Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Your celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Catholic Evangelization in Taiwan is an occasion to manifest ever more eagerly your oneness with each other and with our Lord as you together promote the Church’s common apostolate. This unity of mind and heart is evidenced by your desire to cooperate more closely in spreading the Gospel among non-believers and forming those already initiated into the Church through Baptism and Confirmation.” This was what the Holy Father Benedict XVI mentioned in his address to the Bishops of Taiwan, whom he received in an audience on the morning of December 12, on the occasion of their Ad Limina Apostolorum visit.
Recalling the role and task of the Bishops, the Pope mentioned the importance of placing great attention on priestly formation through adequate programs that “are to be ongoing so that priests may continually refocus on the meaning of their mission and embrace it with fidelity and generosity. Such programmes must also be designed with due consideration for the variety of ages, life conditions and duties found among your clergy.” Catechists should also receive a proper preparation, taking into consideration the various different circumstances the array of settings in which they work and furnishing them with the necessary resources, “so that they may follow the example of Jesus in speaking the truth straightforwardly and in a way readily accessible to all.”
The Holy Father then addressed the Bishops on the subject of vocations and the family. “Effective catechesis inevitably builds stronger families, which in turn give birth to new priestly vocations,” Benedict XVI said. “The Church, at every level, must cherish and foster the gift of priesthood so that young men will generously respond to the Lord’s call to become laborers in the vineyard. Parents, pastors, teachers, parish leaders, and all the members of the Church must set before young people the radical decision to follow Christ, so that in finding him, they find themselves.” Quoting the recent Pastoral Letter “Social Concern and Evangelization,” which underscores the Church in Taiwan's need to engage actively in the promotion of family life, the Holy Father exhorted the Bishops: “Never tire in promoting just civil legislation and policies that protect the sacredness of marriage. Safeguard this sacrament from all that can harm it, especially the deliberate taking of life in its most vulnerable stages.”
Another issue that the Church in Taiwan should place particular attention on is that of immigration. The Pontiff expressed his satisfaction for the various recently-published pastoral letters, in which the Bishops indicated “the essential role of the parish in serving migrants and raising awareness of their needs,” as well as for the letters' “advocating laws and policies that protect the human rights of migrants.” He continued, saying: “I encourage you to continue welcoming them with affection so that they may receive the assiduous pastoral care that will assure them of their belonging to the 'family of the faith.'”
At the close of his address, the Pope reminded the Bishops of their apostolic bond with the Successor of Peter, which implies a pastoral responsibility for the universal Church throughout the world. “This particularly means, in your case, a loving concern for Catholics on the mainland, whom I constantly hold in prayer. You and the Christian faithful in Taiwan are a living sign that, in a justly ordered society, one need not fear to be a faithful Catholic and a good citizen. I pray that as part of the great Chinese Catholic family, you will continue to be spiritually united with your brethren on the mainland.” While the obstacles they face can seem overwhelming, there are also “many clear signs of the Gospel’s power to convert, heal and save,” Benedict XVI mentioned, entrusting the Church of Taiwan to the maternal protection of Mary, Help of Christians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 15/12/2008)
