Jihyeon-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Jihyeon-dong Church is a church in Jihyeon-dong, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, belonging to the Cheongju diocese. Separated from Chungju (present-day Gyohyeon-dong) Parish, it was established on February 1, 1960, originally named Jigok-dong, and renamed to Jihyeon-dong in 1983. Its patron is the Immaculate Conception, and its first pastor was Father Borer.

History

[Establishment] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in June 1959 Father Borer (J. Borer, Ok Bo-eul), the 6th pastor of Chungju Parish, purchased more than 1,980 pyeong of the present parish site in Jigok-dong, then paddy fields and plains southeast of Chungju, in order to establish a filial parish for the expansion of the Church in the Chungju area. On December 20, 1959, a temporary single-story church was newly built on this site and the first Mass was offered, and on February 1, 1960, it was erected as a parish, with Father Borer appointed as the first pastor. At the time of erection, the parish name was Jigok-dong. At that time, it received all areas of Yongsan-dong, Jigok-dong, Binghyeon-dong, Allim-dong and Hoam-dong in Chungju-si and part of Seongnam-dong from Chungju Parish. The Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia also states that Father Borer bought the land, built a temporary church in December 1959, celebrated Mass, established it on February 1, 1960, and that its original name was Jigok Church. However, the Encyclopedia lists Father Borer as the 6th pastor of Chungju Parish, while the Culture Encyclopedia lists him as the 5th pastor. The Cheongju Diocese parish information lists the establishment date as December 25, 1959.

[New church construction and renaming] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Father Borer established the Sacred Heart Home for Blind Children at the same time as the parish erection, and on May 8, 1960, completed construction of a new church and rectory and held a blessing ceremony. As the church soon became dilapidated, a new church was built and blessed on September 17, 1965. Father Rolewicz, the 3th pastor, newly built the present rectory on October 15, 1979. Under Father Park Jong-heum, the 4th pastor, in July 1983, as Jigok-dong and Binghyeon-dong were merged into Jihyeon-dong, the parish name was changed to the present name Jihyeon-dong.

[Branch parishes and facility expansion] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Father Song Yeol-seop, the 5th pastor, built an education hall in December 1985 with donations from the faithful and separated and erected Yeokjeon-dong Parish in May 1986. Father Yeon Je-sik, the 6th pastor, opened a kindergarten on October 13, 1988, and expanded the convent on March 6, 1989. Father Kim Byeong-cheol, the 7th pastor, added 2 stories to the rectory in September 1993. Father Park Yong-su, the 8th pastor, moved Seongmo School, the successor of the Sacred Heart Home for Blind Children, to the foot of Mt. Hoam under the parish jurisdiction in October 1997. Father Kim Gwang-hyeok, the 9th pastor, replaced the windows of the present church with stained glass in June 2000, built a wall with landscaping stones on October 23 of the same year, and added 2 stories to the kindergarten classrooms on January 12, 2001.

[Membership and jurisdiction] The membership recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is 900 as of 1964, 1,283 as of 1974, 2,177 as of 1984, 3,019 as of 1994, and 3,163 as of 2002. According to the Encyclopedia, its jurisdiction covers all areas of Jihyeon-dong, Yongsan-dong, Hoam-dong, Salmi-myeon, Danwol-dong and Pung-dong in Chungju-si and parts of Seongnam-dong and Seongseo-dong, and its Catholic mission chapel under its jurisdiction is 1 place, Salmi Catholic mission chapel. The Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia lists its jurisdiction as Jihyeon-dong, Hoam-dong, Danwol-dong, Yongsan-dong, part of Seongnam-dong, Salmi-myeon and others, and gives the number of faithful as 3,615. The Cheongju Diocese parish information gives the total number of faithful as 3,845.

[Successive pastors] The successive pastors listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first, Joseph Borer (J. Borer, Ok Bo-eul) (1960.2–1972.2), the 2th, John Rosinski (J. Rosinski, No Sin-gi) (1972.2–1979.2), the 3rd, Richard Rolewicz (R. Rolewicz, No) (1979.2–1983.2), the 4th, Stephen Park Jong-heum (1983.2–1984.8), the 5th, Casimir Song Yeol-seop (1984.8–1988.2), the 6nd, Leo Yeon Je-sik (1988.2–1992.8), the 7th, Benedict Kim Byeong-cheol (1992.8–1995.7), the 8th, Paul Park Yong-su (1995.7–1997.7), the 9st, Peter Kim Gwang-hyeok (1997.7–2002.6), and the 10th, Joseph Lee Beom-su (2002.6–).

Architecture and Space

According to the Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia, the parish building erected in 1965 is a rectangular concrete single-story structure with red-brick exterior walls, and there are also an education hall and a Marian hall. The same source states that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul visits and serves elderly people living alone.

Related Places and People

• Chungju (present-day Gyohyeon-dong) Parish: the mother parish from which Jihyeon-dong Parish was separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Yeokjeon-dong Parish: the parish separated and erected from Jihyeon-dong Parish in May 1986 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Salmi Catholic mission chapel: the Catholic mission chapel under the jurisdiction of Jihyeon-dong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Seongmo School: the successor of the Sacred Heart Home for Blind Children, moved to the foot of Mt. Hoam in October 1997 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Jihyeon-dong Parish” (Vol. 10). Establishment process, church construction, renaming, branch parishes, membership and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/5831
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia “Jihyeon-dong Church”. Establishment, Jigok Church name, jurisdiction, building structure in 1965.
   https://chungju.grandculture.net/chungju/toc/GC01902137
3. Cheongju Diocese, parish information “Jihyeon-dong Church”. Establishment date December 25, 1959, patron saint the Immaculate Virgin Mary conceived without original sin, total number of faithful.
   https://www.cdcj.or.kr/parish/parish/view/23026