Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) - "The integral formation of lay Catholics, especially where rapid changes and a significant social and economic development are taking place, is part of efforts to make the local church vibrant and vital," is what the statement published yesterday by the Vatican Press Office said on the annual meeting of the Commission for the life of the Catholic Church in China. In this regard, as reported by Kong Ko Bao (Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), some lay graduates of the faculty of Theology at the Seminary in Hong Kong, are in Rome to deepen further their education at the Pontifical Universities in order to contribute effectively in the construction of the Church. Despite the difficulty of the language, which is the biggest obstacle, the laity in Rome come from the dioceses of Hong Kong and Macao, have the opportunity to learn many subjects, such as dogmatic, biblical theology, pedagogy ... to meet the needs of the local Church. According to them, "with the encouragement of the spiritual fathers and professors, I made this choice to give my contribution to the Church, because I saw the needs of the dioceses."
The faculty of theology and philosophy of the Seminary "Holy Spirit" was founded in 1970 by the Dioceses of Hong Kong and Macao, and two congregations (Jesuits and Salesians) to which the Franciscans were added in 1995. It began to accept the enrollment of the laity in 1973, to consolidate their formation. In 1994 it was affiliated to the Pontifical Urban University. On March 6, 1997 it was also recognized by the Congregation for Catholic Education. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 27/4/2012)
