Neunggok Church

Overview

Neunggok Church is a church in Todang-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the Diocese of Uijeongbu. Beginning as a Catholic mission chapel on November 8, 1978, it was separated from Susaek Parish and established as a parish in 1982, with the Nativity of Mary as its patron. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia introduces it as the successor to Haengju Parish.

History

〔Haengju Catholic Mission Chapel Period〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the local faith community began in 1881 when two chairmen, Jeong Gihong and Yi Beomseong, held mission chapel services in their sarangbang. After operating as a Catholic mission chapel for over 20 years, it was separated from Yakhyeon Parish (now Jungnim-dong) in May 1909 and elevated to Haengju Parish, and Father Kim Won-yeong (Augustine) took office as the first pastor and in August of the same year built and blessed a church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary at 197 Haengjuoe-ri, Jido-myeon, Goyang-gun, Gyeonggi-do. In 1922 the church was expanded and a rectory was newly built, and the parish had jurisdiction over 5 counties in Gyeonggi-do: Goyang, Paju, Yangju, Gimpo and Ganghwa. The encyclopedia states that it was at one time reduced to a Catholic mission chapel as priests became scarce due to persecution, including the expulsion of missionaries in the late Japanese colonial period.

〔Neunggok Site and Catholic Mission Chapel〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, after liberation Haengju Catholic Mission Chapel was revived as a parish in 1947 at the present Neunggok Church site donated in 1938 by Kim Seong-un (Bernard), welcoming Father Kim Seong-hwan (Victorio). As urbanization reduced the number of believers, Father Im Chung-sin (Matthias), who took office in 1953, moved the parish seat to Susaek in 1957, and afterward, as it became a Catholic mission chapel under Susaek Parish, the chapel name changed to Neunggok. In 1978 Father Kim Taek-am (Peter) of Susaek Parish began work to clear the lots and recover land for the Haengju and Neunggok mission chapels, preparing a Catholic mission chapel church of 40 pyeong at the present parish site. The Neunggok Church website history records the founding of Neunggok Catholic Mission Chapel on November 8, 1978 and the blessing of the mission chapel on December 12, 1978. The same history lists a chapel baptism on February 3, 1980 (14 persons), the formation of a church building committee presided over on August 15, 1980 by Father Yi Chi-yeol (Anthony), military chaplain of the 30 Division, a chapel confirmation on May 23, 1981 (43 persons), and a groundbreaking ceremony officiated on August 10, 1981 by Bishop Gyeong Gap-ryong.

〔Parish Establishment〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that it was separated from Susaek Parish and established on August 26, 1982, and the Neunggok Church website records the founding date as September 8, 1982, noting that the first pastor, Father Min Byeong-deok (Pius), described it as the 106th church of the Archdiocese of Seoul separated from Susaek Parish. According to the website history, the first pastoral council was approved on September 18, 1982 and the Nativity of Mary was designated as the parish patron, and on September 20 liturgical, altar-server, Ultreya and other groups were established. On December 24 of the same year, the first baptism after the parish founding (54 persons) took place.

〔New Church Building〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that a new church building with 3 stories above ground and a total floor area of 392 pyeong was dedicated on September 8, 1984, officiated by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan. The Neunggok Church website history records a church completion inspection approval on September 13, 1983, and that Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan officiated the church dedication and administered confirmation (180 persons) on September 8, 1984. In November 1983 the old mission chapel building was remodeled into a rectory and convent, and on February 15, 1984 a branch of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres was installed.

〔Early Activities〕 According to the website history, the Association for the Deceased was founded in February 1983, the charismatic prayer group in April 1984, the St. Anna Association and the Marian Association in June of the same year, the Kim Dae-geon Association in July 1985 and the St. Joseph Association in November of the same year, and a kindergarten opened on March 6, 1987. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia states that a senior academy was opened in May 1987 but was later discontinued, and that Eucharistic adoration and daily Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament were held in 1989 in preparation for the World Eucharistic Congress. On February 6, 1987 the parish’s first priest, Father Kim Yong-bong (Peter), and on February 9, 1990 Father Yi Gi-yang (Joseph) were ordained priests. An education hall was broken ground on April 29, 1990 and blessed on March 31, 1991.

〔Branching and Re-elevation〕 According to the website history, Hwajeong-dong Church was newly established on November 21, 1996 by dividing the Hwajeong-dong area, and on February 14, 1997 Haengsin 1-dong Church and Haengsin 2-dong Church were newly established by dividing the Haengsin-dong area. On July 5, 2004 the Diocese of Uijeongbu was newly established, separated from the Archdiocese of Seoul, and on November 18, 2004 the Haengju Catholic Mission Chapel of Neunggok Parish was re-elevated to Haengju Church.

〔After the 2000s〕 According to the website history, an adoration chapel was blessed on March 20, 2005, construction of a rectory and convent began in November 2005, and the blessing ceremony for the rectory and convent was held on June 10, 2006. In June 2011 parish remodeling work was carried out and on July 23 of the same year a Night of Festival with the blessing of the church was held. In February 2012 Han Gon (Francis) from the parish was ordained a priest. In 2022, marking the 40th anniversary of the parish founding, a Holy Spirit meditation group and pilgrimages to holy places were held and the book 《Neunggok Church 40-Year History》 was published. On March 20, 2024 outdoor 14 Stations were blessed. The history lists cloud-bridge and iron stair repair work on the church in April 2026 and demolition work on the church kindergarten in August of the same year.

〔Successive Pastors〕 The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia lists the first pastor Min Byeong-deok (Pius), the 2 pastor Yi Hae-uk (Francis, 1987.9–1991.8) and the 3 pastor Jang Deok-beom (Paul, 1991.8–). According to the website history, the 4 pastor Gang Sa-jip (Joseph) took office on October 7, 1997, the 5 pastor Kim O-seok (Raymond) on March 5, 2002, the 6 pastor Kim Si-yong (Peter) on December 7, 2005, the 7 pastor Park Myeong-gi (Damian) on September 11, 2007, the 8 pastor Im Yong-hun (Timothy) on September 8, 2009, the 9 pastor Hwang Ju-won (Michael) on September 16, 2014, the 10 pastor Kim Yeong-cheol (Peter) on February 19, 2019, the 11 pastor Kim Hak-su (Pius) on February 21, 2023, and the 12 pastor Choe In-hyeok (Pius) on February 20, 2026.

Related Places and People

• Haengju Church: As the successor to Haengju Parish founded in 1909, the predecessor of Neunggok Parish, it was re-elevated from Haengju Catholic Mission Chapel of Neunggok Parish to Haengju Church on November 18, 2004 (Neunggok Church website history).
• Susaek Parish: It is the mother parish from which Neunggok Parish was separated in 1982 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Hwajeong-dong Church, Haengsin 1-dong Church and Haengsin 2-dong Church: They were newly established in 1996–1997 by dividing the territory of Neunggok Parish (Neunggok Church website history).
• Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres: A branch was installed on February 15, 1984 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Neunggok Church website).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Neunggok Parish” (Vol. 3). History of Haengju Parish, Neunggok Catholic Mission Chapel, parish establishment in 1982, dedication of the new church building in 1984, early successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1151
2. Neunggok Church of the Diocese of Uijeongbu, Church History. Founding of the mission chapel, parish founding and pastoral council, branch churches, post-2004 history, dates of taking office of successive pastors.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/ngsd/default.aspx?mnucd=20003881
3. Neunggok Church of the Diocese of Uijeongbu, Introduction. Founding date September 8, 1982, patron Nativity of Mary, convent Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/ngsd/default.aspx?mnucd=20003880