Sincheon-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Sincheon-dong Church is a parish belonging to the 10 Songpa District of the East Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul. Separated from Jamsil Church, it was established on May 8, 1981, and its patron is Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon. The church building was dedicated on October 9, 1985, officiated by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, and was consecrated again after expansion in 2011.

History

[Establishment] According to the parish history, on May 8, 1981, it was separated from Jamsil Church and newly approved as “Dongjamsil Catholic Church.” At that time its location was Floor 5 of Building B shopping arcade in Jangmi Apartment Complex, Jamsil 6-dong, Gangdong-gu (leased 112 pyeong), and its jurisdiction covered Jangmi, Siyeong, Jinju and Miseong Apartments and parts of Songpa 1-dong and Bangi-dong, with 471 households and 1,544 members. On May 20 the first pastor, Father Kim Ja-mun Nereo, took office, on September 13 the 1th pastoral council (first president Lee Sang-eun Aosting) was formed, and on November 11 the parish name was changed to “Sincheon-dong Catholic Church.”

[Construction of the church building] On February 28, 1982, the church space was expanded from 112 pyeong to 220 pyeong, and on April 24 a founding meeting for church construction was held (attended by Bishop Gyeong Gap-ryong). On April 29 a sales contract was concluded with Seoul Metropolitan Government for the new church site (Sincheon-dong, Gangdong-gu 11-2, 692.38 pyeong). On August 3 the Ogeum-dong Catholic mission chapel (93 households, 315 members), formerly under Macheon-dong Parish, was incorporated into Sincheon-dong Parish, and on November 15 the church construction committee (chairman Yu Hyeon-jong Joseph) was launched.

On September 11, 1983, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new church building was held. The design was by the Architecture and Culture Research Institute and the construction by Far East Construction Co., Ltd., with a total floor area of 950 pyeong (one basement floor 1 and 3 floors above ground). On May 6, 1984, a bazaar was held to raise funds for the new building (Sincheon-dong market day), and on October 1 the community moved into the church building under construction. On October 9, 1985, the dedication ceremony was celebrated, officiated by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan.

[Divisions] On October 13, 1989, the division of Ogeum-dong Church was officially approved. On November 18, 1998, the subdivision promotion committee (chairman Lee Hae-geol Aosting) was launched, and on March 14, 2000, a sales contract was concluded for the Songpa-dong church building (Songpa-dong 134-2, site 391 pyeong, 953 pyeong with 1 basement floor and 4 floors above ground). On September 7 the division of Songpa-dong Church was officially approved, and on September 16 believers in Bangi Districts 1, 2 and 3 and in the Songpa District, 657 households and 1,922 members, were transferred.

[1990s–2000s] On May 12, 1991, a Mass was offered to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the parish founding. In 1996, records note the ordination on July 5 of Father Lee Sang-yong John the Apostle, from this parish (at Gaepo-dong Church, officiated by Bishop Choi Chang-mu), veneration of the relics of Father Kim Dae-geon and an all-night prayer meeting on September 9–10, and participation on September 15 in the faith rally for the 150th anniversary of Father Kim Dae-geon’s martyrdom (at Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium, hosted by the Archdiocese of Seoul). On July 4, 1999, the statue of the patron Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon was blessed. There were a Parish Day event on May 13, 2001, for the 20th anniversary of the parish founding, the ordination on July 5, 2002, of the parish’s second priest, Father Kang Ju-seok Peter (at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, officiated by Bishop Jeong Jin-seok), and an elevator groundbreaking on March 28, 2004, completed on October 3.

[Repair and expansion of the church building] On May 5, 2010, the committee for compiling the 30-year parish history was launched. After a bazaar to raise funds for repair and expansion (March 21, total proceeds 15,607,340 won) and a concert (April 9, total revenue 19,441,600 won), a groundbreaking Mass was offered on July 4 (officiated by Monsignor Hwang In-guk) and construction began on July 10. On April 23, 2011, the entrance Mass into the main church hall was celebrated as the Easter Vigil Mass, and on August 21 the consecration and dedication Mass was celebrated, officiated by Cardinal Nicholas Jeong Jin-seok (diocesan bishop). On August 14 the believers’ rest café, Cafe Naru, opened.

[Successive pastors] The pastors appearing in the history are the first, Father Kim Ja-mun Nereo (took office on May 20, 1981), the 2th, Benedict Choi Ik-cheol (August 29, 1986), the 3th, Gabriel Jeon Chang-mun (September 5, 1991), the 4st, Francis Lee Hae-uk (October 11, 1996), the 5nd, Thomas Han Man-ok (October 10, 1997), the 6rd, Francis Xavier Kim Gwang-sik (October 1, 2002), the 7th, Paul Han Jeong-gwan (September 16, 2003), and the 8th, Andrew Song Cheon-o (September 2, 2008; Father Han Jeong-gwan was transferred to Sindang-dong).

Religious meaning and visiting context

The parish homepage introduced it as a designated church for plenary indulgence during the jubilee year for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon (November 29, 2020–November 27, 2021). The homepage presents the life of the patron Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon (birth, baptism, first steps, martyrdom, tomb, last letter).

Jurisdiction and affiliation

In the online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea it is listed with affiliated diocese the Archdiocese of Seoul, region-district the 10 Songpa District of the East Seoul Region, date of establishment 1981.05.08, patron Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon, and number of Catholic mission chapels 0.

Related places and people

• Jamsil Church: the parish from which Sincheon-dong Parish was separated.
• Macheon-dong Parish: the parish to which the Ogeum-dong Catholic mission chapel belonged before incorporation into Sincheon-dong Parish.
• Ogeum-dong Church: divided from Sincheon-dong Parish in 1989.
• Songpa-dong Church: divided from Sincheon-dong Parish in 2000.
• Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon: the patron saint of the parish.

References and sources

1. Sincheon-dong Church (former parish homepage), “Parish History” 1980s. Establishment in 1981 and jurisdiction, church construction process, dedication in 1985, division of Ogeum-dong Church.
   http://ch.catholic.or.kr/shinchon/htm/1sd_y1980.htm
2. Sincheon-dong Church (former parish homepage), “Parish History” 1990s. Pastoral history, 10th anniversary of parish founding, events for the 150th anniversary of Father Kim Dae-geon’s martyrdom, subdivision promotion committee.
   http://ch.catholic.or.kr/shinchon/htm/1sd_y1990.htm
3. Sincheon-dong Church (former parish homepage), “Parish History” 2000s. Division of Songpa-dong Church, ordinations of priests from the parish, successive pastors, elevator installation.
   http://ch.catholic.or.kr/shinchon/htm/1sd_y2000.htm
4. Sincheon-dong Church (former parish homepage), “Parish History” 2010s. Repair and expansion work and consecration and dedication of the church building in 2011.
   http://ch.catholic.or.kr/shinchon/htm/1sd_y2010.htm
5. Online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, “Sincheon-dong.” Affiliated diocese and district, date of establishment 1981.05.08, patron.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000174&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011