Carmel in China

 On this Feast Day of the Chinese Martyrs I was looking for traces of Carmel in China, and came across some information about the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Xizhimen -   the last among the four historic Catholic churches in Beijing. Known as ‘The West Church’, it was first built in 1723 during the Qing dynasty by the Italian Lazarist missionary Teodorico Pedrini: it was the first non-Jesuit church in Beijing.  After Pedrini's death the church was run by Carmelites and then Augustinians, who were there when it was destroyed in 1811. The church was rebuilt in 1867. After a second destruction in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion, it was built again in 1912 as we can see it today.  Delicate Corinth pillars and Gothic peaked arches inside the church create a grand, elegant and solemn impression upon visitors. [courtesy of Wikipedia]  Life continues to be difficult for Chinese Catholics.  Twenty years ago pilgrimages and liturgy were banned at Our Lady of Carmel shrine in Tianjiajing and it was threatened with destruction.  Seemingly it has indeed since been demolished, judging from reports on the internet.

Intercessions

RIP Mervyn Leach, father of two Secular Carmelites; Daranee Teapthong

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Fr Jon Bielowski (Plymouth Diocese), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Theresa K

Sophie – newborn having heart surgery; Sianna, young child in the post-operative phase; James, recovering from heart surgery

Ivy – sick child

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (recovering from stroke)

Illness:  Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

We are asked to pray for the Diocese of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand, as the Northern Mission celebrates its centenary. The process of selecting a new bishop continues.