Garak-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Garak-dong Church is a parish in the 10 Songpa Deanery of the East Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Songpa-gu, Seoul. It was established in 1983 through separation from Jamsil Parish, and its patron is St. Paul Chong Hasang. The Garak-dong area is the home of a long-standing faith community originating from the ‘Ganagol Catholic mission chapel’ established as a Catholic mission chapel in 1903 by Father Du Se of Yakhyeon Parish. The establishment date is recorded as on August 28, 1983 in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia and as on August 16, 1983 in the Korean Catholic Directory, respectively.

History

The Garak-dong area originally belonged to Yakhyeon Parish (now Jungnim-dong Parish) and formed a faith community early on, first gathering at the house of Agatha Park. Father Du Se (Jeonggami), the first pastor of Yakhyeon Parish, visited this community in 1903 and established it formally as a Catholic mission chapel. At that time it was called the ‘Ganagol Catholic mission chapel’ (Garak-ri, Jungdae-myeon, Gwangju-gun, lot 25), and the faithful numbered 23, including the Jamsil and Songpa areas. The faithful remodeled the chicken farm of chairman Joseph Hong Jong-gwan and used it as a hall (on the site of the present Useong Apartments), devoting themselves to evangelization, so that by around 1910 they had grown to more than 120, more than any neighboring mission chapel. After undergoing liberation and the 6·25 War and with the construction of Pyeonghwa Village on the Useong Apartments site, the community grew to about 300 households, and in 1968 the faithful secured city-owned land with funds of 60 ten thousand won and built a 14-pyeong mission chapel, holding the blessing ceremony on November 18 of the same year officiated by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan. This hall was demolished in 1981 and a new hall was built on the site of the present Songpa Agricultural Cooperative Garak Branch.

The mission-chapel period lasted a long time, so its affiliated parish changed several times. In October 1927 it belonged to Baekdong Parish (now Hyehwa-dong Parish), in 1948 to Sindang-dong Parish, in 1958 to Cheonho-dong Parish, and in 1971, after the establishment of Geoyeo-dong Parish (now Macheon-dong Parish), it belonged there. After Jamsil Parish was established in December 1977, Dongjamsil Parish (now Sincheon-dong Parish) was established in 1981, and the jurisdiction was adjusted on June 20, 1982, the Garak-dong mission chapel came to belong to Jamsil Parish. At that time there were 235 households and 769 faithful. With the help of Father Peter Yi Byeong-mun of Jamsil Parish, the faithful provided catechesis for catechumens, moved the hall to the 3 floor of Yunseong Building at 297-17 Seokchon-dong, opened a Sunday school, organized Legion groups by Garak apartment complex, and otherwise prepared for elevation to parish status.

It was elevated to a parish in August 1983, and the following month the faithful moved the church to the 4 floor of Eommason Shopping Center at 277-2 Seokchon-dong and welcomed the first pastor, Father Peter Bae Gap-jin. They formed a pastoral council and drew up a basic pastoral plan, invited sisters from the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and launched various apostolic organizations. In September 1988 Seokchon-dong Parish was newly established and 440 households and 735 faithful in Seokchon-dong and Samjeon-dong were transferred to it, but the parish continued to grow, exceeding 1 in 1991. Accordingly, in July 1993 a committee for parish division was formed to raise reserve funds for a new parish division. In July 1990 Father Francis Kim Byeong-do became the 2 pastor.

Architecture and Space

In 1984 the present church site was secured and the following year a ‘Church Building Committee’ was formed, and after a groundbreaking ceremony in 1986, the blessing ceremony was held on December 8, 1989 officiated by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, 3 years later.

Related Places and People

• Yakhyeon Parish (now Jungnim-dong Parish): the parish that established the Garak-dong area as a mission chapel in 1903.
• Jamsil Parish: the mother parish from which Garak-dong Parish was separated.
• Seokchon-dong Parish: newly established in September 1988, receiving part of the faithful from Garak-dong Parish.
• Paul Chong Hasang: the patron saint of Garak-dong Parish.

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Garak-dong Parish”. Confirmed the establishment through separation from Jamsil Parish on August 28, 1983, the patron St. Paul Chong Hasang, the Ganagol mission-chapel period and changes in affiliated parishes, church construction (groundbreaking in 1986, blessing in 1989), and parish growth and successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/12
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Garak-dong”. Confirmed the affiliated district (10 Songpa Deanery of the East Seoul Region), the establishment date 1983.08.16, and the patron St. Paul Chong Hasang.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000030&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011