Suseo-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Suseo-dong Parish is a parish belonging to Gangnam District No. 11 in the East Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, with the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as its patron. Established on September 24, 1992, it began construction of a new church at its present site (Suseo-dong lot No. 739) in 1993, celebrated the Mass for occupancy and blessing of the new church on March 31, 1996, and celebrated the church dedication Mass on September 18, 1999. It divided Ilwon-dong Parish in 1994 and Segok-dong Parish in 2017.

History

[Establishment and church construction (1992–1999)] The parish homepage’s ‘Parish History’ records the parish establishment on September 24, 1992, the appointment of the first pastor Father Boniface Park Hui-won on October 8, and the first Mass on October 11. The Digital Gangnam Culture Encyclopedia gives the original site as Wonil Building, 639-7, Ilwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, and the present address as 199 Gwangpyeong-ro, Gangnam-gu (Suseo-dong 739). According to the history, construction of the new church began on August 9, 1993, Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan made a pastoral visit to the parish on November 12, and the parish moved to its present site at Suseo-dong lot No. 739 on November 19. On February 22, 1994, it divided the Ilwon-dong church (the culture encyclopedia states that Ilwon-dong Parish was established by separation from Gaepo-dong Parish and Suseo-dong Parish). There were the Mass for occupancy and blessing of the new church on March 31, 1996, the groundbreaking for the rectory on March 1, 1999, and the church dedication Mass on September 18. On July 5, 1997, Father James Jeon Dae-gyu was ordained, on October 1, 1999, the 2th pastor Father Francis Xavier Choi Yong-rok took office, and on December 3, the first assistant priest Father James Kim Jae-young took office.

[2000–2010] According to the history, the 3th pastor Father Thomas Aquinas Kim Jun-cheol took office on September 19, 2000, and the Holy Family Mountaineering Club was founded on August 20 and the Holy Family Prayer Group on October 11. Father Stephen Bae Han-sang was ordained on December 13. In 2001, the Seong Pachi Pico Association (July 1) and the Ministry for the Dying (August 29) were founded, and in 2002, the Rosary Society of the Bouquet of Roses (July 12) and the Cecilia Choir (August 3) were founded. On October 20, 2002, it held the Mass and events for the 10th anniversary of the parish foundation and produced the parish logo, while the culture encyclopedia dates the 10th anniversary event to October 22, 2002. On January 18, 2003, it installed an elevator and on November 24 held the 1th Autumn Concert (at the Gangnam Community Center). On May 1, 2004, it founded the Youth Federation. In July 2005, Deacon Paul Park Jun-yong was produced (ordained deacon on July 7), and on October 4, the 4st pastor Father Barnabas Choi Jun-ung took office. Recorded are the diaconal ordination of Bernard John Lee Jun-seok on June 24, 2006, the pastoral visit of Bishop Kim Woon-hoe on May 17, 2007, the priestly ordination of Lee Jun-seok on June 25, and the priestly ordination of Park Jun-yong on July 6. There was the 1nd Memorial Service for the Dead on November 27, 2008, and on August 17, 2010, the 5rd pastor Father Andrew Kim Dae-geon Im Sang-man took office.

[2011–2015: Preparation of the Segok-dong church] On January 1, 2011, 1,600 people attended the New Year Family Dedication Mass, zone Masses began on February 24, and the Unitas Choir was founded on March 26. On February 28, 2012, it began the family blessing rite for the Segok-dong area, and on April 21 began the Seumu-gori pilgrimages to shrines by zone under the theme ‘20 years together, dreaming of 100 years’. There were the pastoral visit of Monsignor Hwang In-guk on June 5 and the 20th anniversary events of the parish foundation (festival yard and sharing yard) on October 6–7. On January 30, 2013, it blessed the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, on May 9 signed the land purchase contract for the (tentatively named) Segok-dong church, and on September 29 founded the Parish Life Committee. On May 25, 2014, there was the unveiling of the bird’s-eye view of the Segok-dong church, and Confirmation (Bishop Peter Chung Soon-taek) on November 29. On January 10, 2015, it celebrated the funeral Mass of the 2st pastor Father Francis Xavier Choi Yong-rok. On March 29, it held the groundbreaking Mass for the Segok-dong church at the new church site with 950 participants, and held the blessing of the Madonna and Child statue in the 1rd-floor lobby on August 19 and of the Christ the Gospel statue on December 20.

[2016–2017: Completion and division of Segok-dong Parish] On March 20, 2016, it celebrated the ridge-beam Mass (1,080 participants) at the new church construction site, and Confirmation (Bishop Chung) was held on May 22. On October 23, there was the Cross dedication Mass for the new church (Segok-dong church), and on December 23 the concert commemorating completion of Segok-dong church. On January 22, 2017, at 10 a.m., the dedication of Segok-dong church was celebrated by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung. On February 14, the division of Segok-dong Parish (with 3,043 faithful) took place, and on the same day the 6th pastor Father Martin Kim Seung-gu and the 1th associate pastor Father Clement Seo Jeong-hun took office. On June 2, it renewed the parish homepage and from May 28 began carrying the faithful communication column ‘Fountain of Suseo’ on page 7 of the parish bulletin.

