Yeoju Catholic Church

Overview

Yeoju Church is a church in Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do belonging to the Diocese of Suwon. It was separated and established from Icheon Parish of the Diocese of Seoul on April 22, 1950, and its patron is St. Paul the Apostle. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia describes Yeoju as a place where Juyeosa, the cradle of early Catholic reception, is located and where the house of Kwon Cheol-sin stands nearby.

History

[Early Catholicism and Martyrs] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholicism reached Yeoju early, where Juyeosa, the cradle of early Catholic reception, is located and where the house of Kwon Cheol-sin stands nearby. Yun Yu-il, a disciple of Kwon Cheol-sin, converted and evangelized his family and those around him, spreading Catholicism in the Yeoju area, and Kim Geon-sun, who secretly exchanged learning with Kwon Cheol-sin, converted and evangelized Lee Jung-bae, Won Gyeong-do and others, spreading it even more widely. Yun Yu-il was martyred during the Eulmyo Persecution in 1795, and during the Sinyu Persecution in 1801, several people including Lee Jung-bae, Won Gyeong-do, Choe Chang-ju, Im Hui-yeong, Jeong Gwang-su, Jeong Sun-mae, Lee So-sa and Jeong Jeong-ho were martyred.

[Catholic Mission Chapel Era] According to the encyclopedia, the first Catholic village formed in the Yeoju area is said to be the Wanjang-i (now Jungam-ri, Buknae-myeon) Catholic mission chapel, and later a Catholic mission chapel was also established in Wonsim-i (now Dojeon-ri, Gangcheon-myeon). In Bupyeong-ri, Gangcheon-myeon, commonly called Bueonggol, which Fr. Robert (A. P. Robert) designated as a Catholic mission chapel in 1882, the Sacred Heart Seminary, the second seminary in Korea, was established in October 1885 and also served as a parish, but after the seminary moved to Yongsan, Seoul in March 1887, Bueonggol alternated between a Catholic mission chapel and a parish and was closed in the early 1900s. In 1921-1922, Yeoju-gun had 5 Catholic mission chapels, including the Dokbawi (now Hyeonam-ri, Buknae-myeon), Ogam (now Gaya-ri, Gangcheon-myeon) and Hwanggori (now Samgyo-ri, Junae-myeon) Catholic mission chapels under Janghowon (now Gamgok) Parish and the Wonsim-i and Wanjang-i Catholic mission chapels under Manae (now Yongmun) Parish, and later a Catholic mission chapel was also built in Hakdong (now Ohak-ri, Buknae-myeon), but downtown Yeoju had few believers and did not develop into a Catholic mission chapel. The 3 Catholic mission chapels of Ogam, Dokbawi and Hakdong were incorporated into Icheon Parish when Icheon Parish was established in July 1941.

[Parish Establishment] According to the encyclopedia, through the zealous activities of the believers of these 3 Catholic mission chapels and the efforts of Fr. Lee Gye-seon (Leo) of Icheon Parish, one hanok house was prepared in Sang-ri, Yeoju-eup, and Ogam Catholic mission chapel believers such as Yun Yeong-chang and Kim Hak-seon visited the Seoul diocesan curia several times to petition Bishop No Gi-nam (Paul) to send a priest to Yeoju. Bishop No Gi-nam established Yeoju Parish as of April 22, 1950 and appointed Fr. Yun Byeong-hui as the first pastor. However, only 1 months after his appointment, the 6-25 War broke out and Fr. Yun Byeong-hui evacuated to Daegu and enlisted as a military chaplain, so the parish remained vacant without a priest for 3 years until the armistice in July 1953, and the faithful had to attend Sunday Mass at the distant Icheon Church.

