Korean Martyrs

Parish History

The Korean Catholic community in Tarrant County gathered for the first time in July 1989, and Father Inacio Kim of Seoul celebrated the first Mass in a parishioner's home that October. On August 5, 1990, Bishop Joseph Delaney formally established the mission as a parish of the Diocese of Fort Worth at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Fort Worth. After more than a decade worshipping in homes, hotel meeting rooms, and other parishes, the community moved in May 2003 into its own worship space at 415 Brown Trail in Hurst. The parish was formally named Korean Martyrs Catholic Church in July 2003, and Bishop Delaney celebrated the inaugural Mass on September 29, 2003. The parish celebrated its 25th anniversary with Bishop Michael F. Olson in 2014 and its 30th anniversary in 2019.

The Korean Martyrs — Patron and Name

The parish takes its name from the 103 Korean Martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II in Seoul on May 6, 1984 — led by St. Andrew Kim Taegon, ordained in Shanghai in 1845 and martyred in 1846 at age 26. Their feast day is September 20. The parish draws on this heritage frequently, and the 2014 visit of Pope Francis to South Korea — during which 124 additional Korean martyrs were beatified — was a milestone moment for the community.

• St. Andrew Kim Taegon, first Korean-born priest, martyred 1846
• Canonization of 103 Korean Martyrs by Pope John Paul II — May 6, 1984, Seoul
• Pope Francis beatified 124 additional Korean martyrs in August 2014

Clergy and Staff

Korean Martyrs is currently served by Rev. Chang Jun Lee as Pastor, appointed effective January 10, 2022 by Bishop Michael F. Olson. The parish's office is supported by bookkeeper Youngmi Park.

• Rev. Chang Jun Lee — Pastor (since January 10, 2022)
• Youngmi Park — Bookkeeper
• Pastors in the parish's history have included Father Inacio Kim of Seoul (founding period) and Rev. Woon Pil Jeong, OSB (recalled by his religious order December 31, 2021).

Faith Formation and Sunday School

Korean-language religious education for children takes place between the two Sunday Masses, giving families the chance to attend Mass and then gather for ongoing Sunday School. Classes are listed as ongoing at 12:30 PM Sundays.

• Sunday School / Religious Education — Sundays at 12:30 PM (Korean)

The Parish Building

The parish worships in a remodeled building at 415 Brown Trail in Hurst, originally built as a Baptist church. It was renovated in 2003 to seat about 375 people. Many of the Catholic liturgical furnishings — altar, tabernacle, ambo, confessional, Stations of the Cross, and statues — were donated by St. Andrew Kim Catholic Church near Washington, D.C.

• 17,000-square-foot worship space
• Approximately 375 seats
• Liturgical furnishings donated by St. Andrew Kim Catholic Church, Lanham, Maryland

Diocese, Deanery, and Wider Context

Korean Martyrs is a parish of the Diocese of Fort Worth and belongs to the Northeast Deanery, whose dean is Rev. Ken Robinson. GCatholic lists the parish (ID 33805) as a Korean-language Catholic church serving the Hurst–Tarrant County area, and it was included on GCatholic's list of 'Churches in the Path of Totality' for the April 2024 total solar eclipse.

• Diocese of Fort Worth
• Northeast Deanery — Dean: Rev. Ken Robinson
• GCatholic ID: 33805

Visiting and Getting Involved

Korean Catholics across the DFW metroplex — students, business owners, professors, laborers, and others — are welcome to attend any Mass, schedule Reconciliation, arrange Adoration, or enroll children in Sunday School by contacting the parish office. Because all liturgy is in Korean, the parish particularly serves Korean-speaking families seeking Mass, sacraments, and faith formation in their own language.

• All liturgy celebrated in Korean
• Reconciliation available Sundays before or after Mass
• Adoration by appointment through the parish office
• Sunday School for children on Sundays at 12:30 PM