Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hsinchu (Agenzia Fides) – Pastoral care and vocations, the media and society, were the main topics discussed by the spring meeting of the Regional Bishops Conference of Taiwan, held in April in the diocese of Hsinchu. According to a report sent to Fides, participants included Mgr. Paul Russell, Chargé d’affaires a.i., Cardinal Paul Shan and 8 bishops from the seven Catholic dioceses of Taiwan, with a special guest, Bishop Ignatius Wang Zhong-Zhang, Auxiliary emeritus of the Archdiocese of San Francisco in the United States of America.
After listening to reports from the Rector of the Inter-regional Seminary in Taiwan, the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and the Secretary general of the Regional Bishops' Conference of Taiwan, the participants, discussed the Conference budget and pastoral plans. Other matters debated included world wide sensitive issues such as paedophilia and the death penalty.
In his intervention Mgr Russell reassured the Bishops of the deep interest with which the Holy See follows the activity of the Catholic Church in Taiwan. He also stressed the necessity for a Bishop to build a good relationship with his priests, and the impact of this relation on the whole Church. Cardinal Shan shared with his brother bishops his own experience of evangelisation, touching on 5 crucial points: pastoral care for vocations and for young people; evangelisation among intellectuals and evangelisation among prison inmates; harnessing the media; interreligious dialogue; attention for those active in the political life and collaboration with the authorities to promote the common good. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 04/05/2010 - righe 23; parole 230)
