Bupyeong 1-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Bupyeong 1-dong Church is a church in Bupyeong-dong, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City, belonging to the Bupyeong District of the Incheon Diocese. It is a new parish established in 1993, and the history on the Incheon Diocese website states that on February 22, 1993 it was named ‘Bupyeong 1-dong Church’ and that Father Lee Yun-ha (Morber) came from Songnim 4-dong Parish as the first pastor. On November 11, 1998 it held the dedication ceremony for its new church building.

History

[Establishment] According to the history on the Incheon Diocese website, on February 22, 1993 it was named Bupyeong 1-dong Church of the Incheon Diocese (a newly established parish), and Father Lee Yun-ha (Morber) came from Songnim 4-dong Parish as the first priest. The establishment-date entry on the diocesan website is 1993-01-29, and the establishment date in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory is also 1993.1.29. According to the history, on February 23 the first Mass was celebrated in the evening at 7 o’clock in a tent, attended by about 450 men and women faithful.

[Temporary church period] According to the history, on March 8, 1993 a tent for church use (about 140 pyeong) was installed, and on March 14 the first parish pastoral council officers (president, vice-president, secretary, and the district, mission, education, liturgy, and service sections) were formed. On May 15 a temporary church building (about 110 pyeong) was completed after 20 days of construction, and on May 16 there were the bishop’s first pastoral visit and confirmation (136 people). On July 25 the Yeongdohoe and Jamohoe were founded, on July 28 an education hall (about 105 pyeong) was established and the tent was removed, and on August 17 the office (45 pyeong: restroom, religious-goods shop, office) was relocated. On February 15, 1994 a faith school for the re-education of the faithful was opened, and on February 25 Sister Lee Jeong-ok (Gratia) and Sister Kim Yeong-suk (Amelia) of the Caritas Sisters came to serve.

[Construction and dedication of the church building] According to the history, on March 25, 1995 the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Bupyeong 1-dong Catholic Church building was held as a memorial Mass attended by the bishop, several priests, and many faithful. On March 31, 1996 a Mass praying for the construction site was celebrated by Vicar General Father Oh Gyeong-hwan, and on June 16 the ridge-beam (Mass) ceremony for the new church was held. On July 30, 1997 the parish patron was named ‘Cornerstone’. On June 19, 1998 the office was fully moved to the new church, on June 21 church furnishings were moved to the new church and Mass began to be celebrated there even on weekdays, and on June 23 all the religious-goods section of the old church was moved to the religious-goods section inside the new church office. On November 11, 1998 the dedication ceremony for the newly built church was held with the participation of the bishop, the vicar general, the pastor, and several other priests.

[1999–2004] According to the history, on February 9, 1999 Father Kim Byeong-sang (Philippo) came from Mansu 1-dong to Bupyeong 1-dong, and on February 18 Father Yun Ha-yong (Beninindo) came as the first assistant priest. In the same year, on August 24 Hyodo College was founded and opened, and on December 12 the Bupyeong 1-dong Church Social Welfare Association was launched. On February 14, 2000 assistant priest Father Lee Jae-cheon (Francisco) came, and on October 29 the Eucharistic adoration room was blessed. On August 26, 2001 the disabled persons’ group ‘Ephata’ was formed. On January 20, 2002 assistant priest Father Seo Gang-hwi (Emmanuel) came. On January 26, 2003 the Bupyeong District Junior Curia was established, on February 11 a free meal center was opened, on July 11 the Saetbyeol Mountaineering Club was launched, and on October 31 Father Kim Byeong-sang (Philippo) was appointed monsignor. On January 26, 2004 pastor Father Jeong Yun-hwa (Bedeuro) and assistant priest Father Kim Seong-man (Patritio) came, and on December 15 assistant priest Father Kim Gyu-seong (Joseph) came.

[Patron and church statistics] The parish information on the Incheon Diocese website gives the patron as Saint Kim Seong-im Martha, while the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory gives the patron saint as the Trinity, so the two sources differ. The directory lists 7,781 faithful, and both the diocesan website and the directory list the current pastor as Father Lee Jae-hak (Antimo) and the assistant as Father Jeon Ji-ung (Peter).

Related places and people

• Songnim 4-dong Parish: the parish from which the first priest of Bupyeong 1-dong Church, Father Lee Yun-ha (Morber), came (history on the Incheon Diocese website).
• Caritas Sisters: the religious congregation whose Sisters Lee Jeong-ok (Gratia) and Kim Yeong-suk (Amelia) came to serve on February 25, 1994 (history on the Incheon Diocese website).
• Father Kim Byeong-sang (Philippo): he came from Mansu 1-dong on February 9, 1999 and was appointed monsignor on October 31, 2003 (history on the Incheon Diocese website).

References and sources

1. Incheon Diocese website, guide to Bupyeong 1-dong Parish (history). Establishment in 1993, temporary church, construction and dedication of the church building in 1995–1998, history of 1999–2004, patron name, current pastor.
   http://www.caincheon.or.kr/church/church_jigu.do?churchIdx=14017
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory, Bupyeong 1-dong. Establishment date 1993.1.29., affiliation Incheon Diocese Bupyeong District, patron saint Trinity, number of faithful, current pastor.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201000365&gubun=4