Pyeongchang Church

Overview

Pyeongchang Church is a church belonging to the Diocese of Wonju, located in Pyeongchang-eup, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. On October 7, 1965, it was established when the parish moved from Daehwa to Pyeongchang, and its patron is Our Lady of the Rosary. At that time Daehwa Parish became a Catholic mission chapel under Pyeongchang Parish and was later re-established as a parish in 1993.

History

[Daehwa Parish and preparations for relocation] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Daehwa Parish, founded on May 1931, had its church destroyed and its faithful scattered during the Korean War, suspending its evangelization work, but it revived through restoration led by Father Jo Eung-hwan (Thaddeus), who took office as the 3th pastor on April 1954, shortly after the armistice. The number of faithful grew from 341 in 1954 to 924 in 1962. Believing that a parish should be founded at the county office seat for greater growth, Father Jo pursued the plan, and in 1964, with the approval of Father Stuart (Park), vicar general of the Chuncheon Vicariate, he purchased the former tax office site at lot 355-5, Jung-ri, Pyeongchang-myeon, measuring 762 pyeong, and began construction of a new church.

[Parish establishment] The following year the church was completed, and Father Brandon Murray (B. Murray, Ham) took office as the first pastor, and the church dedication ceremony was held on October 7, the feast of the Rosary. With the parish moving from Daehwa to Pyeongchang, Pyeongchang Parish was established, and Daehwa Parish became a Catholic mission chapel under its jurisdiction (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia). The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea directory also lists the establishment date as October 7, 1965. At the time the parish was established, there were only 10 faithful in 5~6 households in Pyeongchang-myeon, but through the efforts of Father Murray and evangelization president Park Sun-uk (Michael), 30~40 catechumens were gathered and began catechism classes.

[Jurisdictional changes] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, at the time Pyeongchang Parish was established, its jurisdiction covered all of Pyeongchang-gun, but on September 29, 1968, when Jinbu Parish was separated and established, Doam-myeon, Jinbu-myeon, and Bongpyeong-myeon were divided off, and the Bongpyeong, Heungjeong-ri, Yaksu, Jangpyeong, Yongjeon, Sosari, and Hoenggye Catholic mission chapels were transferred. That year Father Murray was transferred as the first pastor of Jinbu Parish, and Father Smith took office as the 2th pastor. On May 1969, through a jurisdictional adjustment between the Diocese of Chuncheon and the Diocese of Wonju, Pyeongchang-myeon, Mitan-myeon, Daehwa-myeon, and Bangnim-myeon, the jurisdiction of Pyeongchang Parish, came under the Diocese of Wonju, while the jurisdiction of Jinbu Parish remained in the Diocese of Chuncheon.

[The 1970s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Father Hynes took office as the 3th pastor on September 1969, Father Lee Heung-geun took office as temporary pastor on December, and Father Hynes was reappointed as the 4th pastor on April 1970. Father Kennedy, who took office as the 5th pastor on June 1971, organized a youth group called Cheongsonghoe to help poor neighbors, and founded the Pyeongchang Credit Union on April 1973. Father Ellis, who became the 6th pastor on November 1974, procured pews with the help of benefactors and parishioners. Father Dewan, who took office as the 7th pastor on February 1977, established a credit union at the Daehwa Catholic mission chapel on February 1978, and in the same year Father Smith took office as the 8th pastor on May and introduced the Legion of Mary, founding for the first time 'Queen Conceived without Original Sin' on January 1979.

[The 1980s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during the tenure of the 9th pastor, Father Baek Seung-chi, in 1982, the old hall was remodeled and Sohwa Kindergarten was opened for early childhood education, and the following year 'Bible 40 Weeks' was held to encourage Bible reading. From November 1984 to February 1987, Pyeongchang Parish cooperated with the Seoul Seongga Sobinyeohoe sisters in operating a health clinic in Maji-ri, Pyeongchang-myeon, winning the support of local residents. During the tenure of the 10th pastor, Father Lee Byeong-don, in 1986, a garden reproducing the Lourdes Grotto of Our Lady was created, and the statue of Our Lady beside the road in front of the church was moved there. During the tenure of the 11th pastor, Father Han Sang-yong, from 1989, the parish participated in Marriage Encounter (M.E.), reorganized its districts into 7 districts and 9 groups, and on June 1990 repaired the church roof and the rectory.

[Since the 1990s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during the tenure of the 12th pastor, Father Hong Geum-pyo, on December 1992, a committee for the 30th anniversary of the parish establishment was organized, setting as goals the construction of an education hall including a kindergarten and a convent, and a campaign to double the number of faithful. On March 1993, the Daehwa Catholic mission chapel was re-established as a parish, construction of the education hall and kindergarten began on April with a blessing ceremony held on September, and on December the name 'Sohwa Kindergarten' was changed to 'Sohwa Daycare Center'. Construction of the convent and offices began on May 1994, and the parish hosted the Yeongpyeongjeong (Yeongwol, Pyeongchang, Jeongseon) district apostolic association officers' workshop of the Diocese of Wonju on June 19, the diocesan Lay Apostolate Council officers' training on September 3, and the 2th Yeongpyeongjeong district joint festival on September 4. During the tenure of the 13th pastor, Father Bae Do-ha, on March 1995, after about 1 years of construction, the convent and offices were completed, with a blessing ceremony held on June, and a Mass and events celebrating the 30th anniversary of the parish establishment held on October. On March 1998, a street campaign was conducted for catechumens and the return of lapsed Catholics.

