Suyu-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Suyudong Church is a parish belonging to District 6 Dobong-Gangbuk in the Jung Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Suyu-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, it was separated and established from Mia-dong Parish (now Gireum-dong) on April 7, 1967, and its patron is Saint Peter. It began with Sunday Mass in the temporary church inside the Catechetical Theological Institute.

History

[Background of establishment] The Catechetical Theological Institute founded in 1963 (Suyu-dong 234) prepared a temporary church inside the institute in 1965 and celebrated Sunday Mass, and parishioners under the jurisdiction of Mia-dong Parish who lived far from the church gradually began to take part in this Mass. With the desire for the establishment of a parish and the increase in the number of faithful, Suyudong Parish was separated and established on April 7, 1967, and Father John Kim Mong-eun took office as the first pastor.

[Construction of the church] In July of that year, with the help of the Catechetical Theological Institute, it secured 637 pyeong of land for the present church site and began construction, completing a single-story church (99 pyeong) in March 1969. In 1971, the Catechetical Theological Institute newly built its school building at 90-12 Hyehwa-dong and moved there. At the time of the 2 pastor, Father Joseph Kim Huiseon, in 1972, while confirming the district boundary with the neighboring Inbo Eucharistic Convent, the rectory located in the residential area was moved into the church grounds and Sunday school classrooms were prepared.

[Branching and expansion] The 3 pastor, Father Bartholomew Gu Jeonhoe, formally launched the pastoral council, and in January 1975, with the help of the Missionary Society of St. Columban, separated Chang-dong Parish and transferred the parish registers of more than 1,000 parishioners, and the following year newly built the rectory with 1 basement floor and 2 above-ground floors (110 pyeong) and in January 1979 invited the Inbo Eucharistic Sisters. The 4 pastor, Father Paul Kim Ok-gyun, began construction in April 1980 and in August 1981 expanded the church with 1 basement floor and 3 above-ground floors (569 pyeong). On August 16, 1983, while separating Suyu 1-dong Parish and Beon-dong Parish, the parish registers of 1,632 and 1,037 persons respectively were transferred.

[Fire and afterwards] In January 1986 the church suffered a fire but was rebuilt through the restoration work of all the faithful. The 6 pastor, Father Cyrillus Kim Deok-je, opened the parish-affiliated nursing home ‘House of Love’ in April 1990 but closed it after 2 years due to financial difficulties. In September 1998, when Suyudong Parish became the district-head parish of District 6, the 9 pastor, Father Joseph Hwang Heung-bok, who took office, promoted small-community activities and devoted himself to the deepening of faith and the unity of the community.

[Record of the establishment date] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the establishment date as April 7, 1967, while the online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea gives it as 1967.04.10, so the two sources differ.

[Parish statistics and successive pastors] The numbers of faithful recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia were 718 in 1967, 2,800 in 1972, 5,415 in 1977, 6,638 in 1982, 9,154 in 1987, 7,157 in 1992, and 8,829 in 1999. The successive pastors are recorded as the first, John Kim Mong-eun (1967. 4–1970. 11), the 2 pastor, Joseph Kim Huiseon (1970. 11–1973. 5), the 3 pastor, Bartholomew Gu Jeonhoe (1973. 5–1978. 8), the 4 pastor, Paul Kim Ok-gyun (1978. 8–1982. 8), the 5 pastor, John Lee Gye-jung (1982. 8–1986. 2), the 6 pastor, Cyrillus Kim Deok-je (1986. 2–1991. 10), the 7 pastor, Laurentius Choe Seo-sik (1991. 10–1996. 9), the 8 pastor, John Kim Gu-hui (1996. 9–1998. 9), and the 9 pastor, Joseph Hwang Heung-bok (1998. 9–).

Jurisdiction and Affiliation

The jurisdictional districts recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the whole of Suyu 2, 4 and 6-dong and Ssangmun 1-dong, and parts of Suyu 3-dong and Ssangmun 3-dong. In the online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, it is listed as belonging to District 6 Dobong-Gangbuk in the Jung Seoul Region, with the patron Apostle Saint Peter and the religious community Inbo Eucharistic Sisters.

Related Places and People

• Mia-dong Parish (now Gireum-dong): It is the mother parish of Suyudong Parish.
• Catechetical Theological Institute: In 1965, Sunday Mass was celebrated in the temporary church inside the institute.
• Chang-dong Parish: It was separated in January 1975.
• Suyu 1-dong Parish: It was separated on August 16, 1983.
• Beon-dong Parish: It received transferred parish registers on August 16, 1983.
• Inbo Eucharistic Sisters: They were invited to the parish in January 1979.

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Suyudong Parish”. Separation and establishment from Mia-dong Parish on April 7, 1967, patron Saint Peter, jurisdictional districts, beginning with Sunday Mass in the temporary church of the Catechetical Theological Institute, construction of the church (1969) and expansion (1981), branching of Chang-dong, Suyu 1-dong and Beon-dong Parishes, fire in 1986, parish statistics, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/3738
2. Online Directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, “Suyudong”. Affiliated diocese and district (District 6 Dobong-Gangbuk in the Jung Seoul Region), establishment date 1967.04.10, religious community (Inbo Eucharistic Sisters), patron Apostle Saint Peter.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000157&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011