DONATO'S SPACE

Hi, well what can I say that hasen't been said. Studying is to the soul what food is to the body. Recently I have been studying. I would like to say hard but that would be a lie, however I am making progress. I just returned from Toronto with my lovely wife Dan. We went there for two weeks to arrange our wedding celebration next summer. Everything went well with the support of my lovely family. Someone once said that you can't choose your family, but if I could I wouldn't change a thing. Our trip started out by my sister Debbie and her husband Brian meeting us at the Toronto Airport. I always like it when someone is waiting for me at ther airport. I don't know why but it gives me a good feeling.

Well hello there and how are you doing today? Welcome to my space. This will be the place to find interesting things about Beijing both inside and out. We will be providing useful link to great clubs in Beijing as well as nice spas, cross culture emersion, English Language Training as well as professional tour guides to show you around Beijing.

Please check back later for more information as well as great sites to improve your English right here in Beijing! See ya . Donald Demchuk / Chief Editor

South Cathedral - Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin 宣武门南堂

This church forms the Catholic centre of Beijing, Latin masses are held six days a week and the 10am Sunday mass, delivered in English and French, attracts a huge diversity of Beijing Catholics from many different countries.

The church has a friendly atmosphere and is very welcoming. On Sundays there is a small army of church members who hand out English fliers giving details about the mass and the church mission. Visitors are very welcome to sit in but if you arrive late it is standing room only.

While the current building was constructed in 1904, the site has a turbulent history going back to 1650 when the first church was built under the direction of Adam Schall. Schall was a Jesuit missionary and tutor to the Emperor KangXi, one of a series of missionaries who served in the imperial court. After being destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the time of Emperor Qianlong, the church was closed in 1827 by Emperor DaoGuang but saved from confiscation by the Portuguese Bishop of Beijing.

In 1860, the building was handed to the French by the foreign invasion force, a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes is still found in a grotto within the grounds. The darkest period of the church's history occurred during the Boxer Rebellion when hundreds of Catholic Chinese were burned alive inside the church or were massacred in the grounds. Unusually the church survived the Cultural Revolution unscathed and was allowed to function throughout that period.

Location

141 Qianmenxi Dajie, Xuanwu District
宣武区前门西大街141号
Subway Line 2 Xuanwumen (宣武门) Station

Mass Times: Monday to Friday 6.00am (Latin) 6.30 & 7.15 am (Chinese)
Saturday 6.30 pm (Chinese)
Sunday 6.00am (Latin) 7.00 & 8.30 am (Chinese) 10.00am & 4.00 pm (English)

If you want to go to a great spa near Guo Mao in Wanda Plaza drop me a line at 133-6653-3491 for your VIP card.....Donato

 

天， 最近我的中文还好！我非常很高兴。最近北京很热。现在我的邦工作没有空调。下个星期日我们去一个教堂交21世纪。 一个人问他“你是哪儿得人吗”。 他说北京人。别的人给他一个起卦的看。他不高兴。他给我很多马乏。因此星期日我不高兴。

再见！