Heungdeok Church

History & origins

Heungdeok Parish was established on September 1, 2009, in response to the development and population growth of the Heungdeok area of Yongin. According to a diocesan report on the construction of the church, the parish began after being separated from Yeongtong-Yeongdeok Parish. Once it became an independent parish, the community faced two tasks at the same time: forming Catholics in the new residential area into one parish community and securing a stable church in which Mass and parish gatherings could take place.

In March 2010 the parish confirmed Mary, Mother of God, as its patron, and construction of the church then moved forward. On June 12 of that year, a Mass marking the start of construction and a groundbreaking ceremony were held at the new church site. The diocesan record notes that groups such as the choir and the Legion of Mary were already active and that the community hoped the church-building project would deepen its unity and growth. It was a period in which both the physical home of the parish and its communal organization were being established together.

The official history of the Diocese of Suwon records the tenth anniversary of the establishment of Heungdeok Parish in 2019. The first decade thus marks the period in which a new community separated from Yeongtong-Yeongdeok Parish became established as an independent parish, secured its own church, and built a foundation for local pastoral life. The history of Heungdeok Parish is one example of the Church creating a parish in a newly expanding residential district and of Catholics building a common place for liturgy and fellowship.