Shiuchow [Shaoguan], Diocese of

SHIUCHOW [SHAOGUAN], Diocese of. - In the north-western part of the province of Kwangtung, in southern China.

It was erected as an apostolic vicariate on 9 April 1920 with territory detached from the mission of Canton and was entrusted to the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, which for missionary work sends religious enrolled in the Chinese regular province with its seat in Macao. On 11 April 1946, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, it was elevated to a diocese suffragan of Canton. It has an area of 34,500 sq km. As of 30 June 1949, out of a population of about 2,500,000 inhabitants, Catholics numbered 5,205 and catechumens 283; the Chinese secular priests were 7, the Salesian priests 18. The auxiliary personnel counted 2 Salesian lay brothers, 10 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and 18 Chinese religious women, 24 catechists, 74 teachers. The works consisted of 20 dispensaries, 2 orphanages, 1 hospice for the aged and 1 for the blind, 14 churches and 21 chapels scattered over the territory divided into 11 districts with 17 primary and 26 secondary stations. The 19 elementary schools had 2,344 pupils, the secondary school 197, the vocational school 11, the catechist school 7, the 6 schools of prayer and first elements 122 listeners.

The first Christian preaching at S. dates back to Fr. Matteo Ricci, who resided in this city when he was expelled from Schiuhing in 1589; French and Portuguese Jesuits later worked there. In the middle of the 19th century the whole province of Kwangtung passed to the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris, which at S. was succeeded by the Salesians, who arrived on the spot in 1918. Msgr. Luigi Versiglia, murdered on 25 February 1930 together with his young missionary Fr. Caravario, was the first apostolic vicar of S.

Adamo Pucci