[Church Relocation and Development] According to the encyclopedia, Fr. Choe Seok-ho, who became the 2th pastor in October 1953, judged that the hanok temporary church (about 90 pyeong) near Marau Pass was too small and planned to move the church. With the help of American soldiers with whom he was close, he purchased about 1,000 pyeong of land in Ha-ri, the site of the present church, completed the church (88 pyeong) and the rectory and kindergarten (75 pyeong) buildings, and held the dedication ceremony on October 28, 1954, and opened Sohwa Kindergarten on March 3 of the following year. Fr. Kim Yun-sang, the 3th pastor, strengthened Sunday school catechesis and held an annual catechism contest, built the Dojeon-ri, Gangcheon-myeon Catholic mission chapel hall (30 pyeong) on February 9, 1957, and additionally purchased church land. When the Diocese of Suwon was separated and established from the Archdiocese of Seoul on October 7, 1963, Yeoju Parish became part of the Diocese of Suwon. Fr. Kim Chang-rin, who became the 6st pastor in July of the following year, built a new rectory and remodeled the old rectory into a convent, establishing the Yeoju convent of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in September 1967, but the sisters, after dedicating themselves for more than 10 years to parish and kindergarten educational apostolate, withdrew without overcoming friction with parishioners.

[Construction of the Present Church and Columban Ministry] According to the encyclopedia, Fr. Seo Jong-seon, the 12rd pastor, expecting continued growth, began construction of a new church on October 5, 1981, completed an above-ground 2-story building, and held the dedication ceremony on November 9, 1984. From February 1985, pastoral care of Yeoju Parish was entrusted to the Missionary Society of St. Columban. Fr. Cheon (M. Tchon), the 14th pastor, founded a credit union and built the Gaya-ri Catholic mission chapel hall, the parish rectory (54 pyeong), the education center (210 pyeong) and others, and published the booklet "Pilgrims of the Namhan River" in June 1990 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the parish establishment. In August 1992, while Fr. Sweeney (W. Sweeney) was in office, the Cheongan-ri, Jeomdong-myeon Catholic mission chapel was elevated to Jeomdong Quasi-Parish. 8 years after the Columban missionaries took charge of pastoral care, in February 1993 pastoral care of Yeoju Parish was again entrusted to diocesan priests, and Fr. Jeong Jong-deuk became the 16th pastor.

[After the 1990s] According to the encyclopedia, Fr. Jeong Jong-deuk launched the Little Jesus Movement and focused on revitalizing the Holy Family through prayer and charity, and conducted a campaign to offer 1000,000 rosaries for the return of inactive Catholics. Under Fr. Bae Yong-u, the 17rd pastor, the blessing ceremony of the House of Encounter was held on March 19, 1995, and on October 25, 1997 the credit union building was completed and blessed. Fr. Bae Yong-u launched the New Family Search Movement from December 1997 and achieved the conversion of 441 people. Fr. Lee Yong-gyu, the 18th pastor, invited Bishop Choe Deok-gi (Paul), priests from the parish, former pastors and the Yeoju County Governor to hold the 50th anniversary Mass and events for the 50th anniversary of the parish establishment in the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, and published "Pilgrims of the Namhan River," containing the history of the parish, on December 25 of that year.

[Jurisdiction, Statistics and Former Pastors] The jurisdiction recorded in the encyclopedia is the entire Yeoju-eup area except Samgyo-ri and the entire Buknae-myeon, Daesin-myeon, Gangcheon-myeon, Neungseo-myeon and Heungcheon-myeon areas of Yeoju-gun, and the affiliated Catholic mission chapels are Gaya-ri and Dojeon-ri, 2 places. The statistics are 602 in 1954, 1,331 in 1961, 1,381 in 1971, 2,124 in 1981, 3,090 in 1991, and 3,949 in 2000. The former pastors are the first Yun Byeong-hui, Paul (1950.4-6), 2th Choe Seok-ho, Paul (1953.10-1955.5), 3th Kim Yun-sang, Benedict (1955.5-1961.1), 4th Jo Chang-hui, Benedict (1961.1-1963.6), 5rd Lee Jong-sun, Lawrence (1963.6-9), acting Nam Yeong-hui, Isidore (1963.9-1964.7), 6th Kim Chang-rin, Philip (1964.7-1967.10), 7st Kim Byeong-yeol, Boniface (1967.10-1971.9), 8th Kim Yeong-ok, Gabriel (1971.9-1973.5), 9th Bae Mun-han, Dominic (1973.5-1976.4), 10th Ryu Jin-seon, Leo (1976.4-1977.12), 11rd Lee Jung-hyeon, John (1977.12-1979.3), 12th Seo Jong-seon, Thomas (1979.3-1984.2), 13th Seo Beom-seok, Joseph (1984.2-1985.2), 14nd Cheon (M. Tchon), Malachy (1985.2-1990.8), associate Kelly (J. Kelly), Jeremiah (1986.3-1988.12), 15th Sweeney (W. Sweeney), William (1990.8-1993.2), 16th Jeong Jong-deuk, Paul (1993.2-1995.1), 17rd Bae Yong-u, Paul (1995.1-1999.1), 18th Lee Yong-gyu, John the Apostle (1999.1-2002.1), and 19th Kim Gi-won, John the Apostle (2002.1-).

