St. John Lee

Identity and Patron Saint

The parish takes its name from St. John Yi Yun-il (성 이윤일 요한), a Korean farmer, husband, and catechist born in 1822. During the 1866 persecution under the Joseon dynasty he was arrested, flogged until the flesh of his limbs was torn, and finally beheaded at Gwandeokjeong in Daegu on January 21, 1867 for refusing to renounce Christianity. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in Seoul on May 6, 1984 as one of the 103 Korean Martyr Saints. His feast is celebrated on January 21, and he is also venerated with all the Korean Martyrs on September 20. The parish's choice of patron links a Charlotte, NC Korean-American community directly to the foundational witness of Korean Catholicism.

Diocese of Charlotte

St. John Lee is a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, established by Pope Paul VI on January 12, 1972 and serving the western half of North Carolina. The parish is one of two diocesan-designated Korean Catholic parishes, the other being the St. Peter Yu Korean Catholic Community at St. Mary's Parish in Greensboro.

• Diocese of Charlotte — https://charlottediocese.org/
• Diocesan Korean Ministry resource page: https://charlottediocese.org/resources/korean-catholics/
• Sister Korean parish: St. Peter Yu Korean Catholic Community, 1414 Gorrell St., Greensboro, NC 27401

Mass and Sacramental Schedule

The current bulletin (June 2025) lists Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM and weekday Mass on Thursday and Friday mornings at 10:00 AM. Older listings (joinmychurch.com, catholicmasstime.org) record an evening weekday Mass on Wednesday and Friday at 8:00 PM, suggesting some recent changes — visitors are advised to call (704) 531-8417 to confirm. Holy Day Mass is celebrated at 10:30 AM. Confession is offered 30 minutes before each Mass. The parish bulletin notes that the main doors are locked 10 minutes after Mass begins for everyone's safety.

• Sunday Mass: 10:30 AM (Korean)
• Weekday Mass: Thursday & Friday 10:00 AM (Korean) — older listings show Wed/Fri 8:00 PM
• Holy Days: 10:30 AM
• Confession (고해성사): 30 minutes before Mass
• Doors locked 10 minutes after Mass begins

Monthly Devotions

Parish devotions follow a steady monthly rhythm centered on the Eucharist and Our Lady. The parish's identity as a Korean Catholic community is shaped by these devotions, which connect Charlotte's faithful to centuries-old Korean Marian and Eucharistic piety.

• Holy Hour (성시간) — first Friday of each month after Mass
• Eucharistic Adoration / Blessed Sacrament Procession (봉성체) — second Friday of each month at 11:00 AM (contact 최옥만 마리아 704-449-0520)
• Legion of Mary Acies (아치에스) — annual consecration
• Cursillo Ultreya (울뜨레야) — first Sunday of each month at 12:00 PM, secretary 이헌우 알벨또 ([email protected], 704-870-1718)

Satellite (공소) Masses Across the Carolinas

Recognizing that Korean Catholics are scattered across the Carolinas, the parish coordinates regular Korean-language 'gongso' (seminarian / mission) Masses in two outlying cities. These services bring the sacraments to Korean families who cannot easily travel to Charlotte and have been a defining feature of the parish's regional ministry.

• Columbia, SC — 100 Polo Rd., Columbia SC 29223 — 2nd and 3rd Saturday of each month at 7:00 PM
• Greenville, SC — 1215 SC-14, Greer, SC 29650 — 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at 5:00 PM

Parish Pastoral Council (사목평의회)

The Pastoral Council exists to ensure that parish life is rooted in the Gospel and to advise the pastor. It operates through five standing commissions: Liturgy (전례), Education (교육), Youth Education (청소년 교육), Mission (선교), and Public Relations (홍보). The Council meets on the second Sunday of each month at 12:30 PM.

