"If you want to meet a foreign friend in Beijing, go and attend the Eucharist Celebration in South Cathedral, Sunday morning 10.30 am."

Sunday 29th of June 2008 was such an experience. The South Cathedral was full to capacity. Mass leaflets were available with the Sunday readings in English. The leaflets serve as a mini parish bulletin as well. Information is offered on parish activities for foreigners: parish council, RCIA, the choir, a charity drive for victims of the recent earthquake etc. The name of this group is called Agape !

Color monitors make it possible for the church attendants to follow everything, no matter where they sit or stand. Prayers and songs are also displayed.

At 10.30 am sharp the commentator invites all foreigners who are here for the first time to stand. The whole assembly welcomes them with a roaring round of applause. The entrance procession is on its way. Lectors, altar servers, communion ministers followed by two young priests make a solemn entrance. The choir is excellent, made up of those powerful Filipino voices. The main celebrant welcomes the assembly announcing that today is a special day: Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, opening of the Year of Saint Paul, something we celebrate with the Universal Church.

The first and second readings are read in English and in French; the English version read by a man and a woman of Chinese stock who have a good command of English; the French texts are read by a man and a woman from an African nation. The responsorial psalm was very touching. The whole assembly repeated with delightful conviction:

In his homily the priest highlighted what we could learn from Saint Paul: his zeal to make Christ known flowing forth from a deep and personal encounter with the Risen Lord.

Special envelopes were distributed wherein believers could put their donation for the earthquake victims: one envelope for two or three people. So we had to share the envelopes and put our contribution into the same envelope as our neighbor on our left and our right. Mine were a young Caucasian and a local Chinese. We exchanged shyly a smile as we fumbled our RMB notes into the envelopes.

The Creed was sung in Latin. This made us feel member of a universal Church. People of many, many nations, races, ages and languages singing together in that solemn Gregorian: Credo in unum Deum .

During the Lord's Prayer the whole assembly joined hands. It was a touching moment. I know that some strict liturgists do no like the linking of hands during the Lord's Prayer. Yet I really liked it, more than ever, during this celebration of the Eucharist in Beijing. Blacks and whites, Chinese and Filipinos, young and old…most of them Catholics…but God knows how many Christians belonging to other denominations, sympathizers and, I am sure, secret police officers in plain clothes as well! Does it matter? We are all children of God! Nobody can deny or ignore the beauty, the promise behind this gesture of hundreds, maybe a thousand of people from 30-40 different nations… holding hands, and signing: Our Father …

The sign of peace is equally touching: people turn to the ones on their left and right, in front or behind them, shaking hands as they smile and sing:

The song is accompanied by an occasional double hand-clap. It creates a relaxed moment of warmth and friendship without disturbing the deep religious atmosphere of the Eucharist. For a short while one has a romantic feeling: there is hope, a new world can be born.

During Holy Communion people turn inwards. What happens inside their hearts, only God knows. I wished however that there would have been some moments of silence. Yet the choir, of mostly Philippinos, was just too good and compensated for my desire for silence.

The Mass lasted for 1 1/2 hour. After Mass many people hang around on the square under the smiling faces of Matteo Ricci and Francis Xavier statues; shaking hands, taking pictures, eating cookies (courtesy of the house), looking happy to be there. One has the feeling that God is in our midst. Something of the first Pentecost was in the air. Something of Confucius' dream was not far away:

God's dream is not an impossible dream after all!

And then you meet the ones you wanted to meet: a priest from Missions Etrangeres de Quebec, a priest form Ireland and the USA, foreigners who study Mandarin in one of the many language schools, lay people and religious who each in their own way try to make inroads in China, by word and compassionate works make God more present. Yes, God is alive also in China. The Church is a sacrament of God's presence: a visible sign. And in spite of its flaws and weaknesses this Church remains a credible and fascinating sign!

Beijing, 30 June 2008