Suji Catholic Church

Overview

Suji Church, located at Suji-ro 265 (Pungdeokcheon-dong) in Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, is a church belonging to the 1 Vicariate of the Suwon Diocese, whose official name is Suji (St. Simeon Berneux) Church. On February 3, 1994, two districts were separated from Singal Church to establish it as a quasi-parish, on January 1, 1995 it was elevated to a parish, and on May 20, 2006 the present church was dedicated. Afterwards it successively spun off Sanghyeon-dong, Dongcheon-dong, Seongbok-dong, Sinbong-dong and Ihyeon churches.

History

〔Establishment as quasi-parish〕 According to the parish history of Suji Church, the Suji quasi-parish was established on February 3, 1994. Districts 12 and 13 were separated from Singal Church, starting with 90 households (296 people), and the first pastor was Father Kim Han-cheol (Juliano). Its jurisdiction covered Dongcheon-ri, Gogi-ri, Pungdeokcheon-ri, Seongbok-ri and Sanghyeon-ri in Suji-myeon and parts of Dongwon-dong and Seokun-dong in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, and it temporarily used the retreat-house chapel inside the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima convent at San 13, Dongcheon-ri, Suji-myeon. Later the same year, on May 1, there was a pastoral-visit Mass by Bishop Kim Nam-su (Angelo). The Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia also states that its mother parish was Singal Church and that it separated in 1994 to be formally established as a parish.

〔Elevation to parish and church site〕 According to the history, it was elevated to a parish on January 1, 1995, and on March 4, 1996 it purchased the church site at San 27-1, Pungdeokcheon-ri, Suji-eup. In the same year, on May 18, a bazaar-sharing Mass for new church construction joined by Bishop Choe Deok-gi (Paulo) was held. On January 30, 1998, Father Jo Won-sik (Joseph) was appointed as the first assistant priest.

〔Confirmation of patron saint〕 The history states that on February 3, 1999 the parish patron was confirmed as St. Simeon (Berneux). The Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia states that the patronal feast day, September 20, is commemorated as the parish day. On August 9, 1999, the parish moved to the basement of the present church.

〔Construction of church〕 On November 5, 1998, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new church was held with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Choe Deok-gi (Paulo), and on June 28, 2000 the ridge-beam ceremony for the 3-story large church building (19 o’clock ridge-beam ceremony, Mass and celebration) was held. On May 3, 2001 building completion (Yongin City) was achieved, and in the same year, on August 12, it moved into the new church. On December 17, 2005, basement remodeling was completed. The history also records that on April 25, 2000 the 1-stage faith school opened with 753 of 950 attending, and that on January 14, 2000 Deacon Kim Dong-jin (Daniel) was ordained a priest.

〔Enshrinement of patron’s relics and dedication〕 The history states that on March 27, 2006 the parish received the relics of its patron (relic 2006-2), and in the same year, on May 20, it held the church dedication and the enshrinement of the patron’s relics. The parish introduction page lists the dedication date as May 20, 2006, the officiant as Bishop Choe Deok-gi Paulo, and the distribution date of the saint’s relics as March 27, 2006.

〔Parishes spun off〕 The history lists in chronological order the parishes spun off from Suji Church. On January 28, 2003, Sanghyeon-dong Parish spun off with 1,229 households and 3,821 people, and on September 30, 2003, Dongcheon-dong Parish spun off with 293 households and 884 people. On September 23, 2005, Seongbok-dong Parish spun off with 1,003 households and 3,035 people, with Father Kim Jeong-gon (Thomas) appointed as pastor, and on September 1, 2008, Sinbong-dong Parish spun off with 1,286 households and 3,560 people, with Father Yun Jin-seok (Peter) appointed as pastor. On June 25, 2013, Ihyeon Church spun off.

