Claretians in Taiyuan – Shanxi Formation Center

Where is Taiyuan?

Satellite view of Taiyuan City

Taiyuan is the capital city of Shanxi Province. Located in the center of the province, it is also the political, economic and cultural center of Shanxi.

Taiyuan is a city of 3.5 million people bounded by mountains on three sides. It has a long history and in ancient times was an important military town. At present, Taiyuan is one of China's heavy industrial cities and accounts for more than half the national coal mining output.

In 2004 the eight bishops of the area established the Catholic Shanxi Formation Center (CCSFC). It aims to provide priests, religious and lay missionaries with ongoing formation and theological courses.

Sr. Clara Liu Qiaomei is the director of the center and a close associate of ICLA (Institute for Consecrated Life in Asia).
ICLA sends several professors every year. Recently Fr. Domingo Moraleda, ICLA Director, spent a couple of weeks at the formation center.

Fr. Moraleda writes:

“Every year 8 to 10 professors go there to teach. The Program for the sisters is a two-year live-in program, which ICLA gives top priority. After finishing the two-year program, the most qualified ones are sent to ICLA for higher studies. We also give retreats to priests and bishops in this same center.”