Jucheon Catholic Church

Overview

Jucheon Church is a church of the Diocese of Wonju located in Jucheon-ri, Jucheon-myeon, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. It began with approval as a Catholic mission chapel under Yongsomak Church in 1957, was elevated to a parish on January 16, 2001, and the church building as of 2006 was completed. Its patron is St. Joseph.

History

[Beginning as a mission chapel] According to the Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia, Jucheon Church started as a Catholic mission chapel without a resident priest. Lee Seong-ho, who had received catechesis from his elder sister, led the effort and received approval as a Catholic mission chapel under Yongsomak Church in 1957.

[Changes in jurisdiction] The Culture Encyclopedia records that the Jucheon mission chapel started under Yongsomak Church in 1957, came under Yeongwol Church in 1959, returned to Yongsomak Church in 1960, and came under Uirim-dong Church in 1969. In the early period, the faithful made earth bricks themselves and used the resulting building as a temporary church to celebrate Mass.

[Elevation to parish and new church] In 2001, it was established as a parish with the approval of the diocese, and Father Go Jeong-bae was appointed as the first pastor (Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia). The establishment date in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory is on January 16, 2001. The church was expanded in 1993, and the church building in its form as of 2006 was newly completed (Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia).

[Jurisdiction] The Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia lists the jurisdiction as Jucheon-myeon, Mureung Dowon-myeon and Hanbando-myeon. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea directory lists the jurisdiction as Jucheon-myeon, Suju-myeon, Unhak-myeon and Hanbando-myeon in Yeongwol-gun and lists the number of mission chapels as 0, so the two sources differ.

[Mission and social service] The Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia explains that Jucheon Church carries out various missionary and social service activities not only for Catholic faithful in the Yeongwol area but also for tourists visiting Yeongwol and Catholic faithful in neighboring areas.

Related places and people

• Yongsomak Church: the parish to which the Jucheon mission chapel first belonged in 1957, and which again administered the Jucheon mission chapel in 1960 (Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia).
• Yeongwol Church: the parish that administered the Jucheon mission chapel in 1959 (Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia).
• Uirim-dong Church (Jecheon): the parish that has administered the Jucheon mission chapel since 1969 (Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia).

References and sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Yeongwol Culture Encyclopedia “Jucheon Church”. Approval as a mission chapel in 1957, changes of the administering parish, elevation to parish in 2001 and first pastor, expansion in 1993 and completion of the new church in 2006, jurisdiction.
   https://www.grandculture.net/yeongwol/toc/GC08301068
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory “Jucheon”. Establishment date on January 16, 2001, patron St. Joseph, jurisdiction and number of mission chapels.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&gubn=4&gyogu=201000019&code=201000950&gubn2=all&char=all
3. Catholic Diocese of Wonju, Parishes “Jucheon Church” (Yeongpyeongjeong District). Church name ‘St. Joseph Church’.
   http://www.wjcatholic.or.kr/parish/view?ca=%EC%98%81%ED%8F%89%EC%A0%95%EC%A7%80%EA%B5%AC&wm_id=47