Bal-an Catholic Church

Overview

Balan Church is a church in Jangjim-ri, Hyangnam-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the Suwon Diocese. It was separated from Wangnim Parish and established on June 14, 1957, and the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records its patron as Saint Francis Xavier. Its jurisdiction once included Yodang-ri, Yanggam-myeon, the birthplace of Saint Joseph Jang Ju-gi, who was martyred during the Byeongin Persecution.

History

〔Early history〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, historic Catholic villages existed from the persecution era in the area now under Balan Parish. In Yodang-ri, Yanggam-myeon, the birthplace of Saint Joseph Jang Ju-gi, who was martyred at Galmaemot in Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do on March 30, 1866 during the Byeongin Persecution, the Neujiji Catholic mission chapel was established shortly after the persecution, and the Yangan Catholic mission chapel in Yongso-ri is presumed to have been established around the same time. After Wangnim (Gatdeungi) Parish was established in 1888, the Buksgi Catholic mission chapel in Gajae-ri, Paltan-myeon and the Ansandong Catholic mission chapel in Hajeo-ri were established under that parish, and religious life continued centered on these chapels, so that by 1922, the faithful of the Yangan Catholic mission chapel reached 108.

〔Church construction and parish establishment〕 According to the encyclopedia, full discussion of establishing a parish in the Balan area began after Father Im Eung-seung took office as the 8 pastor of Wangnim Parish in May 1955. Believing that a parish should be established in Balan, the seat of the township and a transportation hub where regional growth was expected, Father Im Eung-seung organized a parish founding committee only 3 months after taking office, and began building a new church on about 1,200 pyeong of land at the present parish site donated by a faithful, completing it and holding a blessing ceremony on December 3, 1956. The Digital Hwaseong City Cultural Encyclopedia records that in 1955, faithful of the Yanggam Catholic mission chapel in Yongso-ri belonging to Wangnim Church proposed separating a church to support the faith life of believers in the Balan area and to evangelize the region, leading to the establishment of Balan Church, and reports that the blessing ceremony was celebrated by Bishop Paul Noh Gi-nam, then head of the Seoul Diocese, on December 3, 1956, and that it was separated from Wangnim Church and established on June 14, 1957. According to the encyclopedia, Balan Parish was established as of June 14, 1957 with Father Im Eung-seung appointed as its first pastor, and at its establishment it had jurisdiction over 15 Catholic mission chapels, which continued to increase thereafter.

〔Activities of a rural parish〕 According to the encyclopedia, Father Im Eung-seung appointed Yu Jin-sun (Camillus), with whom he had studied at the seminary, as head of evangelization to oversee catechesis of catechumens and parish affairs. The Gyouhoe, a gathering of young and middle-aged male believers, cultivated mulberry seedlings on the church grounds and began sericulture to suit the rural parish, and after a sericulture association was formed, the parish steadily grew. The 5 pastor, Father Simon Im Chung-seung, expanded the parish farm enterprise, naming it the “John Vianney Farm” in December 1970 and developing it in earnest. When Joam Parish was divided on January 5, 1973, parish registers of 202 households and 1,656 faithful were transferred, and in August of the following year a farmers’ training center accommodating 60 people was newly built to provide sericulture training and farming-skills education, producing over 1,500 rural leaders by the end of 1976, but it was closed in 1980 in accordance with diocesan policy. The Digital Hwaseong City Cultural Encyclopedia records that the parish launched the “Honeybee Credit Cooperative” in 1976, creating a grassroots financial institution that became the predecessor of today’s Balan Credit Union.

〔After the 1980s〕 According to the encyclopedia, the parish opened the Saemaeul Kindergarten on March 15, 1979, erected a statue of the Virgin Mary in August of the following year, built a rectory in 1983, and carried out church repair work through 1985. Father Ignatius Gil Hong-gyun, who took office as the 10 pastor in September 1984, promoted the development of a sacred site in the Neujiji area of Yodang-ri, the birthplace of Saint Jang Ju-gi. When the church building aged in the 1990s and inconvenience grew, it was decided to build a new church, and a fundraising campaign for the new construction was launched from 1991, with construction beginning on November 6, 1995. According to the Digital Hwaseong City Cultural Encyclopedia, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new church was celebrated by Bishop Angelo Kim Nam-su, then head of the Suwon Diocese, on November 6, 1995, and the dedication ceremony was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Matthias Lee Yong-hun of the Suwon Diocese on June 18, 2005. On September 2, 2008, Hyangnam Church was separated.

〔Status〕 The Digital Hwaseong City Cultural Encyclopedia records that Balan Church has jurisdiction over parts of Paltan-myeon, Bongdam-eup, Hyangnam-eup and Jangan-myeon in Hwaseong-si and belongs to the Hwaseong District of the 1 vicariate of the Suwon Diocese. As of 2020, there were 761 households and 1,823 faithful, with 2 priests and 2 sisters; the assigned congregation is the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, and the church buildings measure 4,186.1 square meters. Affiliated groups include the Legion of Mary, Ultreya, the Association for the Deceased, the Altar Society, the Marian Association, the choir and the Charismatic Prayer Group, among others.

〔Successive pastors and membership〕 The successive priests listed in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia are the first, John Im Eung-seung (1957.6~1962.7), the 2, Augustine Ryu Bong-gu (1962.7~1964.7), the 3, Peter Lee Gye-hang (1964.7~1968.10), the 4, Luke Jeong Deok-jin (1968.10~1969.12), the 5, Simon Im Chung-seung (1969.12~1978.4), the 6, Mark Son Tae-seop (1978.4~7), the 7, Peter Bae Yeong-seop (1978.7~1979.1), the 8, Joseph Jeong Ju-seong (1979.1~1983.1), the 9, Simon Song Byeong-su (1983.1~1984.9), the 10, Ignatius Gil Hong-gyun (1984.9~1987.9), the 11, Augustine Hong Seung-sik (1987.9~1990.1), the 12, Gabriel Lee Gwang-hui (1990.1~1993.2), and the 13, Stephen Han Seung-ju (1993.2~). Membership was 1,913 in 1957, 3,294 in 1968, 2,809 in 1974, 2,782 in 1981, 2,312 in 1987, and 2,803 in 1995. The jurisdiction at the time covered all of Paltan-myeon and Yanggam-myeon in Hwaseong-gun, Hagadeung-ri in Bongdam-myeon, and parts of Yulbuk-ri, Cheongbuk-myeon in Pyeongtaek-gun.

Related Places and People

• Wangnim Parish: It is the mother parish of Balan Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Digital Hwaseong City Cultural Encyclopedia).
• Joam Parish (1973) and Hyangnam Church (2008): They are parishes separated from Balan Parish (Digital Hwaseong City Cultural Encyclopedia, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Saint Joseph Jang Ju-gi and Neujiji in Yodang-ri: As the birthplace of the saint martyred at Galmaemot in Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do on March 30, 1866, Father Gil Hong-gyun promoted its development as a sacred site (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Father John Im Eung-seung: He took office as the 8 pastor of Wangnim Parish, promoted the establishment of Balan Parish, and served as its first pastor (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Balan Parish.” Early history and Catholic mission chapels, church blessing in 1956, parish establishment in 1957, rural enterprises including sericulture, division of Joam Parish, start of new church construction in 1995, successive priests, membership.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2367
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Hwaseong City Cultural Encyclopedia “Balan Church” (written by Jeong Jong-deuk). Purpose of establishment, history from 1956 to 2008, establishment of the credit union, groundbreaking and dedication of the new church, current status.
   https://hwaseong.grandculture.net/hwaseong/toc/GC08600946