About Saint Andrew Kim · Irving, Texas
St. Andrew Kim Catholic Church (달라스 성 김대건 안드레아 성당) is a Korean-American Roman Catholic parish located at 2111 Camino Lago in Irving, Texas, within the Diocese of Dallas. Founded in 1977 by 25 Korean Catholic faithful who gathered for the first Korean-language Mass celebrated by Fr. Lim Choon-geun of the Houston Korean parish, the community grew rapidly and was canonically erected as a personal parish for Korean Catholics in North Texas. Today it serves approximately 3,200 registered parishioners, offering Mass primarily in Korean with one English Mass each Sunday, and is staffed by the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs (한국순교복자 수녀회).
- Established
- 1977
- Patron
- St. Andrew Kim Taegon (성 김대건 안드레아), the first native-born Korean Catholic priest, martyred in 1846 during the Joseon Dynasty and canonized in 1984 as one of the 103 Korean Martyrs; patron of Korean clergy.
- Rector
- Rev. Gabriel Cho Je-hyoung (조재형 가브리엘 신부), Parish Priest (주임 신부)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dallas
Why belong here
St. Andrew Kim is the spiritual home for Korean Catholics across the Dallas–Fort Worth area, offering the Mass and sacraments primarily in Korean alongside a weekly English Mass, plus a full Korean-language school, Sunday school, RCIA, and Bible study. The parish welcomes families through CCD-style faith formation, a Korean Saturday school (한글학교), the Alberto Dream Seed School (알베르토 꿈나무 학교), and ministries such as Legion of Mary, cursillo, the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs, and youth groups. As a designated pilgrimage church for the 200th-anniversary Jubilee of St. Andrew Kim Taegon and a community actively preparing for its own 50th anniversary in 2027, it offers a vibrant, multi-generational Korean Catholic home with active outreach to immigrants, the homebound, and the broader North Texas community.
Mass times at Saint Andrew Kim
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 20 minutes before each Mass (미사 20분전)
- 30 minutes before Mass in the confessional (고해실)
Adoration times
- Holy Hour (성시간) — first Thursday of each month, after Mass
- Monthly Benediction (봉성체) — second Wednesday of each month, afternoon
Parish History
St. Andrew Kim Catholic Church was founded in 1977 when 25 Korean Catholic faithful gathered at the home of Hwang Moon-hwan in the Dallas area for the first Korean-language Mass, celebrated by Fr. Lim Choon-geun of the Houston Korean parish. Within months, Bishop Thomas Tschoepe of Dallas granted the community indefinite use of St. Joseph Church; Cardinal Stephen Kim Su-hwan later visited and donated a statue of St. Andrew Kim. Over the following decades the parish was served by a succession of Korean-born priests, opened a convent for the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs, marked its canonical establishment with a joint Mass by the bishops of Dallas and Busan in 1985, and grew to roughly 3,200 registered parishioners. In 2020 Bishop Edward Burns designated it a pilgrimage church for the 200th-anniversary Jubilee of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, and the parish is now actively preparing for its own 50th anniversary in 2027.
- 1977 – First Korean Mass at Hwang Moon-hwan home; Bishop Tschoepe grants use of St. Joseph Church
- 1978 – Cardinal Kim Su-hwan donates statue of St. Andrew Kim
- 1983 – Sisters of the Korean Martyrs arrive and open convent
- 1985 – Canonical establishment celebrated by bishops of Dallas and Busan
- 2020–2021 – Designated pilgrimage church for St. Andrew Kim Taegon Jubilee
- 2027 – 50th anniversary celebration planned with WYD Seoul delegation
Clergy & Religious
The parish is currently led by Fr. Gabriel Cho Je-hyoung (Parish Priest), with Fr. John the Baptist Yoon Chung-hoon serving as Associate Pastor and Deacons John S. Lee and Joseph Seo assisting. Pastoral care is complemented by the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs (한국순교복자 수녀회), whose convent is on parish grounds; Sr. Jang Myeong-hwa Susanna serves as Superior and Sr. Kim Min-hye Yeonhui Maria as Pastoral Sister. Office staff include Administrative Assistant Helen Ko and Office Manager Kate Jung (정정화 카타리나).
