Chinese seminary resumes classes sans rector

MONTECORVINO Major Seminary in Shanxi province, northern China, resumed classes this week following a 10-week hiatus caused by a dispute involving the institution’s rector.

Around 50 out of 70 seminarians have returned to the seminary in a suburb of Taiyuan city, while the rest have transferred to other seminaries, according to Church sources.

The position of seminary rector is now vacant, after board members refused to reinstate the former rector, Fr. Anthony Chang Tongxi, at their last meeting in late October.

Father Chang, 45, who is suspected of embezzling seminary funds, was dismissed by the board in June. All seminarians who had not taken examinations were told to return to their respective dioceses or congregations on an extended summer break.

Religious officials in Shanxi demanded the board, headed by Bishop John Huo Cheng of Fenyang, delay the commencement of the new semester in September until the dispute was settled. They even threatened to remove the 85-year-old bishop as the board director, the sources said.

Report from ucanews.com