Byeollae Catholic Church

Overview

Byeollae Church is a church in Byeollae-dong, Namyangju City, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the 2 district of the Catholic Uijeongbu Diocese. It was newly established on August 22, 2013 with the development of Byeollae New Town, and its patron saint is St. Francis of Assisi.

History

According to the parish website, Byeollae Church was officially established on August 22, 2013 with the development of Byeollae New Town in Namyangju City. In its early days, after spending 1 years at Seonseung Church (Catholic mission chapel) under the Military Ordinariate, it prepared a church building and an education hall at its present site, and began its first Mass at the Byeollae church building on January 25, 2015.

Digital Namyangju Encyclopedia of Culture explains that, as the site had not been fixed at the time of its founding, Masses were held at Cheonghak Church and Toegyewon Church and other churches in October 2013, and from December 2013 until the completion of the church building, Masses were held at the Seonseung Catholic mission chapel under the Army Military Ordinariate. The same source records that the church building was completed in January 2015.

Its first pastor was Father Martino Kim Seong-gil, and in February 2020 Father Thomas Aquinas Lee Jae-jeong took office as the 2 pastor (parish website).

Faith Significance and Visiting Context

The parish introduces itself as pursuing Word sharing centered on small communities, ongoing catechetical education, and activities for children, teenagers, and young adults, with “a community walking together in faith” as its pastoral goal (parish website). The Encyclopedia of Culture records that it organized an annual bazaar to raise youth scholarships every year from 2015 to 2019 and held a winter kimchi-sharing event in 2017.

The Encyclopedia of Culture assesses that Byeollae Church, founded in step with the development of the new town, shows the trend of expanding faith activities in the Namyangju area.

References and Sources

1. Byeollae Church of the Catholic Uijeongbu Diocese, Introduction. Confirms the founding date (August 22, 2013), patron saint, life at the Seonseung mission chapel and first Mass on January 25, 2015, pastoral goal, and successive pastors.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/bnsd/default.aspx?mnucd=20001711
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Namyangju Encyclopedia of Culture “Byeollae Church”. Confirms the background of the founding in 2013, temporary Mass venues, completion of the church building in 2015, and local activities.
   https://namyangju.grandculture.net/namyangju/toc/GC08901020