Pyongnae Catholic Church

Overview

Pyeongnae Church is a church in Pyeongnae-dong, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to District 1 of the Catholic Diocese of Uijeongbu. It began in December 1985 as the Pyeongnae Catholic mission chapel belonging to Maseok Parish and was elevated to a parish in August 1990. In 2004, its affiliation changed from the Archdiocese of Seoul to the Diocese of Uijeongbu, and in August 2015 it was designated as the seat church of District 1 of the Diocese of Uijeongbu.

History

According to the church history on the parish homepage, on December 31, 1985, the Pyeongnae Catholic mission chapel belonging to Maseok Parish was established with 90 households and 240 members. The Digital Namyangju Culture Encyclopedia also records the same date as the establishment date of the Pyeongnae mission chapel. On August 31, 1990, the Pyeongnae mission chapel was elevated to a parish with 319 households and 837 members, and Father James Murphy took office as the 1 pastor.

Subsequently, on February 29, 1992, Father Patrick Healy took office as the 2 pastor, on June 30, 1997, Father John Nyham took office as the 3 pastor, and on June 30, 2000, Father Denis Mc Gonagle took office as the 4 pastor. On June 30, 2000, when Father Denis Mc Gonagle took office, the site for Hopyeong-dong Church was purchased, and the parish church history records January 31, 2001 as the separation of Hopyeong-dong Church. On February 28, 2004, Father Yagobo Kang Jin-gu, the first Korean priest, took office as the 5 pastor, and on July 30, 2004, affiliation changed from the Archdiocese of Seoul to the Diocese of Uijeongbu.

Architecture and Space

According to the parish homepage, on September 30, 1988, the parish site was purchased at 249-4 in Pyeongnae-dong, and on June 30, 1989, the Pyeongnae parish church building was blessed in the presence of Cardinal Stefano Kim Su-hwan and Father Thomas Han Man-ok. The parish introduction calls this newly built church building the “former church building.”

On April 30, 2007, a new church site was purchased at 580 in Pyeongnae-dong, and on December 24, 2010, an entrance procession into the new church and a vigil Mass were held. Then, on June 12, 2011, the dedication ceremony of Pyeongnae Holy Family Church was held (parish homepage). The Culture Encyclopedia also records the purchase of the new site in 2007 and entry into the new church on December 24, 2010.

Religious Significance and Context for Visits

The Culture Encyclopedia describes Pyeongnae Church as a church that started as a mission chapel and was elevated to a parish, and notes that its elevation and steady evangelization show the spread of the faith community in Namyangju-si. It also records that from January 2022, the Horn Trumpet Mass organized by the Uijeongbu Diocesan Justice and Peace Committee has been held at 8 at night on the first Wednesday of each month.

Related Places and People

• Maseok Church - the parish to which the Pyeongnae mission chapel belonged
• Hopyeong-dong Church - the parish separated from Pyeongnae Church
• Father James Murphy - the 1 pastor at the time of the elevation to a parish in 1990

References and Sources

1. Catholic Diocese of Uijeongbu, Pyeongnae Church, Church History. Confirms the establishment of the Pyeongnae mission chapel in 1985, the site purchases and church blessing in 1988–1989, the elevation to a parish in 1990 and successive pastors, the separation of Hopyeong-dong Church, and the purchase of and entry into and dedication of the new church in 2007–2011.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/cathpn/default?mnucd=20001611
2. Catholic Diocese of Uijeongbu, Pyeongnae Church, Our Church. Confirms the establishment of the mission chapel in 1985, the blessing of the former church building in 1989, the elevation to a parish in 1990, entry into the present church in December 2010, the change of affiliation to the Diocese of Uijeongbu in 2004, and designation as the seat church of District 1 in August 2015.
   http://sd.uca.or.kr/cathpn/default?mnucd=20001610
3. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Namyangju Culture Encyclopedia, “Pyeongnae Church.” Confirms the establishment of the mission chapel and elevation to a parish, completion in 1989, change of affiliation in 2004, site purchase in 2007 and entry in 2010, separation of Hopyeong-dong Church, and the Horn Trumpet Mass.
   https://www.grandculture.net/namyangju/toc/GC08901023