About Korean Martyrs · San Antonio, Texas
Korean Martyrs Catholic Church (Korean: 샌안토니오 교구 한국 순교자 성당) is a Korean-language Catholic parish serving the Korean Catholic community of San Antonio and its surrounding area. Founded on December 1, 1982, it is a small, family-like community of roughly 120 faithful who attend Sunday Mass, and is currently pastored by Fr. Doo You Kim (김두유 신부), whose baptismal name is John the Baptist. The parish is named for the Korean Martyrs — Saints Andrew Kim Taegŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang and Companions — whose liturgical memorial the church celebrates each September. Although its mailing address is in Boerne, Texas, just northwest of San Antonio, it operates as a personal parish within the Archdiocese of San Antonio for Korean-speaking Catholics, and all Masses are celebrated in Korean.
- Established
- 1982
- Patron
- Sts. Andrew Kim Taegŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang and Companions (the 103 Korean Martyrs)
- Rector
- Fr. Doo You Kim (김두유, baptismal name John the Baptist)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio (Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Antonio)
Why belong here
Korean Martyrs Catholic Church exists to give the Korean Catholic faithful of San Antonio a place where they can worship in their own language and keep their spiritual and cultural heritage alive. About 120 parishioners gather each Sunday for Korean-language Mass, and the parish describes itself as a small community where members treat one another as family in Christ, gradually growing in love of the Lord. Beyond Sunday worship, the parish runs neighborhood district groups (구역 모임), an annual Night of Our Lady (성모의 밤), a parish council (사목협의회), youth and children's groups (어린이 복사단), fundraising events such as yard sales, and pastoral support during sacramental milestones — Confirmation preparation, Lenten retreats, pilgrimages, and bereavement prayers. For any Korean-speaking Catholic in the San Antonio / Boerne area, it is a welcoming home.
Mass times at Korean Martyrs
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 15 minutes before Mass and 15 minutes after Mass (parish website)
- Sunday 10:30 AM – 10:55 AM (Archdiocese of San Antonio directory)
- Saturday 6:30 PM – 6:55 PM (Archdiocese of San Antonio directory)
About Korean Martyrs Catholic Church
Korean Martyrs Catholic Church (샌안토니오 교구 한국 순교자 성당) is a Korean-language personal parish within the Archdiocese of San Antonio, serving Korean-speaking Catholics in the greater San Antonio area. Although its physical address is at 7655 Curres Creek in Boerne, Texas (just northwest of the city), the parish is administered as part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and its Masses are celebrated entirely in Korean. The community numbers roughly 120 members at Sunday Mass and describes itself as a small, family-like parish where members grow in love of the Lord together. The church is named in honor of the Korean Martyrs — Saints Andrew Kim Taegŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang and their 101 companions — canonized by Pope St. John Paul II on May 6, 1984.
- Parish community size: ~120 at Sunday Mass
- Korean-language worship and ministry
- Personal parish under the Archdiocese of San Antonio
History
Korean Martyrs was canonically established on December 1, 1982, as a mission parish for the growing Korean Catholic community in South Texas. From its foundation it was served by priests sent from the Diocese of Busan (부산 교구) in South Korea, who took turns shepherding the small flock. The parish's welcome page expresses deep gratitude for the providence of God in sustaining the community through the decades, and thanks each of the Busan-diocese priests who served before the present pastor. In 2022 the parish celebrated its 40th anniversary with a year-long rosary prayer campaign and a bishop's Mass on September 10, followed by a joint Chuseok memorial Mass. The Archbishop of San Antonio made a pastoral visitation on October 15, 2023.
- Founded December 1, 1982
- Historically staffed by Diocese of Busan (Korea) priests
- 40th anniversary celebrated in 2022
- Archbishop's pastoral visit October 15, 2023
- Joint activities with Austin Korean Catholic parish
Pastor and Clergy
The parish is currently pastored by Fr. Doo You Kim (김두유), whose baptismal name is John the Baptist (세례자요한). He is listed by the Archdiocese of San Antonio as Pastor/Administrator and is reachable both through the parish office number and his direct line. The parish's official greeting acknowledges with gratitude the succession of priests who came from the Diocese of Busan before Fr. Kim.
