Church puts faith in recruitment drive

The number of Roman Catholics in China's larger cities is surging, but plans to train more priests are being derailed by a lack of applicants for seminaries, as Xu Wei reports.

When Zou Yunlong decided to enter a seminary and train as a priest, he was fully aware of the price he would have to pay: No wife, no children, living - and possibly dying - alone, and being ready to serve his parishioners at any hour of the day for his entire life.

"It's a process of constant self-reflection to see if I am fit for the priesthood," Zou said, referring to his life as a seminarian. "Even today, my family is still trying to change my mind. But I am as committed as ever," said the 32-year-old student at the National Seminary of the Catholic Church in Beijing.