.
   https://www.grandculture.net/goheung/toc/GC10100020