Jidong Catholic Church

Overview

Jidong Church is a church in Jidong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the Suwon Diocese. It was separated and established from the Buksudong Parish on June 29, 1970, and was the second community divided from the Buksudong Parish after the Godeung-dong Parish. Its patron saint was Christ the King, then changed to Saint Francis Choi Gyeong-hwan under a diocesan directive in 2002 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

History

[Before the Establishment of the Parish] The Buksudong Church's The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church explains that the Jidong district before the establishment of Jidong Parish was a quiet place far removed from central Suwon. It was an area where poor farmers whose main work was orchards in addition to dry-field and paddy farming lived together with refugees who had settled there during the 6–25 War, and it was divided into the Maetan Catholic mission chapel (chairman Lee Won-geun Thomas) and the Jidong district within the jurisdiction of the Buksudong Parish. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia likewise notes that the Maetan Catholic mission chapel and the Jidong Catholic mission chapel had been established early on.

[St. Vincent Hospital and Preparation for the Parish Establishment] In the late 1960s, with the opening of St. Vincent Hospital at 93 Jidong, the need for mission in the vast eastern Suwon area and for the establishment of a parish was raised at the diocesan level (the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the opening as in August 1967, while The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church gives it as in June 1967). Bishop Yun Gong-hui (Victorinus) of the Suwon Diocese appointed Father Konrad Gong (Konrad Fisher, Fisher), who had been dispatched from Germany, as chaplain of St. Vincent Hospital while designating him as the first pastor of Jidong Parish and having him prepare its establishment. The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church records that this priest was dispatched to Korea from the Diocese of Regensburg in Germany. Borrowing the fund for purchasing the church site from Sogang University, Father Konrad Gong bought 440 pyeong of land at 28-1 Jidong in October 1967, and in August 1968 newly built an auditorium (temporary church) with a floor area of 30 pyeong.

[Establishment of the Parish] Jidong Parish was separated and erected from Buksudong Parish as of June 29, 1970, and Father Konrad Gong took office as the first pastor. According to The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church, at the time of establishment its jurisdiction consisted of Jidong (Mokgol), part of Ingye-dong, Maewon-dong, Woncheon-dong, Uman-dong, Yeongdeok-ri in Giheung-myeon, Yongin-gun, and the Singal Catholic mission chapel, with a total of 670 faithful. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia notes that in 1970, the year of establishment, the narrow hall was expanded and a multipurpose building of 16 pyeong with a meeting room, prayer room and other facilities was newly built to enlarge the gathering space. The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church records that at the end of the year in which Jidong Parish was separated, the total number of faithful in Buksudong was 3,335. Ahead of the division, Father Ryu Bong-gu said that a parish that had been run by 4,000 people would now be run by 3,000 people, and asked the faithful to give more thought to church dues, and the faithful in Mokgol, 1 districts in Ingye-dong, Maewon-dong, Singal and other areas were instructed to offer their church dues to the new parish from July 1. The parish history table of Buksudong Church lists “division of Jidong Church” on June 29, 1970.

[Construction of the New Church] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in the late 1970s the new town of eastern Suwon was developed and the Church grew rapidly, making it difficult to accommodate the faithful in the small church, and this was compounded by the need to demolish the church building under the road plan of the City of Suwon. On the lots at 76-1 and 76-2 Jidong that had been purchased before the establishment of the parish, the parish began construction of a new church in October 1981 and, 2 years later, celebrated its dedication in November 1983 with Bishop Kim Nam-su (Angelo) presiding. The efforts of the 3th pastor, Father Jo Won-gyu (James), were decisive in providing this new church.

[Adjustment and Division of the Jurisdiction] The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia and The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church record that under the 4th pastor, Father Lee Jong-cheol (Stephen), parts of the jurisdiction were transferred to Gwonseon-dong Parish in 1987 and to Singal Parish in 1988 respectively. This priest devoted himself to the education of the faithful through Bible reading, distribution of catechism tests and organization of Bible study groups, organized the Gyeonghwanhoe to focus on prison evangelization, and in November 1989 provided a rectory, education hall and convent in a building with 1 basement floor and 3 above-ground floors. Under the 5th pastor, Father Kim Yeong-ok (Gabriel), in 1991 the districts and groups were adjusted to 32 districts and 161 groups, and the following year 32 districts were reorganized into 8 zones. In 1993 the groundbreaking for Woncheon-dong Church was held, and in February 1995 4,849 faithful in Woncheon-dong and part of Maetan 1–4-dong were separated. The parish history table of Buksudong Church and The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church record that on June 25, 1992 the jurisdiction over Uman-dong between Buksudong Parish and Jidong Parish was finalized, so that the Uman Apartments belong to Buksudong while Uman-dong excluding the apartments belongs to Jidong Parish.