〔Since the 2000s〕 According to the history, Father Park Jong-man (John the Baptist) was appointed as pastor on January 29, 2002, followed by Father Kim Yeong-ok (Gabriel) (in 2004) and Father Jo Yeong-o (Dominico Savio) (in 2006). On October 9, 2007 the parish website was opened, and in the same year, on October 17, 405 people attended the Martyrs’ Exaltation Rally held at Songol Shrine. On January 6, 2008, it entered a sisterhood relationship with Gusan Church. In 2024, as events marking the 30 anniversary of the parish’s founding, the Korean Martyrs Exaltation Cantata performance (March 22), the New Family Praise Concert (April 6), a flute recital (May 10), a concert (June 14) and others were held, and there were the blessing of Berneux Hall on September 1 and the pilgrimage of all parishioners to Namyang Marian Shrine on September 29.

〔Successive pastors〕 According to the clergy and religious page, there have been 8 successive pastors. They are the first, Kim Han-cheol Juliano (1994.2.3~2002.1.28), the 2 Park Jong-man John the Baptist (2002.1.29~2004.9.29), the 3 Kim Yeong-ok Gabriel (2004.9.30~2006.9.24), the 4 Jo Yeong-o Dominico Savio (2006.9.25~2011.8.29), the 5 Jang Myeong-won Thomas (2011.8.30~2016.6.20), the 6 Kim Hui-gang Ludovico (2016.6.21~2021.6.14), the 7 Kim Tae-gyu Bangrasio (2021.6.15~2026.6.15), and the 8 Hwang Seon-gi Mattia (2026.6.16 to the present). Assistant priests are recorded as 24 from the first Jo Won-sik Joseph, who took office in 1998, to the 23 Choe Seon-yong Paulo (2025.12.16 to the present), and there are 3 priests from the parish: Lee Jong-u Raphael (ordained in 2019.12.6), Jo Won-gi Peter (ordained in 2008.8.22) and Kim Dong-jin Daniel (ordained in 2000.1.14). The parish introduction page lists the number of faithful as 6,596 as of 2025.

Architecture and Spaces

According to the floor guide on the parish introduction page of Suji Church, floor 4 has the choir loft and pews, floor 3 has the main sanctuary, confessionals and infant room, floor 2 has the small sanctuary and catechesis rooms, floor 1 has offices, the pastor’s office, café and religious-goods shop, and basement floor 1 has the dining hall, auditorium (Berneux Hall), catechesis rooms and teachers’ room. The 2000 ridge-beam record describes it as a 3-floor large church building. Its address is Pungdeokcheon-2-dong 436-5.

Related Places and People

• St. Simeon Berneux (Simeon Francois Berneux): He is the parish patron. According to Suji Church’s introduction to its patron, his Korean name is Jang Gyeong-il, he was born in the Diocese of Le Mans, France on May 14, 1814, was martyred at Saenamteo on March 6, 1866, was beatified on October 6, 1968 and canonized on May 6, 1984. The saint’s relics are enshrined at Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine, and part of the saint’s relics are kept in Suji Parish.
• Singal Church: It is the mother parish from which the Suji quasi-parish separated districts 12 and 13 (Suji Church history, Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia).
• Sanghyeon-dong, Dongcheon-dong, Seongbok-dong, Sinbong-dong and Ihyeon Churches: They are the parishes spun off from Suji Church (Suji Church history).

References and Sources

1. Suwon Diocese Suji Church, Parish History. Quasi-parish establishment in 1994, elevation in 1995, purchase and construction of church site, dedication in 2006, spun-off parishes, 2024 30 anniversary events.
   https://sujica.or.kr/history/
2. Suwon Diocese Suji Church, Parish Introduction. Establishment date February 3, 1994, dedication date May 20, 2006, mother parish Singal Church, distribution date of patron’s relics, floor guide, number of faithful in 2025.
   https://sujica.or.kr/parish-about/
3. Suwon Diocese Suji Church, Patron Saint. Life, beatification and canonization of St. Simeon Berneux and enshrinement of relics in Suji Parish.
   https://sujica.or.kr/patron-saint/
4. Suwon Diocese Suji Church, Clergy and Religious. Successive pastors, assistant priests and priests from the parish.
   https://sujica.or.kr/clergy/
5. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Yongin Culture Encyclopedia “Suji Church”. Mother parish Singal Church, separation and establishment in 1994, patron saint and parish day, jurisdiction.
   https://yongin.grandculture.net/yongin/toc/GC00902031