ASIA/CHINA - Seminarians give up Summer vacation to teach children in need

Beijing (Fides Service) - Beijing’s Catholic Seminary is situated in an outlying industrial district where most of the workers commute from rural areas or other towns to the capital. For these working families life is not easy and one serious difficulty is education for their children. Children of commuter workers cannot go to school here because state schools are only for residents and private schools are too expensive. Aware of the difficulties facing working families the local seminary encourages Seminarians, as part of their pastoral training, to do all they can to help them.
Every Summer for the last three years the Seminarians and a priest have given up their holidays to teach and entertain the children of poor families. For two months they organise lessons, sports and recreation for children as well as catechism classes and Bible reading. They even provide a midday meal. The children benefit greatly from this initiative and at the end of the Summer have become very fond of their big brother seminarians. For their part the parents are extremely grateful.
(Agenzia Fides 12/09/2005 Righe: 19 Parole: 183)