May is the month of Mary May is the month of Mary

Our Lady of Sheshan (1866) Sheshan, with its "nine peaks above the clouds" is situated about 35 kilometres from Before mass: we will be praying the rosary during the month of May at city. Its forest of bamboo, scenic winding paths and running brooks are a fitting our Saturday and Sunday Masses; we will start 20 minutes before location for communing with God and Our Lady. In 1866, a hexagonal pavilion was built mass. and placed within it, an altar and a statue of Our Lady. During the Taiping Rebellion, Fr. During mass; we will be praying one Hail Mary at the end of the Gu Zhen Sheng, promised the Blessed Virgin that if the diocese of Shanghai was spared Prayers of the Faithful to ask Mary to intercede for us to her Son: from attack, he would build a basilica in thanksgiving for Our Lady’s special protection. On April 15, 1873, Bishop Languillat of Shanghai consecrated the Basilica on the hilltop. During the Cultural Revolution the beautiful bronze statue of Our Lady at the pinnacle of We will insert into the bulletin one story of Mary and connect it to the basilica disappeared and the altar and stained-glass window were destroyed. It wasn’t challenges that the faces in bringing the Gospel until 2000 that a replica of the bronze statue was finally re-installed on top of the tower message to the world. paid for by some 10,000 believers.

Apparitions – Catholic teaching Church in the Colosseum

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) believers were arrested and imprisoned and sometimes Do Catholics have to believe in Marian apparitions? tortured for their faith. Bibles were destroyed, churches and homes were looted, and Christians were subjected to humiliation. The members of the underground Roman Catholic Church in China, those who do not belong to the official Chinese Patriotic Catholic Church and are faithful to The official position of the is that while a few apparitions of the the Vatican and the Pope, remain subject to persecution today. Pope Benedict XVI condemned the Virgin Mary have received official approval, Roman Catholics at large are Patriotic Catholic leaders as persons who are not ordained who control the appointment of bishops. The Chinese state indeed continues to appoint bishops and intervene in the church's policy without not required to believe them. consulting the Vatican and punishing outspoken dissenters. , the auxiliary bishop of Shanghai whom both the Vatican and Chinese state agreed as the successor to the However, many Catholics express belief in Marian apparitions. A good rule elderly Aloysius Jin Luxian, was arrested and imprisoned after publicly resigning from his with any devotional is the following: if the devotion helps you in your faith positions in the Patriotic Church in 2012, an act which was considered a challenge to the state control over the Catholic Church in China. walk to grow closer to Jesus, then practice it. Be careful not to force it on other Catholics who might not find it helpful. Our Lady of Sheshan pray for us!