"Cry out with jou to the Lord, for He has done great things for me"!

Fr. Paco writes: 

Through a seminarian who just finished his theological studies in August 2006, the Claretians entered China for the second time (In 1929 they had our ancestors, serving the Church in China). As newcomers, a brother and a priest came to Beijing. Brother novice made his first vows in the chapel of the National Seminary. It was a good opportunity to get in touch with the teachers of the National Seminary. This made it possible that a year later, they were invited to the Seminary to teach English and History of Christianity in the Middle Ages. 

It was a very special year, a time when they shared full-time with a large Chinese community. There were diocesan priests from all over China and more than 70 seminarians along with some sisters who were helping in the seminary. They spent their life, laughing, studying and praying together. They also had some tough times when things did not go as expected.

On June 29, 2012, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the batch of seminarians who began their Theology studies in 2006, had their Graduation in Theology!  They are set to return to their dioceses, some will be ordered within a few weeks, while others still have a pastoral year before ordination. But all are eager to implement not only what they have learned during the years of theological studies, but also their personal experience of God. 

During the graduation, I was touched not only because I had been their teacher, but because I saw how they had matured in the way of their vocation after all these years. In a difficult and sensitive life of the Church, they managed to maintain their commitment to serve the Gospel and the Church throughout their formative years. 

 Now they need more than ever our assistance through prayers, and we continue praying for them to be able to embody the ideal of the Christian priesthood as servants of the people of God after the Second Vatican Council. A priesthood is not rooted in prestige and honor, but in intimacy with the Lord and passion for humanity that God so loved that even sent his Son to be with them, as one of them. 

 Bishop Ma received a gift from the seminarians 

Graduates presented the President of the national workshop, the Bishop Antonio Ma , a copy of the Daodejing of Laozi bamboo. 

I chose two sections to congratulate them on this occasion and I put it here too, so they can enjoy:



  

天下皆知美之为美,斯恶已;皆知善之为善,斯不善已. (道德经1) When you see that beauty is only apparent, then it's just ugly. So it is with kindness; if not sincere, it is not kindness (Tao Te Ching 1).



天道 无 亲, 常 与 善人. (道德 经 79)
 Heaven has no favorites, but always helps good people  (Tao Te Ching 79). 

 Fr. Paco Carín with graduates, who were also his students since 2007