- Parish Priest: Fr. Gabriel Cho Je-hyoung (조재형 가브리엘)
- Associate Pastor: Fr. John the Baptist Yoon Chung-hoon (윤충훈 세례자요한)
- Permanent Deacons: Dcn. John S. Lee, Dcn. Joseph Seo
- Sisters: Sr. Jang Myeong-hwa Susanna (Superior), Sr. Kim Min-hye Yeonhui Maria, Sr. Lee Jin-sook Cecilia
Pastoral Succession
The parish website lists fourteen resident pastors since its founding. The list, beginning with the unnamed first resident priest (Dec 1978 – Mar 1981) and continuing through the current pastor Fr. Gabriel Cho, documents the long tradition of Korean-born clergy shepherding the Dallas Korean Catholic community.
- Kim Man-su Don Bosco (1981–1984)
- Choi Young-chul Aloysius (1984–1986)
- Shin Yoon-woo Galicido (1986–1989)
- Shin Sang-do Augustine (1989–1991)
- Jan-bel (1991)
- Myeong Francis (1991–1993)
- Kang Yo-han (1993–1999)
- Lee Chi-hun Joseph (1999–2007)
- Kim Young-gwan Dominic (2007–2012)
- Kim Tae-sun Vincent (2012–2019)
- Kim Nam-gil Daegun Andrew (2019–2024)
- Gabriel Cho Je-hyoung (2024–present)
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
St. Andrew Kim celebrates Mass primarily in Korean, with one Sunday Mass in English. Sunday Masses are offered at 10:00 AM (Korean), 12:00 PM (English), and 3:00 PM (Korean), preceded by a Saturday Vigil at 5:00 PM in Korean. Weekday Masses are celebrated Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 PM, and Wednesday and Friday mornings at 10:00 AM, all in Korean. Confessions are heard 20 minutes before each Mass, and additional devotions include a monthly Holy Hour (first Thursday after Mass) and monthly Benediction (second Wednesday afternoon).
- Sunday: 10 AM Korean, 12 PM English, 3 PM Korean
- Saturday Vigil: 5 PM Korean
- Tue/Thu: 7:30 PM Korean
- Wed/Fri: 10:00 AM Korean
- Confession: 20 min before each Mass
- Holy Hour: 1st Thursday after Mass
- Benediction: 2nd Wednesday afternoon
Faith Formation & Schools
The parish runs a robust slate of formation programs in Korean and English, including a Sunday School (주일학교) for children, a Saturday Korean language and heritage school (한글학교), and the Alberto Dream Seed School (알베르토 꿈나무 학교) on Saturday afternoons. Adult formation includes a weekly Bible study on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM and an RCIA / catechumenate class on Sundays from 12:00 to 1:30 PM. First Communion and Confirmation are celebrated annually, with adult and youth cohorts prepared together.
- Sunday School: Sundays 10:00–11:20 AM
- Korean Language School: Saturdays 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Alberto Dream Seed School: Saturdays 3:00–5:50 PM
- Bible Study: Wednesdays 7:00 PM
- RCIA / Catechumenate: Sundays 12:00–1:30 PM
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments, with infant baptisms held on the first Saturday of February, May, August, and November. Marriage preparation requires application at the parish office at least six months in advance, and Anointing of the Sick is available on request. Confessions are scheduled 20 minutes before each Mass, with the priest hearing penitents in the confessional approximately 30 minutes before Mass begins.
