Danyang Catholic Church

Overview

Danyang Church is a church in Danyang-eup, Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, belonging to the Wonju Diocese. Established on January 24, 1957, its patron saint is St. John Seja. Due to the construction of Chungju Dam, it moved to its present location in the 1980s and built a new church.

History

〔Founding and early period〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Danyang Parish was established on January 24, 1957. In November of the year the parish was established, an office and a warehouse were built at 94 Habang-ri, Danyang-myeon, and a small building of 32 pyeong in floor area and 2 stories was completed, with the 1 floor used as the church and the 2 floor used as the rectory. In March 1959, at 96-2 Habang-ri, land of 150 pyeong and a building of 20 pyeong were purchased and used as a convent from 1961, and in 1968 a new church of 60 pyeong was built and consecrated on December 22. On July 18, 1977, a convent of 21 pyeong was newly built.

〔Chungju Dam and relocation〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as the central part of Danyang was to be submerged due to the construction of Chungju Dam in the 1980s, the parish had to move to new Danyang. In December 1984, a site of 420 pyeong around the present location was purchased and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 20 of the following year, and the faithful raised funds through the sale of garlic, red peppers and other goods to complete the church and held a dedication ceremony on May 26, 1987. The building has a total floor area of 198 pyeong: the 1 floor of 88 pyeong houses the rectory, office and catechesis room, the 2 floor of 86 pyeong is the church, and the 3 floor of 19 pyeong is the choir loft. The encyclopedia states that forest land at San 30 in Cheon-ri, purchased in May 1965, was reclaimed and has been used as a church cemetery since 1967.

〔Pastoral care and mission chapels〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, for the first 10-odd years after the parish was established, priests of the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society served the parish, salaried chief catechists were appointed to carry out evangelization, and Catholic mission chapels were established in various places with halls provided. After coming under the Wonju Diocese, mainly Korean priests were appointed. The encyclopedia states that from the mid-1960s onward, as a cement company entered Maepo, the population grew and evangelization became active, the Maepo Catholic mission chapel under the parish jurisdiction was elevated to a parish in 1978. The Wonju Diocese chronology lists the elevation of the Maepo mission chapel to a parish under the entry for March 13, 1979, differing in year, and records that on May 1, 1969, the Namcheon-dong, Uirim-dong and Danyang parishes, then belonging to the Cheongju Diocese, were incorporated into the Wonju Diocese.

〔Groups and activities〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the Legion of Mary, founded in 1959, went through growth and decline, dissolution and revival, and the Apostolic Council was launched in 1968. From 1961, a branch house of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Pohang was established and contributed to pastoral activities for 20-odd years until December 28, 1982, after which the Sisters of Caritas have served. In February 1992, the convent was expanded. In 1982, with the support of the diocese, St. John Saemaeul Kindergarten was opened in the Jangjeong area and devoted itself to childcare for children in remote rural areas until 1988. From 1988, starting with prayers in preparation for the 44th International Eucharistic Congress, the parish participated in the ‘One Heart One Body Movement’ such as rice offerings and blood donations.

〔Church statistics and successive pastors〕 The jurisdictional area recorded by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is Danyang-eup, Daegang-myeon, Gagok-myeon and Yeongchun-myeon in Danyang-gun, and the jurisdictional mission chapels are Jangjeong, Olsan and Yeongchun, numbering 3. Church statistics are in 1972, 1,622 faithful, in 1975, 1,603 faithful, in 1980, 1,162 faithful, in 1984, 1,134 faithful, in 1989, 1,033 faithful, and in 1995, 1,500 faithful. The successive pastors are the first, John Heisse (J.R. Heisse) (1957.1–1960.5), the 2th, John Dowd (J.F. Dowd) (1960.5–1964.4), the 3th, Daniel Charboneau (D. Charboneau) (1964.4–1970.5), the 4th, Benedict Sim Geun-seop (1970.5–1971.6), the 5th, James Kim Ji-seok (1971.6–1972.6), the 6th, Sim Geun-seop (1972.6–1973.4), the 7th, Mauricio Foley (M. Foley) (1973.4–1976.1), the 8th, Benedict Choe Gi-sik (1976.1–4), the 9th, Francis Lee Yeong-seop (1976.4–1978.3), the 10th, Anthony Shin Hyeon-bong (1978.3–1981.5), the 11th, Thaddeus Jo Eung-hwan (1981.5–1983.5), the 12th, Matthew Kim Jong-in (1983.5–10), the 13th, Joseph Lee Tae-u (1983.10–1988.9), the 14th, Alexander Jo Gyu-jeong (1988.9–1991.8), and the 15th, Paul Park Heung-pyo (1991.8–).

〔Old Danyang church site and shrine〕 The encyclopedia notes that there was a long-term plan to prepare a retreat center at the old Danyang church site. The Daily Mass shrine guide of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Korea introduces the ‘Danyang Kim Beom-u Martyrdom Shrine’ at Chunghon-ro 36-2, Danseong-myeon, Danyang-gun, while listing the Danyang Church phone number as the contact.

Related Places and People

• Maepo Church: It was a Catholic mission chapel under the jurisdiction of Danyang Parish and was elevated to a parish. The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia gives the year of elevation as 1978, while the Wonju Diocese chronology gives it as 1979.
• Danyang Kim Beom-u Martyrdom Shrine: It is a shrine listed with Danyang Church as the contact in the shrine guide of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Korea.
• Jangjeong, Olsan and Yeongchun mission chapels: They are mission chapels under the jurisdiction of Danyang Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Danyang Parish” (Vol. 3). Establishment, church construction and relocation, mission chapels, church statistics, successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1208
2. Wonju Diocese, History (1970s). Elevation of the Maepo mission chapel to a parish (entry for March 13, 1979).
   http://www.wjcatholic.or.kr/company/history?y=1970
3. Catholic Bishops Conference of Korea Daily Mass, Guide to nationwide shrines, martyrdom sites and pilgrimage sites. Location of the Danyang Kim Beom-u Martyrdom Shrine.
   http://missa.cbck.or.kr/Shrines
4. Wonju Diocese, History (1960s). Incorporation into the Wonju Diocese on May 1, 1969 of the Namcheon-dong, Uirim-dong and Danyang parishes, belonging to the Cheongju Diocese.
   http://www.wjcatholic.or.kr/company/history?y=1960