Shindong Catholic Church

Overview

Sindong Church is a church in Songjeong-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, belonging to the Archdiocese of Gwangju. It was established in 1967 after separating from Wondong Church, and the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia lists Saint Veronica as the parish's patron. According to the parish website, Archbishop Ok Hyeon-jin (Simon), who is from this parish, was appointed the 10th Archbishop of Gwangju on November 2022 and enthroned.

History

According to the parish website's history, on May 23, 1958 the land for the Pyeongdong Catholic mission chapel, 581 pyeong (1,921 m²), was purchased. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, when the number of the faithful had greatly increased, Father Maguire (Mae), the 5th pastor of Wondong Parish by 1966, drew up a plan to build a new church in the western part of Songjeong-eup, and the diocese purchased 1,860 pyeong for the present church site. The parish website records that on October 7, 1966 1,870 pyeong (6,182 m²) of land for the parish was purchased, so the two sources differ in the stated area. As the funds for church construction could not be raised, Archbishop Henry (Hyeon), then head of the Archdiocese of Gwangju, collected construction funds in the United States, and as one American donated the entire building cost, the groundbreaking ceremony for the church and the rectory could be held on November 1966, according to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia. The parish website states that on November 14, 1966 there was a groundbreaking ceremony for the new construction of Sindong Church, the rectory, and the hall (135 pyeong, 446 m²).

The founding date is given differently by each source. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that separation from Wondong Parish and foundation took place on the 29th of February 1967, and the Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia records that, as the number of faithful of Wondong Church increased, separation from Wondong Church and foundation took place on February 19, 1967. The parish website's history states that on January 1, 1967 Sindong Church was separated from Wondong Church (founded in 1952) and the first pastor, Father Jang Jigwon (John), took office, and that on February 19 a move-in ceremony and the first Mass (celebrated by Archbishop Arnold) were held. The church was completed on April 16, 1967 (the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that 135 pyeong of church was completed and a dedication ceremony was held, while the website records it as a completion and blessing ceremony), and according to the website the donor of the church building cost was the American Sister Veronica.

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, after taking office Father Jang Jigwon carried forward the new church construction, and on October 1969 built a new convent behind the parish to provide a branch house for the "Pohang Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus." The parish website records that on August 23, 1969 Brother Nam Hong-yeon (John) donated the land for the Donggok Catholic mission chapel, 720 pyeong (2,380 m²), and that in the same year the first superior sister took office on October 1. Father Jeong Gyuwan, the 2th pastor, visited all parishioner households in order to understand the conditions of the parish, and founded the Cross Society and the Charity Society to take charge of service to the local community. Father Jeong Hyeong-dal, the 4th pastor, who concurrently served as chairperson of the Justice and Peace Committee of the Archdiocese of Gwangju, shepherded the faithful so that they could put their interior faith into practice in society (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as the number of the faithful continued to grow, Father Kim Jeong-yong, the 5th pastor, organized a standing construction committee for the expansion of the church, began work on April 1985, and in the same year expanded the church (458 pyeong) on August and held a dedication ceremony. The parish website lists in its history a groundbreaking ceremony for the church expansion on April 20, 1985 (1 floor 445 pyeong, 2 floor 13 pyeong, total 458 pyeong) and a blessing ceremony for the expansion on August 18 (celebrated by Archbishop Yun Victorino). The following year, on the Solemnity of the Assumption, August 15, 1986, a Marian garden was created around the statue of the Virgin Mary (the website records the donor as Sister No Elisabeth), and there were a groundbreaking ceremony for the hall extension on April 27, 1987 and completion on June 13. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new convent and catechetical rooms was held on September 12, 1988, and on December 4 the convent of 35.5 pyeong and the catechetical rooms of 52 pyeong were completed, and according to the website part of the funds for this new construction was covered from 623 pyeong of unused land on the church site.

Father Kim Yang-hoe, the 6th pastor, newly built an education hall with a scale of 380 pyeong on November 1992 for the re-education of the faithful (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The parish website records a groundbreaking for the expansion of the rectory of 68 pyeong and the education hall of 310 pyeong on March 15, 1992 (celebrated by Archbishop Yun Victorino) and a completion and blessing ceremony for the education hall and rectory on November 15, with scale figures differing from the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia. Father Bae Haeng-gi, the 7th pastor, carried out various programs for the re-education of the faithful. On January 1996 the Pyeongdong Catholic mission chapel under the parish, founded on March 1955, was raised to a quasi-parish after more than 40 years, and on October 1997 various events were held to mark the 30th anniversary of the parish's foundation (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

According to the parish website's history, on October 30, 2004 the renovation and expansion of the Marian garden was completed, and there were a kickoff ceremony for the 50th anniversary of Sindong Church on September 4, 2016, a love-sharing bazaar commemorating the 50th anniversary on April 2017 28-30, and a Mass commemorating the 50th anniversary on November 4. From May 2023 to July the renewal of the Marian garden and the renovation of the bell tower and the sanctuary entrance were carried out, and it is recorded that from April 5, 2026 to August 8 the demolition of the convent, the parish roof work, interior work, and stained-glass work were carried out.

