Jukjeon Church

Overview

Jukjeon Church is a church in Jukjeon-dong, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the Suji District of the 1 Vicariate of the Suwon Diocese. It was established on August 4, 1998 by division from Singal Church, its patron saint is Saint Kim Hyo-ju Agnes, and the present church building was dedicated on October 13, 2002.

History

[Establishment] The parish history on the Jukjeon Church website states that the Jukjeon Catholic mission chapel of Singal Parish was installed on May 3, 1998, and later in the same year on August 4 a new church provisionally named Jukjeon Church was newly established by division from Singal Parish. At the time of establishment, the jurisdiction covered Suji-eup (Jukjeon-ri), Mohyeon-myeon (Osan-ri), and Guseong-eup (Mabuk-ri, Bojeong-ri, Eonnam-ri and Cheongdeok-ri), with 328 households and 1,166 faithful, organized into 15 districts and 39 cells. Father Kim Il-woo (Martino) took office as the first parish priest on August 4, 1998. The establishment date in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory is also 1998.8.4.

[Confirmation of the parish name and patron saint, and purchase of land] On September 8, 1998 the 86 Council of Priests confirmed the parish name (Jukjeon Church) and the patron saint (Saint Hyo-ju Agnes). In the same year, the 1 Parish Day event (Feast of Sharing) was held on October 11, a building committee for the new church was formed on October 17, and a contract was signed on October 20 to purchase a new church site covering 3,171 square meters (595.21 pyeong) around lot 882 in Jukjeon-ri, Suji-eup, Yongin-si (building land 843 square meters, forest land 2,328 square meters).

[Tent church and new church] The church moved to lot 882 in Jukjeon-ri, Suji-eup, Yongin-si on January 23, 1999, and the first Mass was offered in the new church (tent church) as the 11 a.m. parish Mass on January 24. On February 23, 2000 2 sisters of the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help began resident service, and the parish website was opened on April 9. The groundbreaking Mass and groundbreaking ceremony for the new church were held on October 8, 2000 presided over by Bishop Choi Deok-gi (Paul). The new church was moved into on September 1, 2001, and the church dedication Mass and dedication commemorative celebration were held on October 13, 2002 presided over by Bishop Choi Deok-gi (Paul). For the dedication, the Rosary and special intention prayers were offered from September 1, 2002 to October 13.

[Adjustment and division of jurisdiction] On November 20, 2000 the establishment of a new parish in the Guseong area was confirmed, and on January 30, 2001 Guseong Parish was established and divided (10 districts and 25 cells, 340 households and 964 faithful). On the same day, the Yangchon district (Osan-ri, Mohyeon-myeon, Yongin-si) was transferred to the jurisdiction of Neungpyeong Parish (26 households and 76 faithful). On May 1, 2002 part of the jurisdiction was adjusted so that the area including the Hyundai Hometown Apartments in Bojeong-ri was transferred to Suji Church and the surrounding area including the Daerim Apartments in Bojeong-ri was transferred to Guseong Church. On October 1, 2004 Bojeong Parish was established and divided from the parish (312 households and 947 faithful), and on September 15, 2006 the establishment of a new parish in the Jukjeon 1-dong housing development area was confirmed, so that on September 22 the Jukjeon 1-dong Parish was established and divided (834 households and 2,383 faithful).

[From 2003 to 2008] On September 30, 2003 Father Kim Il-woo left and Father Jo Yeong-jun (Francis Xavier) took office. On October 19, 2003 parishioners attended the faith festival commemorating the 40 anniversary of the establishment of the diocese (Suwon Sports Complex). On June 28, 2004 the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the statue of Christ crucified were dedicated and installed on the upper part of the bell tower, and in the same year the inaugural general meeting of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul was held on May 9. On April 14, 2005 there were the dedication ceremony of the Eucharistic adoration room (presided over by Bishop Choi Deok-gi Paul) and the blessing ceremony of the Eucharistic adoration room, and the diocesan bishop made a pastoral visit. On September 25, 2006 Father Han Yeong-gi (Paul) took office as the 3 parish priest. On the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary on August 15, 2007 there were a baptism (81 persons) and the blessing ceremony of the Marian grotto, and on June 3, 2007 all parishioners made a pilgrimage to Baeron Shrine. On January 20, 2008 a prayer text for the 10 anniversary of the parish establishment was prepared and offered, and in the same year the parish seminarian Kim Jeong-seop (Philip) entered the 1 year of the theology faculty on March 1, and a new-family initiation ceremony (435 catechumens admitted, 11 classes operated) was held on November 16.

