Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Shi Jia Zhuang (Agenzia Fides) – The Second Theology Course for Religious in the He Bei Province was recently inaugurated. The course is sponsored by the Union of Major Women Superiors of He Bei. As Fides was informed by “Faith,” also a major supporter of religious formation, 32 religious from 13 women's congregations have begun this two-year course, which opened on September 7 at the Major Seminary. The course first took place from September 2004 to June 2005. After two years of systematic theology, the sisters who have passed their exams can earn a diploma conferred by the Major Seminary. It was also decided that starting with this second course, the long-term course will be held every year, thus providing more opportunities for religious to attend.
The Union of Major Superiors of Female Congregations of He Bei, begun in April 12, 1999, is composed of 13 religious congregations with more than a thousand nuns, all of them from the He Bei Province. Over the past ten years, they have organized several training courses, long-term and short-term, to provide a better theological, missionary, pastoral, and vocational formation to the sisters. The 13 congregations take turns hosting initiatives.
Also, according to information sent by “Faith,” today religious education for sisters is much more systematic. The National Seminary which is located in Beijing and the four other provincial and and regional seminaries offer regular training to the sisters. According to the dean of the National Seminary, since 2006, a short month-long course has been held on spirituality, fundamental theology, administration of the congregation, etc. with priests, religious, and specially invited experts from abroad. This year has marked the opening of a three-year cycle of theological education for sisters from across the country, with the possibility of earning a license in theology or pastoral catechesis. Since 1995, the Philosophical Seminary of Shaan Xi has begun accepting the first sisters to their courses, and it has now arranged classes for the sisters. The seminary in Shen Yang also started doing the same in 2005. The Catholic community of the Province of Shan Xi began the systematic training of the Sisters since 2004. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 14/09/2010)
