«We Suffer Like the Early Christian Martyrs»
ROME, AUGUST 20 (ZENIT.org-FIDES).- Dozens of youths from the People's Republic of China were among the more than one million participants in World Youth Day, which was held in Rome from August 15-20. The Vatican agency «Fides» spotted them among other young visitors. With regular government exit permits for «tourism,» and «study,» they really came to attend the Catholic Youth Jubilee 2000.
In early August, Liu Bainian, national secretary of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) categorically excluded the possibility of a mainland youth delegation to the world event. However, the determined youngsters found other means, avoiding the CCPA, which is increasingly regarded by clergy and faithful of the Catholic church in China as an outdated, useless body, manipulated by the government.
Wang, one of the young visitors, told «Fides»: «When the Pope greeted all the national delegations taking part in World Youth Day by name, and China was left out, I was very sad. I am lucky to be here; many, many more would have given anything to come.»
«Fides» regards the presence of young mainlanders at the Rome event as a sign of the loyalty of Catholics in China, and their great affection for the Pope, despite the fact that for 45 years, through the patriotic association, the government has tried to create a schismatic national Church.
Wang shuddered when he saw the Colosseum. «It reminded me of the early Christian martyrs and I thought that our suffering in China is nothing compared to theirs. Being here for this event has given me courage and strength to witness my faith, if necessary, to giving up my life.»
The Church continues to grow in China despite the persecutions and suffocating controls on the clergy and faithful. In the Nantang Patriotic Cathedral in Beijing, there are 300 new baptisms every year, in Guangzhou more than 400, and hundreds in Shanghai, Tianjin, Xiamen, and Urumqi. Attempts to suppress the Church, ordered in numerous secret Party documents, have only resulted in its growth. Since the advent of Communism in 1949, Catholics have grown from 3 million to the present 12 million.
Zenit - The World Seen From Rome