Guwol 1-dong Church

Overview

Guwol 1-dong Church is a church in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City, belonging to the Diocese of Incheon. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, it was separated and established from Ganseok-dong Parish on February 16, 1982, with Saint William as its patron. It was established as the Jugong apartment complex was developed in the Guwol-dong area and the population grew rapidly.

History

[Establishment] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Guwol-dong area was originally under the jurisdiction of Ganseok-dong Parish, but as the Jugong apartment complex was built there and the population increased sharply, Guwol-dong Parish was established as part of pastoral measures. On February 1982, rooms 302–303 on the 3 floor of the Guwol Shopping Complex in the Jugong Apartments in Guwol-dong were leased and used as a temporary church, and the rectory was arranged by lease in the Jugong Apartments. That same year, on September, a branch house of the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters was opened.

[Church construction] On April 22, 1984, construction of a church with an area of 1,785.12㎡ began on a site of 1,327.93㎡ at the present church location, and it was completed on December of the same year and dedicated on February 9, 1985, according to the encyclopedia.

[Number of faithful and jurisdiction] The numbers of faithful recorded in the encyclopedia are 1,270 in 1982, 3,030 in 1988, and 5,027 in 1994. Its jurisdiction is recorded as Guwol 1–2-dong and Susan-dong. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists the parish as belonging to the Namdong District, with its establishment date as February 16, 1982, its patron as Saint William, and its sisters as the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters.

[Successive pastors] The pastors listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first pastor Paul Choe Byeong-hak (1982.2–1986.2), the 2 pastor Simon Jang Hui-yeong (1986.2–1991.2), and the 3 pastor Paul Yu Seung-mun (from 1991.2 to the present at the time the encyclopedia was written).

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, in the early period after its founding, rooms 302–303 on the 3 floor of the Guwol Shopping Complex in the Jugong Apartments in Guwol-dong were used as a temporary church. On April 22, 1984, construction of a church with an area of 1,785.12㎡ began on a site of 1,327.93㎡ at the present church location, and it was completed on December of that year and dedicated on February 9, 1985.

Related Places and People

• Ganseok-dong Parish (now Ganseok 2-dong): it had jurisdiction over the Guwol-dong area and separated Guwol-dong Parish in 1982 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Olivetan Benedictine Sisters: a branch house was opened on September 1982 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Guwol 1-dong Parish” (Diocese of Incheon, Vol. 2). Background of the parish establishment in 1982, temporary church, dedication of the church in 1985, numbers of faithful, jurisdiction, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/652
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory, “Guwol 1-dong” (Diocese of Incheon). Establishment date 1982.2.16, patron Saint William, sisters Olivetan Benedictine Sisters, Namdong District.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201000340&gubun=4