Singong 2(i)-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Singok-2-dong Church is a church of the Catholic Diocese of Uijeongbu located at 61 Geumsin-ro 296-beongil, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do. On December 12, 1995 the diocese approved the establishment of the Singok-2-dong Catholic mission chapel, and on September 26, 1997 it approved the establishment of a new parish; its patron saint is the Holy Family. Inside the church building is the columbarium “Gate of Heaven.”

History

〔Mission Chapel Period〕 The church history on the Singok-2-dong Church website records, dated December 12, 1995, “approval by the diocese of the establishment of the Singok-2-dong Catholic mission chapel (related document: Cheonseo No. 123).” On April 6, 1996, after leasing a Catholic mission chapel building, Fr. Kim Se-jin celebrated the Easter Vigil Mass as the first Mass, and on March 9, 1997 organized the mission pastoral council (provisional pastoral council).

〔Parish Establishment〕 The parish introduction page gives the establishment date as September 26, 1997, and the church history likewise records on the same day “approval by the diocese of the establishment of the Singok-2-dong parish (related document: Prot No: 97-41).” The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory also lists the establishment date as 1997.9.26. The church history states that on October 10, 1997 the first pastor, Joseph Kim Tae-su, took office, and the former clergy page gives his appointment date as 1997.10.11 and his term as 1997.10.11–2004.9.30. On February 1, 1998 the first pastoral council (president Benedict Choe Jae-u) was appointed, and from July 31, 1998 to August 2 the all-parishioner family camp (Hwacheon, Gangwon-do, 33 families) was held. It is recorded that on January 31, 1999 the women’s chief district leaders and on February 21 the men’s chief district leaders were appointed to form district communities (the first district leaders).

〔New Church Construction〕 On December 12, 1998 the site for the new church construction was contracted (Singok-2-dong, Uijeongbu-si 93-2, about 620 pyeong). On September 5, 1999 an on-site briefing for the new church design was held (7 companies attending), and on May 29, 2001 a blessing ceremony for the new church construction was held, followed in the same year by the groundbreaking Mass for the new church construction on June 17. On December 25, 2001 the Christmas Solemnity Mass was offered at the new church construction site. On June 16, 2002 the dedication Mass for the new church was celebrated, presided over by the Monsignor for the Gyeonggi region, and on January 22, 2003 the church building was registered.

〔Expansion and Grand Church〕 The church history includes, dated March 13, 2006, the entry “church expansion work (2 phase / grand church): masonry work after framing.” On April 5, 2009 there was the entrance ceremony for the grand church, and after the pastoral visit by the diocesan bishop on July 11, 2009, the church dedication Mass was offered at 4 p.m. on July 12.

〔Parish Day and Commemorative Events〕 On October 7, 2007 the parish day event commemorating the 10 anniversary of the parish establishment was held at Dongo Elementary School. On December 29, 2013 the church website was opened. In 2017, lectures commemorating the 20 anniversary of the parish establishment (May 17, the 24th and 31st), a commemorative concert (October 21, Puko Wind Orchestra), and a commemorative feast (October 22, Yangju Byeolsandae Nori Madang) were held. On November 13, 2022 there was an all-parishioner shrine pilgrimage for the 25 anniversary of the parish (Solmoe Shrine in Dangjin, Chungnam, with 359 participants), and on October 14, 2023 there was a parish day commemorative concert (with 14 participating groups).

〔Diocesan Bishop’s Visits and Confirmation〕 According to the church history, the diocesan bishop made pastoral visits on July 11, 2009, May 21, 2013, and March 28, 2023. The Confirmation on December 8, 2012, presided over by Bishop Lee Ki-heon, was received by 129 people, and subsequent Confirmation records list November 30, 2014 (30 people), July 26, 2015 (56 people), December 15, 2018 (49 people), December 21, 2019 (81 people), December 11, 2021 (23 people), and July 19, 2025 (35 people).

〔Major Entries after 2014〕 On August 16, 2014 132 people attended the beatification Mass for the 124 Martyrs at Gwanghwamun. On February 25, 2020 Masses were fully suspended due to COVID-19, and Masses in the Diocese of Uijeongbu were temporarily suspended on August 27 before Masses with the faithful resumed on September 12. On May 14, 2022 the “Gate of Heaven Memorial Mass,” which had been suspended due to COVID, was resumed. On February 18, 2025 Fr. Ansano Lee Hyeon-seop (pastor) and Fr. Lee Dong-hyeon (associate pastor) took office, while Pastor Kim Jong-seong and assisting priest Fr. Leo Ahn Chang-gil left, and on February 20, 2026 Fr. John the Apostle Kim Bu-yeong took office as associate pastor while Fr. Lee Dong-hyeon left.

