Galgot-dong Catholic Church

History & origins

Galgot-dong Parish was established on January 25, 2000, after being separated from Osan Parish as the city expanded and the Catholic population increased. Its first pastor was Fr. Joseph Song Byeong-seon. Because the new parish did not yet have its own church, the first Mass was celebrated at Osan Church, followed by a period in which Sunday Masses were offered in temporary conditions protected only imperfectly from wind and rain. This experience shows that the parish community was formed before its permanent church building.

As the community became established, construction of a permanent church moved forward. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 13, 2003, presided over by then Vicar General Bishop Matthias Lee Yong-hoon. Parishioners participated not only through prayer and financial offerings but also through practical support for the construction process. The planned church included spaces for liturgy, catechesis, meals, and administration, providing a pastoral foundation for the new parish.

After construction was completed, the church was dedicated on May 5, 2005, by Bishop Paul Choi Deok-gi of Suwon. In preparation, parishioners held retreats and copied Scripture by hand, and on the day of dedication they invited neighborhood children to a celebration. Plans were also announced to open the church grounds as a place of rest for local residents, showing that the relationship between parish and neighborhood was considered important from the time the church was built.

The community later marked its 10th and 25th anniversaries by looking back on the difficulties and growth of its early years. At the 25th anniversary Mass, the first pastor recalled the period without a permanent church as a formative beginning for the community. The history of Galgot-dong thus illustrates the growth of a new parish through separation from a mother parish, temporary worship spaces, construction, dedication, and gradual rootedness in its local area.