Going to live in Shanghai, China for 2 years... need Church advice!

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I will be taking an assignment based in Shanghai for the next 2 years. I know that the government has been cracking down on our faith in Shanghai… and am concerned how I can practice my faith there. I am concerned about attending government-masses and know that it isn’t really safe for me or the natives to try to connect with the underground faith. On top of that I am concerned that the government probably blocks EWTN. So, what’s a faithful Catholic to do? Any suggestions would be appreciated… particularly from those that have lived out there! Thanks!!!
 
ExPat said:
I will be taking an assignment based in Shanghai for the next 2 years. I know that the government has been cracking down on our faith in Shanghai… and am concerned how I can practice my faith there. I am concerned about attending government-masses and know that it isn’t really safe for me or the natives to try to connect with the underground faith. On top of that I am concerned that the government probably blocks EWTN. So, what’s a faithful Catholic to do? Any suggestions would be appreciated… particularly from those that have lived out there! Thanks!!!
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My brother spent 2 years in China, living in Shanghai and Beijing. It isn’t half bad as they say, although China has problems just like every other nation. The worst part for him was the pollution. The few times he would come back to the States to visit, you could literally smell the pollution in his clothes and he would have to wash his clothing mutliple times to get it out. Other than that he had a blast. The dollar goes a long way in China.
 
HansTrappist said:
My brother spent 2 years in China, living in Shanghai and Beijing. It isn’t half bad as they say, although China has problems just like every other nation. The worst part for him was the pollution. The few times he would come back to the States to visit, you could literally smell the pollution in his clothes and he would have to wash his clothing mutliple times to get it out. Other than that he had a blast. The dollar goes a long way in China.
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i guess if your not working in the factories or getting your second child forcibly aborted ,its a really neat place
 
april32010 said:
i guess if your not working in the factories or getting your second child forcibly aborted ,its a really neat place
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I guess if you are living there rather than listening to what the Western government-media complex tells us on a daily basis, then you might just be suprised what you find there.
 
HansTrappist said:
I guess if you are living there rather than listening to what the Western government-media complex tells us on a daily basis, then you might just be suprised what you find there.
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and what Western government-media complex would that be?
 
april32010 said:
and what Western government-media complex would that be?
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Fox, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, etc.

Look, no one denies that there are abuses in China. But it is not like the US hasn’t murdered tens of millions of innocent children, now has it?

You need to put the situtation in context and need to listen to the accounts, good as well as bad, of people who have lived in China.
 
april32010 said:
did you read the op’s question?
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I did. If found a Church in China in a five second Google search, I doubt the Chinese government would be “cracking down” on Catholics. I think people are lazy. Whenever I travel overseas I make it a point to learn where Mass is celebrated. Sorry, but there is no excuse for not attending Mass anywhere in the World!
 
FLGreg said:
I did. If found a Church in China in a five second Google search, I doubt the Chinese government would be “cracking down” on Catholics. I think people are lazy. Whenever I travel overseas I make it a point to learn where Mass is celebrated. Sorry, but there is no excuse for not attending Mass anywhere in the World!
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There’s been issues in china with the government trying to set up its own schismatic group as the “Catholic Church” in the area. These churches do not advertise that they are not in communion with Rome, and are presented as orthodox Catholic churches.
 
I’ve been to China several times, including Beijing and Guangzhou, and several lesser known cities where basically there were no westerners. It is a great place. They are rapidly westernizing. I understand the Shanghai is probably the most modern and westernized city in China.

As far as the Catholic Churches go, I never went to one. I basically couldn’t given that I was with a group (all of whom were not Catholics) and on a tight schedule. There is a true Catholic Church in China, but it is strongly recommended that westerners stay away so as to not draw attention to this Church. Also, FWIW, we were told that Christianity is rapidly growing in China.
 
I have a brother who lives in Nanjing.

The have a regular Mass at the Cathedral said by a British priest in good standing with his Archdiocese.

These Masses are primarily designed for foreign ex-pats like yourself.

You really should have no problem finding such a Mass in Shanghai and the government will not care if you go to it (a local Chinese on the other hand…)

I know my brother has been to Shanghai on weekends with my nephews hockey team (yes they even play hockey over there)

I’ll find out where he went to Mass while there.
 
There’s a Catholic expat blogger in China whose blog I occasionally read. Her name is Jen Ambrose. You might enjoy reading some of her blog:

jenambrose.com/
 
Guys & Gals… I know there are English masses… that is not the problem.
The problem is that the true Shanghai Bishop left and they just last weekend sent all of their priests/nuns through a 3-day indoctrination. My concern is that I am not going to a TRUE Mass.
 
ExPat said:
Guys & Gals… I know there are English masses… that is not the problem.
The problem is that the true Shanghai Bishop left and they just last weekend sent all of their priests/nuns through a 3-day indoctrination. My concern is that I am not going to a TRUE Mass.
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As I mentioned, in many cases, the English Masses are actually said by ex-pat priests. In my brother’s case, the priest who presides at the (single) English Mass in Nanjing is British and not incardnated in the local diocese.

Call up the consulate of a predominately Catholic country ( Ireland, Malta) and get recommendation from them
 
ExPat said:
Guys & Gals… I know there are English masses… that is not the problem.
The problem is that the true Shanghai Bishop left and they just last weekend sent all of their priests/nuns through a 3-day indoctrination. My concern is that I am not going to a TRUE Mass.
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From what I understand it would be a true, albeit possibly illicit, mass. Since it would be dangerous to try to seek out an underground mass, you are permitted to attend without inquiring too much.
 
I also understand, very well about this government and what it does… and think that faithful Catholics can make a difference in our day-to-day lives with people that live in such a society.
 
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