Dogye Catholic Church

Overview

Dogye Church is a church in Dogye-eup, Samcheok-si, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, belonging to the Wonju Diocese. On December 10, 1965, it was separated from Bukpyeong Parish and established as a parish, with St. John the Apostle as its patron. A faith community formed when Kwon O-jin (Gregorio), who took employment at the Dogye Coal Mine in 1947, moved in, and after a Catholic mission chapel was established in 1952, it was elevated to a parish.

History

〔Catholic Mission Chapel Period〕 According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Catholic History, a faith community began to form in the Dogye area when Kwon O-jin (Gregorio), who took employment at the Dogye Coal Mine, moved in in December 1947. On December 10, 1952, as the first Mass celebrated by Father Burke (P. Burke, Bae) of Samcheok (now Seongnae-ri) Parish was offered at the house of Kwon O-jin in 3-gu, Dogye, a Catholic mission chapel belonging to Samcheok Parish was newly established in this house. This Catholic mission chapel exercised jurisdiction over the Dogye and Jangseong areas, and Kwon O-jin was appointed as the first Catholic mission chapel chairman. The Digital Samcheok Culture Encyclopedia also records that a faith community formed with the migration of Kwon O-jin in December 1947, and that the Dogye Catholic mission chapel was established with the Mass celebrated by Father Burke of Samcheok Parish in December 1952, exercising jurisdiction over the Dogye and Jangseong areas.

According to the encyclopedia, in May 1958 the affiliation of the Catholic mission chapel changed from Samcheok Parish to Mukho Parish for transportation convenience, and in August of the same year the chapel also relocated when Chairman Kwon O-jin moved to Dowon-dong, 1-gu, Dogye. In May 1959, its affiliation changed again to Bukpyeong Parish. Beginning in 1960, centered on Chairman Kwon O-jin, efforts were made to secure land for building a church, and in May 1964, during the tenure of Father Dawson (P. Dawson, Son), pastor of Bukpyeong Parish, 1,006 pyeong of church land was purchased. The Digital Samcheok Culture Encyclopedia also records that, centered on first Catholic mission chapel chairman Kwon O-jin, efforts were made beginning in 1960 to secure land for church construction, and land was purchased in May 1964.

〔Parish Elevation〕 According to the encyclopedia, in March 1965 the Wonju Diocese was established, separating from the Chuncheon Diocese, and on December 10 of the same year, as the population grew with the development of the coal industry in the Dogye area, it was elevated to a parish. The Digital Samcheok Culture Encyclopedia records that Dogye Church was separated from Bukpyeong Parish and established on December 10, 1965, and that Father O’Brien (Shin) Antonio took office as the first priest. The encyclopedia’s record of the first priest is likewise O’Brien (A. O’Brien) Antonio (1965. 12~1966. 11).

〔Construction and Transformation of the Church〕 According to the encyclopedia, on March 22, 1966, to mark the 1th anniversary of the establishment of the diocese, a church and rectory with a floor area of 150 pyeong, 2 stories, were newly built and blessed, using funds donated by former Chuncheon Diocesan Bishop Quinlan (Quinlan, Gu Toma). The Digital Samcheok Culture Encyclopedia records that church land was purchased in May 1964 and that the church was newly built and blessed with funds donated by former Chuncheon Diocesan Bishop Quinlan. In addition, in 1967, an employees’ dormitory with a scale of 13 pyeong was built for nearby mine employees, and in December of the following year a parish convent was newly built. In 1972, the employees’ dormitory was demolished and annex buildings of 8 pyeong, 1 buildings, were built, and in 1978, a warehouse with a scale of 8 pyeong was newly built (encyclopedia).

In 1990, the rectory was remodeled along with interior renovation work on the church. According to the encyclopedia, beginning in the 1990s, Dogye Parish conducted re-education of the faithful, including Scripture courses and parental-role education, as well as retreats for each group, and also held small-community meetings by dividing its jurisdiction into 10 districts. Under the Lay Apostolate Council, there were 3 Legion of Mary praesidia, as well as the Marian Association, the Agape Association, the Sunday School, the Middle and High School Student Association, the Catechist Teachers’ Association, the Youth Association, Cursillo, the Jangjugi Joseph Association, the Anna Association, and others, and beginning in February 1995, 2 missionaries resided in the convent and assisted in pastoral ministry.

The church statistics recorded in the encyclopedia are, in 1965, 155 members, in 1970, 448 members, in 1975, 304 members, in 1980, 445 members, in 1984, 591 members, in 1990, 632 members, and in June 1995, 585 members. Its jurisdiction covers the entire Dogye-eup area. The successive priests are the first, O’Brien Antonio (1965. 12~1966. 11), the 2th, Foley (M. Foley, Heo) Mauricio (1966. 11~1971. 1), the 3th, Bannon (P. Bannon, Ban) Patricio (1971. 1~4), the 4th, Jo Eung-hwan Tadeo (1971. 4~1976. 4), the 5th, Foley (1976. 4~1977. 7), the 6th, Kim Seong-hun Stefano, the 7th, Park Mu-hak John (1979. 11~1983. 5), the 8th, Jo Gyu-jeong Alexander (1983. 5~1985. 7), the 9th, Kim Chang-su Andrea (1985. 7~1989. 10), the 10th, Park Ho-yeong Benedict (1989. 10~1991. 4), the 11th, Shin Hyeon-man Simon (1991. 4~1993. 9), and the 12th, Kim Ha-su Michael (1993. 9~).

According to the Digital Samcheok Culture Encyclopedia, in addition to Catholic religious activities held inside the church, Dogye Church held feasts for the elderly and volunteer activities for local residents, and also carried out environmental campaigns, including hosting the “Nuclear-Free Samcheok Fundraising Evening.”

Related Places and People

• Bukpyeong Parish: the Dogye Catholic mission chapel belonged to it beginning in 1959, and in December 1965 it separated Dogye Parish from itself (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholic History).
• Samcheok Parish (now Seongnae-dong Church): the parish to which the Dogye Catholic mission chapel first belonged in 1952 (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholic History).
• Jangseong area: the area over which the Dogye Catholic mission chapel exercised jurisdiction together with Dogye (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholic History, Digital Samcheok Culture Encyclopedia).
• Kwon O-jin (Gregorio): a believer who took employment at the Dogye Coal Mine and moved in in 1947, serving as the first Catholic mission chapel chairman (Encyclopedia of Korean Catholic History).

References and Sources

1. Institute for Korean Church History, Encyclopedia of Korean Catholic History, “Dogye Parish.” Catholic mission chapel era, elevation to parish in 1965, church construction, annex facilities, church statistics and successive priests.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/1366
2. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Samcheok Culture Encyclopedia, “Dogye Church” (written by Sim Il-jong). Formation of the faith community in 1947, establishment of the Catholic mission chapel in 1952, establishment of the parish in 1965, local activities.
   https://samcheok.grandculture.net/samcheok/toc/GC06700841