A brief history of the national shrine of our Lady in Shanghai.

1. VIRGIN OF
SHESHAN,
OUR LADY
HELP OF
CHINA

2. Our Lady of Sheshan
collects the prayers
of every mother
who has come to
the shrine to entrust
to the Virgin her
children and
her sorrows.
So also the petitions
of every child who
has come to ask for
help for their sick
parents.

3. The Basilica of
Sheshan was built
on top of the hill
between 1924 and
1935 under the
direction of the
Portuguese Jesuit
architect François-
Xavier Diniz.

4. The Basiclica of
Sheshan mixes
neo-Romanesque
and neo-Gothic
features and
forms. Yet, long
before then,
Sheshan Hill had
already begun to
be imbued with
the moods, tears
and contentment
of Chinese
Catholics.

5. Sheshan is the place where the past, present and future of the Catholic Church
in China intertwine. Even from there, Mary has comforted and continues to care
for the whole adventure of Chinese Catholics, with its wounds and sores.

6. Ferdinand Verbiest
Johann Adam Schall von Bell ,
Guanglu Mandarin(光禄大夫
Jesuit astronomers were given
charge of the astronomical
observatory on Sheshan Hill.

7. before 1870, there was only a retirement home on the
hill and a small chapel for the Jesuits of Shanghai,
which had been built on the ruins of a Buddhist temple.
Matteo Ricci + Xu Quangqi

8. At that time the rebel army of
the Taiping, (1851-1864) the
“God worshippers”, followers of
Hong Xiuquan, the visionary who
presented himself as Jesus'
younger brother, was
looming over Shanghai.

9. The Jesuits invoked the Virgin's protection, demanding that Shanghai
be spared from the devastation of the rebels. Then, having escaped
danger, in 1871 they began to build the first Marian shrine on Sheshan.

10. In June 1924, while work
on the new church was
beginning, the 25 bishops
who took part in the so-
called “Shanghai Council”,
convened by the apostolic
delegate Celso Costantini
to mark the beginning of
a local Chinese Church,
which was no longer
totally dependent on
the leadership of foreign
missionaries, ascended
to Sheshan

11. in 1946, the
bronze statue
of Mary
lifting up the
baby Jesus,
known as Our
Lady of Zo-sé,
was hoisted
onto the bell
tower.

12. When the Japanese
occupation ended,
1945

13. the civil war between communists
and nationalists resumed; Mao
Zedong v. Chiang Kai-Shek

14. new tribulations arrived with the
“New China” of Mao Zedong and the cultural revolution

15. When Deng Xiaoping led China out of the follies of
the Cultural Revolution, churches were reopened.

16. The Jesuit Aloysius Jin
Luxian, who was then
released from prison and
ordained bishop without
the consent of the Holy
See, chose to establish the
Regional Seminary on
Sheshan Hill. This too was
paid for with government
money, and opened its
doors in September 1986
to 115 seminarians.

17. This is a sign that the persecution had tested hearts, sowed
discord among the brothers, and left controversial and
painful legacies, but had not extinguished faith

18. On May 1, 2000,
Jin again presided
over the ceremony,
the almost four
meter tall bronze
statue of Our Lady
of Zo-sé was once
again hoisted on to
the bell tower

19. Even in recent years, Our Lady of Sheshan has comforted the patience of God’s
faithful people in the face of new trials. Thaddeus Ma Daqin, the young bishop of
Shanghai, was ordained in 2012 and immediately fell into disgrace in the eyes of the
government. On the very day of his episcopal ordination, Bishop Thaddeus had
expressed the desire to abandon the positions he had held until then in official bodies
dictated by Chinese religious policy, to devote himself to pastoral work completely

20. The bureaucratic apparatus resented that move, and immediately prevented
Ma Daqin from exercising his episcopal ministry. He continued however to
write and spread spiritual thoughts and reflections from the seminary.

21. Immediately after his Episcopal ordination, the bishop of Shanghai, Msgr, Taddeo Ma
Daqin dared to resign from the Patriotic Association. He was put under house arrest
in the seminary. Although he later returned to the Association, the government does
not recognize him as the bishop of the diocese and the faithful cannot meet him. His
blog hasn’t been updated since 2018 and Weibo (Chinese Twitter) profile is blocked.

