Hakseong-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Hakseong-dong Church is a church of the Diocese of Wonju in Hakseong-dong, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do. Separated from Wonju Parish (now Wondong Cathedral), whose membership grew as displaced people settled after the Korean War, it was established on December 3, 1957, with St. Francis Xavier as its patron.

History

[Founding] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, after the Korean War many displaced people settled in Wonju and the membership of Wonju Parish (now Wondong Cathedral) surged, so Father Yang Dae-seok of Wonju Parish began work to divide the parish. As of 1957, he purchased the paddy field of 815 pyeong at lot 972 in Hakseong-dong, the church site, and the land of 62 pyeong at lot 973-16 and started new construction, and on December 3 of the same year the church (113 pyeong) was completed, the parish was established, and Father Stewart (T. Stewart, Thomas Pak) took office as the first pastor. At the time of establishment the jurisdiction included Hakseong-dong, Dangye-dong, part of Ilsan-dong, Usan-dong, Taejang-dong, Jijeong-myeon, part of Hojeo-myeon, Socho-myeon, Munmak-myeon, Buron-myeon and others, with 1,033 faithful, and the Catholic mission chapels were Munmak, Buron, Wolsong and others. Among them, Munmak Catholic mission chapel was elevated to a parish and separated in September 1958, and in September 1959 Yeongsan Catholic mission chapel was transferred from Hoengseong Parish.

[From the 1960s to the 1970s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in September 1963, during the term of the 3th pastor, Father O’Brien (A. O’Brien, Antonio Sin), Daemyeongwon Catholic mission chapel (30 pyeong) was completed, and in 1964 the parish rectory (33 pyeong) was completed, and in March 1965, with the erection of the Diocese of Wonju, affiliation changed from the Diocese of Chuncheon to the Diocese of Wonju. During the term of the 6th pastor, Father Clarke, in 1970, Gonuigol Catholic mission chapel, which had been transferred from Hoengseong Parish in July 1965, was transferred back to Hoengseong Parish. During the term of the 7th pastor, Father Choi Gi-sik, in August 1972 the blessing ceremony for the Wolsong Catholic mission chapel hall (21 pyeong) was held, and during the term of the 8th pastor, Father No Se-hyeon, in November 1975 the kindergarten (64 pyeong) and the convent (22 pyeong) were completed and the kindergarten opened in March 1976. In April 1976, Ilsan-dong and parts of Hakseong 1 and 2-dong were transferred to Ilsan-dong Parish, and the history of the Diocese of Wonju also records the erection of Ilsan-dong Parish on April 19, 1976. During the term of the 9rd pastor, Father Yang Dae-seok, in February 1977 Ganhyeon Catholic mission chapel and Wolsong Catholic mission chapel were transferred to Munmak Parish, Socho Catholic mission chapel was transferred to Bongsan-dong Parish, and Gonuigol Catholic mission chapel was received back.

[Fire and the new church] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in March 1978 a fire caused by an electrical short circuit completely destroyed the church. Priests of the Diocese of Wonju and lay representatives formed an emergency committee and undertook restoration, newly building the church in May 1979 and holding the dedication ceremony officiated by Bishop Daniel Ji Hak-sun, head of the Diocese of Wonju. The new church had a total floor area of 242 pyeong, with 1 basement floor and 2 above-ground floors, equipped with catechism rooms, meeting rooms, a rectory and others. In April 1979, Sinpyeong Catholic mission chapel (19 pyeong) was completed.

[The 1980s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in September 1981 the newly established Taejnag, Gahyeon, Yeongsan and Gonuigol Catholic mission chapels were transferred to Taejang-dong Parish, and the history of the Diocese of Wonju records the erection of Taejang-dong Parish on September 10, 1981. During the term of the 11th pastor, Father Park Yong-sik, in November 1985 Wolsong Catholic mission chapel and Ganhyeon Catholic mission chapel were received back from Munmak Parish. During the term of the 12th pastor, Father Park Mu-hak, from August 1986, for the re-education of the faithful, each group was to hold retreats 1 times or more each year, family visits 1 times during the year, and pilgrimages to holy places 1 times or more each year, and efforts were made in fundraising and visits to the seminary to revitalize the vocations support association. In June 1990, the old kindergarten was demolished and a new kindergarten in a 2-story building was newly built.