[After the 25th Anniversary of Establishment] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during the term of the 6th pastor, Father Lee Gyu-cheol (Joseph), in 1995 3 basement halls were combined to provide a small chapel for the re-education of the faithful, and the office was moved to the old rectory. On November 26 of the same year, for the 25th anniversary of the parish establishment, former parish priests, religious and faithful offered a Mass of thanksgiving and published The 25-Year History of Jidong Church, which records the history of the parish. The 7th pastor, Father Seo Sang-jin (Paul), carried out weekly training for district and group leaders and chairmen from 2001, held a seminar on Eucharistic devotion in 2002, and during the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus enshrined a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and held itinerant prayers by district, group and household in 4 areas.

[Jurisdiction, Church Strength and Successive Pastors] The jurisdiction as given by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is Uman 1-dong (excluding the Uman 3 and 4 complexes), the entire area of Uman 2-dong, Jidong, and part of Ingye-dong. The Church strength was 950 in 1974, 1,795 in 1980, 4,475 in 1985, 7,055 in 1990, 11,000 in 1994, 5,832 in 1995, 4,198 in 2001 and 4,363 in 2003. The successive pastors are the first, Fisher (Gong) Konrad (1970.6–1980.12), the 2th, Peter Kim Chun-ho (1980.12–1981.3), the 3th, James Jo Won-gyu (1981.3–1984.2), the 4th, Stephen Lee Jong-cheol (1984.2–1990.11), the 5th, Gabriel Kim Yeong-ok (1990.11–1995.2), the 6th, Joseph Lee Gyu-cheol (1995.2–2001.1), and the 7th, Paul Seo Sang-jin (2001.1–).

Related Places and People

• Buksudong Parish (Buksudong Church of the Suwon Hwaseong Martyrs’ Shrine): the mother parish from which Jidong Parish was separated. After Godeung-dong Parish, it divided Jidong Parish as the second division (The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church).
• St. Vincent Hospital: the hospital that opened at 93 Jidong in the late 1960s and prompted mission in the eastern Suwon area and the establishment of Jidong Parish, where Father Konrad Gong served as chaplain (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church).
• Maetan Catholic mission chapel: a Catholic mission chapel that had existed in this area before the establishment of the parish, whose chairman was Lee Won-geun (Thomas) (The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Gwonseon-dong Parish and Singal Parish: the parishes that received parts of the jurisdiction of Jidong Parish in 1987 and 1988 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church).
• Woncheon-dong Parish: the parish erected in February 1995 by separating 4,849 faithful in Woncheon-dong and part of Maetan 1–4-dong from Jidong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Bishop Yun Gong-hui (Victorinus) and Bishop Kim Nam-su (Angelo): respectively the diocesan bishop who had the establishment of the parish prepared, and the diocesan bishop who presided at the dedication of the new church in 1983 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church).

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, “Jidong Parish” (vol. 10). Establishment on June 29, 1970, patron saint, jurisdiction, Church strength, successive pastors, St. Vincent Hospital and preparation for establishment, dedication of the new church in 1983, divisions and the 25th anniversary.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/5807
2. Buksudong Church, The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church, chap. 4 “Joy (1962–1974)”. Separation of Jidong Parish, jurisdiction and number of faithful at the time of establishment, and Father Ryu Bong-gu’s appeal.
   https://suwons.net/1962-1974
3. Buksudong Church of the Suwon Hwaseong Martyrs’ Shrine, Parish History. Division of Jidong Church on June 29, 1970, and finalization of jurisdiction on June 25, 1992.
   https://suwons.net/history
4. Buksudong Church, The 100-Year History of Buksudong Church, chap. 6 “Fruits (1985–1993)”. Finalization in June 1992 of the Uman-dong boundary between Buksudong and Jidong Parishes.
   https://suwons.net/1985-1993