Cathedral of the Central Diocese

Overview

Jeju Jungang Cathedral is the cathedral parish of the Catholic Diocese of Jeju located in Samdo 2-dong, Jeju City, and the first parish of the Diocese of Jeju. It was established as Jeju Parish on April 22, 1899, and in 2000 the cathedral commemorating the 100 anniversary of evangelization in Jeju was dedicated and continues to the present. The Digital Jeju Culture Encyclopedia introduces this parish as the first Catholic church in the Jeju region and the origin of its daughter parishes.

History

According to the Digital Jeju Culture Encyclopedia, Catholic faith became known in the Jeju region from 1801, when Jeong Nan-ju (Maria) was exiled to Daejeong-hyeon in Jeju. In 1845, Saint Kim Dae-geon (Andrew) drifted to the sea off Jeju, and in 1858, Kim Gi-ryang (Felix Peter) from Hamdeok returned after being baptized in Hong Kong, and missionary activity took place for the first time. Kim Gi-ryang traveled to the mainland to receive the sacraments and became the “Apostle of Jeju,” so that a Jeju faith community could form, but in 1866 he was arrested and martyred in Tongyeong, Gyeongsang-do. Afterwards, the Gospel began to spread again when Yang Yong-hang (Peter) from Saekdalli in Jungmun and Yi Laurentius traveled to the mainland, encountered the faith, were baptized around April 1898, returned to Jeju, and preached it to the brothers Sin Augustine and Paulus, Kim Saeng-won, and others. Accordingly Bishop Mutel, the 8 head of the Joseon Diocese, decided to establish Jeju Parish and dispatch clergy.

The parish was established on April 22, 1899. Fr. Carlo Bae (C. Peynet, Pene), who was at Gatdeungi Parish in Suwon, now Wangnim Parish, and Fr. Kim Won-yeong (Augustine) were appointed to Jeju, arrived on May 26, and on June 14 secured a residence in Hanjitgol, Jeju-eup, and began evangelization. The Culture Encyclopedia records that place as Daero-dong, now Samdo 2-dong 108 in Jeju City, while the diocesan guide states that in June of that year it purchased a church site at Samdo 1-dong 108, so the dong names differ. According to Jeju Ilbo, they bought 9 thatched-roof rooms in Hanjitgol near the South Gate for 1,550 nyang and made them the church building. The diocesan guide explains that before 1912 it secured a neighboring hyangcheong government building and prepared the present cathedral and diocesan office site.

In May 1900 Fr. Pene was transferred to Jeolla-do and Fr. Marcellino Gu (M. Lacrouts, Lacrouts) took office as the 2 pastor and remodeled the thatched church into a tile-roofed house. On June 12 of that year Fr. Kim Won-yeong went to Jeongui-gun and established Hannon Parish, now Hogeun-dong in Seogwipo City, and this is the first daughter parish of Jeju Parish. Jeju Ilbo reports that before the Sinchuk persecution, the Yi Jae-su disturbance, of 1901 occurred, there were 242 baptized faithful and 700 catechumens. According to the Culture Encyclopedia, in 1903 a girls’ school was founded, and on its basis Sinsung Girls’ School was established on October 18, 1909.

When the Diocese of Daegu was established on April 8, 1911, the total faithful in the Jeju region were about 400, catechumens about 1,500, and Sinsung Girls’ School students 60. When the Diocese of Gwangju was established on April 13, 1937, this parish came under it. In 1930 a Gothic red-brick church was newly built on the present site. Jeju Ilbo reports that this church, built at a cost of 7,000 won with a building area of 430 square meters (130 pyeong), became the tallest building inside Jeju Fortress and a landmark, and that the French-made bell hung in the bell tower was requisitioned by the Japanese as war material.

Late in the Japanese colonial period the parish suffered oppression by the Governor-General. According to the Culture Encyclopedia, in October 1941 Fr. Son Patricio and Fr. Seo Augustine were arrested with Fr. Na Thomas (T. D. Ryan) of Seogwipo Parish and several faithful on suspicion of espionage and imprisoned in Gwangju Prison, and the church was requisitioned as a Japanese military field hospital and its annex buildings as officers’ quarters. Fr. Park Mun-gyu (Michael), who was at Sanjeong-dong Parish in Mokpo, occasionally visited Jeju to administer the sacraments, and from the summer of 1944 until May 1945 he stayed as temporary pastor of Jeju Parish. After liberation on August 15, 1945 the two priests were released and the church and buildings were recovered. Jeju Ilbo writes that after liberation the movement to rebuild the church gained momentum, but evangelization and faith activities were greatly weakened by the 1948 4-3 Incident.

In 1950 the parish underwent great changes because of the Korean War. Refugee faithful gathered, the church was expanded in August, and in February of the following year the minor seminary in Seoul, Seongsin Middle School, and the major seminary opened a refugee school using classrooms of Sinsung Girls’ Middle School on the parish premises, then left for Busan in May. During the war Sinchang Parish and Hallim Parish were created and the Legion of Mary movement was introduced. The Culture Encyclopedia explains that Jeju Parish grew greatly through the war and this led to the growth of the Church in the Jeju region.

