Garak 2-dong Church

Overview

Garak2-dong Church is a parish belonging to the No. 10 Songpa District of the East Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, whose patron is ‘Jesus, the Good Shepherd.’ Established in February 2009 with Garak-dong Church and Munjeong-dong Church as mother parishes, it used a remodeled ordinary building as its church, began construction of a new church in September 2023 and completed it in April 2025. The Catholic Times reported that the dedication ceremony for the new church would be held on June 1, 2025, presided over by Archbishop Sun-taek Jeong.

History

[Establishment (2009)] Good News parish information records the establishment date of Garak2-dong Church as 2009-02-05. The Seoul Weekly Bulletin quotation (Seoul Weekly Bulletin of December 25, 2019, p. 1) in the gallery of the same parish information states that Garak2-dong Church was established in February 2009 with Garak-dong Church and Munjeong-dong Church as mother parishes. According to the explanation, after remodeling an ordinary building for use as a church, the parish blessing ceremony and dedication Mass were offered on February 22, and it continued local mission activities, including catechesis and Mass for staff working at the Seongdong Detention Center and soldiers of the Guard Training Unit for missionary purposes. The Catholic Times reports that this parish separated from Garak-dong Parish and was newly established on February 22, 2009. The establishment date is recorded differently in Good News and the Bishops’ Conference directory (2009.02.05) and in the Catholic Times (newly established on February 22).

[Construction of the new church (2021~2025)] According to the Catholic Times (issue 3443 of May 25, 2025, p. 5), the former church was located underground, suffered repeated flooding from monsoon rains and freezing damage in winter, and its aging raised the risk of accidents. In May 2021, the then pastor, the late Father Jae-young Song (James), gathered the will of the faithful and established a plan for a new church. Construction of the new church began in September 2023 and was completed in April 2025. Over 2 years, the parish community raised building funds through fundraising in 31 parishes in the diocese, and about 30% of all households, or 105 households, took part in the ‘campaign to donate 1 pyeong or more.’ The builder was Uryung Construction, and the newspaper reports that it was completed without requests for additional costs despite being its first church construction.

[Dedication ceremony] The Catholic Times reported that the dedication ceremony for the new church would be held at Jungdae-ro 20-gil 20 in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on June 1, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., presided over by the diocesan bishop, Archbishop Sun-taek Jeong (Peter). Father Seung-hwan Cho (John the Apostle), who took office in February 2023, told the newspaper, ‘With the great grace of God, the help of benefactors, and the prayers and devotion of the faithful of Garak2-dong, we have been able to dedicate a small but beautiful church.’ In the Good News parish information gallery, the photo ‘New Church of Garak2-dong Church’ was registered on August 14, 2025, and the exterior photo on May 28, 2025.

[Size of the new church] The Catholic Times describes the size of the new church as a building with a site of 510.90㎡, a building area of 275.23㎡, and a total floor area of 1,748.43㎡, with 2 basement floor and 5 above-ground floors. The church on floors 3·4 has 160 seats, and an AV system was installed so that on Easter and Christmas Mass can also be attended by video and audio transmission in the auditorium on basement floor 2.

Jurisdiction and Affiliation

The Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists its affiliation as the No. 10 Songpa District of the East Seoul Region, English name Garak 2dong Catholic Church, establishment date 2009.02.05, patron Jesus, the Good Shepherd, number of faithful 2,024, and number of Catholic mission chapels 0. Good News parish information names Father Hyeong-min Ha as district head.

Related Places and People

• Garak-dong Church and Munjeong-dong Church: the mother parishes of Garak2-dong Church according to the Seoul Weekly Bulletin quotation.
• Father Seung-hwan Cho, John the Apostle: the current pastor. The parish homepage biography lists New Priests’ School on December 14, 2000, assistant priest in Daerim-dong in 2005, assistant priest in Wolgye-dong in 2007, assistant priest in Mok-dong in 2012, associate pastor in Hangang in 2016, pastor in Jongam-dong in 2017, and pastor in Garak2-dong on February 7, 2023.
• Father Jae-young Song, James: the parish homepage states that he was ordained a priest on July 5, 2002, took office as pastor in Garak2-dong in February 2019, and died on January 28, 2023. The Catholic Times reports that he established the new church plan in May 2021.
• Father Seong-ho Yun, Augustine: the parish homepage biography lists priestly ordination on February 4, 1989, pastor in Garak2-dong in February 2014, pastor in Yongsan on February 12, 2019, and pastor in Gaebong-dong on February 13, 2024.
• Father Dong-hyeon Kim, Florentius: introduced on the parish homepage as ordained on February 6, 2015, assistant priest in Garak2-dong on February 14, 2017, and assistant priest in Nangok-dong on February 12, 2019.

References and Sources

1. The Catholic Times, ‘[Congratulations on the Dedication of the New Church] Garak2-dong Parish, Archdiocese of Seoul’ (2025.05.25, No. 3443, p. 5). Background of the new construction, construction period, size, fundraising, and dedication schedule.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/20250514500093
2. Good News Catholic Directory, Garak2-dong Church parish information. Establishment date 2009-02-05, and the Seoul Weekly Bulletin quotation on the mother parishes, remodeling, and dedication Mass.
   https://maria.catholic.or.kr/mobile/church/bondang_view.asp?orgnum=2813
3. Garak2-dong Church homepage, ‘Parish Information’. Biographies of the parish priests.
   https://www.bonuspastor.kr/info
4. Online directory of the Bishops’ Conference of Korea, ‘Garak2-dong’. District affiliation, establishment date, patron, and number of faithful.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000031&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011