Gaebong-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Gaebong-dong Church is a parish belonging to Guro District No. 16 in the West Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Gaebong-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, it was separated from Oryu-dong Parish and established on September 4, 1978, and its patron is the Resurrection of Jesus.

History

〔Gaebong-dong Catholic Mission Chapel〕 In February 1976, Kim Myeong-hyeon and 31 other faithful living in Gaebong-dong celebrated Mass in a private house presided over by Father Benedict Choi Ik-cheol, establishing Gaebong-dong Catholic Mission Chapel under the jurisdiction of Oryu-dong Parish. In August of the same year, the chapel moved its hall to ‘Hana Kindergarten’ and held Sunday gatherings, and in December of the following year it leased the 2 floor of Gaebong Central Market and moved there. After the number of faithful grew over about 2 and a half years, the diocese announced its elevation to a parish effective September 4, 1978.

〔Construction of the Church〕 In the time of the first pastor, Father Gabriel Jeon Chang-mun, in June 1979 with the help of the diocese, 306.8 pyeong of land at the present site was purchased and construction of the church was begun in November of the same year. In the time of the 2 pastor, Father Thomas Aquinas Choi Chang-hwa, the church with a total floor area of more than 400 pyeong and its annex facilities (education hall, rectory, convent, auditorium and others) was completed and the dedication ceremony was held. The parish formed the pastoral council and district groups, and organized the Marian Association, the Amicus Association, the Anna Association, the Association for the Deceased, choirs (mothers and youth) and the Legion of Mary, as well as various service and support groups.

〔Record of the Establishment Date〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the establishment date as September 4, 1978, while the online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists it as 1978.08.18, so the two sources differ.

〔Number of Faithful and Successive Pastors〕 The number of faithful was 565 people in 1978, 1,880 people in 1980, 6,142 people in 1988, and 6,659 people in 1993. The successive pastors are recorded as the first Gabriel Jeon Chang-mun (1978. 9~1982. 9), the 2 Thomas Aquinas Choi Chang-hwa (1982. 9~1987. 2), the 3 Thomas Aquinas Kim Jong-guk (1987. 2~1992. 9), and the 4 Francis Jo Yong-guk (1992. 9~).

Jurisdiction and Affiliation

The jurisdictional area recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is the area comprising Gocheok 1, 2 and 3-dong. The online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the affiliated diocese as the Archdiocese of Seoul, the region-district as Guro District No. 16 in the West Seoul Region, the religious congregation as the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, and the patron as the Resurrection of Jesus.

Related Places and People

• Oryu-dong Parish: It is the mother parish from which Gaebong-dong Parish was separated, and Gaebong-dong Catholic Mission Chapel was established as a mission chapel under its jurisdiction.
• Father Benedict Choi Ik-cheol: He presided over the first Mass of the faithful in Gaebong-dong in 1976.
• Hana Kindergarten and Gaebong Central Market: They were used as Sunday gathering places during the mission chapel period.

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, "Gaebong-dong Parish". Separation from Oryu-dong Parish and establishment on September 4, 1978, patron the Resurrection of Jesus, jurisdictional area, establishment of the mission chapel (1976) and elevation to parish, church construction, number of faithful, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/243
2. Online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, "Gaebong-dong". Affiliated diocese and district (Guro District No. 16 in the West Seoul Region), establishment date 1978.08.18, religious congregation (Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing), patron the Resurrection of Jesus.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000038&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011