Religious Significance and Visiting Context

The Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia explains that Sindong Church was founded to spread the Gospel centered on Songjeong-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, to the areas of Dosan-dong, Hwangnyong-dong, Doho-dong, Yugye-dong, Hasan-dong, Bondeok-dong, Songdae-dong, Yongbong-dong, and Bongnyong-dong and to parts of Jangnok-dong, Woljeon-dong, Yogi-dong, Sinheung-dong, and Seochang-dong. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia lists as the jurisdictional district all of Dosan-dong, Songchon-dong, Jangnok-dong, Yogi-dong, Songnae-dong, Hwangnyong-dong, Doho-dong, Bongnyong-dong, Yugye-dong, Hasan-dong, Bondeok-dong, Yonggok-dong, Yongbong-dong, and Sinheung-dong, and parts of Songjeong-2-dong, Woljeon-dong, and Jangnok-dong.

The church statistics recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are 1,691 persons in 1967, 1,882 persons in 1972, 2,512 persons in 1977, 2,572 persons in 1982, 3,398 persons in 1987, 3,919 persons in 1992, and 3,802 persons in 1999. According to the Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia, as of 2021 the pastor is Father Park Seok-ryeol (James) and the sisters' congregation is the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Related Places and Figures

• Wondong Church: a parish founded in 1952, from which Sindong Parish was separated in 1967.
• Pyeongdong Catholic mission chapel: the mission chapel under Sindong Parish (founded March 1955) was raised to a quasi-parish on January 1996 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Donggok Catholic mission chapel: land of 720 pyeong was donated on August 1969 (parish website).
• Archbishop Ok Hyeon-jin (Simon): from this parish, ordained a scholastic deacon on February 1993, ordained a priest on January 26, 1994, appointed auxiliary bishop by the Holy See on May 12, 2011 and ordained bishop on July 6, and appointed the 10th Archbishop of Gwangju on November 19, 2022 and enthroned on November 30 (parish website).
• Priests from the parish: Jo Yeong-cheol (Paul) ordained a priest on June 23, 1998, Yun Hong-geun (Paul) ordained a priest on December 8, 2004, Song Hyeong-geun (James) ordained a priest at Sakuramachi Church of the Diocese of Takamatsu in Japan on February 11, 2015, Choe Cheol-seong (Raphael) ordained a priest on January 8, 2020 (parish website).

The successive pastors listed by the parish website are as follows. First Jang Jigwon, John (1967.1-1971.10), 2th Jeong Gyuwan, Thomas (1971.10-1975.11), 3th Park Yeong-ung, Gabriel (1975.11-1979.8), 4th Jeong Hyeong-dal, Paul (1979.8-1983.2), 5th Kim Jeong-yong, Anthony (1983.2-1989.8), 6th Kim Yang-hoe, John Bosco (1989.8-1993.2), 7th Bae Haeng-gi, Moses (1993.2-1998.2), 8th Lee Cheon-su, Lazarus (1998.2-1999.9), 9th Jang Se-hyeon, Michael (1999.9-2001.2), 10th Lee Yeong-seon, Columbanus (2001.2-2004.2), 11th Yun Yeong-nam, Simon (2004.2-2007.8), 12th Jeong Gyeong-su, Chrysostom (2007.8-2010.9), 13th Kim Jong-bok, Ignatius (2010.9-2013.9), 14th Yang Jun, Leo (2013.9-2018), 15th Park Seok-ryeol, James (2018-2022.1), 16th Im Chang-hun, Paul (2022.1-).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, "Sindong Parish" 1. Affiliated with the Archdiocese of Gwangju. Confirmed separation from Wondong Parish and foundation in 1967, patron Saint Veronica, jurisdictional district, church statistics, land purchase and donation of building costs, completion of the church in 1967, expansion in 1985, new construction of the education hall in 1992, and raising of the Pyeongdong Catholic mission chapel in 1996.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3901
2. Digital Gwangju Culture Encyclopedia, "Sindong Church." Confirmed separation from Wondong Church and foundation on February 19, 1967, groundbreaking on November 1966, completion on April 16, 1967, first pastor, jurisdictional area, and pastor and sisters' congregation in 2021.
   https://gwangju.grandculture.net/gwangju/toc/GC60003272
3. Sindong Church, "Parish Introduction" parish history. Confirmed land purchases after 1958, construction, expansion and completion, successive pastors, parish priests and history related to Archbishop Ok Hyeon-jin, 50th anniversary events, and construction in 2023-2026.
   http://xn--ok1bpqi43ahtb.net/page_caOl35