Taiwan had the biggest Roman Catholic meeting in its history in April of 1974. More than forty prelates of the Church gathered in Taipei for the First Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. Seven of them wore the red hat of the College of Cardinals: Joseph Parecattil of India, Justin Darmojuwono of Indonesia, Stephen Kim of Korea, Joseph Cordeiro of Pakistan, Julio Rosales of the Philippines, Thomas Corray of Sri Lanka and Paul Yupin of the Republic of China.
Six days were devoted to discussion of "Evangelization in Modem Day Asia" as a preparation for the World Synod of Bishops in Rome next September. The Vatican conference will study "Evangelization in the Modern World."
Archbishop Simon Lourdusamy of the Holy See brought a message from Pope Paul. The Holy Father noted that leaders of the Church in Asia have had the "consolation and the inspiration of going forth to sow the seed of Christ's Message in fertile ground."
The Pontiff said: "The persuasion of spiritual values, the high degree of ascetical discipline, the family-oriented sense of filial devotion and the thirst for spiritual culture shown by your nations through their different religions - all these things are indisputable pointers to the primacy among your peoples of the things of the spirit.
"The propagation of the Christian Message must in no way cancel out or lessen these cultural and spiritual values, which constitute a priceless heritage. The Church must make herself in her fullest expression native to your countries, your cultures, your races.
"The immensity of this evangelization is both a challenge and a consolation. It is our earnest and constant prayer that the increasing pace of evangelization may help preserve our peoples from the danger of materialism. Let it do so, not by ignoring material needs, but. by responding to the hunger for bread, for responsibility, for freedom and for justice."
President Chiang Kai-shek's message to the convocation was read by Vice President C.K. Yen. The chief executive, himself a Christian, said: "Chinese civilization is all-embracing and abhors discrimination. The Chinese nation attaches great importance to spiritual life. Freedom of belief and freedom of religion are' fully guaranteed to the people by the constitution of the Republic of China. For these reasons, all the great religions of the world find in China their adherents who worship as their individual conscience and personal will dictate.
"It is gratifying to note that, introduced into China only a few centuries ago, the Catholic Church has already made significant contribution to the promotion of cultural exchanges between China and the Western World, and has also enriched the spiritual life of the Chinese nation. The great deeds of the missionaries of the Catholic Church who, generation after generation, labored with hardship and humble means in opening up dioceses in the Far East to evangelize the virtues of Faith, Hope and Love, even at the sacrifice of their own lives, deserve the adoration and respect of those who come after them.
Seven princes of the Catholic Church were on hand for Plenary Assembly of bishops from all over Asia. (File photo)
"Unfortunately, in recent years totalitarian tyrannies based on materialism and atheism have run amok and brought untold sufferings to the people in a large part of Asia, forcing the whole of mankind to face unprecedented calamity. These tyrannies, to the extent which their powers reach, not only ruthlessly destroy religious faiths, but also negate all the basic human rights, and go further to threaten the peace of the world. In the face of such a grave situation, we are grateful that the Catholic Church has always maintained its firm position in the safeguarding of truth.
"I am confident that this Assembly, composed of all the leaders of the Catholic Church in Asia, taking note of the current situation in Asia and keeping in view the ideals of the future of mankind, will be able, in its collective wisdom, to formulate meritorious plans and projects for the propagation of the faith and in the service of the people, which will enable the Catholic Church to make even greater contributions in China, in Asia and in the whole world. This is not only the earnest hope of the Chinese people but, as I believe, must be the common desire of all Asian peoples."
Vice President Yen delivered the principal address of the opening session. He told the cardinals and other bishops:
"I am deeply honored and greatly privileged to be invited to participate in this important gathering today and to address this distinguished audience.
"This is an historic occasion. For the first time ever, the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences is meeting in Plenary Assembly. Convened here in the Republic of China is the Asian equivalent of the World Synod of Bishops which will be convened in Rome next September. Appropriately, the theme of the Plenary Assembly will be 'Evangelization of Modem Day Asia.' This will serve to introduce and support the Vatican convocation's theme of 'The Evangelization of the Modern World.'
"The Roman Catholic Church has a long and illustrious history in China. Nearly 700 years has passed since the Franciscan John of Montecorvino came to Cambaluc, established a church and was appointed archbishop of what we know now as Peiping. Catholicism fell on difficult times when the Yuan dynasty ended but was revived some 300 years later by such missionaries as Michael Ruggeri and Matthew Ricci. These Jesuits were outstanding scholars as well as zealous priests. They opened the eyes of the Chinese to the scientific discoveries of the West and thereby left an indelible impression on this country. Only two provinces were without mission stations in 1644 at the close of the Ming dynasty. Catholics numbered more than one hundred thousand at that time. The first Dominican priest reached the Chinese mainland by way of Taiwan. That was in 1630. Three years later, the first Jesuit since Mongol times arrived in China. His first convert, Lo Wen-tsao, became the first Chinese bishop.
