Daerim-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Daerim-dong Church is a parish belonging to the 15 Yeongdeungpo-Geumcheon District of the West Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Daerim-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. On May 25, 1976, it was separated and established from Dorim-dong Parish and Daebang-dong Parish, and its patron is St. Paul. The Catholic Directory of Korea lists its establishment date as May 25, 1976.

History

[Catholic Mission Chapel Era] Catholics living around present-day Daerim-dong and Daebang-dong (then Buk-myeon, Siheung-gun, Gyeonggi-do) and Singil-dong (then Habuk-myeon, Siheung-gun) attended Mass at Yeongdeungpo (now Dorim-dong) Parish, which was the only Catholic church in the Yeongdeungpo area until just after 6·25. Later, the Seoul Province of the Salesian Society was established and took part in the pastoral care of this area, and in December 1967, when the Salesian monastery church was newly built in Daerim-dong (then Sindorim-dong), nearby Catholics began celebrating Sunday Mass there. As attendance grew, the Daerim-dong Catholic mission chapel was opened with the monastery as its base in January 1971, and in April 1971 a Praesidium of the Legion of Mary was founded. Each year about 100 people were baptized, a temporary parish register was kept in 1972, and in 1974 the number of the faithful reached about 1,000.

[Foundation and Development] As the Catholic mission chapel grew to parish size, with a pastoral council organized, Father Kim Yeong-hwan took office as pastor in January 1976 to prepare for the establishment of the parish. In March of the same year, the diocese purchased 301 pyeong of land for a new church building, and on May 25 the Daerim-dong Catholic mission chapel was raised to a parish. On March 31, 1979, a branch house of the Sisters of the Blessed Korean Martyrs was established. Organized by the convent and the liturgy subcommittee, a Holy Hour has been held every month since March 1987, and each group makes a pilgrimage to holy places 1 times a year. Starting with Parish Day commemorating the 10th anniversary of the parish establishment in 1986, one day in October each year has been designated as Parish Day, with events such as athletic meetings. In February 1987 the Daerim Scholarship Society was launched to help parish students and students at local Catholic mission chapels, and since 1989, blood donations have been held every year at the parish as part of the ‘One Heart, One Body Movement.’

Within the parish boundaries are the Don Bosco Youth Center, the Salesian Working Youth Dormitory, the Salesian Sisters Convent, and others; it is said that there is no formal consultative body with these groups but that they maintain a mutually complementary relationship. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia notes that, as the resident population has grown with the demolition of factories and the construction of apartment complexes and as the number of faithful employed in commercial and office work has increased, the parish is readjusting its pastoral direction.

The jurisdiction recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is Daerim 1–3-dong, Singil 5–6-dong, and Sindaebang-dong. The successive pastors are the first, Paul Kim Yeong-hwan (January 1976–May 1980), the 2 pastor Isidore Park Hui-bong (May 1980–March 1983), the 3 pastor John Lee Gye-gwang (March 1983–August 1988), the 4 pastor Dionysius Kim Jeong-jik (August 1988–September 1992), and the 5 pastor John Kim Gu-hui (September 1992–). Church statistics are 2,405 members in 1976, 4,049 members in 1980, 8,076 members in 1985, 10,141 members in 1990, and 9,153 members in 1994.

Architecture and Space

On September 30, 1976, construction of a new church began, and on September 16, 1978, a new church with a total floor area of 360 pyeong was blessed and dedicated. As the number of the faithful increased and expansion became necessary, 194.8 pyeong of nearby land was purchased in March 1981, nearby houses of 45 pyeong each were purchased in September 1982 and January 1984 respectively, and on December 29, 1985, an expanded church with a total floor area of 680 pyeong was completed.

Religious Meaning and Visiting Context

According to the Catholic Directory of Korea, the parish’s congregation of sisters is the Sisters of Divine Providence.

Related Places and People

• Dorim-dong (Yeongdeungpo) Parish and Daebang-dong Parish: the parishes from which Daerim-dong Parish was separated.
• Salesian Society: the religious congregation that newly built its monastery church in Daerim-dong in 1967, which became the basis for the Catholic mission chapel.
• Sisters of the Blessed Korean Martyrs: established a branch house in the parish on March 31, 1979.

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Daerim-dong Parish.” The separation and establishment from Dorim-dong and Daebang-dong Parishes on May 25, 1976, the patron St. Paul, the Catholic mission chapel era, the construction and expansion of the church, parish activities, successive priests, and church statistics were verified.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1257
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Catholic Directory of Korea, “Daerim-dong.” The affiliated district (15 Yeongdeungpo-Geumcheon District, West Seoul Region), establishment date 1976.05.25, patron St. Paul, and the Sisters of Divine Providence were verified.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000068&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011