Daeya Catholic Church

Overview

Daeya Eucharist Church is a church in Daeya-dong, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the Diocese of Incheon. It was established on September 14, 1992 with the appointment of the first pastor, Father Jeong Gwi-ho (Daniel), its parish patron is the Eucharist, and the dedication ceremony of the Eucharist Church was held on December 21, 1996.

History

[Foundation and first church building] The Daeya-dong church history on the Diocese of Incheon website records that on September 14, 1992 the first pastor, Father Jeong Gwi-ho (Daniel), took office and the first pastoral council president, Park Gi-yeong (Joseph), took office. The establishment-date entry on the diocesan website is 1992-09-14, and the establishment date in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory is also 1992.9.14. On September 1, 1993 Sister Anna Yun and Sister Joanna Won joined the parish, and on September 19 the first Mass was celebrated after the move of the church building.

[New church construction and dedication] On March 10, 1995 the groundbreaking Mass for Daeya-dong Church was celebrated by the bishop. The first Mass in the new church building was offered on May 20, 1996, completion of the new church building was finished on November 5, and on December 21 the dedication ceremony of the Eucharist Church was held, celebrated by Bishop Guglielmo Na. During the same period, the Daeya-dong daycare center broke ground and the rectory was newly built and renovated. On November 18, 2001 the parish debt was cleared.

[Transfers of pastors] On February 9, 1999 Father Jeong Gwi-ho moved to Simgok Church and the 2 pastor, Father Son Gwang-bae (Domenico), took office. On January 21, 2002 Father Son Gwang-bae moved to Dohwa-dong Church and the 3 pastor, Father Lee Beom-seok (Augustino), took office, and on January 20, 2003 Father Lee Beom-seok moved to serve as vice-secretary of the diocesan youth association and the 4 pastor, Father Jeong Byeong-deok (Raphael), took office. On December 6, 2004 Father Jeong Byeong-deok moved to the Youth Department of the diocesan office and the 5 pastor, Father Yun Seung-il (Justino), took office. Both the diocesan website and the directory list the current pastor as Father Han Deok-hun (Stefano).

[Clergy from the parish] The history records the diaconate ordination of Bae Hyo-sik (Paul) on January 28, 1993 (Dapdong Church) and priestly ordination on February 2, 1994, the diaconate ordination of Yu Seung-hak (Matthias) on January 28, 2000 (Bucheon Indoor Gymnasium) and priestly ordination on January 19, 2001 (Incheon Indoor Gymnasium), and the priestly ordination of Father Kim Deok-won (Thomas) on December 8, 2004 (Bucheon Indoor Gymnasium).

[Church events and repairs] There was a confirmation celebrated by Bishop Guglielmo Na, 182 people, on September 5, 1999, and confirmations were also celebrated on March 4, 2001 (148 people), February 23, 2003 (Bishop Bonifacio Choi Gi-san, 89 people), February 29, 2004 (122 people), March 6, 2005 (Monsignor Joseph Lee Hak-no, 132 people), and March 18, 2006 (134 people). On October 3, 2000 parishioners attended the National Eucharistic Congress (Jeoldusan Shrine), and on June 22, 2003 600 people attended the parish patronal feast outdoor Mass (Dongseo Securities Training Center). On May 1, 2004 church repair work including the altar, entrance doors, rooftop and exterior-wall waterproofing was carried out, on May 29, 2005 the Corpus Christi patronal feast event (outdoor Mass, Eucharistic procession, unity sports day) was held at Sorae Elementary School, and on December 29, 2005 the ‘Daeya-dong Church (interior) rectory relocation work’ was completed and occupied.

Related places and people

• The diocesan website lists the affiliated district as Jemulpo District, while the directory lists Siheung-Ansan District, so the two sources differ. The number of the faithful on the diocesan website is 4,070, the number of the faithful in the directory is also 4,070, and the number of Catholic mission chapels is 0.
• Clergy from the parish: Fathers Bae Hyo-sik (Paul), Yu Seung-hak (Matthias) and Kim Deok-won (Thomas) (diocesan website history).

References and sources

1. Incheon Diocese website, Daeya Eucharist parish guide (parish history). History for 1992–2006: foundation, new church construction and dedication of the Eucharist Church, transfers of pastors, priestly ordinations of priests from the parish, confirmations, church repairs.
   http://www.caincheon.or.kr/church/church_jigu.do?churchIdx=14065
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory, Daeya Eucharist. Establishment date 1992.9.14., affiliation Incheon Diocese Siheung-Ansan District, patron, number of the faithful, number of mission chapels.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201000348&gubun=4