China: A woman's contribution to Wuhan's international Catholic community

Theresa Alpha

As she stood near the door of Holy Family Church a few weeks ago following the end of Mass for the international community in Wuhan, a smiling Theresa Alpha was looking back on her three years of study at one of the city's universities. Her laughter overlapped with the recalling of stories associated with her time in this part of China. Prior to her arrival in China to study an MA in Business Administration, her hope had been to see various parts of the country during the annual holidays. However, the pandemic put an end to travel possibilities, the restrictions on international students often been more demanding than what was expected of the wider population.

Theresa's opportunity to come to China was through one of thousands of scholarships offered each year by the Chinese government to students from other countries. These scholarships have been in place for many years and are a way to strengthen ties between China and particular countries that seek such bilateral cooperation. This long-term policy eventually sees many graduates maintain contact with China following their return home, some of them having the possibility of eventually being in roles of political leadership in those countries.

Prior to coming to China, Theresa had been told by her father in Sierra Leone that she would need to become familiar with the practice of praying in her apartment rather than having the possibility of being a member of an active community at a church. The early advice was based on his assumption that there are no churches in China, an assumption that is not uncommon in other countries. Within two weeks of arriving in China Theresa was told by a student about the active international community at Holy Family Church. Following her first visit to the church, news was sent home to her father who was quite happy to receive a correction to his assumptions about Church life in China.

As the weeks went by Theresa became an active member of the international community. With the arrival of the pandemic in early 2020 all activities at the church were cancelled. Many members of the international community left China and apart from a few who relocated to Wuhan from within China, there were no new members arriving due to China's strict border control measures during the pandemic. During the second year of the pandemic, the smaller community was trying to maintain it fragile administrative structure. Theresa kindly agreed to accept the main role of responsibility for the community.

Over the next year as the international community could not gather at the church due to local regulations, Theresa encouraged members to attend the Chinese Mass. To keep the community spirit alive, occasional meals were organised, as well as a sports day at a local park. Holding the community's leadership role in unusual times, she occasionally spoke about the challenges of keeping a community together in a time when gathering at the church was not possible in the normal way. A few Sunday Masses at the homes of members of the international community took on a heightened significance, particularly this year's celebration on Easter Sunday morning which was followed up with lunch provided by the kind hosts.

Perhaps Theresa's most creative undertaking took place last October when the new bishop of Wuhan, Francis Cui Qingqi, came for his first official visit to the parish. Following Sunday morning Chinese Mass, Theresa and other members of the international community invited him to have a group photograph in the centre of the church, with flowers presented to mark the important occasion. It happened with such efficiency that the new bishop was wondering how such organisation was possible in a parish where news of his visit had not been officially announced. Theresa also presented him with a selection of the yearly magazines that have been published by the members of the community over the past ten years, the gift to the bishop being a gentle reminder that the international community was still present in Wuhan. It was also communicating what had been expressed in a number of letters sent to him when he was the administrator of the diocese, a request to receive permission to resume Mass for the international community at the earliest possible date.

The diplomacy undertaken that Sunday may have been providential. A few months later a Chinese priest who had studied philosophy and theology in France was appointed to the parish. Within a few weeks of his arrival, news was sent out that the community could gather again for Mass in either French or English. As Theresa's graduation day approached, she was seeing that things were now returning to a more normal situation, her patience and commitment on behalf of the international community bearing fruit for all.

At the time of her recent graduation, there was a job offer for Theresa with an international company in Shanghai, a possibility of getting good work experience for a few years, something that would be of benefit to her career in the years ahead. The transfer of Theresa's duties to somebody else within the community and her departure from Wuhan coincided with her last main responsibility for the community, the finalisation of the publication of the community's annual magazine. Following its publication just a couple of weeks ago, it is a colourful production by people living through unusual times in this part of China. Within the magazine is an interesting group photograph showing Theresa standing tall and confident beside Wuhan's new bishop, Francis Cui Qingqi.

Presumably a copy of the magazine will eventually reach Theresa's father in Sierra Leone. That is likely to be a day when he will learn even more about the life of the Church in China as he sees his daughter standing with one of China's newest bishops, appointed by Pope Francis and therefore, in spite of many challenges, linking members of the Church in several countries in a way that is truly universal.

Fr Dan Troy is a member of the Missionary Society of St Columban. He lives in China.