A northern Chinese diocese has seen a dramatic rise in the number of people applying to join its minor seminary, a phenomenon its rector attributes to the recently-concluded Year for Priests. The St. Joseph Minor Seminary in Hengshui diocese has accepted 20 out of 22 local candidates who sat for an entrance examination on June 13.
Minor Seminarians at St. Joseph's Seminary, Hengshui
It took in a total of 27 applicants last year, only half of whom were local applicants and the rest from other dioceses. The rise in the number of local applications is due to vocation promotion activities during the Year for Priests, says seminary rector Father Joseph Zhang Jianfang. He said that at least five applicants came from the parish he visited on April 25, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to promote the priesthood. “Despite our small number of Catholics, we have had relatively many priestly vocations,” said Father Zhang. Hengshui diocese has about 30,000 Catholics.
The St. Joseph Minor Seminary has trained more than 350 young men since it was established in 1994. Fifty-two of them have become major seminarians and seven have been ordained priests. Even though not all its students entered the major seminary, most of them have become pillars of their parishes, said Father Zhang. About 80 Catholic teenagers are presently studying in the seminary. Four of its recent graduates have decided to enter the major seminary. The institution follows China’s six-year high school curriculum plus Bible, catechism and spirituality classes.
The three-storey building in Shenzhou county also includes a multimedia lecture room, a computer room and language, physics and chemistry laboratories. Since the diocese does not have a major seminary, 43 of its major seminarians are continuing their studies at regional seminaries around China. Several others are studying in Italy and the Philippines. Mainland China has 30 minor seminaries with about 630 students, according to the Church-run Hebei Faith Press. - UCA News
Minor Seminarians at St. Joseph's Seminary, HengshuiThe St. Joseph Minor Seminary has trained more than 350 young men since it was established in 1994. Fifty-two of them have become major seminarians and seven have been ordained priests. Even though not all its students entered the major seminary, most of them have become pillars of their parishes, said Father Zhang. About 80 Catholic teenagers are presently studying in the seminary. Four of its recent graduates have decided to enter the major seminary. The institution follows China’s six-year high school curriculum plus Bible, catechism and spirituality classes.
The three-storey building in Shenzhou county also includes a multimedia lecture room, a computer room and language, physics and chemistry laboratories. Since the diocese does not have a major seminary, 43 of its major seminarians are continuing their studies at regional seminaries around China. Several others are studying in Italy and the Philippines. Mainland China has 30 minor seminaries with about 630 students, according to the Church-run Hebei Faith Press. - UCA News
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