Bangi-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Bangidong Parish is a parish belonging to Songpa District No. 10 in the East Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, established on February 5, 2009. Its patron is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The year-by-year parish history on the parish website records that, after moving to a temporary chapel and holding the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building in 2017, it celebrated the inaugural Mass in the new church building on April 14, 2019.

History

[Establishment and first year (2009)] The parish history for 2009 on the parish website records the establishment of Bangidong Parish and the appointment of the first pastor, Father Augustino Lee Tae-seok, on February 5, the first Mass celebrated by Bishop Kim Woon-hoe on February 17, and the establishment of the Golden Palace Curia on February 22 and the Queen of Peace Curia on March 1. The women’s Legion Our Lady, Mother of Souls Pr. was established on March 3, the men’s Legion Star of the Sea Pr. on March 4, and the women’s Legion Our Lady of Fatima Pr. on March 5, and the dedication Mass for the education hall was celebrated by Bishop Kim Woon-hoe on November 29. The directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea also lists the establishment date as 2009.02.05.

[2010–2013] On February 2010, from 26 to the 27th, following the middle- and high-school Confirmation for District No. 10 (at Ogeum-dong Parish, celebrated by Bishop Luca Kim Woon-hoe, 38 people), there was the parish Confirmation on June 6 (celebrated by Msgr. Matteo Hwang In-guk, 83 people), and on October, from 10 to the 17th, as a Parish Day week event, an all-parishioners pilgrimage to Baeti Shrine (480 people) was held, among other events. There was a sector division and appointment of heads of organizations on December 1, 2011 (Sector 5 was divided into Sector 5 and Sector 6, Sector 6 into Sector 7 and Sector 8, and Sector 7 into Sector 9 and Sector 10), and the chronicle also records a year-end performance contest during Parish Day week events on October. There was Confirmation on June 10, 2012 (celebrated by Msgr. Hwang In-guk, 59 people), on June, from 16 to the 17th, fundraising visits for the Jamsil 7-dong Parish building fund (328 cases), and on December, from 8 to the 9th, visits to pledge building donations for Ogeum-dong Parish. On June 6, 2013 there was a pastoral visit to the parish by District No. 10 (18 priests attending).

[Change of priests (2014)] The chronicle lists the handover of the pastorate on February 13, 2014, the appointment of Father James Lee Chan-hong on February 18, the first Mass of the new pastor on February 19, and the appointment of Father Leo Oh Seok-jun (assistant) on April 22. There was Confirmation on June 8 (celebrated by Msgr. Thomas Aquinas Choi Chang-hwa, 61 people).

[Discussion of new church construction (2014–2016)] According to the chronicle, there were the 1th building-proposal meeting (explaining the advantages and disadvantages of 3 proposals) on September 7, 2014, the 2th building-proposal meeting on September 26, a meeting of the building committee (pastoral council members) on October 5, and an official document sent to and from the diocesan building office and the architectural firm on December 18. On January 2015, from 12 to the 30th, construction plans were explained and prayer texts distributed at Masses in 10 sectors, and at the expanded pastoral council meeting on January 18, the building plan was made public, approved by applause for the new church construction, and it was decided to begin construction in 2016. The parish applied for diocesan building approval on February 13 and received diocesan building approval on March 2 (1 basement floors, 2 above-ground floors), confirmed the results of the diocesan building committee deliberation on April 8, and held the 5th design meeting on April 14 and a building meeting on April 23. At the general building assembly on June 21, 104 of 151 people decided to defer construction (needing to secure funds and improve functionality). Afterwards, there were fundraising events for the building fund such as kimchi sales on September, from 19 to the 20th, and a charity bazaar on October 31, and in 2016 the chronicle records prayers for the church construction and a youth group beer-day fundraiser on August 13 (proceeds for the church building fund).

[Temporary chapel and groundbreaking (2017)] In 2017, the parish raised funds for the church construction through sales of altar kimchi on April 2, seasoned vegetables for bibimbap on April 30, and on May, from 27 to the 28th, seasoned sliced beef. On August, from 10 to the 18th, a nine-day prayer (rosary) was offered to prepare for the move to the temporary chapel, the parish moved to the temporary chapel on August 18 and began Masses in the temporary chapel on August 20. On October 15, the groundbreaking ceremony was held at the new Bangidong church construction site, presided over by Bishop Timothy Yu Gyeong-chon. On November 11, the joint choir presentation of Songpa District No. 10 was held in the main sanctuary of Ogeum-dong Parish.

