Jamshil Church

Overview

Jamsil Church is a parish belonging to Songpa District No. 10 in the Eastern Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul. It was established in 1977 after being separated from Cheongdam-dong Parish and Cheonho-dong Parish, and its patron is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The date of establishment is recorded as on December 7, 1977 in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia and as on December 9, 1977 in the Korean Catholic Directory.

History

In September 1975, when a large-scale municipal apartment complex was built in the eastern Jamsil area under the jurisdiction of Cheonho-dong Parish, a community for the faithful there became necessary, so the Siyoung Catholic mission chapel was opened in 1977. The western Jamsil area under the jurisdiction of Cheongdam-dong Parish was designated as a newly developing district, and as its Catholic population grew and parish-level pastoral care became necessary, the Jamsil Catholic mission chapel was opened on May 14, 1977. As the Catholic population grew rapidly, the diocese decided to establish a parish, and on December 7, 1977, Jamsil Parish was established by combining the Jamsil Catholic mission chapel and the Siyoung Catholic mission chapel. The first pastor, Father Lee Byeong-mun, took office, and at that time the jurisdiction consisted of the Jamsil Jukong Apartments, Jamsil-dong, Sincheon-dong, Samjeon-dong and Bangi-dong in the Jamsil Catholic mission chapel area, and Jamsil 4-dong and Songpa-dong in the Siyoung Catholic mission chapel area. 392 households were incorporated from Cheongdam-dong Parish and 77 households from Cheonho-dong Parish, 469 households in total.

The first pastor, Father Lee Byeong-mun, celebrated the first Mass on December 17, 1977 in a 50-pyeong church on the 2 floor of the Shinsegae shopping arcade, which had been used as the Jamsil Catholic mission chapel. In January 1978, the Jamsil and Siyoung zones were reorganized into 6 districts and 57 small groups, and on February 12 of the same year the parish bulletin “Jamsil” was first published, issuing 700 copies. On April 23, 1978, the parish new-church building committee was formed, and on October 28, a 113-pyeong space on the 3 floor of the Elite shopping arcade in front of the rear gate of Complex 4 was purchased and occupied for use as a temporary church until relocation to a newly built church. On January 15, 1979, a branch house of the Sisters of Caritas was established, on February 25 the 1th pastoral council was formed, and on March 4 a Complex Mass was celebrated. In May of the same year, the Help Curia of the faithful was founded, and on June 10 the Jamsil Youth Group was formed.

The process of separation is as follows. In May 1981, the eastern Jamsil area (Jangmi, Siyoung and Jinju Apartments) was separated as Dongjamsil Parish (now Sincheon-dong). After taking over the Garak Catholic mission chapel belonging to Macheon-dong Parish on June 20, 1982, Garak-dong Parish was separated in August 1983. Seokchon-dong Parish in August 1988, Jamsil 7-dong Parish in October 1993, and Jamsil 5-dong Parish in February 1996 were each separated.

The 2th pastor, Father Kim Jeong-su, began construction of an education center in Sikgeum-ri, Yongin-gun in April 1988 and completed it on April 30 of the following year, holding the blessing ceremony presided over by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan Stefano. This education center was donated to the diocese on April 10, 1998, during the tenure of the 4th pastor, Father Hwang In-guk. On December 6, 1992, together with the celebration of the 15st anniversary of the parish founding, the “History of Jamsil Church for the 15th Anniversary” was published, on April 16, 1995 the youth counseling center ‘Neulpureunteo’ began operating, and on May 3, 1998 the ‘Bible Reading Campaign Involving All Parishioners’ was launched. The 5rd pastor, Father Park Hang-o, arranged a lecture by Father Francis Jeong Wol-gi on October 10, 1998, and launched the ‘100-Day Evangelization Campaign’ on January 30, 1999 and the ‘Campaign to Offer 1 Hundred Million Rosaries’ on June 1. The 6th pastor, Father Park In-seon, held a New Year concert, a 40-week Bible course, an Easter Vigil overnight retreat, a pilgrimage to holy places, a synod discussion forum and other events in 2002, the 25th anniversary year of the parish establishment.

Architecture and Space

On October 28, 1979, it was decided to purchase 341.7 pyeong at 200-3 in Jamsil-dong and to build a church there, and on March 8, 1980 the groundbreaking ceremony for the new church building was held, presided over by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan Stefano. Before the church was fully completed at the end of October 1980, the rectory and the convent were first moved to the newly constructed building, and on March 21, 1981 construction was completed and the dedication ceremony was held, presided over by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan. As the number of the faithful increased rapidly, on June 12, 1981, 53.6 pyeong of land at 200-4 in Jamsil-dong was purchased, and on March 23, 1982 the groundbreaking ceremony for the extension was held; in the following year, on June 4, 1983, construction was completed and the dedication ceremony was held. On July 22, 1996, renovation work was carried out, including restructuring the basement catechetical room and meeting room, expanding the office, and upgrading the electrical capacity.

Related Places and People

• Cheongdam-dong Parish and Cheonho-dong Parish: They are the mother parishes from which Jamsil Parish was separated.
• Sincheon-dong (former Dongjamsil) Parish, Garak-dong Parish, Seokchon-dong Parish, Jamsil 7-dong Parish and Jamsil 5-dong Parish: They are the parishes separated from Jamsil Parish.
• Father Peter Lee Byeong-mun: He was the first pastor, serving from December 1977 to August 1983.

References and Sources

1. Korean Church History Research Institute, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Jamsil Parish.” The establishment on December 7, 1977, the patron Sacred Heart of Jesus, the background of the opening of the Siyoung Catholic mission chapel and the Jamsil Catholic mission chapel, the construction of the church building (groundbreaking in 1980, dedication in 1981) and its extension, the process of separation, and the successive pastors and Catholic population were confirmed.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/5317
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Jamsil.” The affiliated district (Songpa District No. 10 in the Eastern Seoul Region), the establishment date 1977.12.09, the patron Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Sisters of Caritas of Jesus were confirmed.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000208&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011