'The priesthood was like a voice repeating in my mind'

Meng Dongdong, a fifth-year student at the National Seminary of the Catholic Church in China.

I grew up in a house just a few steps away from the church in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

The Catholic faith in my family can be traced back as far as my great-grandparents. The close proximity of the church meant the local priest lived and ate at our house, and that's how my admiration for the priesthood started. I just saw the priest as a member of my family. As a child, I would follow him around the parish and watch as he helped the parishioners. I also took part in church rituals. I just enjoyed being with the priest, and I learned a lot from him about how to become a better person.