Beijing – Never lose sight of the vocation received from the Lord; cherish the proclamation of the Gospel at the center of one’s heart; remain steadfast in love for both the homeland and the Church, bearing authentic witness to the faith. These were the first recommendations addressed by Bishop Joseph Shen Bin to seminarians, religious sisters and lay faithful during the closing ceremony of the academic year at Sheshan Seminary in the Diocese of Shanghai.
During the ceremony, held on Friday, June 26, diplomas were given to the seminarians of the 2020 course as well as to the participants in the fourth formation program for women religious. The Bishop of Shanghai also encouraged those present to deepen their knowledge of traditional Chinese culture and to promote the process of the sinicization, while cultivating humility and self-discipline through the evangelical spirit of poverty. He further urged them to foster communion and a spirit of service, contributing to the building of a harmonious and fraternal Church.
More than 120 priests, seminarians, religious sisters and lay faithful attended the ceremony, including participants from the dioceses of Wenzhou and Ningbo.
As a sign of gratitude, the graduating students presented gifts to the Seminary. Bishop Shen Bin conferred theology degrees to six graduates, awarded diplomas to several religious sisters, and also awarded the winners of the scholarship dedicated to the memory of Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian.
A representative of the civil authorities also expressed appreciation for the contribution made by Sheshan Seminary to the formation of Chinese priests, religious sisters and lay faithful.
Closing ceremonies for the academic year have also taken place in recent days at the National Seminary in Beijing, the Beijing Diocesan Seminary and many other seminaries across China’s provinces. At the Beijing Seminary, twelve seminarians and twenty-three religious sisters completed their course of studies.
To foster the vocation of future priests, the Beijing Seminary organized a series of initiatives focused on spiritual formation. On June 24, the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, reflections shared with the seminarians emphasized that the vocational journey is marked by many challenges and that only by relying on the Lord’s grace can one faithfully respond to his call.
Following a spiritual retreat on Saturday, June 27, the seminarians gathered on Sunday, June 28, at the Cathedral of BeiTang to share a time of thanksgiving and joy with the parish community.
On June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the seminarians took part in the liturgical celebration marking the completion of the restoration of the Church of Nantang, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The celebration was presided over by Bishop Joseph Li Shan, who blessed the baptismal font and consecrated the altar of the church, founded more than four centuries ago by the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci, where praise has been continually offered to God ever since.
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