Saddong Catholic Church

Overview

Sadang-dong Church is a parish belonging to Dongjak District No. 14 in the West Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, and is located in Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. On June 22, 1971, it was elevated from a Catholic mission chapel under Myeongsu-dae Parish (present-day Heukseok-dong) to a parish, and its patron is St. James the Apostle. The first pastor was Fr. K. Fleming of the Missionary Society of St. Columban. In 1986, Dongjak-dong Parish and in 1997, Sadang 5-dong Parish were separated from this parish, and the present church was completed in December 1983.

History

[Establishment of the mission chapel] Until the 1960s, the faithful in the Sadang-dong area, who jurisdictionally belonged to Myeongsu-dae Parish, suffered much inconvenience because of the long distance to the parish, and when discussion of establishing a mission chapel arose, Fr. Kim Ok-gyun (Paul), the 4th pastor of Myeongsu-dae Parish, established the Sadang-dong Catholic mission chapel in 1967. The faithful, who had been celebrating mission chapel services in the private house of Yi Yong-jin (James), in early 1970 purchased a site of 400 pyeong and in June of the same year completed a hall of 33 pyeong.

[Elevation to parish] On June 22, 1971, as it was elevated from a Catholic mission chapel under Myeongsu-dae Parish to a parish, Fr. Fleming of the Missionary Society of St. Columban took office as the first pastor, and the number of the faithful at the time was 740. Fr. Fleming remodeled the mission chapel hall for use as a temporary church and in October of that year built the rectory (20 pyeong). The jurisdiction as recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia covers all of Sadang 1-dong, Namhyeon-dong and Bangbae 2-dong, and parts of Sadang 4-dong and Bangbae 3-dong.

[Construction of the church] Fr. J. Murphy, the 2th pastor, demolished the temporary church in April 1974 and in September completed a single-story church of 111 pyeong. Fr. M. McCarthy, the 3th pastor, expanded the church in September 1977 and in February of the following year built the convent. As the church nevertheless became overcrowded, Fr. Im Deok-il, the 4th pastor, in June 1981 secured a site of 75 pyeong near the church, began construction of a new church, and in December 1983 completed the present church.

[Separation and expansion] In May 1984, following Subway Line 2, Line 4 opened in October of the following year, making Sadang-dong a transfer station, and the resident population of the area surged. Fr. Yu Bong-jun, the 5th pastor, on August 16, 1986 separated Dongjak-dong Parish, transferring 1,650 households and 4,672 parish registers. Fr. Lee Bong-woo, who took office as the 6th pastor in February 1989, to revitalize small communities reorganized the district groups into 165 groups, promoting re-education and fellowship of the faithful through group meetings. Fr. An Chung-seok, the 7th pastor, in February 1995 purchased a private house in front of the church and renovated it into the ‘St. James Education Center’ (53 pyeong), and on July 30, 1997 purchased 442 pyeong in the area of 235-57, Sadang 5-dong, as the site for a new parish, separating Sadang 5-dong Parish as of September 26 and transferring 550 households and 1,526 parish registers. At the time described in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the parish had set up a spiritual library to help the spiritual life of the faithful and was continuing its neighbor-love movement, including scholarships through the ‘Peter Daecheol Scholarship Association.’

In 1972 there were 1,450 faithful, in 1978 there were 3,792 faithful, in 1983 there were 8,814 faithful, in 1988 there were 9,052 faithful, in 1993 there were 10,129 faithful, and in 1997 there were 7,080 faithful.

The successive pastors are the 1st, Fr. Fleming (Min) Gabino (1971.6–1972.11), the 2th, Fr. Murphy (Jeon) James (1972.11–1976.4), the 3th, Fr. McCarthy (Ma) Michael (1976.4–1979.12), the 4th, Fr. Im Deok-il Amato (1979.12–1984.9), the 5th, Fr. Yu Bong-jun Thomas (1984.9–1989.2), the 6th, Fr. Lee Bong-woo Thomas Aquinas (1989.2–1994.2), and the 7th, Fr. An Chung-seok Luka (1994.2–).

Architecture and Space

In 1970, on a site of 400 pyeong, a hall of 33 pyeong was built, and it was used as the temporary church after the elevation to parish. In October 1971 the rectory (20 pyeong), in September 1974 a single-story church of 111 pyeong, in September 1977 an expansion of the church, and in February 1978 the convent were built in succession. In June 1981 a nearby site of 75 pyeong was secured and construction of a new building began, and in December 1983 the present church was completed, and in February 1995 the private house in front of the church was renovated into the ‘St. James Education Center’ of 53 pyeong.

Related Places and People

• Myeongsu-dae Parish (present-day Heukseok-dong Parish): the parish that had jurisdiction over the Sadang-dong Catholic mission chapel and transferred jurisdiction with the elevation of Sadang-dong to a parish in June 1971.
• Dongjak-dong Parish: the parish separated from Sadang-dong Parish on August 16, 1986.
• Sadang 5-dong Parish: the parish separated from Sadang-dong Parish on September 26, 1997.
• Missionary Society of St. Columban: the mission society to which the first pastor, Fr. Fleming, belonged.
• Fr. Kim Ok-gyun (Paul): as the 4th pastor of Myeongsu-dae Parish, he established the Sadang-dong Catholic mission chapel in 1967.

References and Sources

1. Korean Church History Research Institute, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Sadang-dong Parish”. Verified the elevation from a mission chapel to a parish on June 22, 1971, the patron St. James the Apostle, the jurisdiction, the statistics, the successive priests, the establishment of the mission chapel and the construction, expansion and new construction of the church, the separation of Dongjak-dong and Sadang 5-dong Parishes, and the neighbor-love activities.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2839
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Sadang-dong”. Verified the affiliated district (Dongjak District No. 14 in the West Seoul Region), the establishment date 1971.06.22, and the patron St. James the Apostle.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000122&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011