Xudong FengHe came from Taiyuan, an ancient diocese in northern China; he arrived with his eyes wide open, his heart full of faith and his soul trembling. It was the first time he had left his country, and although he was overwhelmed by the uncertainty and the difficulty of the language, Something inside him told him that he was not coming just to study: he was coming to grow.
Together with Xudong Pedro Mari, two other seminarians from China, residents of the Bidasoa International Seminary and studying in the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra, will carry out their pastoral work in Madrid this summer, collaborating with the parish priests in liturgical and catechetical tasks.
Xudong Pedro Mari's compatriots are Pengfei Wang (José Pedro), who belongs to the Archdiocese of Taiyuan and has just completed the bridging course of the Bachelor of Theology, and Zhinqinag Duan, (Paul) from the Archdiocese of Beijing, who is studying the fourth year of the Bachelor's Degree in Theology.
Together with Xudong Pedro Mari, Pengfei José Pedro and Zhinqinag Pablo, 28 other seminarians from different countries will travel during these summer months to parishes in Madrid. This group of young people will collaborate with the parish priests in the preparation of the sacramentsThe program includes catechesis, catechesis and other pastoral and liturgical work as part of their integral formation process.
At the Bidasoa International Seminary, Xudong Pedro Mari has found something he did not expect. In that corner of Pamplona, not only did he make friends from almost every continent - Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia - but he also discovered "the beauty of a truly universal Church," he says. Every conversation, every shared celebration, every dish he tasted or custom he learned, was for him a lesson in communion.
"At first I had a hard time speaking. I didn't understand the language well, but little by little I began to understand. Today I can say that I understand more than words; I understand hearts," says Xudong Pedro Mari with a friendly smile.
Xudong Pedro Mari studies in the University of Navarra thanks to the support of the CARF Foundation. Every day he walks through the corridors of the Ecclesiastical Faculties with his notebook in his hand and with a deep conviction: that his vocation is a gift to others.
Xudong Pedro Mari has been particularly impressed, the spiritual environment he has found in Spain. "There are many churches here. Even in the universities, in the hospitals... One breathes faith. It's something that nourishes me inside. It reminds me that the Church is alive!" he exclaims.
From Navarra, he shares every discovery with his family. "I tell them everything: the culture, the customs, the food, the way of living the faith. They are very happy. They are glad I am here learning, because they know it is to go back home better."
And his home is Taiyuan, a diocese with more than 100,000 Catholics, where the sacrifice of centuries of persecution is still in the air. "The Church in China has been through a lot. From the Tang dynasty, in the 7th century, with the Nestorian Church, to the arrival of the Jesuits in the 16th century. There has been much difficulty, but the faith is still there, like a flame protected by old hands.".
Xudong Pedro Mari recalls with emotion how his vocation was born in this land of faithfulness: "My grandfather and my parents taught me to go to Mass every day since I was a child. It was not an obligation, it was an inheritance. That's how I began to feel that I wanted to be a priest".
Today, as he completes his training, knows that China needs a lot of priests and missionaries. The Church is growing, but still faces challenges: social tensions, little freedom in some places and, above all, the need for hope.
"I am here thanks to many people who believe in our vocation. Thanks to the CARF Foundation, I can train well to serve better. I know that my journey does not end in Navarra: it is just beginning. I want to return to my people, to my diocese, and give back what I have received."
Xudong Pedro Mari, the seminarian with oriental eyes and a universal heart, walks slowly, without haste, but firmly. His story is the story of thousands of Christians in China who, amidst silence and fidelity, continue to keep the faith alive. And it is also the story of a Church without borders, where a young man from Taiyuan can find, in Spain, a home for his vocation.
Marta Santín, journalist specializing in religion.
