Immaculate Heart of Mary of Tianpu - A parish that learns to keep and serve

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The parish of Tianpu, in Ji'an, is dedicated to Immaculate Heart of Mary. This title directs the look to the inner life of the Virgin: her listening to the Word, her undivided love for God, her grateful memory and her maternal closeness to human needs.

The heart of Mary in the Gospel

To speak of Mary's heart means to contemplate the center of her person. St. Luke presents it by keeping and meditating in his heart the events of Jesus. It is not an immobile memory: what you receive in prayer becomes availability, service and fidelity.

John Paul II explained that the Immaculate Heart manifests the love with which Mary loves God, Jesus and all humanity. Authentic devotion leads to conversion and communion with Christ, not to a spirituality separate from the Gospel.

A parish of the diocese of Hualien

The diocesan directory confirms Tianpu's title and direction, as well as his pastoral responsibility over Nanhua, Taichang and Yongxing. The temple is therefore the center of a small network of communities and should not be confused with the cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Hsinchu.

The available historical sources link Tianpu with priests of the Foreign Missions of Paris, including Father Wang Jian, and with religious of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They document an already consolidated community and a temple built in cement, but the accessible extract does not allow the year of completion to be set in full safety. This fact sheet does not therefore offer a dubious date.

The month of Mary

A chronicle of the Taiwanese Catholic press mentions Tianpu's custom during the month of May, traditionally dedicated to Mary. The community begins this time with celebrations that gather prayer, parish life and mission.

Mary's month can become a school of attention: listening to Scripture, praying the Rosary, visiting those who live alone and discovering the needs of the neighborhood. Thus, we avoid reducing the tribute to external flowers or gestures and learn the way of love that represents the heart of the Virgin.

A renewal of the Legion of Mary

The national bulletin of the Legion of Mary records that Tianpu formed on March 12, 2023 his first fraternity, precisely under the name of the Immaculate Heart. This date provides a verifiable sign of recent pastoral renewal.

Legionary spirituality calls for prayer and apostolate. In a parish with several dependent communities, visits, accompaniment and collaboration of the laity help to maintain links when the distances or shortage of ministers make frequent meetings difficult.

Look no means callar ante el mal

Mary kept the Word to discern and obey God. This attitude should not be confused with concealing abuses or tolerating injustices. A heart formed by the Gospel protects the vulnerable, seeks responsible help and speaks when silence can cause harm.

The mature Marian devotion educates an attentive consciousness: tenderness with those who suffer, truth before evil and availability to act.

Verified location

The diocese publishes the direction 171 Zhonghua Road, section 2, Ji'an. GCatholic asigna al templo el código cartográfico individual 7QM3XHFJ+7V, the centre of which is 23.9731875, 121.5821875. The point identifies the parish of Tianpu, not the homonymous cathedral of Hsinchu or the church of Tai Po in Hong Kong.

To visit

The church remains at the service of its community. The hours of Mass should be consulted in advance and parish prayer respected. Activities with children, young people or vulnerable persons should not be photographed or disseminated without authorization.

Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Tianpu

Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach us to listen to the Word, keep it faithfully and turn it into service. He accompanies Tianpu and the communities of Nanhua, Taichang and Yongxing. It strengthens priests, religious, catechists and lay people; it comforts those who live alone and protects the most vulnerable. Take us always to the Heart of your Son Jesus. Amen.

Sources consulted

• Diocese of Hualien: title, direction and dependent communities.
• GCatholic: jurisdiction and individual mapping code.
• Catholic Weekly of Taiwan: missionary history and tradition of the month of Mary.
• Legion of Mary of Taiwan: foundation of the parish fraternity in 2023.
• Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: memory of her presence in Tianpu.
• Pope Francis: The Immaculate Heart as a path of conversion, communion and peace.

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