By Jessica Easthope
The Catholic Church in South Korea has grown dramatically in recent decades, and that growth has reached the Diocese of Brooklyn.
At St. Paul Chong Ha-Sang Church in Flushing, Queens, Korean Catholics are building a vibrant community with a strong focus on the next generation.
On a cold, rainy weekday morning, warmth and comfort fill the church as parishioners gather for a Yeondo, a Korean Catholic tradition of chanting psalms and prayers for the dead.
The service honors Paul Cho’s mother, Mary Song, who passed away two years ago. Surrounded by people who knew her—and some who never did—Cho finds solace in the support.
“I know the people around me supporting me. That’s a nice thing to know,” he said.
Deacon Sokwon Im explains to Currents News that this communal care is typical of the Korean Catholic community: “We are community. We care for each other. So someone else’s issue — obviously you want to help through the prayer. That’s why the people stay there and pray for the deceased. That’s the spirit of the community.”
Most of those praying stayed after the weekday morning Mass, one of more than 100 that consistently draw attendees.
It is just one reflection of the explosive growth the Catholic Church has experienced in Korea.
Since immigrating, Cho has witnessed significant increases in Catholic parishioners.
“Koreans, they are very industrious. They wake up early and come to the church. Koreans are not lazy,” he noted.
What began as a small community of just 500,000 in the 1970s now numbers more than 6 million, making up 11.4 percent of South Korea’s population, according to the Korean Bishops’ Conference.
Many attribute this surge to increased spiritual needs and the legacy of Korean martyrs.
“The spiritual need or desire have increased. And also the blood of all the martyrs of Korea. I’m sure that must have helped a lot of growth in South Korean Catholic community,” said one parishioner.
At St. Paul Chong Ha-Sang Church—one of the largest Korean Catholic parishes in the United States and the first in the Diocese of Brooklyn, around 1,200 people attend Sunday Masses.
Parishioners have branched out to form several other Korean Catholic communities in Brooklyn and Queens.
Leaders see a bright future rooted in the next generation. Young people are gathering to practice their faith, and an influx of children signals hope
“These are some encouraging signs that young people… are getting together to practice their faith,” a parishioner observed.
“Recently, I’ve seen a lot of young children come to our church. They’re the future of our church.”
Whether traced to historical occupation, war, or martyrdom, Korean Catholics describe their faith as rooted in an unbreakable strength of spirit.
While the Korean Catholic population has increased in the area, Deacon Im notes that St. Paul Chong Ha-Sang faces similar challenges to other parishes.
The church continues to evangelize and grow, especially as Korean immigration to the United States has slowed significantly.
The Korean-born population in the U.S. fell from a peak of approximately 1.1 million in 2010 to just over 1 million today, making it one of the few foreign-born groups to see a decline.
Looking ahead, the vitality of the Church in Korea will be on full display when World Youth Day 2027 is held in Seoul — the first time the global gathering is hosted in East Asia.
Pope Francis selected the South Korean capital to spotlight the Church’s energy in a region where Catholics remain a small minority, while promoting peace, reconciliation, and interreligious dialogue in a still-divided nation.
The event aims to underscore the universality of the Church and build bridges between East and West.
Korean Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn, drawing on that same resilient faith, continue to strengthen their community one prayer, one Mass, and one young person at a time.