- Fr. Doo You Kim (김두유) — Pastor, baptismal name John the Baptist
- Office phone: (210) 698-3877 (answering machine)
- Direct line: (210) 996-0626
Parish Life and Ministries
Korean Martyrs is a small, close-knit community, and its ministries are sized to that reality. The Parish Pastoral Council (사목협의회) coordinates with the pastor; a Publicity Department (홍보부) keeps the community informed; and the parish is divided into neighborhood district groups (구역) — for example Zones 2, 3, and 4 are active and meet regularly in parishioners' homes. Catechetical activities include a Confirmation program (with both youth and adult tracks) and a catechumenate-style preparatory class (예비자 교리). Special annual events include the Night of Our Lady (성모의 밤) Marian devotion, a Chuseok joint Memorial Mass, a 40th-anniversary rosary prayer, and a fundraising yard sale with lunch (in 2018 supporting building funds).
- Parish Pastoral Council (사목协议书)
- Publicity / Communications Department (홍보부)
- Neighborhood district groups (구역 모임)
- Children's altar-servers (어린이 복사단)
- Catechumenate / RCIA-style class (예비자 교리)
- Confirmation catechesis
- Annual Night of Our Lady (성모의 밤)
- Annual yard-sale fundraiser
- Joint outdoor Masses with Austin Korean Catholic parish
- Outreach to Korea through consular visits (e.g., Houston Consulate mobile consular services 2019)
Devotions and Special Events
Beyond the regular Mass and confession schedule, the parish maintains a number of popular devotional and community observances drawn from Korean Catholic tradition. These include weekly Bible study on Wednesdays (with a winter break), Lenten special lectures, the annual Night of Our Lady, pilgrimages abroad (in 2019 to holy sites in Italy), and special Masses for milestones such as the graduation blessing (졸업생 축보기도) and prayers for expectant mothers. The parish bulletin (주보) is published weekly and uploaded to the parish website.
- Wednesday Bible study (수요일 성경 공부)
- Lenten special lectures (사순 특강)
- Night of Our Lady (성모의 밤)
- Annual Chuseok Memorial Mass (추석 합동 위령미사)
- 40th-anniversary rosary prayer (2022)
- Italy pilgrimage (2019)
- Graduates blessing Mass
- Mothers-to-be prayer
- Bereavement prayer / funeral announcements
- Weekly parish bulletin (주보)
Visiting — Location and Directions
Although the parish is widely known as 'Korean Martyrs, San Antonio,' its church building is actually located in Boerne, Texas, about a half-hour northwest of downtown San Antonio. The church can be reached via I-10 West, taking Exit 550, then turning at the first traffic light onto Ralph Fair Road, and at the next intersection turning right onto Old Fredericksburg Road; the church is on the left-hand side. A Google Maps link is provided on the parish's directions page (오시는길). The phone line (210) 698-3877 is an answering machine; the pastor can be reached directly at (210) 996-0626.
- Address: 7655 Curres Creek, Boerne, TX 78015
- Driving: I-10 West → Exit 550 → Ralph Fair Road → right onto Old Fredericksburg Road
- Google Maps link available on parish website
- Parish office: (210) 698-3877
- Pastor's direct line: (210) 996-0626
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Diocese of Busan priests (succession)1982–pre-2019
The parish's own greeting page (인사말) thanks 'the priests who came from Busan Diocese' (부산 교구에서 오신 역대 신부님들) for their service before the current pastor.
- Fr. Doo You Kim (김두유, 세례자요한)current pastor (Archdiocese of San Antonio directory listing)
Listed as Pastor/Administrator by the Archdiocese of San Antonio; baptismal name John the Baptist.