Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - With the inner light and hope rekindled during the month of May, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Catholic communities of mainland China have begun the month consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and are preparing to celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost.
Community pilgrimages, the making of religious vows, and the beginning of the Pentecost Novena marked the last weekend in many Chinese dioceses.
Many Catholics from Beijing gathered at the Marian Shrine of Housangyu, in the district of Mentougou, for the closing of the Marian month and the opening of the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
The solemn Eucharistic liturgy on Sunday, June 1, was presided over by the Bishop of Beijing, Joseph Li Shan, and concelebrated by Coadjutor Bishop Matteo Zhen Xuebin. The warm welcome of the local community made the day a true experience of communion.
All parishes participated in the celebration from early morning until the evening. The faithful were also able to receive the sacrament of confession and participate in the pious practice of the Stations of the Cross.
The parish of Nantang, like many others, began the Pentecost Novena on Saturday, May 31. Until June 8, the church will remain open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to facilitate participation in Eucharistic adoration and allow for intense spiritual preparation for Pentecost, renewing the invocation of the Holy Spirit to console and comfort souls, rekindling the faith of all.
On Friday, May 30, Joseph Tong Changping, Bishop of the Diocese of Weinan/Tongzhou (Shaanxi Province), inaugurated and consecrated a statue of Our Lady of Life in front of the Parish of the Holy Stigmata of St. Francis. Those present prayed together, asking for Mary's intercession and God's blessing for peace in the world and "for the healthy growth of all human life."
In the cathedral of the Diocese of Wenzhou, the faithful gathered to pray the Holy Rosary before the image of Our Lady. A special prayer was offered for parents who were asking for graces for their children on the Feast of the Visitation. That same day, in the Diocese of Jingzhou (Shashi), the Sisters of the Congregation of the Child Jesus made their perpetual vows during the celebration of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. Bishop Joseph Xu Honggen of the Diocese of Suzhou presided over the solemn liturgy, during which the Sisters of the Congregation of the Presentation of Mary also made their perpetual vows.
In his homily, Bishop Xu expressed his sincere desire and deep expectations, emphasizing that these vows are not only an important milestone in the spiritual life of each religious, but also a source of pride and hope for the entire diocese and the local Church.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is deeply rooted in the daily life of Chinese Catholic communities (see Fides, 14/6/2024).
According to partial data collected in the precious ‘Guide to the Catholic Church in China’, compiled by the late French missionary Jean Charbonnier (1932-2023), there are more than 200 parishes, churches, and chapels dedicated to the Sacred Heart in mainland China. Among them, the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Guangzhou stands out, considered one of the most beautiful and solemn in the country. New churches continue to be consecrated, such as the one dedicated to the Sacred Heart in June 2023 in the Diocese of Wenzhou.
According to the Shanghai Catholic newspaper Shengxin (Sacred Heart), published between 1887 and 1949, it was the Jesuit Father Jean Charles de Broissia who introduced this devotion to China. However, the spread of the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is attributed above all to his confrere Romain Hinderer (1668-1744), who built the first large church dedicated to the Sacred Heart between 1722 and 1732 in the city of Hangzhou, where today stands the mausoleum Park of the Jesuit Martino Martini (1614-1661), a prominent Italian historian, geographer, and cartographer. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 2/6/2025)