St Andrew's Church, Chujia

Our translation of the Chinese

Introduction to Chujia Catholic Church

Chujia Catholic Church, also known as Shenhang Front Church, has the Apostle Andrew as its patron. His patronal feast is celebrated each year on 30 November. The first church was built in 1876, with funds raised by the Catholic Sheng Kunquan. It occupied a site recorded as “0、31 mu” and comprised one private chapel and one ancillary room. In 1890, as the number of Catholics increased, Sheng Kunquan, Sheng Qinghua, Sheng Yonghua and other Catholics again raised funds to build a new church, on a site of 1.49 mu with nine tiled-roof rooms. The church was registered with the Fengxian County People's Government on 2 April 1951.

During the Cultural Revolution, religious activities stopped and the church was occupied by the Chujia Village Committee. Religious policies were implemented following the Third Plenary Session. In 2001, the church property was exchanged for four factory rooms. The original building area was 214 square metres, and a site of 1.49 mu was retained. The church reopened after repairs funded by the Diocese of Shanghai.

In 2012, the church was demolished, relocated and rebuilt as part of planning for Fengxian New City. Construction was completed and the property certificate obtained in 2018. The church and its ancillary buildings have a total building area of 838.8 square metres. The supporting natural-gas facilities had not yet been completed. With extensive coordination by the district's United Front Work Department and Ethnic and Religious Affairs Office, the natural-gas installation was completed in October 2024. A solemn reopening Mass was held on 30 November 2024, the Feast of St Andrew.

Chinese text

褚家天主堂简介
褚家天主堂（沈行前堂）奉安德肋宗徒为主保，每年11月30日安德肋主保瞻礼。始建于1876年，由教友盛坤全集资建造教堂，基地0、31亩，私堂一座，附属房一间。1890年，教友人数增多，又由盛坤全、盛清华、盛永华等教友集资建新教堂，基地1.49亩，瓦房9间。1951年4月2日向奉贤县人民政府登记。文革期间教堂停止宗教活动，教堂被褚家村委会占用。三中全会落实宗教政策，2001年圣堂置换厂房4间，原建筑面积214平方米，保留基地1.49亩，上海教区出资修缮后复堂。2012年因奉贤新城规划教堂拆动迁重建，2018年建设竣工办理好房产证，教堂及附属房屋建筑面积838.8平方米。此教堂因配套设施天然气未完工，经区委统战部、民宗办鼎力协调，2024年10月安装好天然气。2024年11月30日安德肋瞻礼举行隆重复堂弥撒。