"Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia," the chorus echoed at Sunday's
Easter Mass, presided over by Bishop Fu Tieshan in his white
chasuble. Hundreds of the faithful knelt in the church, singing
together in joyous communion.
In the domed church at Xuanwumen, Beijing, Catholics congregated
Sunday morning to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"More people are coming to the church these days," said a priest
assigned to the Xuanwumen church, who refused to be identified.
"Some older people come every morning, while on weekends,
youngsters show up to join in the Mass."
The priest said that with the popularity of the English language
in China, increasing numbers of young and well-educated people are
showing an interest in Christianity. Most of them are not baptized,
but are willing to participate in the program.
Priest Joseph Zhang is from Shenyang, in northeast China's Liaoning
Province, where many missionaries were based in the early 20th
century. He said he felt that the government had given much support
to his church. "Religion is compatible with socialist society," he
said.
"One example is that the Chinese Catholic Church is now allowed
to organize some charity programs," he said.
During the past two decades, Chinese Catholic churches were
struggling to survive, Joseph said, but now they are able to extend
a hand to others.
The Catholic Church in Shenyang has opened a clinic and a rest
home. In February this year, some priests and nuns visited Thailand
to learn about their experience in AIDS prevention, hoping to
contribute to this pressing problem in China.
"China's charity cause needs attention from all segments of
society, and the Catholic Church is always ready to extend the
merciful love of God to the sick and frail," said Zhang.
Over 100 million people in China practice religion in one of
100,000 places of worship.
Seventy-seven-year-old Bi Suzhen, of Shenyang, studied in a
Catholic primary school in her childhood. In 1991, shortly after
she retired, she passed a Catholic church near the old school one
morning.
She went in, to find her old teachers had long gone, but she
suddenly felt connected to the church. She was baptized soon
after.
"I am so glad that I heard the gospel half a century later," she
said. "Now I go to church almost every morning. I hope the rest of
my family will join me, too."
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao talked about religion during his
interview with the US newspaper the Washington Post last
November. He said there is a Catholic church not far from his
workplace in Zhongnanhai, where priests deliver sermons and
followers pray freely. He suggested that the reporter check out the
congregation.
Chinese priests and nuns are better educated now than they were
20 years ago. Some have studied abroad in masters or doctoral
programs. Priests preside over the Mass in Latin and English across
the country, serving Chinese and foreign followers.
(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2004)