Hwajon Catholic Church

Overview

Hwajeonmaeul Church is a church of the Diocese of Uijeongbu located on Jungang-ro, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. It was established as a parish on August 28, 2008, and its parish patron is Saint Francis of Assisi. It began as a Catholic mission chapel of Haengsin 1-dong Church after receiving the registers of Hyangdong-dong and Deogeun-dong, and on June 6, 2021 Hyangdong Church separated from this parish.

History

〔Beginning as a mission chapel and establishment as a parish〕 According to the church history on the Hwajeonmaeul Church website, on May 1, 2008 it began as a Catholic mission chapel of Haengsin 1-dong Church after receiving the registers of Hyangdong-dong and Deogeun-dong from Susaek. Mission-chapel Masses began at the Hyangdong-dong daycare center on May 14, and the first baptisms (16 people) took place on June 7. A groundbreaking ceremony for a church building was held in Hwajeon-dong on August 19, and the parish was established on August 28. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory also lists the establishment date as 2008.8.28. The first pastor, Father Francis Kang Sin-mo, took office on September 9, and the chronology records that at that time the Secular Franciscan Order building in Daejang-dong was used as temporary lodging.

〔Completion of the church building and early groups〕 The chronology records that construction began on October 9, 2008 and the church building was completed and the first Mass was offered on December 21. On January 25, 2009 Francis was chosen as patron, and on March 29 a ‘Francis establishment’ is recorded. On February 27, 2010 the Queen of Angels Cu. was founded, and on November 21 the Association for the Deceased was founded.

〔Change of pastors and facilities〕 The chronology records Father Joseph Kim Tae-su as the 2th pastor on September 28, 2010, Father Pius Kim Hak-su as the 3th pastor on September 3, 2013, Father Joseph Ha Jeong-yong as the 4th pastor on February 13, 2018, Father Andrew Jo Mun-hyeok as the 5th pastor on February 16, 2021, and Father Felix Ryu Dong-yeol as the 6th pastor on February 20, 2026. A statue of Our Lady of Fatima was enshrined on September 21, 2018 and an event for the 10th anniversary of the parish foundation was held on October 7. The catechism classroom was expanded on June 9, 2019 (notated as ‘John Paul 2’), and on November 22 a bathroom was added to the 2-floor rectory and a kitchen was installed in the Francis catechism classroom. Vehicles (Starex) were purchased on September 6, 2019 and on January 7, 2020.

〔Separation of Hyangdong Church〕 The chronology records that Hyangdong Church separated on June 6, 2021. The Hyangdong Church website also states that Hyangdong Church was divided from Hwajeonmaeul Church on June 6, 2021 and that its mother parish is Hwajeonmaeul Church.

〔Patron and meaning of the name〕 The introduction page explains ‘Hwajeon’ as flower hwa (花) and field jeon (田), with the flowers meaning the faithful and the field meaning the field of God. The patron page introduces Saint Francis of Assisi as born in 1181 or 1182 in Assisi in the Umbria region of Italy, as the son of cloth merchant Pietro Bernardone. According to the same page, in 1202 he was taken prisoner in the war between Perugia and Assisi, heard the voice “Francis, repair my falling house” before the cross in San Damiano Church, and Bernard of Quintavalle, Peter of Catania, and Giles of Assisi became his first companions. On November 29, 1223 the 2th Rule was approved by decree of Pope Honorius 3, on September 1224 he received the stigmata on Mount La Verna, died at the Portiuncula on October 3, 1226, and was canonized by Pope Gregory 9 on July 16, 1228. It states that September 17 is the feast of the Holy Stigmata of Saint Francis, established by Pope Benedict 11 in 1304.

〔Home parishes of past pastors〕 The clergy/religious page lists the home parish of the present pastor, Father Felix Ryu Dong-yeol, as Madu Church in the Diocese of Uijeongbu, that of Father Andrew Jo Mun-hyeok as Singok 2-dong Church, and that of Father Joseph Ha Jeong-yong as Howon-dong Church. The biographies on this page list Fr. Ha as pastor of Hwajeonmaeul from 2018.2.1 to 2021.2.3 and Fr. Jo from 2021.2.4 to 2026.2.5, differing by a few days from the appointment dates in the chronology.

Related places and people

• Haengsin 1-dong Church: the Hwajeonmaeul area began as a Catholic mission chapel of this parish in 2008 (Hwajeonmaeul Church website).
• Susaek: recorded in the Hwajeonmaeul chronology as the place that handed over the registers of Hyangdong-dong and Deogeun-dong to the Hwajeonmaeul mission chapel.
• Hyangdong Church: separated from Hwajeonmaeul Church on June 6, 2021 (Hwajeonmaeul Church and Hyangdong Church websites).

References and sources

1. Hwajeonmaeul Church website, Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Church History”. Mission-chapel beginning in 2008, first baptisms, groundbreaking, parish establishment, completion of the church building, choice of patron, appointments of pastors, separation of Hyangdong Church in 2021.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/hjvillage/default.aspx?mnucd=20001641
2. Hwajeonmaeul Church website, Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Introduction”. Explanation of the meaning of ‘Hwajeon’.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/hjvillage/default.aspx?mnucd=20001640
3. Hwajeonmaeul Church website, Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Patron Saint”. Life of Saint Francis of Assisi and the feast of the stigmata.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/hjvillage/default.aspx?mnucd=20001642
4. Hwajeonmaeul Church website, Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Clergy/Religious”. Biographies and home parishes of the present and former pastors.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/hjvillage/default.aspx?mnucd=20001643
5. Hyangdong Church website, Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Introduction”. Its mother parish is Hwajeonmaeul Church and it was divided on June 6, 2021.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/hd/default.aspx?mnucd=20003844
6. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic directory, list of parishes of the Diocese of Uijeongbu, “Hwajeonmaeul”. Establishment date August 28, 2008.
   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=