“A family that prays together, stays together.” This old saying fits perfectly here. It also includes “the family that eats together”. Today we are standing in front of St. Andrew Kim Catholic Church. It is in Olney Maryland. That is a northern suburb of Washington D.C.. This parish for Korean Catholics is special. It gathers as a community for Mass. Then it enjoys a lunch of Korean cuisine together every Sunday.
St. Andrew Kim Dae-Geon is the church’s patron saint. He was the first Korean priest and martyr. Korean Catholics first gathered in October 1965. They met at The National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception. The church community was formally established in 1974. In 1981 it moved to College Park, MD. The church moved to its current location on November 17, 2002. This beautiful new church was built in Olney Maryland.
In 1974, the Archdiocese of Washington approved the Roman Catholic Korean Church. In 1980, it became the Blessed Andrew Kim Korean Pastoral Mission. Four years later in 1984 it was elevated. It became St. Andrew Kim Parish. St. Andrew Kim Parish now has about 1250 households.
This church has been the heart of spiritual life. It is also a social hub. It serves the Korean Catholic and Korean community. This area is the Greater Washington metropolitan area. It has served them for the last 30 years.
A gleaming statue of St. Andrew Kim stands near the entrance. It was unveiled in 2021. It is part of a new exhibition hall. This honors Korea’s first priest and martyr. The statue commemorates his 1821 birth bicentennial. St. Andrew Kim is bowing slightly in the statue. He is holding a small facade. It is of the Catholic church in Shanghai China. He was ordained there in 1845. It was days before his 24th birthday. He was martyred the next year at 25.
Pope St. John Paul II canonized St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon in 1984. He canonized him with 102 other Korean martyrs. He did this during his visit to South Korea. St. Andrew Kim Church displays a large painting. This painting depicts the martyrs. There is also another statue of their patron saint outside.
The church celebrated its 50th anniversary on September 29 2024. Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory celebrated a Mass. Prayers songs and readings were in Korean and English. A Korean lunch followed in the parish hall.
Father Matthew Moonseoung Park has been St. Andrew Kim’s pastor since 2022. He says parishioners are inspired. They are inspired by St. Andrew Kim and the Korean martyrs. They lived their lives for Christ.
Luke Park has been a member for 40 years. He said this is my house. Kevin Yi has been part of the community for 44 years. He serves on its pastoral council. He noted it has been a place of worship for Korean Americans for 50 years.
Volunteers make and sell Korean food after Mass. Kimchi is one of the foods. It is salted and fermented cabbage and other vegetables. They raise money for the community. Parishioners donated and fundraised. They raised enough money to build the church.
St. Andrew Kim Parish is built and sustained by volunteers. They serve at Masses. They work in parish ministries. They prepare and serve Korean cuisine. They do this for lunch every week. It is after the main Mass in Korean. The Mass is at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
In the Korean language family means people who eat together. They have served 300 to 500 people every Sunday. The food includes bibimbap. This is a Korean rice dish. It also includes janchi guksu. That is a Korean noodle soup.
Parishioners share their faith at Mass. Then the lunches give them a chance. They can share their Korean culture language and history. They don’t have a chance to do that in their daily lives until Sunday. Each brick represents the faith and sacrifice. The faith and sacrifice were from the parishioners who built it.
St. Andrew Kim Parish links its past and future. This ranges from youth programs. It also has outreach for its senior citizens. Remember St. Andrew Kim is not just a church. It is a vibrant community. It is a testament to faith food and fellowship.