austraLasia #3223
EAO: 23 May 2013 -- With three of its circumscriptions dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians, Salesians in the East Asia-Oceania Region have good reasons to keep their focus local for this 24th May 2013, while also, of course, noting that 24th May at Valdocco will be the usual massive event involving not just thousands, but hundreds of thousands of people from Italy and elsewhere in Europe.
Australia-Pacific
The Church in Australia celebrates the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians. Mary Help of Christians was adopted as patron of the new Church of Australia in 1844, at a significant time in their history. British settlement was just over fifty years old, the transportation of convicts was coming to an end, and the first elections in Australian history had been held in 1843. Issues of land, immigration and education had begun to surface and the Church was involved in these social problems. The Holy See confirmed the patronage in 1852, making Australia the first country in the world to adopt 'Help of Christians' as a national title and to build a mother cathedral (St Marys, Sydney) under that title. This is an interesting fact - Don Bosco did not seriously promote devotion to Mary under this title until after Spoleto in 1862 and even his earliest references post-date the 1840s and early 1850s, his 'Month of May' publication in 1858 being the first written recorded mention.
New Zealand, which also has a Salesian presence, likewise claims OLHC as a national Patroness. Both the SDB and FMA provinces in the region (with slightly different configurations - the FMA include Solomon Islands, but have no presence in NZ) are dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians.
China
Sheshan Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians is located on the peak of Sheshan in Songjiang district in Shanghai. It is One of the most prominent pilgrimage shrines in China, it is well-known both far and wide in China and overseas.
In 1844, a Jesuit priest, Fr. Claude Gotteland, SJ, came to Sheshan, in the Songjiang district of Shanghai and was very much impressed by the serenity and beauty of the area. He decided to build a house of prayer for retired priests. However, he died in 1856 before his dream was realized. In 1863, his successor, Fr. Joseph Gonnet, SJ came to Sheshan. He purchased the whole hill top as well as the southern slope and began to build religious houses with a chapel half way on the slope for convalescence of missionaries. The following year, Fr. Desjacques Marin built a hexagonal pavilion for the statue of our Lady. On Mar 1 1868, Bishop Adrien Languillat, SJ consecrated the chapel and blessed the portrait of Our Lady, Help of Christians, which was copied from Our Lady of Victory, in Paris.
During the Taiping Uprising, the Catholic Church was under attack. In Shanghai, there were many incidents of prejudice and unrest. The Jesuit Superior Fr. A. Della Corte, SJ climbed the mountain of Sheshan. He went in front of the statue of Our Lady and made a vow that if the area was spared in this turmoil and danger, he would build a church on the location. The prayer was heard and the diocese stood unharmed. In September 1870, he appealed to generous Catholics to fulfill his vow and to thank our Lady for her protection. In 1871, in May, Bishop Languillat, SJ gave his blessing for laying the foundation stone. The most challenging part was to move all the necessary materials to the top of the mountain, and was done by volunteers. In 1873, on April 15, the new church in Gothic style was completed.
Philippines
In 1912, the first Salesians to set foot on Philippine soil were Fathers Ferganini and Louis Costamagna. They only stayed for few months in the parish of Malate. Then in 1922, Pope Benedict XV sent Salesian Archbishop William Piani to Manila to become the apostolic delegate (1922-1942). He succeeded with the Philippine bishops in proclaiming Mary Help of Christians as the secondary Patroness of the Philippines, though this fact is possibly largely overlooked now by many Filipinos - the clear national 'favourite', if one can use those terms, is the Immaculate Conception with Our Lady of Guadalupe (and let's not forget Archbishop Piani's and the Philippine's connections with Mexico!) would largely be regarded as secondary Patroness. Nevertheless there is a prominent and beautiful Shrine to the Help of Christians located inside Better Living Subdivision in Barangay Don Bosco, Parañaque City. There is also the Diocesan Shrine at Canlubang.
Of course, we should not overlook another local focus for the Help of Christians - in 2008 the Shrine to Mary Help of Chrisatians in Port Moresby was consecrated by the Archbishop emeritus of Wellington, New Zealand, Archbisjhop Williams. Then in Japan we have the Church at Beppu, Oita, in Mongolia, the new parish of Darkhan ..... Want o indicate others that we have missed?