[The 2000s] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, during the tenure of the 14th pastor, Father Lee Dae-sik, on April 2000, a church library holding books on Scripture, theology, history, and doctrine was established, and on May a Bible cover-to-cover reading class was opened. For one month on March 2001, faith lectures were given on topics such as Lent, death and the end times, and God, and on July 2002 small Christian community volunteer training was provided for newly appointed district and group volunteers. Father Jo Gyu-nam, the 15th pastor, held retreats for all the faithful every Friday during the 6 weeks of Lent from March 2003 to April, and on August, when Sohwa Daycare Center grew from 3 classes to 5 classes, he newly built the 1·2 floors of the education hall and the Marian Association kitchen and held a blessing ceremony, and on November shared food with elderly people living alone. On August 2004, a new tabernacle was prepared through the devotion of the faithful, and on October 7, commemorating the 39th anniversary of the parish establishment, a Mass and proclamation ceremony for the 40th anniversary of the parish establishment was held. The encyclopedia notes that at that time Pyeongchang Parish was pursuing 3 major goals, including renewal and sanctification, evangelization of the region, and realization of a sharing Church.

[Jurisdiction and church statistics] The jurisdiction at that time recorded in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia is all of Pyeongchang-eup and Mitan-myeon in Pyeongchang-gun. Church membership was 679 in 1968, 758 in 1973, 708 in 1978, 757 in 1983, 573 in 1988, 619 in 1995, 621 in 2000, and 665 in 2004. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea directory lists the current jurisdiction as Pyeongchang-eup and Mitan-myeon in Pyeongchang-gun, the convent as the Mirinae Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Our Lady, the number of faithful as 858, and the number of Catholic mission chapels as 0.

[Pastors] According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, the following served: the first, Brandon Murray (B. Murray, Ham) (1965.10~1968.2), the 2th, John Smyth (J. Smyth, Cheon) (1968.2~1969.9), the 3th, Francis Hynes (F. Hynes, Ha) (1969.9~12), interim Mark Lee Heung-geun (1969.12~1970.4), the 4th Hynes (1970.4~1971.6), the 5th, Oliver Kennedy (O. Kennedy, Gye) (1971.6~1974.11), the 6th, Gerardo Ellis (G. Ellis, Eom) (1974.11~1977.2), the 7th, John Dewan (S. Dwan, Won) (1977.2~1978.5), the 8th, Patrick Smyth (P. Smyth, Cheon) (1978.5~1981.9), the 9th, John Baek Seung-chi (1981.9~1985.6), the 10th, John Bosco Lee Byeong-don (1985.6~1988.9), the 11th, Titus Han Sang-yong (1988.9~1991.4), the 12th, Albino Hong Geum-pyo (1991.4~1995.2), the 13th, Benedict Bae Do-ha (1995.2~1999.2), the 14th, James Lee Dae-sik (1999.2~2003.1), and the 15th, Cunibert Jo Gyu-nam (2003.1~). The Bishops' Conference directory lists the current pastor as Father Michael Lee Jin-hui.

Architecture and Space

In 1986, during the tenure of Father Lee Byeong-don, a garden reproducing the Lourdes Grotto of Our Lady was created (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).

The Korean Catholic Encyclopedia records that in 1964, the former tax office site at lot 355-5, Jung-ri, Pyeongchang-myeon, measuring 762 pyeong, was purchased and construction of a new church begun and completed the following year, in 1982 the old hall was remodeled, on June 1990 the church roof and the rectory were repaired, in 1993~1995 the education hall, kindergarten, convent, and offices were built, and in 2003 the 1·2 floors of the education hall and the Marian Association kitchen were newly built.

Related Places and People

• Daehwa Church: It was the parish before Pyeongchang Parish was established, and in 1965, when the parish moved to Pyeongchang, it became a Catholic mission chapel and was later re-established as a parish on March 1993 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Jinbu Church (Diocese of Chuncheon): It was separated and established from Pyeongchang Parish on September 29, 1968 (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Father Jo Eung-hwan (Thaddeus): In 1954, he took office as the 3th pastor of Daehwa Parish, led its restoration, and promoted the establishment of a parish at the county office seat (Korean Catholic Encyclopedia).
• Mirinae Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Our Lady: They are the sisters serving Pyeongchang Church (Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea directory).

References and Sources

1. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia 'Pyeongchang Parish' (Vol. 11). Parish establishment in 1965, transfer from Daehwa Parish, jurisdictional changes, pastoral care and facilities by period, church statistics, and past pastors.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/6505
2. Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory 'Pyeongchang'. Establishment date 1965.10.07, patron, sisters, number of faithful, number of Catholic mission chapels, jurisdiction, and pastor.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000956&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000019