[From 2009 to 2014] On September 1, 2009 Father Han Yeong-gi left for Seopangyo Church (farewell Mass on August 30) and Father Choe Hwang-jin (Raphael) took office as the 4 parish priest. From August 1, 2010 until the end of September prayers and an offering collection were held to provide a new altar, and a new altar was provided on December 23. On May 6, 2011 Jukjeon Church hosted the Suji District Martyrs Honoring Festival (Songol Shrine). On August 22, 2011 Sister Do Hyo-ju Agnes took office (Sister Seong Marikoor moved to Apgujeong Church). The Taizé Mass began on March 1, 2012, and on February 19, 2012 there was a parish Bible transcription certificate ceremony (Old and New Testaments 17 persons, Old Testament 45 persons, New Testament 4 persons, total 66 persons). Interior construction of the church was carried out from April 2013 to May, and on November 17 Vicar General Bishop Lee Seong-hyo (Lino) visited the parish. On January 21, 2014 Father Choe Hwang-jin moved to Gian Saint Paul Church and Father Heo Hyeon (John the Baptist) took office as the 5 parish priest. On August 16, 2014 247 faithful of Jukjeon Church attended the beatification Mass for the papal visit to Korea (Gwanghwamun).

[After 2015] On December 3, 2015 there was the diaconate ordination of Deacon Kim Jeong-seop (Philip), who comes from the parish, and from April 19, 2016 an all-parishioners prayer for priestly ordination (227-day prayer) began, leading to the ordination on December 9, 2016 of Father Kim Jeong-seop (Philip) as the first priestly ordination from Jukjeon Church. On June 21, 2016 Father Heo Hyeon left for Shenyang Church in China and Father Hong Yo-sep (Joseph) took office as the 6 parish priest. On October 23, 2016 the blessing ceremony of the Jukjeon Church Urinong Center was held presided over by Father Seo Buk-won (Peter), and on December 25 Diocesan Bishop Lee Yong-hun (Matthias) made a pastoral visit. On January 25, 2017 the Hyoju Agnes Café opened, and on December 19 assistant priest Father Cheon Se-yeong (Emmanuel) took office. On Parish Day on October 15, 2017 all parishioners made a pilgrimage to Baeron Shrine. According to the parish website, Father No Seong-ho (John Bosco) has served as the 7 parish priest on June 15, 2021, and Father Ji Cheol-hyeon (Andrea) has served as the 8 parish priest from June 15, 2024.

[Patron saint] Saint Kim Hyo-ju Agnes was born in the village of Bamseom near Seoul and was martyred on September 3, 1839 at the age of 24. On July 5, 1925 she was beatified by Pope Pius 11, and on May 6, 1984 she was canonized by Pope John Paul 2, who visited Korea to mark the 200 anniversary of the founding of the Korean Catholic Church. Her feast day is September 3 (Jukjeon Church website parish introduction).

[Status] The Jukjeon Church website states that the jurisdiction covers all of Jukjeon 2-dong and part of Jukjeon 1-dong in Suji-gu, Yongin-si, and states the number of faithful as 2,120 households and 5,065 persons (as of December 31, 2018). The directory lists 4,751 faithful, 0 Catholic mission chapels, and the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help as the sisters’ congregation.

Related Places and People

• Jukjeon 1-dong Church, Guseong Church and Bojeong Church: parishes divided from the jurisdiction of Jukjeon Church in 2006, 2001 and 2004 respectively (Jukjeon Church parish history).
• Singal Church: the mother parish of Jukjeon Church (Jukjeon Church website parish introduction).
• Former parish priests: 1 Kim Il-woo (Martino) 1998.8.4–2003.9.29, 2 Jo Yeong-jun (Francis Xavier) 2003.9.30–2006.9.25, 3 Han Yeong-gi (Paul) 2006.9.25–2009.9.1, 4 Choe Hwang-jin (Raphael) 2009.9.1–2014.1.21, 5 Heo Hyeon (John the Baptist) 2014.1.21–2016.6.21, 6 Hong Yo-sep (Joseph) 2016.6.21–2021.6.15, 7 No Seong-ho (John Bosco) 2021.6.15–2024.6.18, 8 Ji Cheol-hyeon (Andrea) from 2024.6.15 (Jukjeon Church website guide to priests).
• Former assistant priests: Cheon Se-yeong (Emmanuel) 2017.12.19–2019.6.18, Yu Jin-yeop (Andrew Daegon) 2020.12.15–2022.12.9, Lee Jun-gi (John the Apostle) 2022.12.20–2023.12.19, Kwon Tae-yeong (Gabriel) 2023.12.19–2025.12.16, Kim Yun-jung (Francis) from 2025.12.16 (same guide).

References and Sources

1. Catholic Jukjeon Church website, parish history (1998–2017). Division and establishment, confirmation of parish name and patron, purchase of land, tent church, groundbreaking in 2000, move-in in 2001, dedication in 2002, adjustment and division of jurisdiction, transfers of parish priests, ordination of a priest from the parish.
   http://jjsd.or.kr/history
2. Catholic Jukjeon Church website, parish introduction. Establishment date August 4, 1998, dedication October 13, 2002, brief biography of patron Saint Kim Hyo-ju Agnes, jurisdiction, mother parish, number of faithful.
   http://jjsd.or.kr/intro
3. Catholic Jukjeon Church website, priests. Names and terms of former parish and assistant priests.
   http://jjsd.or.kr/people
4. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory, Jukjeon. Establishment date 1998.8.4., affiliation Suwon Diocese 1 Vicariate Suji District, patron saint, sisters’ congregation, number of faithful, number of Catholic mission chapels.
   http://directory.cbck.or.kr/m/catholicInfo.asp?code=201000608&gubun=4