22. Places of worship
have been gradually
reopened in many
provinces since March
2022 and community
religious practice has
resumed. Despite strict
health measures,
because of the Covid
pandemic many
Catholic churches have
also reopened and
masses are again being
celebrated with the live
participation of faithful

23. It is striking that Sheshan is only allowed to welcome paying tourists. What the
faithful called "the valley of tears" has been transformed into an amusement park
called the "Valley of Happiness". It has parking for at least 5,000 vehicles and will be
open in May. Sheshan Golf Club will also be open for wealthy tourists. The sanctuary no.

24. Holy Week, which coincided with the Chinese festival of Qingming
(April 4, the visit to the tombs of the dead). While many churches and
temples have to put up with very strict anti-Covid rules, many tourist
spots in China have welcomed tens of thousands of tourists.

25. Sheshan Hill, 35 kilometers from Shanghai, the bronze
sculpture of the Virgin Mary and her son overlooks the
bamboo forests that descend to the plain below.

26. With pilgrims
arriving at the
foot of the holy
hill in boats and
ships, along the
canals that cross
the fertile plain,
and climb the
sides of the
hill seeking
consolation and
refreshment.

27. Along the
paths we find
the statue of
the suffering
Christ in
Gethsemane,
the 14
Stations of
the Cross and
other small
chapels.

