"Church Called by the Sea" was an article on the Catholic News Now/Here website that described the deep relationship between the Incheon Diocese and the Maryknoll Mission Society.
The Incheon Diocese Church History Research Institute, which has been researching the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society, held a special exhibition on March 22nd. The institute announced that this exhibition sheds new light on the missionary journey that the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society has taken in the Incheon Diocese.
The Incheon Diocese met the Maryknoll Society on September 1, 1958, when it was established as the Incheon Vicariate, the Incheon area being part of the Seoul Archdiocese. From then on, the Maryknoll Society took charge of the Incheon region’s pastoral care. In 1961, when the Incheon Archdiocese was established, Father William J. McNaughton of the Maryknoll Society was appointed as the first bishop and continued as bishop until 2002.
“The journey of the Maryknoll missionaries, who entered China in 1918, Pyongyang in 1923, and Incheon in 1958, is also a history of overcoming the historical turmoil of East Asia with their presence. It can be said that it is a history of witnesses who experienced the events from beginning to end. It is also a missionary journey that ‘responded to the call of the poor.
The Maryknoll Society embraced Incheon immediately after the Korean War. It was a home for refugees and later a city of workers. The Maryknoll missionaries built a church centered around the refugees and lived with them. After witnessing the poor conditions of the workers, they fought together for their human rights. This journey also led to their dedication and devotion to democracy in Korean society.
The declaration of the founder of the Maryknoll Society, “We go to places where we are not wanted but needed, and when we are wanted but not needed, we leave,” was realized in Incheon, and it became a ‘church built by the sea’. This exhibition is a ‘tribute’ to the Maryknoll Society, a witness to Korean society and the Incheon Church, and an answer to the call of the poor.
56 diverse relics are on display, including the missionary charter containing the spirit of the Maryknoll Society, missionary writings, and confidential government reports detailing the missionaries’ activities during the democratization movement. In addition, approximately 300 photos of the missionary society’s journey from China to Pyongyang, Cheongju, and Incheon can be viewed. In particular, the photos of Bishop William McNaughton, who entered the country in 1954 and worked as a missionary before being appointed the first bishop of the Incheon Diocese in 1961, will be displayed.
At the opening ceremony, Father Jang Dong-hoon (Director of the Incheon Diocese History Museum and the Incheon Church History Research Institute) expressed his gratitude to those who participated in preparing the special exhibition. He said this special exhibition began with the old question, “Where, how, and why did the Incheon Diocese begin?” He talked about the three seas. He said that the three seas were “the sea of refugees, the sea of workers, and the sea of those thirsting for justice” and that “missionaries continued to go out to new seas to comfort the lives of refugees, to wash away the tears of the weak, and to protect human dignity endangered by injustice and violence.”
He continued that he wanted to quickly present the answers he had obtained through his short study and possibly sloppy study today because there is no time when a church that does missionary work is particularly needed as much as in today’s chaotic times. “It was because we urgently had to respond to the urgent request of the universal church to be a church that goes out, a church that does not fret over becoming the center but constantly moves toward the outskirts, a church that must do missionary work.”
Father Richard Agustin, local superior of the Maryknoll Society in Korea, said that the missionaries who lived in this land since the establishment of the Incheon Diocese in 1962 were not mere visitors but faithful servants who built a religious community with sacrifice and dedication. “This exhibition is not just a record but a precious space to reflect on the struggles and love of the Maryknoll missionaries. Today, we look back on the past, give deep thanks to God, and make a new commitment.”
Sister Seong Mi-Yeong, a Maryknoll Sister speaking for their Congregation, said that when she entered the convent, she heard the stories of many seniors who had been missionaries in Korea for decades, and she knew well how deeply the Maryknoll Congregation was connected to the Korean church, society, and people. She said, “I felt sad and regretful that many priests and nuns were passing away, and their stories and history were disappearing along with them. I also felt sorry that Maryknoll’s precious materials and records were scattered, so we could not properly inherit this legacy. I am grateful you have collected, preserved, and exhibited the records so well.”
The bishop of Incheon, Bishop Jeong Jin-cheol, who presided over the blessing ceremony, said, “What I felt most while serving as the vicar general and parish priest was that the parish had forgotten many things. Looking back on history, there are both good and bad memories, but when we forget them all without being able to contain them, the sorrow of future generations will be great.”
He said, “In the past, the Incheon Diocese was able to rise as a strong church with the help of the Maryknoll Society, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Columban Foreign Mission Society, and the Guadalupe Mission Society, helping to form the Incheon Diocese as we have it today giving thanks for such grace and help.” He added, “Since I was inaugurated as bishop, I have said that the Incheon Diocese must live a life of sharing, and among the sharing of material and human resources, sharing of human resources is the sending of missionaries. The church is one where people share their faith with each other.”