[2018–2021] In 2018, it made parish shrine pilgrimages from the Gapgot, Jinmuyeong and Ilmanwi Martyrs Memorial Garden in Ganghwa on July 7 to Yanggeun Shrine, Gom-sil Catholic mission chapel and Jukrim-dong Parish on December 1 (the 1th–5th pilgrimages), and there were the pastoral visit of Bishop Yoo Kyung-chon on December 4 and the appointment of the 12th assistant priest Father Peter Jung Hyun-mok on February 13. From January 2019 to February 2020, the 6th–16th shrine pilgrimages continued (Galmaemot and Gongseri; Waegogae, Saenamteo, Danggogae, Seosomun and Gwanghuimun; Darakgol in Cheongyang; Solmoe and Sinri; Naba-wi and Yeosan; Gyesan Cathedral; Chi-myeongsan and Jeondong Church). On February 12, 2019, Associate Pastor Father Sixtus Lee Jeong-jun took office, Bible reading through began on March 24, and relay Bible copying began on May 5. There were the new priest ordinations of Joseph Choi Seok-su and Anthony Noh Dong-jun on February 7, 2020, the first Masses of the new priests on February 9, and the appointment of the 13th assistant priest Father John the Baptist Hyeon Jong-min on February 18. From February 26, Masses were suspended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and video Masses began at the parish on December 24. On February 16, 2021, the 3nd associate pastor Father Stephen Noh Su-jang took office, Confirmation (celebrated by Cardinal Yeom) was held on April 15, and the booklet of faithfuls’ faith testimonies ‘Fountain of Suseo’ was published on December 15.

[2022–2026] On February 8, 2022, the 7th pastor Father Peter Jang Hui-dong and the 14th assistant priest Father Daniel Ju Yeong-jun took office, and on September 25 it held the thanksgiving Mass and events for the 30th anniversary of the parish foundation. There were the pastoral visit of Bishop Yoo Kyung-chon on April 26, 2023, the 31th Parish Day thanksgiving Mass on September 24, and Confirmation (celebrated by Bishop Son Hee-song) on November 8. On February 13, 2024, Associate Pastor Father Peter Park Bae-won took office, and on November 28 it held the 1th kimjang sharing event. On February 18, 2025, Cooperating Priest Father Abraham Jeon Gyeong-pyo and Assistant Priest Father John the Apostle Park Jin-ho took office, and on September 21 it held the 32th Parish Day thanksgiving Mass and events (bibimbap sharing). On February 19, 2026, the 8st pastor Father Gabriel Yoon Jong-sang took office.

Jurisdiction and Affiliation

The parish overview on the history page gives the jurisdiction as Ilwon-dong and Suseo-dong, the number of zones and ban groups as 20 zones and 104 ban groups, and the number of faithful as 7,465. The Digital Gangnam Culture Encyclopedia describes the jurisdiction as Segok-dong, Yulhyeon-dong, Jagok-dong, Suseo-dong, Ilwonbon-dong and others, the number of faithful as of 2016 as 8,852, and states that 16 divisions under the parish council chairperson and 27 affiliated organizations including the Legion, the Association for the Deceased and M.E. are active. The Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference directory lists the affiliation as Gangnam District No. 11 in the East Seoul Region, the foundation date as 1992.09.24, the patron as the Holy Family, the number of faithful as 8,852, the number of Catholic mission chapels as 0, and the sisters’ congregation as the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. The same directory lists the present pastor as Father Gabriel Yoon Jong-sang, the assistant priest as Father John the Apostle Park Jin-ho, and the cooperating pastor as Father Abraham Jeon Gyeong-pyo.

Related Places and People

• Ilwon-dong Parish: a parish established on February 22, 1994, by separation from Suseo-dong Parish (the culture encyclopedia states from Gaepo-dong Parish and Suseo-dong Parish).
• Segok-dong Parish: divided from Suseo-dong Parish on February 14, 2017 (with 3,043 faithful). Suseo-dong Parish prepared it in stages through the land purchase contract in 2013, the groundbreaking ceremony in 2015, the ridge-beam Mass and completion concert in 2016, and the dedication on January 22, 2017.
• Past pastors (parish history): 1st Boniface Park Hui-won (1992.10.08), 2th Francis Xavier Choi Yong-rok (1999.10.01, funeral Mass in 2015.01.10), 3st Thomas Aquinas Kim Jun-cheol (2000.09.19), 4rd Barnabas Choi Jun-ung (2005.10.04), 5th Andrew Kim Dae-geon Im Sang-man (2010.08.17), 6th Martin Kim Seung-gu (2017.02.14), 7th Peter Jang Hui-dong (2022.02.08), 8st Gabriel Yoon Jong-sang (2026.02.19).
• Priestly and diaconal ordination records (parish history): James Jeon Dae-gyu (1997.07.05), Stephen Bae Han-sang (2000.12.13), Bernard John Lee Jun-seok (2007.06.25), Paul Park Jun-yong (2007.07.06), Joseph Choi Seok-su and Anthony Noh Dong-jun (new priest ordination in 2020.02.07).

References and Sources

1. Suseo-dong Parish history (Good News parish homepage hosting page). Names, foundation date, jurisdiction overview and year-by-year history for 1992–2026.
   http://ch.catholic.or.kr/suseo/html/bon-history-5.htm
2. Digital Gangnam Culture Encyclopedia, “Suseo-dong Parish”. Time and original site of foundation, new construction, completion and church dedication, Ilwon-dong separation, division organization, jurisdiction and number of faithful.
   https://www.grandculture.net/gangnam/toc/GC04801225
3. Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference online directory, “Suseo-dong”. Affiliated district, foundation date, patron, number of faithful, sisters’ congregation.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000156&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011