Songchu Catholic Church

Overview

Songchu Church is a church in Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, belonging to the Diocese of Uijeongbu. It began as the Songchu Catholic mission chapel under Uijeongbu Church in 2003, became a quasi-parish in 2010 and was elevated to a parish in 2013, and its patron saint is Saint John Nam Jong-sam. In May 2026 it dedicated a new church building.

History

According to the history on the parish website, on October 1, 2003, a Catholic mission chapel was established as District 16 of Uijeongbu 2-dong Church (now Uijeongbu Cathedral), and on November 23 of the same year the first chapel Mass was celebrated on the 2 floor of the rectory, presided over by Father Francis Xavier Kim Hyun-bae. The Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia also records that it was established as the Songchu Catholic mission chapel of Uijeongbu Church in 2003.

It was elevated to a quasi-parish on September 14, 2010, Father Pius Seo Gi-won took office as the 1 pastor on September 28, and the first baptisms (6 people) were celebrated on December 24. It was elevated from a quasi-parish to a parish on August 22, 2013. Afterwards, Father Alberto Jo Ju-hwan (2013) as the 2 pastor, Father Peter Kim Gyeong-jin (2016) as the 3 pastor, and Father Pius Kim Yeon-sang (2021) as the 4 pastor took office. The Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia gives the promotion dates differently as September 14 and September 28 respectively, and as that entry describes Songchu Church as a quasi-parish, it appears to reflect the status before its elevation to a parish.

Architecture and Space

According to the parish website, the former church was demolished and newly built, and during construction Mass was celebrated at the nearby Hwang Sa-yeong Martyr Pilgrimage Site. The first fundraising for the new church building was held on January 29, 2023, the groundbreaking Mass was celebrated on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, April 13, 2025, and after receiving approval for use of the building on April 29, 2026, the dedication Mass for the new church was celebrated on May 3.

The new building has an education hall and the church on the 1 floor and the rectory on the 2 floor, with an exterior finished in red brick and zinc panels. The church is described as having a natural limestone plaster finish on the altar wall, stained glass, altar furniture and pews made of red oak, and the 14 Stations made of opaque stained-glass mosaic. This introduction states at the end that its source is a personal blog.

Religious Meaning and Context for Visiting

The parish website introduces Saint John Nam Jong-sam (1817–1866) as its patron saint. It explains that Nam Jong-sam was a lay leader martyred during the Byeongin Persecution, beatified in 1925 and raised to the 103 Korean martyrs in 1984.

Related Places and People

• Uijeongbu Cathedral: the Uijeongbu 2-dong Church, now the cathedral, that established the Songchu Catholic mission chapel
• Hwang Sa-yeong Martyr Pilgrimage Site: the place where Mass was celebrated during the new construction
• Saint John Nam Jong-sam: the patron saint of the parish

References and Sources

1. Official website of Songchu Church in the Diocese of Uijeongbu, history of the parish. The establishment of the Catholic mission chapel and the first Mass, the elevations to quasi-parish and parish, the successive pastors, and the dates of groundbreaking and dedication for the new building were verified.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/songchu/default.aspx?mnucd=20003664
2. Official website of Songchu Church in the Diocese of Uijeongbu, parish introduction. The layout, finishes, and Mass location during construction of the new church were verified.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/songchu/default.aspx?mnucd=20003663
3. Official website of Songchu Church in the Diocese of Uijeongbu, patron saint of the parish. The introduction to Saint John Nam Jong-sam was verified.
   https://sd.uca.or.kr/songchu/default.aspx?mnucd=20003940
4. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia, ‘Songchu Church’. The establishment of the Songchu Catholic mission chapel in 2003 and the elevation in 2010, and the description as a quasi-parish, were verified.
   https://yangju.grandculture.net/yangju/toc/GC04301244