Related Places and People

• Yeoju Shrine (Martyrs Monument): According to the Catholic Times (2014), next to Yeoju Parish stand the Martyrs Monument together with the Marian Garden. Inscribed on the monument are the names of 17 Yeoju-born martyrs, including Yun Yu-il, who was sent as a secret envoy to the Beijing Church and was flogged at the Hanyang Podocheong and martyred during the Eulmyo Persecution in 1795, and Lee Jung-bae, Won Gyeong-do and Choe Chang-ju, who were beheaded on the roadside 1 ri south of the Yeoju government office during the Sinyu Persecution in 1801.
• Martyrdom Memorial: If you go in along the shops on Jungang-ro next to the parish, there is a memorial erected at the presumed martyrdom site, and the monument made of granite and black stone is engraved with the list of 20 names and a Martyrs Hymn (Catholic Times, 2014).
• Beatification candidates related to Yeoju: The Catholic Times (2014) lists among the Servant of God Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companion martyrs whose beatification was decided, the martyrs related to Yeoju Shrine as Lee Jung-bae (Martin), Choe Chang-ju (Marcellinus), Won Gyeong-do (John), Jeong Sun-mae (Barbara), Jeong Gwang-su (Barnabas), Lee Hyeon (Anthony) and Choe (Barbara). The paper reports that Lee Jung-bae and his companions were beheaded and martyred on April 25, 1801, Choe Chang-ju was beheaded and martyred together with his son-in-law Won Gyeong-do, Jeong Gwang-su was sentenced to death on January 29, 1802, transferred to his hometown Yeoju and beheaded the next day, Jeong Sun-mae was beheaded in Yeoju on July 4, 1801, Lee Hyeon was beheaded at the execution ground outside Seosomun on July 2, 1801, and Barbara Choe was martyred on January 4, 1840.
• Honoring of martyrs by Yeoju Parish: According to the paper, in 2004 the parish published "Yeoju and the Martyrs," which comprehensively compiled sources on 11 Yeoju-area martyrs martyred in Seoul and Yeoju in the 1800s based on the Annals of King Sunjo, the History of Catholicism in Korea, the Reference Collection on Joseon Martyrdom Sources and others, and erected a monument.
• Bueonggol Sacred Heart Seminary: Established in Bupyeong-ri, Gangcheon-myeon in October 1885, it was the second seminary in Korea and also served as a parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Icheon Parish, Gamgok Parish and Manae (Yongmun) Parish: These are the parishes that successively administered the Catholic mission chapels of Yeoju (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia "Yeoju Parish". Early Catholicism and martyrs, Catholic mission chapel era, parish establishment in 1950, church relocation and dedication of the new church in 1984, Columban ministry, jurisdiction, statistics and former pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/4419
2. Catholic Times, "[Land of Martyrs] (4) Yeoju Shrine" (2014.4.20). Martyrs monument and memorial next to Yeoju Church, activities of beatification candidate martyrs in the Yeoju area, publication of "Yeoju and the Martyrs".
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/201404150087032