• Liturgy Commission (전례 위원회) — coordinates lectors, intercessors, offertory families, choir, and the liturgical calendar
• Education Commission (교육 위원회) — organizes Advent/Lenten lectures, retreats, catechumenate, First Communion preparation, and adult enrichment
• Youth Education Commission (청소년 교육 위원회) — runs the K–12 Sunday School (Hangeul and catechism)
• Mission Commission (선교 위원회) — evangelization outreach, inviting inactive Catholics, accompanying catechumens
• Public Relations Commission (홍보 위원회) — manages the parish website and contributes news to the Catholic Peace Newspaper (가톨릭 평화신문)

Faith Formation, Catechesis and Youth

The parish takes seriously its responsibility to pass on both Catholic faith and Korean language and culture to the next generation. The Sunday School runs every Sunday at 10:00 AM for K–12 students and combines Hangeul (Korean language) classes with formal catechesis, activities, and service projects so that young people can grow in faith within a Korean cultural setting. A separate Gospel / Doctrine Class meets Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM. The Pastoral Education Commission additionally runs adult formation programs, RCIA-style catechumenate support, and First Communion preparation.

• Sunday School (주일학교) — K–12, Sundays 10:00 AM, Hangeul + catechism
• Gospel / Doctrine Class — Sundays 9:00 AM
• First Communion preparation (첫영성체반)
• Adult catechumenate / RCIA-style classes for new Catholics

Spiritual Movements and Apostolates

Beyond the regular sacramental and parish life, St. John Lee is home to several vibrant lay movements that are characteristic of Korean Catholic parishes in the diaspora. Cursillo is unusually active here, with 59 Cursillistas (24 men and 35 women) forming the backbone of a regular Ultreya group that meets the first Sunday of each month. The Legion of Mary meets regularly and holds an annual Acies ceremony renewing consecration to Our Lady. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal (쇄신 운동) emphasizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit — healing, consolation, and preaching of God's Word.

• Cursillo (꾸르실료) — 59 active members; Ultreya on the first Sunday
• Legion of Mary (레지오 마리애) — Acies and Marian devotion
• Catholic Charismatic Renewal (쇄신 운동)
• Senior Academy (시니어 아카데미) — for older parishioners
• Senior Choir (시니어 합창단)

Music and Liturgical Life

Music holds a central place in the parish's worship. The Senior Choir leads the great feasts — at Easter 2026 the choir sang 'The Living Lord' (살아계신 주) in a widely appreciated parish performance. The choir is currently recruiting new members, including accompanists and altos (contact 김현지 헬레나 336-549-9948). The parish also invests in retreat-style liturgical formation: in late February and early March 2026 the parish hosted a three-day Lenten music retreat directed by Fr. Huh Jin-hyuk Paul (허진혁 바오로), built around St. Augustine's maxim that 'to sing is to pray twice' (음악은 두 번 기도하는 것).

• Senior Choir — animates Easter, Christmas, and major feasts
• 2026 Lenten Music Retreat, Feb 27 – Mar 1, with Fr. Huh Jin-hyuk Paul
• Choral recruitment — accompanists, altos (김현지 헬레나 336-549-9948)

Retreats and Special Parish Programs

The parish runs seasonal retreats in addition to ongoing formation. The 2025–2026 pastoral theme, '전례 안에서 새롭게, 사랑 안에서 다함께' ('Renewed in Liturgy, Together in Love'), organizes the year's preaching, formation, and community life. Special diocesan requirements include Safe Environment training for all parish workers and Sunday School teachers, who must register at charlotte.cmgconnect.org.

• 2025–2026 parish pastoral theme: 'Renewed in Liturgy, Together in Love'
• Diocesan Safe Environment training via charlotte.cmgconnect.org
• Seasonal retreats (Lenten music retreat 2026)

Contact, Office and Visiting

The parish office can be reached by phone at (704) 531-8417 and by email at [email protected]. The pastor, Fr. Jinhee Lee (이진희 사도요한), can be reached at [email protected] or 908-213-8864. The Parish Council chair listed on the bulletin is 박정례 에스더 (Esther Jeong Park), 704-208-9006, [email protected]. Korean-speaking visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed.

• Parish office: (704) 531-8417
• Pastor email: [email protected]
• Parish office email: [email protected]
• Parish Council chair: 박정례 에스더 (Esther Park), 704-208-9006