[From the 1990s onward] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during the term of the 13th pastor, Father Jang Seok-yun, in June 1993 the convent (53 pyeong) and the catechism room (19 pyeong) were completed, in October a parish cemetery of more than 6,000 pyeong was established in Gwirae-myeon, and in November parish registers were computerized. In June 1994, 41 small groups were organized, and in September parish medical staff provided free medical service for people in medically underserved villages to chapel faithful and village residents at Ganhyeon Catholic mission chapel. During the term of the 14st pastor, Father Kim Jong-in, in February 1995 Usan-dong Parish was newly erected and most of Usan-dong was transferred (the history of the Diocese of Wonju records the erection of Usan-dong Parish on February 21, 1995), and in August Tong 39 and 40 in Dangye-dong were transferred to Ilsan-dong Parish. In August 1998, on the 1th floor of the church, an ‘Always Rice Box’ was prepared where anyone could put rice and anyone in need could take it even if not a believer.

[The 2000s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during the term of the 15th pastor, Father Kim Tae-won, in November 2000 a Godparents and Godchildren Meeting Day event was held, and in November 2003, at the 1th Unification Nuptial Mass Hymn Contest held by the Diocese of Wonju, the grand prize ‘Love Award’ was received. In July 2004 the 25th anniversary Mass for the foundation of Sinpyeong Catholic mission chapel was celebrated officiated by Bishop James Kim Ji-seok, head of the Diocese of Wonju, and for the 50th anniversary of the parish foundation (year 2007) projects, a 50th anniversary project committee, a 50-year history compilation committee, and a resource recycling committee were organized. The 50-year history compilation committee planned the publication of the History of Hakseong-dong Parish for 50 Years and the preservation in a time capsule of 50 years of history and commemorative project materials.

[Church strength and successive pastors] The church strength recorded by the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is 1,033 people in 1957, 1,583 people in 1960, 2,434 people in 1965, 1,889 people in 1970, 2,636 people in 1975, 2,628 people in 1980, 3,287 people in 1985, 2,851 people in 1990, 2,961 people in 1995, 3,217 people in 2000, and 3,446 people in 2005. The jurisdiction is Hakseong-dong and part of Dangye-dong, and the chapels are recorded as 4 places: Sinpyeong, Wolsong, Ganhyeon and Manjong. The successive pastors are the first Thomas Stewart (T. Stewart, Pak) (1957.12-1958.9), the 2nd Thomas Comerford (T. Comerford, Gong) (1958.9-1961.10), the 3th Antonio O’Brien (A. O’Brien, Sin) (1961.10-1965), the 4th Richard Delaney (R. Delaney, Do) (1965-1966.10), the 5th Leo Clarke (L. Clarke, Jeong) (1966.10-1968.11), interim Gerardo Ellis (G. Ellis, Eom) (1968.11-1969.11), the 6th Clarke (1969.11-1971.9), the 7th Benedict Choi Gi-sik (1971.9-1973.8) and Roberto An Seung-gil (1971.9-1972.5), the 8rd Matthias No Se-hyeon (1973.8-1976.4), the 9th Aloysius Yang Dae-seok (1976.4-1982.5), the 10th Cuniberto Jo Gyu-nam (1982.5-1983.9), the 11th Simon Park Yong-sik (1983.9-1986.7), the 12th John Park Mu-hak (1986.7-1990.8), the 13th Pius Jang Seok-yun (1990.8-1995.2), the 14st Matthew Kim Jong-in (1995.2-2000.1), and the 15th John Kim Tae-won (2000.1-).

Related places and people

• Wondong Church (former Wonju Parish): the mother parish from which Hakseong-dong Parish was separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Munmak Church: in September 1958 it was elevated from Munmak Catholic mission chapel under Hakseong-dong Parish to a parish and separated (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Ilsan-dong Church, Taejang-dong Church and Usan-dong Church: parishes newly erected in 1976, 1981 and 1995 respectively, receiving territory from Hakseong-dong Parish (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, history of the Diocese of Wonju).
• Bongsan-dong Church: the parish that received Socho Catholic mission chapel from Hakseong-dong Parish in February 1977 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Hakseong-dong Parish” (volume 12). Background of foundation, changes of chapels and jurisdiction, fire in 1978 and dedication of the new church in 1979, church strength and successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/6717
2. Diocese of Wonju, diocese introduction history (1970s). Erection of Ilsan-dong Parish on April 19, 1976, erection of Bongsan-dong Parish on May 26, 1974.
   http://www.wjcatholic.or.kr/company/history?y=1970
3. Diocese of Wonju, diocese introduction history (1980s). Erection of Taejang-dong Parish on September 10, 1981.
   http://www.wjcatholic.or.kr/company/history?y=1980
4. Diocese of Wonju, diocese introduction history (1990s). Erection of Usan-dong Parish on February 21, 1995.
   http://www.wjcatholic.or.kr/company/history?y=1990