SHASI [SHASHI], APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - In the southern part of the province of Hupeh, in central China.
It was erected on 7 July 1936 with territory detached from the apostolic vicariate of Ichang and entrusted to the Order of Friars Minor, which sends religious of the regular province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus in the United States of America there for missionary work. It has an area of 9,560 sq km. As of 30 June 1948, out of a total population of about 2,000,000 inhabitants, Catholics numbered 8,119 and catechumens 793, with 4 Chinese secular priests and 21 American religious priests. The auxiliary personnel counted 1 American lay brother, 9 Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary, of whom 6 were Chinese, and 16 Chinese Franciscan tertiary sisters, 34 catechists, 84 teachers. Throughout the territory, divided into 3 rural deaneries, were scattered 13 primary and 106 secondary stations with 2 churches and 32 oratories. The works consisted of 1 hospital, 7 dispensaries, 1 orphanage, 1 home for the aged. The elementary schools had 1,027 pupils, the 2 middle schools 357, the 2 high schools 86, the 16 prayer and first-elements schools 437.
The beginnings of missionary apostolate in the territory of S. go back to the end of the 17th century through the work of the Jesuit Father Motel; in 1727 Monsignor Müllener, C.M., a former pupil of the Urban College of Propaganda Fide, apostolic vicar of Szechwan (1716-42), erected an oratory at S. where Monsignor Maggi, coadjutor of Müllener, is said to have had his residence for some years. In 1732 the Chinese priest Andrea Ly had settled at Hengtishih, even today a flourishing Christian community. After the suppression of the Society of Jesus (1773) the Christians of this territory were assisted by Chinese secular priests, former pupils of the Chinese College of the Holy Family of Naples. After 1900 Christianity made notable progress: in 1935 the faithful numbered about 7,000.
Bibliography3 works
Adamo Pucci