Goeupdong Catholic Church

Overview

Goeup-dong Church is a church belonging to the Diocese of Uijeongbu in Goeup-dong, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do. It was newly established as a parish on August 27, 2009, and its patron is the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The chronology on the church homepage records the approval for use of the newly built church and the first Mass on December 2009, and the entrance Mass into the new church building and the church dedication Mass in 2012.

History

[Establishment of the parish and the first church] The church history page of the Goeup-dong Church homepage lists the establishment of Goeup-dong Church as a parish on August 27, 2009 as its first entry. The directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea also lists the establishment date as August 27, 2009. The first pastor, Fr. No Yeon-ho Mattia, took office on September 8, and the first Mass was celebrated at the Majeon-dong Catholic mission chapel on September 15. On October 11, the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph was chosen as the parish patron. A farewell Mass at Yangju 2-dong Church was held on December 20, the first Mass was celebrated at the newly built Goeup-dong Church (the old church) on December 24, and approval for the use of the newly built Goeup-dong Church was received on December 30. On January 10, 2010, there were an entrance Mass for the newly built church and the first infant baptism.

[2010–2011] According to the chronology, a Marian garden was created and a statue of Mary was installed on April 4, 2010, and Sunday school was opened with a new children’s Mass on May 1. On June 20, there was a one-day retreat for all parishioners, together with the blessing of a statue of the Holy Family and the installation of a commemorative plaque. A preparatory meeting for the construction of a new church building and a Bible reading and writing campaign were started on February 13, 2011, home visits began on March 16, and a parish evangelization sister (Sisters of St. Andrea) took office on March 20. Approval for parish construction was requested on April 19, and a groundbreaking Mass for the church construction presided over by Bishop Yi Han-taek Joseph was celebrated on August 4. The chronology records that from June 2011 to June 2012, fundraising for the church construction fund was carried out by visiting churches in the Archdiocese of Seoul, including Junggyebon-dong, Apgujeong 1-dong, Gwangjang-dong, Ogeum-dong, Segeomjeong, Deungchon 1-dong and Daechi 2-dong churches.

[Entrance into the new church building and dedication] The entrance Mass into the new church building was celebrated on May 27, 2012, a blessing ceremony for the statue of Mary was held on June 24, and approval for the use of the new church building was received on July 9. On August 25, the church dedication Mass was celebrated. In the same year, the 2th pastor, Fr. Min Hyeong-gi Anselmo, took office on September 4, and Sr. Yi Paula, the superior, took office on November 8.

[2013–2019] The chronology records an invitational lecture commemorating the 5th anniversary of the parish establishment on August 24, 2014 (Fr. Kim Hyo-jun Leo), a special Bible lecture on August 2015 (Pentateuch and Prophets), the start of used-clothes collection for recycling and for raising a land purchase fund on February 21, 2016, and the taking of office of the 3th pastor, Fr. An Seong-nam Andrea, on September 6, 2016. All parishioners made a pilgrimage to Eonong Shrine on October 22, 2017 (365 people), and Confirmation (51 people) was held on October 13, 2018. On October 6, 2019, a pilgrimage of all parishioners commemorating the 10rd anniversary of the parish establishment was made to Veron Shrine (309 people), and a commemorative Bible family motto was made on October 13. A campaign for all parishioners to wear name tags began on November 3, 2019, a Curia (Mother of the Church) was established on January 5, 2020, and the purchase of land for the church parking lot was completed on January 17.

[After 2020] The ordination of Fr. Park Jun James and Deacon Kim Hyeon-gyun James was held on February 5, 2020, and Fr. Park celebrated his first Mass as a new priest on February 9 and then moved to Madu-dong on February 18. The chronology records that from February 25, 2020, Masses with the faithful were suspended to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The 4th pastor, Fr. Jeong Won-sik Joseph, took office on February 8, 2022. Assistant pastor So Hyeon-jun Luellino took office on April 18, 2023, and Bishop Yi Gi-heon Peter made a pastoral visit on July 18, 2023. In 2024, commemorating the 15th anniversary of the parish, meetings were held with the first pastor Fr. No Yeon-ho Mattia (March 3), the 2rd pastor Fr. Min Hyeong-gi Anselmo (April 14), and the 3th pastor Fr. An Seong-nam Andrea (May 12), and a pilgrimage of all parishioners to Solmoe Shrine was made on October 6. There was a transfer of assistant pastor So Hyeon-jun on February 18, 2025, and the implementation of Catholic Pay (Sunday offerings, parish dues, Mass intentions and others) is recorded on April 26, 2025.

[Past pastors] The Former Priests page of the homepage lists the first pastor No Yeon-ho Mattia (took office 2009-09-08, feast day May 14), the 2nd pastor Min Hyeong-gi Anselmo (2012-09-04, April 21), the 3th pastor An Seong-nam Andrea (2016-09-06, November 30), the 4th pastor Jeong Won-sik Joseph (2022-02-08, March 19), and assistant pastor So Hyeon-jun Luellino (2023-04-18, February 28). The Parish Priests page lists pastor Son Gang-yun Moses (date of appointment 2026-02-20, feast day February 7).

Related places and people

• Yangju 2-dong Church: a parish of the Diocese of Uijeongbu recorded in the chronology as having held a farewell Mass on December 20, 2009 (Goeup-dong Church homepage).

References and sources

1. Uijeongbu Diocese Goeup-dong Church homepage, Church History (chronology for 2009–2025). Establishment of the parish on August 27, 2009, approval for church use, groundbreaking for church construction in 2011, entrance into and dedication of the new church building in 2012, and later events.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/goeup56/default.aspx?mnucd=20002108
2. Uijeongbu Diocese Goeup-dong Church homepage, Former Priests. From the first pastor Fr. No Yeon-ho to the 4th pastor Fr. Jeong Won-sik, dates of taking office and feast days.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/goeup56/default.aspx?mnucd=20002110
3. Uijeongbu Diocese Goeup-dong Church homepage, Parish Priests. Current pastor Fr. Son Gang-yun Moses, date of appointment 2026-02-20.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/goeup56/default.aspx?mnucd=20003182
4. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Directory of the Korean Catholic Church, list of parishes in the Diocese of Uijeongbu, Goeup-dong. Establishment date August 27, 2009.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/SearchList.aspx?cgubn=g&char=all&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000020&paged=100&sort=0&start=1&tbxSearch=