Guam-dong Church

Overview

Guam-dong Church is a church of the Masan Diocese located in Guam-dong, Masanhoewon-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, on December 30, 1986 it was established by separation from Yangdeok-dong Parish, and its patron saint is the Assumption of Mary.

History

[Separation and Establishment] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, on November 17, 1986 a church with 1 basement floor and 2 above-ground floors on a 330-pyeong site, with a total floor area of 510 pyeong, was dedicated, and on December 30 it was established by separation from Yangdeok-dong Parish with 525 households and 1,106 faithful.

[Facilities and Convent] The encyclopedia states that, besides a church with 1,500 seats, this church was equipped with ancillary facilities such as a rectory, a convent, a hall, and catechism rooms, and that a considerable part of the construction cost was covered by a believers’ group called the ‘Samdeok Sisters Association.’ On February 11, 1987, a branch house of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was established.

[Church Strength and Jurisdiction] The church statistics recorded in the encyclopedia are 2,221 faithful in 1989 and 2,601 faithful in 1994. Its jurisdiction is listed as Hapseong-dong and Guam-dong in Masan-si and Sogye-dong in Changwon-si. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists the parish as currently belonging to Masan District, Region 1, with the establishment date as February 3, 1987 (the encyclopedia gives December 30, 1986), its affiliated congregation as the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the number of faithful as 2,813, and the number of Catholic mission chapels as 0.

[Successive Parish Priests] The successive priests listed in the encyclopedia are the first, Jeong Jung-gyu Glaro (1987.2~1988.10), the 2 priest, Seo Jeong-sul Francisco (1988.10~1993.8), and the 3 priest, Hwang Bong-cheol Peter (from 1993.8 to the time of the encyclopedia’s compilation).

Architecture and Space

According to the encyclopedia, on November 17, 1986 a church with 1 basement floor and 2 above-ground floors on a 330-pyeong site, with a total floor area of 510 pyeong, was dedicated. Besides a church with 1,500 seats, it was equipped with ancillary facilities such as a rectory, a convent, a hall, and catechism rooms, and a considerable part of the construction cost was covered by a believers’ group called the ‘Samdeok Sisters Association.’

Related Places and People

• Yangdeok-dong Parish: Guam-dong Parish was established by separation from this parish on December 30, 1986 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: It established a branch house in the parish on February 11, 1987 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Guam-dong Parish” (Masan Diocese, Vol. 2). Church dedication and separate establishment in 1986, facilities and construction cost, congregation branch house, church statistics, jurisdiction, and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/643
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory, “Guam-dong” (Masan Diocese). Establishment date 1987.02.03, patron saint the Assumption of Mary, Masan District, Region 1, congregation, number of faithful, and number of Catholic mission chapels.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201001043&gubun=4