EAO and the Help of Christians
EAO: 23 May 2013 -- With three of its circumscriptions dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians, Salesians in the East Asia-Oceania Region have good reasons to keep their focus local for this 24th May 2013, while also, of course, noting that 24th May at Valdocco will be the usual massive event involving not just thousands, but hundreds of thousands of people from Italy and elsewhere in Europe.
Australia-Pacific
The Church in Australia celebrates the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians. Mary Help of Christians was adopted as patron of the new Church of Australia in 1844, at a significant time in their history. British settlement was just over fifty years old, the transportation of convicts was coming to an end, and the first elections in Australian history had been held in 1843. Issues of land, immigration and education had begun to surface and the Church was involved in these social problems. The Holy See confirmed the patronage in 1852, making Australia the first country in the world to adopt 'Help of Christians' as a national title and to build a mother cathedral (St Marys, Sydney) under that title. This is an interesting fact - Don Bosco did not seriously promote devotion to Mary under this title until after Spoleto in 1862 and even his earliest references post-date the 1840s and early 1850s, his 'Month of May' publication in 1858 being the first written recorded mention.
New Zealand, which also has a Salesian presence, likewise claims OLHC as a national Patroness. Both the SDB and FMA provinces in the region (with slightly different configurations - the FMA include Solomon Islands, but have no presence in NZ) are dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians.
China
Sheshan Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians is located on the peak of Sheshan in Songjiang district in Shanghai. It is One of the most prominent pilgrimage shrines in China, it is well-known both far and wide in China and overseas.
In 1844, a Jesuit priest, Fr. Claude Gotteland, SJ, came to Sheshan, in the Songjiang district of Shanghai and was very much impressed by the serenity and beauty of the area. He decided to build a house of prayer for retired priests. However, he died in 1856 before his dream was realized. In 1863, his successor, Fr. Joseph Gonnet, SJ came to Sheshan. He purchased the whole hill top as well as the southern slope and began to build religious houses with a chapel half way on the slope for convalescence of missionaries. The following year, Fr. Desjacques Marin built a hexagonal pavilion for the statue of our Lady. On Mar 1 1868, Bishop Adrien Languillat, SJ consecrated the chapel and blessed the portrait of Our Lady, Help of Christians, which was copied from Our Lady of Victory, in Paris.
During the Taiping Uprising, the Catholic Church was under attack. In Shanghai, there were many incidents of prejudice and unrest. The Jesuit Superior Fr. A. Della Corte, SJ climbed the mountain of Sheshan. He went in front of the statue of Our Lady and made a vow that if the area was spared in this turmoil and danger, he would build a church on the location. The prayer was heard and the diocese stood unharmed. In September 1870, he appealed to generous Catholics to fulfill his vow and to thank our Lady for her protection. In 1871, in May, Bishop Languillat, SJ gave his blessing for laying the foundation stone. The most challenging part was to move all the necessary materials to the top of the mountain, and was done by volunteers. In 1873, on April 15, the new church in Gothic style was completed.
Philippines
In 1912, the first Salesians to set foot on Philippine soil were Fathers Ferganini and Louis Costamagna. They only stayed for few months in the parish of Malate. Then in 1922, Pope Benedict XV sent Salesian Archbishop William Piani to Manila to become the apostolic delegate (1922-1942). He succeeded with the Philippine bishops in proclaiming Mary Help of Christians as the secondary Patroness of the Philippines, though this fact is possibly largely overlooked now by many Filipinos - the clear national 'favourite', if one can use those terms, is the Immaculate Conception with Our Lady of Guadalupe (and let's not forget Archbishop Piani's and the Philippine's connections with Mexico!) would largely be regarded as secondary Patroness. Nevertheless there is a prominent and beautiful Shrine to the Help of Christians located inside Better Living Subdivision in Barangay Don Bosco, Parañaque City. There is also the Diocesan Shrine at Canlubang.
Of course, we should not overlook another local focus for the Help of Christians - in 2008 the Shrine to Mary Help of Chrisatians in Port Moresby was consecrated by the Archbishop emeritus of Wellington, New Zealand, Archbisjhop Williams. Then in Japan we have the Church at Beppu, Oita, in Mongolia, the new parish of Darkhan ..... Want o indicate others that we have missed?
