Catholics from the Shanxi provincial capital have mixed feelings about a priest carrying the Olympic torch along its relay route.
Father Paul Meng Ningyou, vicar general of Taiyuan diocese and pastor of Immaculate Conception Cathedral, was the 122nd of 208 torchbearers in Taiyuan, an important industrial city 400 kilometers southwest of Beijing.
The 45-year-old priest, who wore the torch-relay T-shirt, ran along Binhe East Road on the bank of the Fenhe, a tributary of the Yellow River.
Some local Catholics who watched the live TV broadcast of the relay told UCA News the TV anchor introduced Father Meng as a “religious personnel” of the Taiyuan Catholic cathedral who was elected a deputy of the Taiyuan People’s Congress in 2007.
The 39-kilometer relay leg proceeded smoothly that morning.
Father Meng was the only religious worker to carry the torch in Taiyuan, and the only priest known to have done so since the relay began on the mainland on May 4.
The vicar told UCA News on June 26 that he represented the five major religions -- Buddhism, Catholicism, Daoism (Taoism), Islam, Protestantism -- in bearing the torch to spread the Olympic spirit of love and fraternity, which is in harmony with the teachings of religions.
“This is God’s will that through this special way the Catholic Church could show the public it is no longer a marginalized group, but gradually plays a more active role in the society,” he remarked.
Government officials chose 100,000 people to line the relay route and arranged for special teams stationed along the way to cheer the torchbearers on. They forbade other people from venturing outdoors during the relay.
A priest who teaches at Montecorvino Major Seminary in Taiyuan told UCA News he was glad to see Father Meng as a torchbearer, because it brought social recognition that “we Catholics are equal with all Chinese people.”
Catholics are a small minority here and even suffer discrimination and injustice in some rural areas, explained the priest, who requested anonymity. Taiyuan diocese has about 80,000 Catholics in a total population of 3 million.
Some seminarians told UCA News that although Father Meng’s participation in the relay was a positive sign, they believe authorities were cautious and limited his exposure on television.
They said they noticed that other torchbearers had their name, date of birth and company or school flashed on the screen, but not for Father Meng, their philosophy lecturer. After receiving the torch, he appeared for less than a minute on television before the camera swung away from him. The camera returned to him only when he passed on the torch to the next runner.
Because of his brief TV appearance, they said they did not think Father Meng’s participation in the relay would have any appreciable impact on the public's perception of the local Church.
An elderly Catholic layman surnamed Liu, who also watched the live broadcast, told UCA News he wanted to see Father Meng carry the torch after learning about his participation in the event. However, he had to watch it on TV like others not chosen as spectators.
Liu said he did not thinks the priest’s participation would create much social impact, since Father Meng participated in his capacity as a local People’s Congress deputy and not as a Catholic priest.
Another Taiyuan priest, Father Anthony Wu Jinwei, told UCA News on June 26 that a devout Catholic relative, Liu Guoping, also took part as the 11th torchbearer. The 45-year-old, who runs a successful duck breeding business, received a Model Worker of Taiyuan award in 2007.
Liu told UCA News after the relay that he represented the agricultural sector but had also identified himself as a Catholic to those around him during the event. He added that the participation of two Catholics in the relay would bring honor to the Church.
With the Taiyuan relay leg, the Olympic torch made its way through 18 provinces and municipalities.
The relay, which began in Greece and went through countries around the world before coming to Hong Kong, Macau and then the mainland, will end in Beijing before the Summer Olympics begin on Aug. 8.
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