Chinese priests and sisters who study in Ireland standing outside St Columbans Dalgan, Ireland. Photo: St Columbans Mission Society
Since its inception in the summer of 2007, the three-year part-time training program in spiritual direction, established and sponsored by the Columban China Formation Committee (CFC), has successfully conducted its annual four-week summer intensive course at the Beijing National Seminary. It served as an ideal location for the program’s summer intensive, and the seminary consistently offered a warm welcome.
Unfortunately, the government has informed the seminary that it can no longer conduct courses during the winter and summer holiday breaks. This news was unwelcome, but as is often the case in China, alternative solutions have been sought. The six Chinese spiritual directors (four sisters and two priests) responsible for the program have worked together to find another suitable venue for the summer intensive course. Luckily, the 32 participants (seven laywomen, a Protestant minister, four priests, and twenty sisters) will be able to gather this year for the second summer intensive of their three-year program.
Another recent change occurred for the CFC-sponsored annual Young Scholars Forum. This forum offers an opportunity for young scholars who have recently completed their doctoral studies in the field of Christianity to come together to share their theses through print and presentation. The three-day forum previously took place in Beijing.
With recent government changes, the likelihood of it being held in Beijing or elsewhere in China diminished. Fortunately, the Catholic University in Macau was keen to host the forum, and so, at the end of last year, the young scholars travelled to Macau to share their research and foster bonds of friendship and support. The annual forum will proceed again later this year under the ongoing guidance of one of the vicars from the Beijing diocese.
Since the early 2000s, the Columbans, through our CFC programs, have provided scholarships and sponsored Chinese priests, sisters, and laity to pursue academic studies abroad. Earlier this year, during my home vacation in Australia, I had the pleasure of visiting Fr John Zhao, who comes from the Liaoning diocese in northern China. The Columbans are sponsoring John as he undertakes a three-year Doctor of Ministry degree at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) in Brisbane, where he has received a full academic scholarship.
The diocese of Brisbane has warmly welcomed John and offered him accommodation at the parish in Hendra, where he assists with weekday and Sunday Masses. I received a gracious welcome from both John and the parish priest, who hosted me during my visit. I also had the opportunity to meet John’s academic supervisor, who spoke very highly of John's progress and academic discipline. John’s field of study focuses on lay formation.
After his initial three years of sponsorship with the Columbans in Ireland, where he obtained an MA in theology, John returned to his home diocese and established a lay formation and catechist training centre. John hopes to finish his studies at ACU by the end of next year and return to his home diocese, where he will resume work at the centre.
Fr John Zhao with parishioners in Brisbane, Australia. Photo: Fr John Zhao
Other CFC students are continuing to enjoy their lives and academic studies in Ireland, Rome, and Taiwan, where they are sponsored by the Columbans.
Students in Ireland and Taiwan also take the opportunity to complete Units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) during their summer holidays. We hope to hold a reunion in China for returned CFC students later this year. The last reunion took place before the COVID-19 outbreak.
With the ongoing support of our generous benefactors, we can continue our programs of the China Formation Committee both in China and in the countries where the Columbans sponsor CFC students to pursue their academic studies.
Columban Fr Kevin O’Neill lives and works in China.
Listen to "China Formation Committee programs"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - July 2025
