TWELVE DAYS IN TAIWAN
I spent 12 wonderful days in Taiwan in 2001 on a trip arranged by then Taiwanese Ambassador to the Holy See, Raymond Tai. My visit included Holy Week. I spent time in Taipei, Hualien City and County and Kaohsiung where I interviewed the late Cardinal Paul Shan. Those were 12 joyful days of exciting, learning experiences, and meeting so many memorable people – pastors of churches, men and women religious, educational leaders, people involved in Catholic communications, members of the Focolare movement, etc. I’d need a few more hours right now to even touch the tip of the iceberg that was my Taiwan trip.
Two outstanding memories, however, will never dim, and they are related.
Having been to Beijing in 1995 as a member of the Holy See delegation to the September UN conference on women, it was fascinating to be in Taiwan and contrast the life style, goverments, etc. of a democratic society (Taiwan, ROC, Republic of China) and communist mainland China (PRC, People’s Republic of China). The PRC considers Taiwan basically as a renegade province, and always has “reunion” at the top of its political agenda.
The Taiwan government organized a lunch one day in my honor. Held in a Taiwan hotel, the 20 wonderful guests were predominantly men and women religious, members of orders whose superiors had sent them to Taiwan to learn Chinese and to study Chinese culture in all its forms (including cuisine!). Why these studies? They were all hopefully looking to the day when China would have its own Berlin Wall moment and these men and women religious, now fluent in the language and culture, could freely travel to the mainland to open and run schools, nurseries, hospitals, clinics, homes for the aged, etc.
The only sad part of that day was that I did not have at least a separate half-hour with each Religious present at that lunch. The brief conversations I had were illuminating and uplifting, and I left the luncheon imbued with the same optimism and hope as my new friends.
You have no idea how often I have prayed for them and the men and women Religious who have followed them.
POPE ASSURES VICTIMS OF TAIWAN QUAKE OF SOLIDARITY AND CLOSENESS
Following the 7.4-magnitude quake that hit Hualien City, Taiwan, on Wednesday, Pope Francis sends a telegram of condolences to the president of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference of Taiwan.
By Christopher Wells (Vatican news)
Pope Francis “was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake in Taiwan.”
The Pope sent his condolences to the nation on Thursday, in a telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and sent to Bishop John Baptist Lee Keh-Mean, the president of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference of Taiwan.
At least nine people died when the 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday, and more than 1,000 people were injured. According to the BBC, rescuers are working to reach more than 600 stranded people, while dozens of people are still reported missing.
Local residents in front of buildings damaged by the earthquake (AFP or licensors)
The Pope’s telegram assured those “affected by this disaster” of his “heartfelt solidarity and spiritual closeness.”
Pope Francis also prayed “for the dead, the injured, and all those displaced, as well as for the emergency personnel engaged in recovery efforts.”
The telegram concludes by noting the Holy Father’s invocation “upon all [of] the divine blessings of consolation and strength.”
Joan's Rome 