Hwon-dong (3rd District Head) Catholic Church

Overview

Howon-dong Church is a church on Hoam-ro in Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Uijeongbu, and is the head parish of District 3 of the Diocese of Uijeongbu. It was established by separation from Uijeongbu 2-dong Church on September 24, 1996, and moved into a new church building on December 14, 1997. It moved into the newly built church building on August 7, 2011 and held the church dedication ceremony on March 18, 2012.

History

[Establishment] The parish history on the Howon-dong Church website records, on September 24, 1996, “established by separation from Uijeongbu 2-dong Church.” The directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the date of establishment of ‘Howon-dong (Head Parish of District 3)’ as 1996.9.24. According to the history, the first pastor, Father Thomas Yi Myeong-chan, took office on October 10, 1996, celebrated the first Mass for the establishment of the parish on October 13, and published parish bulletin No. 1 on October 21. On October 23, a steel-frame tent was installed.

[Construction of the first church building] The history records that the design for the church building was commissioned on March 20, 1997, the church building committee was formed on May 11, and approval for new church construction from the diocesan chancery on July 9 and a building permit on July 28 were received. After a contract to select a contractor on August 3 and a groundbreaking Mass for church construction on August 12, the parish moved into the new church building on December 14, 1997. The first Baptism was celebrated on December 21 and Christmas Eve Mass on December 24. In 1999, the Marian grotto was completed on August 14 and a Baptism (109 persons) was held on August 15, the access bridge to the church was completed on September 30, and Confirmation (85 persons) was celebrated on October 23.

[Education center and appointments of priests] Father Paul Yi Sang-beom took office as assistant pastor on December 20, 1999, and Fathers Thomas Yi Myeong-chan and Paul Yi Sang-beom were bid farewell on March 4, 2001. Father Barnabas Yang Gyeong-mo took office as the 2 parish priest on August 6, 2001. The Rosario library was opened on April 13, 2003, and the blessing ceremony for the education center, presided over by Monsignor Francis Kim Byeong-do, was held on August 3. Father Benedict Shin Jeong-sun took office as pastor from Juyeop-dong on June 7, 2005, and Father Barnabas Yang Gyeong-mo was transferred to Gwajwa-dong. Father Francis Won Jae-hyeon took office as pastor from Uijeongbu Cathedral on September 11, 2007. Father Michael Kim Dong-hun took office as pastor on September 4, 2012 (the history notes that he had been the head of the diocesan chancery and the cathedral construction promotion headquarters).

[Construction of the new church building] According to the history, the church building committee was formed on April 16, 2006, a briefing on church construction was held on August 27, and after a forum on November 5, a vote on new construction versus expansion was conducted from November 12 to December 3, confirming new construction. On February 5, 2007, there was the 3 purchase of Howon-dong 274-12 (206 pyeong), and on May 20, a grand bazaar was held to raise funds for church construction. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new church was held with Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon on May 23, 2010, and entrance into the new church and the first Mass were celebrated on August 7, 2011. On the parish day on October 8, 2011, a celebratory performance for entering the new church was prepared, and Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon celebrated the church dedication ceremony on March 18, 2012. On May 14, 2014, land behind the church (Howon 1-dong 274-4, about 272 pyeong) was purchased.

[Parish events and small communities] The history records the all-parishioners pilgrimage to Mirinae Shrine (937 participants) commemorating the 10th anniversary of the parish establishment on June 11, 2006 and a sacred music Mass on August 26, a hematopoietic stem cell donation event commemorating the 17th anniversary of the parish establishment on July 28, 2013, the inauguration ceremony of Howon-dong Caritas on May 12, 2013 and the first Love House Repair project on May 25, and the opening ceremony of the garden plots on April 5, 2015. A family Mass was newly established on February 1, 2005, and a vocations support group was founded on June 18, 2005.

[Former pastors and deans] The ‘Priests’ page of the website lists the 1 Thomas Yi Myeong-chan (1996.10–2001.3), the 3 Benedict Shin Jeong-sun (2005.6–2007.9), the 4 Francis de Sales Won Jae-hyeon (2007.9–2012.9), the 5 Michael Kim Dong-hun (2012.9–2015.9), the 6 Bartholomew Kim Nam-cheol (2015.9–2019.2, former District 3 dean), the 7 Peter Lee Hae-il (2019.2–2022.2), the 8 Barnabas Seong Jun-han (2022.2.8–2026.2.20), and the 9 John Bosco Byeon Seung-sik (2026.2.20–). This page introduces Father Peter Lee Hae-il (took office in 2025.2.18) as District 3 dean, and Martino Kim Seong-gil (2020.2.18–2021.2.15) and John the Apostle Shin Gi-bae (2021.2.16–2025.2.18) as former District 3 deans.

Related Places and People

• Uijeongbu 2-dong Church: The Howon-dong Church history states that in 1996, Howon-dong Church was established by separation from this parish.

References and Sources

1. Howon-dong Church website of the Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Parish History.” Separation and establishment from Uijeongbu 2-dong Church in 1996, arrival of the first pastor, entrance into the new church in 1997, entrance into the new church in 2011 and dedication in 2012, appointments of priests, and the church construction process.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/howon/default.aspx?mnucd=20001822
2. Howon-dong Church website of the Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Priests.” Former parish priests and former and current District 3 deans.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/howon/default.aspx?mnucd=20001824
3. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, list of parishes of the Diocese of Uijeongbu in the Korean Catholic Directory, “Howon-dong (Head Parish of District 3).” Date of establishment September 24, 1996.
   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=