Gwonseon-dong Church

History & origins

During the large-scale urban development of the Gwonseon-dong and Maetan-dong areas of Suwon in the 1980s, the Diocese of Suwon began preparing a new parish for the growing Catholic population. Land was purchased in Gwonseon-dong in 1986, and the following year a prefabricated church and rectory were prepared so that Mass could begin. On this foundation, Gwonseon-dong Parish was established on August 27, 1987, separated from Maegyo-dong and Ji-dong Parishes.

Facilities continued to expand as the new community grew. By the end of 1987 additional rooms were provided for Sunday-school catechesis and parish groups, and in 1989 a local community of the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs was established. After the prefabricated church was enlarged to accommodate increasing numbers, new land was acquired in 1991 and construction of a new church began the following year. In 1994 a smaller church, rectory, convent, and related facilities were completed, allowing the center of parish life to move to the new site.

Gwonseon-dong subsequently developed into one of the central parishes of the First Vicariate. When the parish marked its 30th anniversary in 2017, the diocesan vicar noted its cooperation with diocesan ministries and emphasized its responsibilities as a central parish. Its history therefore follows the growth of eastern Suwon itself: a new parish was created in response to urban development, then progressively expanded its liturgical, educational, and religious-community facilities as it became a significant pastoral center.