〔Priests and Seminarians from the Parish〕 The church history records the priestly ordination of Daegeon Andrea Son Seok-sik on July 5, 2002 (Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium) and first Mass on July 7, the priestly ordination of Andrea Jo Mun-hyeok on February 4, 2015 (Uijeongbu Indoor Gymnasium) and first Mass on February 8, and the priestly ordination of Matthew Lee Hyeon-u on January 31, 2024 and first Mass on February 4 (the diaconal ordination of Matthew Lee Hyeon-u was on February 1, 2023 at KINTEX in Ilsan). On February 28, 2019 there was the seminary admission Mass for Peter Lee Min-jae (Myeongdong Church), and on March 2, 2026 there was the conferral of the ministry of acolyte on Peter Lee Min-jae. On February 14, 2025 there was the new priest Mass and laying on of hands for Higino Kim Yeong-hun (from Songsan).

〔Parish Status〕 The parish introduction page gives the jurisdiction as parts of Singok-2-dong and Geumo-dong (12 districts), and the number of faithful as 1,454 households and 3,315 members (as of December 31, 2025).

Architecture and Space

“Gate of Heaven” is a columbarium located inside the church building. According to the Gate of Heaven introduction page, columbarium spaces were placed under the altar floor and behind the altar, and the features page lists as facility features high-quality construction using marble and crystal nameplates, natural ventilation and condensation-prevention construction, and complete sealing of urns. The same page lists as religious features approval by the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul (in 2002), approval by the Catholic Diocese of Uijeongbu (September 2004), location in the same building as the church unlike other columbaria, and offering of the Gate of Heaven Memorial Mass on the 2 and 4 Saturdays of every month at 10 a.m.

The church history includes entries related to Gate of Heaven: end of the contract for the 1 phase construction on May 4, 2004, design contract for the 2 phase construction (Edem) on July 22, 2004, and the Gate of Heaven blessing Mass (Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan and Diocesan Bishop Lee Han-taek) on April 2, 2005.

Related Places and People

• Missionary Sisters of the Holy Family: the church history records the appointment of the first sisters on February 8, 2006, the appointment of Sr. Joanna Lee Suk-ja as the 3 superior on February 10, 2012, the appointment of Sr. Regina Do Yeong-su as the 6 branch superior on February 2, 2021, the appointment of Sr. Rosa Jung on January 30, 2024, and the appointment of Sr. Rosa Yun Yeong-suk on February 4, 2025.
• Holy Family, the patron saint: the patron saint page explains that the Holy Family (Chinese characters 聖家庭, Latin Sancta Familia) refers to the household consisting of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus, and notes that in 1921 the Roman Catholic Church designated the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as December 30, and that in the Korean Catholic Church it is observed on the Sunday following the Solemnity of Christmas.
• Former pastors: the 1 pastor Joseph Kim Tae-su (1997.10.11–2004.9.30), the 2 pastor Peter Choe Jong-hwan (2004.10.1–2006.8.31), the 3 pastor Peter O Yong-hwan (2006.9.1–2010.9.30), the 4 pastor James Kim Gyeong-mo (2010.10.1–2015.9.7), the 5 pastor Clemens Lee Jeong-hun (2015.9.8–2020.2.17), the 6 pastor F. Xavier Kim Jong-min (2020.2.18–2024.2.14), the 7 pastor James Kim Jong-seong (2024.2.15–2025.2.18), and the current pastor Ansano Lee Hyeon-seop (took office in 2025.2.18). The above follows the wording of the former clergy page and the clergy/religious page.
• Parish emblem: the parish introduction page lists as elements of the parish emblem sharing, 4 pieces, salvation, fish, the Eucharist, one circle, the Trinity, and 3 colors (blue, green, red).

References and Sources

1. Website of the Singok-2-dong Catholic Church, parish introduction. Establishment date September 26, 1997, jurisdiction, number of faithful, parish emblem.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/singok2/default.aspx?mnucd=20002728
2. Website of the Singok-2-dong Catholic Church, church history. History from 1995 to 2026 (establishment of mission chapel, establishment of parish, new construction, expansion and dedication of church, Gate of Heaven, priestly ordinations, appointments of pastors and associate pastors).
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/singok2/default.aspx?mnucd=20002729
3. Website of the Singok-2-dong Catholic Church, patron saint. Meaning of the Holy Family.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/singok2/default.aspx?mnucd=20002730
4. Website of the Singok-2-dong Catholic Church, clergy/religious and former clergy. Current clergy and terms of the 1 to 7 pastors.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/singok2/default.aspx?mnucd=20003704
5. Website of the Singok-2-dong Catholic Church, Gate of Heaven introduction and features. Columbarium facilities, approvals by the Archdiocese of Seoul and the Diocese of Uijeongbu, memorial Mass.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/singok2/default.aspx?mnucd=20002746
6. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic directory (list of parishes in the Diocese of Uijeongbu) “Singok-2-dong”. Establishment date 1997.9.26., location.
   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=