Sangdo-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Sangdo-dong Church is a parish in Dongjak District No. 14 in the West Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Beginning as a Catholic mission chapel belonging to Myeongsu-dae (now Heukseok-dong) Parish, it was established as a parish in 1966, with the Holy Family as its patron. Its date of establishment is recorded as on December 14, 1966 in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia and as on December 26, 1966 in the Korean Catholic Directory.

History

As the number of the faithful in the Sangdo-dong area under the jurisdiction of Myeongsu-dae Parish increased, the faithful met around Easter in 1963 and resolved to establish a parish. On July 13 of the following year, they rented a building at 625 Sangdo-dong and prepared a hall, and on August 15, with the establishment of the Sangdo-dong Catholic mission chapel, they organized the “Preparatory Committee for Founding the Sangdo-dong–Noryangjin District Parish” and began raising funds. The faithful purchased 135 pyeong of the present church site on March 13, 1965 and an additional 80 pyeong on July 9 of the following year, and with the establishment of Sangdo-dong Parish, Father Joseph Kim Byeong-il took office as the first pastor.

As the number of the faithful in Sangdo-dong Parish grew, several parishes were separated from it. Bongcheon-dong Parish was separated on August 10, 1969, Sillim-dong Parish on September 11, Noryangjin-dong Parish on December 15, 1971, Bongcheon 1-dong Parish on August 21, 1981, and on September 6, 1995 the church registers of 223 households and 775 members from Sangdo 3-dong were transferred to the newly established Sindaebang-dong Parish. In February 1970, a branch house of the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was established within the parish.

Architecture and Space

After purchasing an additional 38 pyeong of land in September 1967, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 14 of the following year, and on November 5, 1968 a church with an area of 130 pyeong was completed and a dedication ceremony was held. On May 16, 1974, 46 pyeong of land was additionally purchased to secure a total of 334 pyeong, and as the expansion plan was changed to a new construction plan, a church with 1 underground floor and 3 above-ground floors (total floor area 259 pyeong) and a rectory and convent (total 140 pyeong) were dedicated on August 25, 1979. On December 13, 1982, 159 pyeong of nearby land was purchased and expansion work was begun, completed on August 5, 1984, and on July 9, 1995 a new rectory, convent and other facilities with 3 above-ground floors and 1 underground floors were completed. In the following year, a garden and a Marian garden were created and church repair work was carried out.

Related Places and People

• Heukseok-dong (Myeongsu-dae) Parish: The mother parish to which the Sangdo-dong Catholic mission chapel belonged.
• Bongcheon-dong, Sillim-dong, Noryangjin-dong, Bongcheon 1-dong and Sindaebang-dong Parishes: Parishes separated from Sangdo-dong Parish or that received transferred church registers.
• Father Joseph Kim Byeong-il: The first pastor, serving from December 1966 to April 1969.

References and Sources

1. Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Sangdo-dong Parish”. Confirmed the elevation from a Catholic mission chapel under Myeongsu-dae Parish to a parish (on December 14, 1966), the patron Holy Family, the establishment of the mission chapel and the organization of the preparatory committee, land purchases, church construction and expansion, and the separated parishes.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3073
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Sangdo-dong”. Confirmed the affiliated district (Dongjak District No. 14), the establishment date 1966.12.26, and the patron Holy Family.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000130&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011