Yeomnidong Catholic Church

Overview

Yeomni-dong Parish is a parish belonging to Seodaemun-Mapo District No. 2 in the Central Seoul Region of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in Yeomni-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Established on February 22, 1994, its patron is the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Beginning with a plan to relocate Gongdeok-dong Parish, it was founded as a new parish oriented toward small Christian communities.

History

〔Founding Background〕 According to the ‘Footsteps of 30 Years’ on the parish website, Yeomni-dong Parish began with the relocation plan of Gongdeok-dong Parish. As the Gongdeok-dong area was developed, the number of the faithful increased, but Gongdeok-dong Parish was too small to expand, and although it had purchased the present Yeomni-dong Parish site to prepare for relocation, rising construction costs and other difficulties made an expanded relocation difficult. Therefore, keeping Gongdeok-dong Parish as it was, the alternative of establishing a new church oriented toward small Christian communities was proposed, giving birth to Yeomni-dong Parish.

〔First Steps and Church Construction〕 The Archdiocese of Seoul appointed Father James Yi Chan-hong as the first pastor effective February 22, 1994. Yeomni-dong Parish set Yeomni-dong and Daeheung-dong and part of Gongdeok-dong as its jurisdiction, celebrated its first Mass on March 7 in a temporary building on the present site, and that year began construction with a groundbreaking Mass with Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan on October 3. During construction the Mass venue was moved to the auditorium of Ilseong Girls’ High School, and a building-fund pledge campaign led by the faithful was carried out. From May 1995 Mass was celebrated in a small chapel prepared in the basement of the church under construction. Later, signs of defective construction were found in the new structure, so structural reinforcement was carried out for about 9 months, but the contractor abandoned the work and construction was suspended for lack of funds.

〔Resumption and Dedication of the Church〕 Father Simon Jeon Jong-hun, who took office on March 1999 as the 2th pastor, resolved the financial problems with the support of the diocese, changed construction to a parish direct-management system and resumed it, and received approval of completion on November 2000. On June 10, 2001 the dedication and blessing of the new church was held, presided over by Archbishop Nicholas Jeong Jin-seok. The parish website introduces this by quoting an article dated June 10, 2001 in the Catholic Times that reported it, as ‘Yeomni-dong Parish is the fruit cultivated with the blood and sweat of its pastor and faithful.’

〔Footsteps of the 2000s〕 The chronology lists the transfer on February 19, 2004 of parish jurisdiction (part of Yeomni-dong, LG Xi Apartments) to Daeheung-dong, the 10th anniversary event on February 22, 2004, the establishment of Family Sunday on February 26, 2006, Confirmation celebrated by Bishop Andrew Yeom Su-jeong on May 26, 2007, and the transfer on September 6, 2007 of Gongdeok-dong jurisdiction (Samsung 4 Apartments) to Yeomni-dong. On September 4, 2008 the first priest from the parish, Father Pius Han Gi-cheol (Society of Saint Paul), was ordained and celebrated his first Mass on September 7 (the 30-year history records that in 2007 Deacon Silvanus Han Gi-cheol from the parish received diaconal ordination, so the baptismal name differs from the chronology). The 30-year history also records that Father Raphael Kim Do-hun received diaconal ordination in 2011. To repay debts to the diocese and the Pastoral Mutual Aid Association incurred for church construction, the resumed 2th offering payments, thrifty bazaars, clothing-sale bazaars, Holy Family bazaars and others were held.

〔Remodeling of the Church〕 The parish states that it met a turning point for expansion amid apartment reconstruction in Yeomni-dong and construction of youth housing. As there was no access road from Gongdeok Station to the parish, Father Francis No Bong-jin, the 6th pastor, consulted with the Mapo District Office and arranged to install an elevator in the Seoul Startup Hub. In 2014 it formed the ‘Parish Development Committee’ and planned church remodeling, began pledged offerings for church rebuilding on August 3, 2016, and approved the parish remodeling work on December 4, 2017. Demolition began on April 2, 2018, and during construction weekday Masses were celebrated in a temporary chapel in the courtyard and Sunday Masses were celebrated with the help of the auditorium of Ilseong Girls’ High School and Gongdeok-dong Parish. The entrance Mass for the small chapel was celebrated on December 23, 2018 presided over by Bishop Job Koo Yo-bi, and the celebratory entrance Mass for the main sanctuary was celebrated on August 25, 2019. On May 2020 it reported the ‘Completion Report of Extension and Major Repair Work of Yeomni-dong Church,’ and Cardinal Andrew Yeom Su-jeong left a congratulatory message for the extension on May 16, 2021.