[Moving into the new church (2019)] The chronicle states that the inaugural Mass (principal parish Mass) in the new church was celebrated on April 14, 2019. There was a welcome Mass for Father Andrea Jeon Myeong-cheol on August 27, and on November 17 a 100-day prayer began to petition for the appointment of an assistant priest to revitalize children, youth, and young adults.

[2021–2025] On June 6, 2021 the parish announced a collection to pay off the church-construction debt and to prepare the assistant priest’s rectory, and on July 4 held a celebration for the pastor’s silver sacerdotal jubilee. Distribution of questions for synodal consultation meetings began on November 28, 2021, and on January 23, 2022 the parish synod operating team was formed, celebrating the opening Mass for the Synod on January 30 and the closing Mass on March 27. There was Confirmation on April 30, 2022, and on November 27 a celebration for the feast day of Pastor Andrea Jeon Myeong-cheol was held. On March 2024, from 16 to the 17th, a collection for the Garak 2-dong Parish building fund is recorded in the chronicle, with Confirmation on June 15 and the 15th Parish Day event (a food festival to help neighbors in need) on June 23. Following a farewell Mass for the pastor on August 25, there was a welcome Mass for Pastor Peter Song Gyeong-seop on September 1, and on February 9, 2025 a celebration for the 35th anniversary of Father Song Gyeong-seop’s ordination was held.

[Pastoral council] The pastoral council introduction on the website gives the establishment year and month as 2009 and explains that, as an advisory body to the pastor, it has committees (men’s and women’s sectors, general affairs and planning, liturgy, education, youth, seniors, church-building management, mission and devotion, life and environment, family and society, public relations, young adults, and the WYD committee). The directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the current number of faithful as 2,500 and the number of Catholic mission chapels as 0.

Jurisdiction and affiliation

The online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the affiliated diocese as the Archdiocese of Seoul, the region and district as East Seoul Region, Songpa District No. 10, the English name as Bangidong Catholic Church, the establishment date as 2009.02.05, the patron as the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the current pastor as Father Peter Song Gyeong-seop.

Related places and people

• Ogeum-dong Parish: recorded in the chronicle as the venue for district events such as the joint choir presentation of Songpa District No. 10 (2017) and Confirmation (2010).
• Bishop Timothy Yu Gyeong-chon: presided over the new-building groundbreaking ceremony on October 15, 2017.
• Bishop Kim Woon-hoe: celebrated the first Mass and the education-hall dedication Mass in 2009.

References and sources

1. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2009)”. Establishment and appointment of first pastor, first Mass, establishment of curiae and Legion, dedication of education hall.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_7
2. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2010)”. District middle- and high-school Confirmation, parish Confirmation, Parish Day week events.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_6
3. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2011)”. Parish Day week events and sector division.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_5
4. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2012)”. Confirmation and fundraising visits for other parishes’ building funds.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_4
5. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2013)”. Pastoral visit to the parish by District No. 10.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_3
6. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2014)”. Change of priests and the 1th–2th building-proposal meetings.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2
7. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2015)”. New church building plan, diocesan building approval, general building assembly.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_1
8. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2016)”. Prayers for church construction and fundraising beer-day event.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2016
9. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2017)”. Move to temporary chapel and new-building groundbreaking ceremony.
   http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2017
10. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2019)”. Inaugural Mass in the new church.
    http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2019
11. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2021)”. Notice of collection to clear church-construction debt, silver jubilee, synodal consultation meetings.
    http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2021
12. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2022)”. Parish synod activities, Confirmation.
    http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2022
13. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2024)”. Parish Day and change of pastor.
    http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2024
14. Bangidong Parish, “Parish History (year 2025)”. Celebration of the 35th anniversary of the pastor’s ordination.
    http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_07_2025
15. Bangidong Parish, “Pastoral Council”. Establishment date of the pastoral council and its committees.
    http://bangi.or.kr/bbs/page.php?hid=b1_02
16. Online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, “Bangidong”. Affiliated diocese and district, establishment date, patron, number of faithful, pastor.
    https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000116&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011