- Infant Baptism: 1st Saturday of Feb, May, Aug, Nov
- Marriage: apply 6 months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick: upon request
- Confession: 20 minutes before each Mass
- First Communion and Confirmation annually
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Beyond the liturgy and schools, the parish supports a wide range of ministries and small communities, including Legion of Mary, the Cursillo movement, the Pastoral Council (the 25th term was constituted in July 2020), and neighborhood Small Christian Communities (소공동체). Outreach programs include Wheelchair Sunday collections coordinated by the Columbus-Ki Society, participation in the annual 40 Days for Life campaign, and home and shop blessings for parishioners. The parish also runs family ministry programs including marriage renewal (혼인갱신식) and youth summer camps.
- Legion of Mary
- Cursillo movement
- Pastoral Council (25th term)
- Small Christian Communities
- Wheelchair Sunday outreach (Columbus-Ki Society)
- 40 Days for Life
- Marriage renewal / family ministry
- Youth camps and retreats
Pastoral Goals & 50th Anniversary
The 2026 pastoral theme is 'Building a community that becomes one in the communion of the Holy Spirit and builds up one another.' The 50th-anniversary roadmap (2026–2027) combines spiritual preparation — including a one-million-decade Rosary campaign (40,200 decades offered as of April 12) — with capital projects such as the expansion of the parish hall and construction of a new presbytery. Highlights will include a Jubilee opening Mass in January 2027, the dispatch of young adults to the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day, a closing pilgrimage to Korean holy sites, and publication of a commemorative 50th-anniversary history.
- 2026 theme: 'One in the Spirit, building one another up'
- 1-million-decade Rosary for the 50th
- New presbytery and parish-hall expansion
- 50th-anniversary Jubilee opening Mass: January 2027
- Delegation to 2027 Seoul World Youth Day
- Commemorative history book and closing pilgrimage to Korea
Office & Visiting
The parish office is open Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 to 8:30 PM, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM, and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The office is closed on Mondays. Office staff include Helen Ko (Administrative Assistant) and Kate Jung (Office Manager), reachable at [email protected] or (972) 620-9150. The parish is located at 2111 Camino Lago, Irving, TX 75039.
- Office hours Tue/Thu 12:30–8:30 PM; Wed/Fri 9:30 AM–6:00 PM; Sat 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
- Closed Mondays
- Administrative Assistant: Helen Ko
- Office Manager: Kate Jung (정정화 카타리나)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (972) 620-9150
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Lim Choon-geun (임춘근 신부), Houston Korean parish1977 (celebrated first Mass)
Celebrated the founding Mass at the Hwang Moon-hwan home; not a resident pastor
- 1st Resident Pastor (name not listed on site)Dec 1978 – Mar 1981
Initial resident priest after diocese granted use of St. Joseph Church and rectory
- Fr. Kim Man-su Don Bosco (김만수 돈보스코)Mar 1981 – Sep 1984
2nd Parish Priest
- Fr. Choi Young-chul Aloysius (최영철 알로이시오)Sep 1984 – Oct 1986
3rd Parish Priest
- Fr. Shin Yoon-woo Galicido (신윤우 갈리스도)Oct 1986 – May 1989
4th Parish Priest
- Fr. Shin Sang-do Augustine (신상도 아우구스티노 / 아오스딩)May 1989 – Jan 1991
5th Parish Priest
- Fr. Jan-bel (잔벨)Jan 1991 – Nov 1991
- Fr. Myeong Francis (명 프란치스코)Nov 1991 – Mar 1993
- Fr. Kang Yo-han (강요한)Mar 1993 – Apr 1999
- Fr. Lee Chi-hun Joseph (이치훈 요셉)Apr 1999 – Feb 2007
- Fr. Kim Young-gwan Dominic (김영관 도미니코)Feb 2007 – Sep 2012
- Fr. Kim Tae-sun Vincent (김태선 빈첸시오)Sep 2012 – Feb 2019
- Fr. Kim Nam-gil Daegun Andrew (김남길 대건 안드레아)Feb 2019 – Feb 2024
Marked his 30th anniversary of priestly ordination in 2021
- Fr. Gabriel Cho Je-hyoung (조재형 가브리엘)2024 – present
Current Parish Priest