30. LIST OF PRESENTATIONS IN ENGLISH
Revised 21-5-2022
Advent and Christmas – time of hope and peace
All Souls Day
Amoris Laetitia – ch 1 – In the Light of the Word
Amoris Laetitia – ch 2 – The Experiences and Challenges of Families
Amoris Laetitia – ch 3 - Looking to Jesus, the Vocation of the Family
Amoris Laetitia – ch 4 - Love in Marriage
Amoris Laetitia – ch 5 – Love made Fruitfuol
Amoris Laetitia – ch 6 – Some Pastoral Perspectives
Amoris Laetitia – ch 7 – Towards a better education of children
Amoris Laetitia – ch 8 – Accompanying, discerning and integrating weaknwss
Amoris Laetitia – ch 9 – The Spirituality of Marriage and the Family
Beloved Amazon 1ª – A Social Dream
Beloved Amazon 2 - A Cultural Dream
Beloved Amazon 3 – An Ecological Dream
Beloved Amazon 4 - An Ecclesiastical Dream
Carnival
Conscience
Christ is Alive
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 1 – Church and Family today
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 2 - God’s plan for the family
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 1 – family as a Community
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 2 – serving life and education
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 3 – mission of the family in society
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 4 - Family in the Church
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 4 Pastoral familiar
Football in Spain
Freedom
Grace and Justification
Haurietis aquas – devotion to the Sacred Heart by Pius XII
Holidays and Holy Days
Holy Spirit
Holy Week – drawings for children
Holy Week – glmjpses of the last hours of JC
Human Community
Inauguration of President Donald Trump
Juno explores Jupiter
Laudato si 1 – care for the common home
Laudato si 2 – Gospel of creation
Laudato si 3 – Human roots of the ecological crisis
Laudato si 4 – integral ecology
Laudato si 5 – lines of approach and action
Laudato si 6 – Education y Ecological Spirituality
Life in Christ
Love and Marriage 12,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Lumen Fidei – ch 1,2,3,4
Martyrs of North America and Canada
Medjugore Pilgrimage
Merit and Holiness
Misericordiae Vultus in English
Moral Law
Morality of Human Acts
Mother Teresa of Calcuta – Saint
Passions
Pope Franciss in Thailand
Pope Francis in Japan
Pope Francis in Sweden
Pope Francis in Hungary, Slovaquia
Pope Francis in America
Pope Francis in the WYD in Poland 2016
Passions
Querida Amazonia
Resurrection of Jesus Christ –according to the Gospels
Russian Revolution and Communismo 3 civil war 1918.1921
Russian Revolution and Communism 1
Russian Revolution and Communismo 2
Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr
Saint Albert the Great
Saint Anthony of Padua
Saint Francis de Sales
Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Saint James, apostle
Saint John N. Neumann, bishop of Philadelphia
Saint Joseph
Saint Maria Goretti
Saint Mark, evangelist
Saint Martin of Tours
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta
Saint Jean Baptiste MarieaVianney, Curé of Ars
Saint John N. Neumann, bishop of Philadelphia
Saint John of the Cross
Saint Patrick and Ireland
Saints Zachary and Elizabeth, parents of John Baptis
Signs of hope
Sunday – day of the Lord
Thanksgiving – History and Customs
The Body, the cult – (Eucharist)
The Chursh, Mother and Teacher
Valentine
Vocation to Beatitude
Vocation – mconnor@legionaries.org
Way of the Cross – drawings for children
For commentaries – email – mflynn@legionaries.org
Fb – Martin M Flynn
Donations to - BANCO - 03069 INTESA SANPAOLO SPA
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31. LISTA DE PRESENTACIONES EN ESPAÑOL
Revisado 13-3-2022
Abuelos
Adviento y Navidad, tiempo de esperanza
Amor y Matrimonio 1 - 9
Amoris Laetitia – ch 1 – A la luz de la Palabre
Amoris Laetitia – ch 2 – Realidad y Desafíos de las Familias
Amoris Laetitia – ch 3 La mirada puesta en Jesús: Vocación de la Familia
Amoris Laetitia – ch 4 - El Amor en el Matrimonio
Amoris Laetitia – ch 5 – Amor que se vuelve fecundo
Amoris Laetitia – ch 6 – Algunas Perspectivas Pastorales
Amoris Laetitia – ch 7 – Fortalecer la educacion de los hijos
Amoris Laetitia – ch 8 – Acompañar, discernir e integrar la fragilidad
Amoris Laetitia – ch 9 – Espiritualidad Matrimonial y Familiar
Carnaval
Conciencia
Cristo Vive
Dia de todos los difuntos
Domingo – día del Señor
El camino de la cruz de JC en dibujos para niños
El Cuerpo, el culto – (eucarisía)
Espíritu Santo
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 1 – iglesia y familia hoy
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 2 - el plan de Dios para la familia
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 1 – familia como comunidad
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 2 – servicio a la vida y educación
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 3 – misión de la familia en la sociedad
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 3 – 4 - participación de la familia en la iglesia
Familiaris Consortio (FC) 4 Pastoral familiar
Fátima – Historia de las Apariciones de la Virgen
Feria de Sevilla
Haurietis aquas – el culto al Sagrado Corazón
Hermandades y cofradías
Hispanidad
La Iglesia, Madre y Maestra
La Comunidad Humana
La Vida en Cristo
Laudato si 1 – cuidado del hogar común
Laudato si 2 – evangelio de creación
Laudato si 3 – La raíz de la crisis ecológica
Laudato si 4 – ecología integral
Laudato si 5 – líneas de acción
Laudato si 6 – Educación y Espiritualidad Ecológica
Ley Moral
Libertad
Lumen Fidei – cap 1,2,3,4
Madre Teresa de Calcuta – Santa
María y la Biblia
Martires de Nor America y Canada
Medjugore peregrinación
Misericordiae Vultus en Español
Moralidad de actos humanos
Pasiones
Papa Francisco en Bulgaria
Papa Francisco en Rumania
Papa Francisco en Marruecos
Papa Francisco en México
Papa Francisco – mensaje para la Jornada Mundial Juventud 2016
Papa Francisco – visita a Chile
Papa Francisco – visita a Perú
Papa Francisco en Colombia 1 + 2
Papa Francisco en Cuba
Papa Francisco en Fátima
Papa Francisco en la JMJ 2016 – Polonia
Papa Francisco en Hugaría e Eslovaquia
Queridas Amazoznia 1,2,3,4
Resurrección de Jesucristo – según los Evangelios
Revolución Rusa y Comunismo 1, 2, 3
Santa Agata, virgen y martir
San Alberto Magno
San Antonio de Padua
San Francisco de Asis 1,2,3,4
San Francisco de Sales
Santa Maria Goretti
San Marco, evangelista
San Ignacio de Loyola
San José, obrero, marido, padre
San Juan Ma Vianney, Curé de’Ars
San Juan de la Cruz
San Juan N. Neumann, obispo de Philadelphia
San Martin de Tours
San Maximiliano Kolbe
Santa Teresa de Calcuta
San Padre Pio de Pietralcina
San Patricio e Irlanda
Santiago Apóstol
Santos Zacarias e Isabel, padres de Juan Bautista
Semana santa – Vistas de las últimas horas de JC
Vacaciones Cristianas
Valentín
Vida en Cristo
Virgen de Guadalupe
Virtud
Vocación a la bienaventuranza
Vocación – www.vocación.org
Vocación a evangelizar
Para comentarios – email – mflynn@lcegionaries.org
fb – martin m. flynn
Donations to - BANCO - 03069 INTESA SANPAOLO SPA
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