Dongcheon-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Dongcheondong Church is a church belonging to the Suji District of the 1 Vicariate of the Suwon Diocese, located at 38, 45-beon-gil, Gogi-ro, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. On September 30, 2003, it was established by separation from Suji Church with 293 households and 884 people, and its patron is St. Paul the Apostle. On October 2019, its name was changed from ‘Dongcheon St. Paul Church’ to its present name.

History

[Separation and establishment] The parish overview on the Dongcheondong Church website gives the establishment date as September 30, 2003 and the mother parish as Suji Church in the Suji District of the 1 Vicariate. Suji Church’s parish history also records that on September 30, 2003 the Dongcheondong parish separated with 293 households and 884 people, and the Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia records that on September 2003 it separated from Suji Church (293 households and 884 people). The Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia explains that it was established to provide prayer and Mass to the Catholic faithful living in Dongcheondong and Gogidong in Suji-gu, Yongin-si, and lists Father Cho Han-yeong (James) as its founder.

[Early activities] According to the Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia, the church site was purchased in the same year as the separation, and on December St. Paul the Apostle was designated as the parish patron. On October 1, 2004, the first parish priest, Father Cho Han-yeong (James), took office.

[New church building and dedication] The Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia records that in 2008 a new church building was built and an inaugural Mass was celebrated, and that on September 2009 the 2 parish priest, Father Kim Hyeong-jun (Francis), took office. The parish overview on the Dongcheondong Church website lists the dedication day as June 27, 2009, officiated by Bishop Lee Yong-hun (Matthias).

[Name change and present status] The Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia records that on October 2019 the name was changed from Dongcheon St. Paul Church to Dongcheondong Church. The same source records that as of 2016, the parish priest was Father Kim Jun-gyo (Thomas) and the number of faithful was 4,678. The Dongcheondong Church website states that the parish consists of 33 zones in 4 areas and that as of December 31, 2025 the number of faithful was 5,518.

Related places and people

• Suji Church: the mother parish from which Dongcheondong Church separated on September 30, 2003 (Dongcheondong Church website, Suji Church parish history, Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia).
• St. Paul the Apostle: the parish patron (Dongcheondong Church website, Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia).

References and sources

1. Dongcheondong Church of the Suwon Diocese, parish introduction on the website > parish overview. Affiliated district, establishment date on September 30, 2003, dedication on June 27, 2009 (officiated by Bishop Lee Yong-hun Matthias), patron, mother parish, number of zones and number of faithful in 2025.
   http://dcpaul.or.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=bondang&wr_id=3
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia “Dongcheondong Church”. Separation from Suji Church in 2003, purpose of establishment, site purchase and patron decision, first and 2 parish priests, new church building in 2008, name change in 2019, status in 2016.
   https://yongin.grandculture.net/yongin/toc/GC00902087
3. Suji Church of the Suwon Diocese, parish history. On September 30, 2003, separation of the Dongcheondong parish (293 households and 884 people).
   https://sujica.or.kr/history/