〔Recent Chronology〕 Because of COVID-19, parish activities including Mass were considerably restricted for about 2 years. There were the founding Mass of the Fathers’ Association on October 19, 2022 and the first Mass at Mapo Silver Care Center on April 27, 2023. On February 18, 2024 the Parish Day commemorative Mass and celebration for the 30th anniversary of foundation were held, the parish website was opened on February 18, and anniversary concerts for the 30th anniversary followed on May 18 and June 14.

〔Patron Saint〕 The patron is the ‘Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.’ The parish website explains that the Catholic Church designated December 30 as the Feast of the Holy Family in 1921, and that the Catholic Church in Korea observes the Sunday after the Solemnity of Christmas as the Feast of the Holy Family and observes the 7 days from that Sunday to the following Saturday as the Week for the Sanctification of the Family. The statue of the Holy Family, present since the early days of the parish, was moved to several places and now stands in the flower bed in front of the Marian garden.

〔Successive Pastors〕 According to ‘Former Pastors’ on the parish website, the pastors are the 1th James Yi Chan-hong (February 22, 1994–March 4, 1999), the 2th Simon Jeon Jong-hun (March 5, 1999–October 4, 2001), the 3th Thomas Choe Jong-un (October 5, 2001–September 20, 2004), the 4th Ignatius Heo Geun (September 21, 2004–August 31, 2009), the 5th Aloysius Hwang Cheol-an (September 1, 2009–September 1, 2014), the 6th Francis No Bong-jin (September 2, 2014–August 26, 2019), the 7th Benedict Hwang In-hwan (August 27, 2019–August 26, 2024), and Father John the Apostle Park Jong-su, the 8th, took office on August 27, 2024.

Jurisdiction and Affiliation

In the online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, it is listed with diocese Archdiocese of Seoul, region/district Central Seoul Region No. 2 Seodaemun-Mapo District, date of establishment 1994.02.22, sisters’ congregation Missionary Sisters of Saint Dominic, patron Holy Family, number of faithful 1,942, and number of Catholic mission chapels 0.

Related Places and Figures

• Gongdeok-dong Parish: the parish that gave rise to the foundation of Yeomni-dong Parish, and helped with the Sunday Mass venue during new construction.
• Auditorium of Ilseong Girls’ High School: the place where Mass was celebrated during the new church construction and remodeling work.
• Mapo Silver Care Center: a nearby facility where the first Mass was celebrated on April 27, 2023.
• Father James Yi Chan-hong: the first pastor.
• Father Simon Jeon Jong-hun: the 2th pastor who resumed construction and led the church dedication in 2001.
• Father Han Gi-cheol: the first priest from the parish as recorded in the chronology (ordained September 4, 2008).

References and Sources

1. Yeomni-dong Parish, ‘Parish History - Footsteps of 30 Years’. Founding background from the Gongdeok-dong Parish relocation plan, church construction and dedication, remodeling, recent activities.
   Parish website
2. Yeomni-dong Parish, ‘Parish History - Chronology’. Year-by-year chronology (jurisdiction transfers, Confirmation, first priest, remodeling work, 30th anniversary events).
   Parish website
3. Yeomni-dong Parish, ‘Parish Priests’. Tenures of 8 successive pastors.
   Parish website
4. Yeomni-dong Parish, ‘Parish History - Patron Saint’. Patron Holy Family and statue of the Holy Family.
   Parish website
5. Online Directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, ‘Yeomni-dong’. Affiliated diocese and district, date of establishment, sisters’ congregation, patron, number of faithful.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000189&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011