With the growth of the Church and regional development, the parish was divided several times. The diocesan guide summarizes that it separated Hannon Parish on June 12, 1900, Sinchang Parish on June 29, 1952, Dongmun Parish on June 15, 1967, Gwangyang Parish on November 9, 1970, and Seomun Parish on June 30, 1977, and transferred Chuja Catholic mission chapel to Seomun Parish on February 10, 1988, thus attaining its present jurisdiction. The Catholic Newspaper gives April 21, 1968 as the date of separation of Dongmun Parish. The Culture Encyclopedia explains that when the third daughter parish, Dongmun Parish, was separated in 1967, the parish name was changed to Jeju Jungang Parish, while the diocesan history records the year of renaming as 1968. According to the diocesan guide, in 1969 the newly built church was completed.

On June 28, 1971, announced domestically on July 14, the Jeju Prelature was established as the Jeju Prefecture and Archbishop Harold was appointed prefect, and Jeju Jungang Parish was designated as the cathedral parish. On March 21, 1977, announced domestically on April 23, the Jeju Prefecture was elevated to a diocese and Fr. Park Jeong-il (Michael) was installed as its first bishop. The cathedral church promoted as the 100 anniversary project broke ground in 1997 and was dedicated in 2000.

In 2018, ahead of the 120 anniversary of the parish foundation, the “120-Year History of Jeju Jungang Cathedral” was published. According to the Catholic Newspaper, the compilation committee worked for 2 years to publish it in 4 volumes and 405 pages, it was the first parish history, and a presentation ceremony was held at Mass on the Solemnity of Christmas, December 25, 2018. On December 8, 2023, the opening Mass of the jubilee for the 125 anniversary of foundation was celebrated. The Apostolic Penitentiary accepted the petition requested by pastor Fr. Kim Seok-ju with the approval of the bishop and allowed a special plenary indulgence with the papal blessing from December 8, 2023 to November 24, 2024, and on the day the opening Mass was held there were also the dedication of the new altar and the blessing of the ambo. On November 24, 2024, the closing jubilee Mass was celebrated by Bishop Mun Chang-woo.

Religious Significance and Visiting Context

The patron is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, feast on December 8. The jurisdiction of the parish is all of Samdo 2-dong in Jeju City and parts of Geonip-dong, Ildo 1-dong, and Ido 1-dong. Jeju Ilbo reports that in 1999, marking the 100 anniversary of evangelization in Jeju, the number of Catholic faithful in the Jeju region reached 5 761, 10% of the population.

Related Places and People

• Hannon Parish in the Seogwipo area: the first daughter parish of Jeju Parish, established in 1900 by Fr. Kim Won-yeong.
• Kim Gi-ryang (Felix Peter): the “Apostle of Jeju” who was baptized in Hong Kong in 1858 and first evangelized in Jeju.
• Jeong Nan-ju (Maria): the person exiled to Daejeong-hyeon in Jeju in 1801, which became the occasion for Catholicism to become known in Jeju.
• Bishop Mutel: the 8 head of the Joseon Diocese who decided the establishment of Jeju Parish and the dispatch of clergy.
• Sinsung Girls’ School: the school established by the parish in 1909.

References and Sources

1. Catholic Diocese of Jeju, Jungang Cathedral Parish. Confirmed the first parish of the Diocese of Jeju, foundation in 1899, site purchase, churches of 1930, 1969, and 2000, daughter-parish separation dates, jurisdiction, and patron.
   https://www.diocesejeju.or.kr/church_westcity01
2. Digital Jeju Culture Encyclopedia (Academy of Korean Studies), Jeju Jungang Church. Confirmed the process of Catholic introduction to Jeju, parish foundation, changes in the late colonial and Korean War periods, designation as cathedral parish, elevation to diocese, and dedication of the cathedral.
   https://jeju.grandculture.net/jeju/toc/GC00702143
3. Jeju Ilbo, Early missionaries’ construction of Catholic and Christian sanctuaries (September 19, 2016). Confirmed the purchase of the thatched church, remodeling into a tile-roofed house, the size and landmark status of the 1930 Gothic church, the late colonial situation, and the number of faithful in 1999.
   http://www.jejunews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1996868
4. Catholic Newspaper, Jeju Jungang Cathedral Parish, 120 years of footsteps in one volume (December 2018). Confirmed foundation in 1899 and daughter-parish separation dates, and publication of the parish 120-year history.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/201812240013089
5. Catholic Newspaper, Jeju Jungang Cathedral Parish, closing jubilee Mass for the 125 anniversary of foundation (November 2024). Confirmed the period and indulgence of the 125 anniversary jubilee and the dedication of the new altar.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/20241125500115
6. Catholic Diocese of Jeju, parish news: Jungang Church opening Mass for the 125 anniversary jubilee (December 2023). Confirmed the special indulgence decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary and the opening Mass.
   https://www.diocesejeju.or.kr/board_church/79564