Gojan Church

Overview

Gojan Church is a church in Gojan-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City, belonging to the Diocese of Incheon. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, on February 28, 1965 it was separated and established from Juan 1-dong Parish, with the Holy Name of Mary as its patron, and a Catholic mission chapel community founded in 1921 by Father Deneux of Dapdong Parish had continued in the Gojan area for more than 20 years.

History

[Mission Chapel Period] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, a Catholic mission chapel community founded in 1921 by Father Deneux (Eugène Deneux, Jeon Hak-jun) of Dapdong Parish continued in the Gojan area for more than 20 years. The faithful first celebrated mission chapel rites in private homes, then in 1953 prepared land of more than 400 pyeong and newly built a chapel of more than 50 pyeong. This mission chapel came to belong to Dohwa-dong Parish in 1960, and from 1963 it came to belong to Juan 1-dong Parish.

[Parish Establishment] On June 1964 Yi Dae-ho (Teresa) purchased land of 1,133 pyeong around lot 219 in Gojan-dong and donated it as church land, and on that basis began building the church; the following year, on February 28, the blessing ceremony for a church with a floor area of 90 pyeong was held and parish status was granted at the same time. The encyclopedia records that the parish organized a pastoral council on November 1967, so that lay people took an active part in parish administration, and placed lay groups such as the Joseph Association, Myeongdo Association, Association for the Deceased, Youth Association and Legion of Mary under the council.

[Land Expansion and Religious Congregations] The 2th pastor, Father Craig (Hugh Craig, Gi Hu-geun), spent his own funds and in 1968 purchased 410 pyeong and again the following year 370 pyeong for use as parish land. With help from the diocese, the faithful extended the convent in 1975 and remodeled the mission chapel building for use as catechesis rooms. In 1974 the Sisters of Divine Providence, who had been helping parish ministry, returned to their motherhouse, and from 1983 sisters belonging to the Inbo Eucharistic Society were assigned to the parish.

[Renewal] Afterwards the parishioners went through various difficulties, but in 1986 the 8th pastor, Father Murphy (Comelius Murphy, Jeon Cornelius), took office, resolved conflicts among the faithful and carried out renewal activities, and the parish began to take a fresh leap forward in every respect, according to the encyclopedia.

[Church Strength and Jurisdiction] The church strength recorded in the encyclopedia is in 1965 1,136 persons, in 1980 1,373 persons, in 1988 1,678 persons, and in 1993 1,640 persons. The jurisdiction is recorded as Gojan-dong, Nonhyeon-dong, Dorim-dong and Namchon-dong in Namdong-gu. The directory of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea lists this parish as belonging to the Namdong District, with founding date February 28, 1965 and patron Holy Name of Mary.

[Successive Pastors] The successive pastors recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first, Father Connors (Joseph Connors, Kwon) Joseph (1965.2~1968.3), the 2th, Father Craig (Hugh Craig, Gi Hu-geun) Hugo (1968.3~1973.12), the 3th, Matthew Kang Seong-uk (1973.12~1975.12), the 4th, Father Patterson (E. Patrick Patterson, Pa) Patricio (1975.12~1980.2), the 5th, Benedict Ho In-su (1980.2~1983.2), the 6th, Peter Seo Byeong-seop (1983.2~1986.2), acting pastor Robert Yi Yun-ha (1986.2~1986.7), the 7th, Father McGuinness (Augusin McGuiness, Jin) Augustinus (1986.7~1986.12), the 8th, Father Murphy (Comelius Murphy, Jeon) Cornelius (1986.12~1991.1), assistant pastor Father Kelly (Jeremiah Kelly, Yi) Jeremias (1991.1~1992.1), and the 9th, Father Muldoon (Patrick Muldoon, Jo) Patricio (1992.1~the then present at the time the encyclopedia was compiled).

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, in 1953 on land of more than 400 pyeong prepared, a chapel of more than 50 pyeong was newly built. Beginning with land of 1,133 pyeong around lot 219 in Gojan-dong donated by Yi Dae-ho (Teresa) on June 1964, church construction began, and on February 28, 1965 the blessing ceremony for a church with a floor area of 90 pyeong was held. In 1968 410 pyeong and the following year 370 pyeong were additionally purchased as parish land, and in 1975 the convent was extended and the mission chapel building was remodeled into catechesis rooms.

Related Places and People

• Dapdong Parish: in 1921 Father Deneux founded the Gojan mission chapel from this parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Dohwa-dong Parish and Juan 1-dong Parish: the Gojan mission chapel belonged to Dohwa-dong Parish in 1960 and from 1963 to Juan 1-dong Parish, and in 1965 Gojan Parish was separated from Juan 1-dong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Yi Dae-ho (Teresa): in 1964 donated around lot 219 in Gojan-dong land of 1,133 pyeong as church land (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Sisters of Divine Providence and Inbo Eucharistic Society: recorded respectively as the congregation that helped parish ministry until 1974 and then returned to its motherhouse, and the congregation whose sisters were assigned from 1983 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Gojan Parish” (Diocese of Incheon, vol. 1). Gojan mission chapel, parish establishment and church blessing in 1965, land expansion and religious congregations, church strength, jurisdiction, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/364
2. Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, Catholic Directory of Korea “Gojan” (Diocese of Incheon). Founding date 1965.2.28, patron Holy Name of Mary, Namdong District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201000338&gubun=4