By Alfonso Aguilar
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 4/1/04)

Several hundred Koreans of St. Paul Chung Parish in Fairfax gathered last Sunday for the ground breaking ceremony of a state-of-the art center to strengthen the spiritual and athletic life of its youths.

The new facility, which includes construction of more than a dozen rooms for religious education and a multipurpose gym with space for 300 spectators, has a total cost of $4.3 million and will be completed in August of 2005.

"I am honored to be here representing our Bishop Paul S. Loverde," said Father Robert J. Rippy, diocesan chancellor and honored guest during the official ceremony attended by St. Paul Chung clergy and laity, local civic authorities, and diplomats from Korea.

"I remember that many years ago I was here for the groundbreaking ceremony of St. Paul Chung Parish, and now I am here again for the construction of a great center for young people — the future of our Church," said Father Rippy. He also emphasized that projects like St. Paul Chung are built to invigorate the lives of those who will lead the Church in the future.

Father Rippy congratulated the pastor and the congregation "for this great achievement to enhance sports, education and the spirituality of our youth."

"One of the most important issues facing our Korean community is how to take care of our Korean youth," said Father Yong Song Kim, Pastor of St. Paul Chung, who estimated that at least 1,000 of the nearly 5,000 parishioners are young people.

"Our Church very much needs this additional space to help our youth develop their activities in education and sports," the pastor said as he asked the guests "to bring forward the helmets and the scissors" to symbolize the beginning of a new chapter of this church. The facility, the Ha-Sang Youth Center, will honor the memory of the Korean priest and martyr.

Father Rippy blessed the land and was joined by the other priests and lay people with helmets and shovels for the traditional digging into the ground.

"It was a very special moment to see that this project is now a reality," said parishioner Elizabeth Yang of Centreville. "Our youngsters need more space for their activities and education."

After the ceremony many women in colorful garb, called Han-Bok, served Siru, a rice cake, while many the men served soft drinks and water.

St. Paul Chung Parish was established in 1995. At that time, the new parish had a congregation of nearly 300 families, according to secretary Felicia Kim, who has witnessed the parish history since its inception.

Now the parish has almost 5,000 parishioners and continues its growth toward the future, addressing the needs of future generations.