A Legacy of Faith

Stories from present day China that affirm the legacy of missionaries who have gone before

By Fr. Brian Swords, S.F.M.
January/February 2013

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After six years missioned to Hong Kong, Fr. Brian Swords returned to Canada to serve 10 years on the General Council. He then went to Mainland China for nearly 15 years. He is now back in Canada, elected as Superior General, or Moderator, on Scarboro’s General Council. After six years missioned to Hong Kong, Fr. Brian Swords returned to Canada to serve 10 years on the General Council. He then went to Mainland China for nearly 15 years. He is now back in Canada, elected as Superior General, or Moderator, on Scarboro’s General Council.

It is difficult to really assess the legacy one has received from one’s parents. It is doubly difficult to assess a faith legacy, especially when time, distance, language and broken continuity has intervened. I would like to share a few examples of the faith of Catholics in China, those who have become Catholics as a result of men and women from other countries prophetically proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their midst.

Lee Si

I first met Lee Si at church where he faithfully brought his daughter, his only child, every Sunday. His wife, when not working, would join them. Lee Si was of middle age and had a responsible position in a local newspaper; he was in fact one of the three editors. In the course of getting to know him, I learned that he had reached a glass ceiling. He would not be promoted. His faith, his Catholicism, was an impediment to being named chief editor. On reflecting on his situation he said, “I always thought my faith would help rather than hinder me.” However, in chatting with him I was edified to see that he had integrated this concrete drawback into his life, without hurt or malice. He accepted the restriction as a cross that he gladly carries, a mark of God’s blessing and faith in him.

Serving humbly

In Xining, a remote city in Qinghai province with a high proportion of Tibetans, I met a small group of young people at a Sunday Mass. They invited me to visit them. Much to my surprise and edification I found that these four young people were living with a group of physically and mentally challenged youth. The little community reminded me of a L’Arche community. When asked about their motivation, they mentioned words such as serving humbly, learning from others and being concrete in responding to their faith. These young people were to me prophetic messengers of God. Their gift of faith was a blessing to their community, family and country. They are and were an active part of the legacy of former missionaries.

People of the book

The last example of legacy I would like to share centres on living in the city of Urumqi, Xinjiang province, in the northwest of China. The population is made up of Han (Chinese) and Uyghurs who are one of the more than 90 minority peoples in China. The Uyghurs are mainly of Turkish descent and are almost exclusively Muslim.

With religious contention a common occurrence in many parts of the world, when I first went to Urumqi I thought I would witness this same reality. Instead, I noted a respectful understanding of the “people of the book” as some Muslims referred to Catholics. The Catholics in Urumqi were more fervent and active than in most of the other places I had taught in China. Their Catholic mentors, the missionaries, had planted in them the seeds of understanding and respect. I would suggest that living beside Muslims had strengthened the faith and resolve of the Chinese Catholics in Urumqi.

Our legacy is real and has a great impact on our faith and on the faith of our brothers and sisters.

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