Catholics reclaim their churches in Shanghai Diocese

Mar 28, 2025

SHANGHAI: Catholics in Shanghai celebrated the restoration and reconsecration of two historic churches dedicated to St Joseph as Bishop Joseph Shen Bin urged the faithful to deepen their faith and service to each other.

“Since the visible temple has been rebuilt, we must now also make the interior temple of our heart more spiritually alive,” Bishop Shen Bin told Catholics gathered in joy as two historic churches — one in the Tianma area of Songjiang district and another in Beitaowan, Baoshan district — were reconsecrated after restoration efforts, Fides reported.

On March 16, the Second Sunday of Lent, Bishop Shen Bin led the consecration of Tianma Church in Songjiang, where more than 1,000 people attended the Mass. In addition to blessing the newly restored church, he administered the sacrament of Confirmation to more than 200 adults.

During his homily, he expressed gratitude to clergy, religious sisters, and parishioners who worked to restore the church, as well as civil authorities, for their support. “May this temple of God’s grace be a welcoming house of faith for all so that we can walk together towards holiness under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” he said.

A day earlier, on March 15, Bishop Shen Bin consecrated Beitaowan Church in Baoshan district. Thirty diocesan priests concelebrated Mass with over 300 parishioners, and seventeen Catholics received the sacrament of Confirmation during the liturgy.

Both churches have deep historical roots. Beitaowan Church, built in 1650 during the Qing dynasty and rebuilt in 1875, was the first in the Baoshan district to reopen for worship in 1989. Tianma Church, dating to 1850, once had a hospital run by Canossian nuns.

China Church observers said that Catholics in China, whose devotion to St Joseph has endured for generations, see these restored churches as signs of faith’s resilience. Celebrations marking St Joseph, the patron saint of China, are renewed every March. Many churches, seminaries, religious congregations, charities, and schools bear his name, with shrines welcoming pilgrims from across China and abroad. --LCI