한말 일제강점기 내포지역의 천주교

Catholics of the Naepo Area from the Late Joseon Period to the Period of Japanese Rule

This paper briefly inquires into Catholics of the Naepo area, focusing on the 1890s in the late Joseon period to the 1920s in the period of Japanese rule. After the treaty was ratified between Korea and France in 1886, Catholic churches in the Naepo area had Western power behind them and had power to influence Korean churches on a real economic basis. However, Catholic activities proved to be demanding but fruitless from the late Joseon period to the 1920s in the period of Japanese rule. Most of all, Catholics under the Japanese rule couldn’t realistically help the Koreans. After the Korean-French Treaty, churches of the Naepo area faced the Gyoan problem. As procedures were done as in other areas, it is noted that Catholic churches of the Naepo area took a strict position not to spread the problem any more and solved the problem promptly. The second change that occurred in Catholic churches of the Naepo area was that the Catholic believers’ village was moved into the plain. This fact showed that Catholicism, which for a long time was retired in the mountains, became a religion based in agricultural villages again in the area This change caused a problem in securing land for the settlement of churches. Catholic churches of Naepo area secured so much land that they were so called one of the three biggest landlords in Hapdeok area. This caused a new social problem regarding land ownership and management of churches. Another problem churches faced was believers’ education. Even though churches suffered from difficulties temporarily with Communists’ activities, they promoted illiteracy eradication by founding schools. The school graduates played active roles in the community after the liberation.