Ilsandong Catholic Church

Overview

Ilsandong Church is a church located in Ilsan-dong, Wonju, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, belonging to the Diocese of Wonju. It was separated and erected from Wondong Parish and Hakseong-dong Parish on April 19, 1976, and its patron is the Queen of Peace. Its first pastor was Father Benedict Lee Hak-geun, and the number of faithful at its founding was 518.

History

〔Parish Establishment〕 According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, as the number of faithful grew in the Ilsan-dong area in the 1970s, Bishop Ji Hak-sun (Daniel), head of the Diocese of Wonju, envisioned establishing a parish, and on April 19, 1976, erected Ilsandong Parish and appointed Father Lee Hak-geun as its first pastor. The history of the Diocese of Wonju (1970s) also records the erection of Ilsandong Parish on April 19, 1976. The entry for Hakseong-dong Parish states that in April 1976 Hakseong-dong Parish transferred parts of Ilsan-dong and Hakseong 1·2-dong to Ilsandong Parish.

〔Church Construction〕 According to the encyclopedia, at the time of erection there was still no church building, so Sunday Mass was celebrated at the house of believer Kim Yeong-ju, and from August Mass was celebrated in a tent on the present church site. In September of that year construction of a new church began, a 146-pyeong church building including the rectory was completed, and on December 6 the dedication ceremony was officiated by Bishop Ji Hak-sun.

〔Later Projects and Jurisdiction Adjustments〕 According to the encyclopedia, in December 1978, during the tenure of the 2 pastor, Father Mark Lee Gyu-yeong, the convent was completed, and in April 1982, during the tenure of the 3 pastor, Father Mark Lee Heung-geun, the blessing ceremony for the Musil-dong Catholic mission chapel was held. The 4 pastor, Father Francis Xavier Park Sun-sin, in August 1984 received a donation of 1,000 pyeong of land from Joseph Son Tae-hwan and secured the site for the Musil-dong Catholic mission chapel, and in April 1986 celebrated Mass commemorating the 10 anniversary of the parish founding and published a 10-year parish history. During the tenure of the 5 pastor, Father Stephen Kim Seong-hun, in November 1987 boundaries were adjusted with Wondong Parish and Hakseong-dong Parish, and on November 21 construction to expand the church, which had lasted 6 months, was completed. The 6 pastor, Father James Lee Dae-sik, in August 1991 founded the Association for the Deceased and remodeled the parish office and the religious goods store.

In January 1994, as the Dangye housing site was developed in Wonju, the jurisdictional area was adjusted with Hakseong-dong Parish, and in June of the same year the church site was partially reduced as it was incorporated into a fire road. During the tenure of the 7 pastor, Father Felix Hong Rang-pyo, in August 1995 the jurisdictional area was adjusted again and part of the area was transferred from Hakseong-dong Parish (encyclopedia). The entry for Hakseong-dong Parish states that in August 1995 Dangye-dong 39·40-tong was transferred to Ilsandong Parish.

〔Jurisdiction and Statistics〕 The jurisdictional area recorded in the encyclopedia is Ilsan-dong, Musil-dong, Hakseong 1·2-dong, Jungang-dong, the entire Dangye-dong area and part of the Pyeongwon-dong area in Wonju. The number of faithful was 518 at the time of erection, 747 in 1980, 1,141 in 1985, 1,877 in 1990, 2,313 in 1995, and 2,940 in 2000. The successive pastors are the first, Benedict Lee Hak-geun (1976. 4~1977. 9), the 2 pastor, Mark Lee Gyu-yeong (1978. 5~1981. 5), the 3 pastor, Mark Lee Heung-geun (1981. 5~1983. 5), the 4 pastor, Francis Xavier Park Sun-sin (1983. 5~1986. 7), the 5 pastor, Stephen Kim Seong-hun (1986. 7~1991. 4), the 6 pastor, James Lee Dae-sik (1991. 4~1995. 2), the 7 pastor, Felix Hong Rang-pyo (1995. 2~2001. 1), and the 8 pastor, Alexander Jo Gyu-jeong (2001. 1~).

Related Places and People

• Wondong Parish and Hakseong-dong Parish: the parishes from which Ilsandong Parish was separated in 1976. In November 1987 boundaries were adjusted with Ilsandong Parish, and Hakseong-dong Parish also adjusted its jurisdictional area in 1994 and 1995 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Musil-dong Catholic mission chapel: the Catholic mission chapel of Ilsandong Parish, whose blessing ceremony was held in April 1982 and whose site was secured with a donation of 1,000 pyeong of land in August 1984 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Bishop Ji Hak-sun (Daniel): the head of the Diocese of Wonju who erected Ilsandong Parish and officiated at the church dedication ceremony on December 6, 1976 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Ilsandong Parish”. Parish founding in 1976, church construction and dedication, later projects and jurisdiction adjustments, statistics and successive pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/5240
2. Diocese of Wonju, Diocesan History (1970s). Erection of Ilsandong Parish on April 19, 1976.
   http://www.wjcatholic.or.kr/company/history?y=1970
3. Institute for Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Hakseong-dong Parish”. Transfers of jurisdiction to Ilsandong Parish in April 1976 and August 1995.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/6717