Beondong Catholic Church

Overview

Beondong Church is a parish belonging to Dobong-Gangbuk District No. 6 in the Central Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Beondong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul. It was established on August 16, 1983, receiving parts of its jurisdiction from Changdong, Suyu-dong and Jangwi-dong parishes, and its patron is the Nativity of Mary. Construction of the church was long postponed due to military protection zone and natural green area regulations, and the church of its present scale was completed only in 1993 after going through a temporary church.

History

[Establishment of the Parish] The present Beondong and Changdong areas were originally under the pastoral jurisdiction of Changdong Parish, but as the number of the faithful grew sharply in the 1980s, division of the parish was discussed. Changdong Parish purchased 405 pyeong at the site of the present parish in 1982 and formed a preparatory committee for the establishment of a new parish on July 4 of the following year. On August 16, 1983, Beondong Parish was established, receiving parts of the jurisdiction from Changdong, Suyu-dong and Jangwi-dong parishes.

[Temporary Church Period] The site that Changdong Parish had purchased was designated as a natural green area and a military protection zone, so construction of the church was postponed for a time. The parish used the basement building (50 pyeong) at 581-75 Chang 2-dong in Sinchang Market as a temporary church, and then, on condition of returning it to the diocese, received from the diocese a site of 140 pyeong at 578-54 Chang 2-dong, began construction of a new temporary church on October 19, 1985, and completed it and moved in on November 29. Then, by June 1990, it purchased one after another the row houses right behind the church, 8 households (total 157 pyeong), moved there the rectory and the convent, which had moved from place to place, and also secured classrooms for Sunday school catechesis.

[Construction of the New Church] The original site of Beondong Parish was released from the military protection zone under Ministry of Construction Notice No. 335 on July 29, 1986, and in June 1991 received notice from the City of Seoul of release from the natural green area. Construction of the new church began on November 17, 1991, the parish moved into the new church while still under construction on August 23, 1993, and on September 25 completed a church with a total floor area of 1,260 pyeong, with 2 basement floor and 3 above-ground floors, and held the consecration ceremony on October 24. At that time it published the “10-Year History of Beondong Catholic Church,” containing the history of the parish. In May 1996, it collected the opinions of the faithful through a survey and reflected them in pastoral ministry.

[Church Growth and Successive Pastors] The numbers of the faithful recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are 2,220 in 1983, 4,349 in 1988, 6,104 in 1992, and 6,562 in 1996. The successive pastors are recorded as the first, Jeon Tae-jun (Henrico) (1983. 8–1987. 2), the 2 pastor, Choi Dong-jin (Bernardo) (1987. 2–1994. 3), the 3 pastor, Jeong Ui-deok (Paul) (1994. 3–1996. 3), and the 4 pastor, Park No-heon (John Chrysostom) (1996. 3–).

Jurisdiction and Affiliation

The jurisdiction recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is all of Beon 1–3-dong and Chang 2 and 3-dong, and part of Wolgye-dong. According to the online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, the date of establishment is 1983.08.16, the patron is the Nativity of Mary, the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters are listed as the sisters’ congregation, and it belongs to Dobong-Gangbuk District No. 6 in the Central Seoul Region.

Related Places and People

• Changdong Parish: It is the mother parish that purchased the Beondong site and prepared the division of the parish.
• Suyu-dong Parish: It is a parish that transferred part of its jurisdiction to Beondong Parish.
• Jangwi-dong Parish: It is a parish that transferred part of its jurisdiction to Beondong Parish.

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Beondong Parish.” Established separately from Changdong, Suyu-dong and Jangwi-dong parishes on August 16, 1983, patron Nativity of Mary, jurisdiction, temporary church period, release from the military protection zone and natural green area and completion and consecration of the church in 1993, church growth, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2431
2. Online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, “Beondong.” Affiliated diocese and district (Central Seoul Region, Dobong-Gangbuk District No. 6), date of establishment 1983.08.16, sisters’ congregation (Olivetan Benedictine Sisters), patron.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000119&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011