NEW YORK CITY—From the moment they arrived at their front orchestra seats, William and Lisa noticed “divine presence” in the theater. Catholic priest William S. Elder and Lisa Petrucco the business manager for their church. They attended Shen Yun’s Saturday, March 12 matinee, a classical Chinese dance and music performance highlighting stories from ancient China. “I feel I have experienced the presence of God here. The presence of God, who is watching over us, protecting us, who loves us, and who is encouraging us to be truly human, to be truly loving, and also just to be truly creative and bring forth all of this beauty,” said Father Elder. It is Father Elder’s third time returning to New York-based Shen Yun for “the sheer beauty of it and the glories of all these different cultures that just have been suppressed by the communists.”  He appreciates Shen Yun’s work to preserve the …