"The Church had many crosses to bear during the ensuing 350 years but nothing could stop its advance for long. By 1948, Chinese Catholics numbered more than three and a half million. The Communists were able to destroy many good works of the Catholic Church - to close schools and universities, to usurp hospitals and to seize printing presses. But they could not remove belief in God from the hearts of mainland Christians. Nor were they able to break the spirit of the Chinese and foreign clergy they imprisoned and tortured.
"Many of the Catholic clergy and laity who escaped from the Communists on the mainland were able to make their way to Taiwan. Here they found a church which had survived the Japanese period and was entering upon an era of rapid growth. They also found unimpaired freedom of religion as guaranteed by the constitution and safeguarded by the government of the Republic of China.
"Taiwan has its own dramatic history of Catholicism. Five Dominicans reached the island in 1628 and a number of churches were built in ensuing years. But the Spanish were expelled by the Dutch in 1642 and the Church had to wait two hundred years for its second opportunity.
This time the roots grew slowly but showed great strength and durability. Missionaries were not welcomed by the Japanese authorities from 1895 to 1945. Nevertheless, the Church had 8,000 members and a dozen priests when the island was returned to Chinese sovereignty.
"Most of you know of the exciting growth and remarkable achievements of the last three decades. Catholics now number well over three hundred thousand and make up about half of the dedicated and highly influential Christian community in this island province. The Church has six dioceses and one archdiocese in Taiwan. Paul Cardinal Yupin, the archbishop of Nanking, is not only president of the Chinese Bishops' Conference but rector of Fu Jen University. This institution re-created by the Church in the Taipei suburbs has reached a preeminent place in higher education in a mere ten years. Catholic hospitals, schools, publishing houses and radio stations have been opened. More than 700 Roman Catholic Churches are open to the faithful from one end of Taiwan to the other.
"I can assure you that the government is gratified by the success of the Roman Catholic Church. We appreciate its efforts in education, medicine, social welfare and - perhaps above all in the inculcating of ethical and moral precepts which support the Chinese philosophy of Confucianism, the San Min Chu I teachings of our Founding Father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and the democratic guidance of our President, Chiang Kai-shek.
"To my mind, the identity of a man's church is less important than his belief in God, his acceptance of self-discipline and his willingness to serve his fellowmen. Freedom depends on order. Democracy cannot exist without discipline. Right philosophy and right government combine to assure a society of good men living under conditions which assure righteousness and justice.
"Catholicism specifically, and Christianity in general, have made exceptional progress in China because these faiths are in keeping with the Chinese ethos. According to St. John, 'God is love.' Confucius said, 'Love men.' First Corinthians bids us to 'Let all things be done decently and in order.' Confucius said, 'Let the prince be prince, the minister be minister, the father father and the son son.' He meant that each should assume his given and special responsibility. He also said, 'Lead the people by laws and regulate them by penalties, and the people will try to keep out of jail but will have no sense of shame. Lead the people by virtue and restrain them by the rules of decorum, and the people will not only have a sense of shame but will become good.'
"In Christian belief, God's rule embraces the whole of the universe and all the creatures in it. The principle of unity and the concept of one world are inescapable. Confucius advocated a Great Commonwealth of men. President Chiang has described development of the Confucian Great Commonwealth concept as the highest ideal of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Drawing on the Book of Li in defining the Social Ideal which will emerge in the Great Commonwealth, President Chiang said, 'People will look after not only their own parents and children, but also will make it possible for the old to die in peace; the able-bodied to be useful; the children to be nurtured; widowers, widows, orphans, childless old people, the physically handicapped and the sick to be properly cared for; and for young men and women to marry happily. It seems to me that this community is Catholic, Christian, Chinese and Confucian at one and the same time.
"I find nothing incompatible in differing civilizations, nations, religions and men so long as they look up to forces greater than themselves and base their conduct on the precepts and rules which were established before the dawn of re corded history. Those who accept the discipline of God and believe in the improvability of man are agreed on what is morally right and morally wrong. The Communists base their system on godlessness and suppress the values which we hold precious. That is why we can never compromise with them.
"The Catholic Church and other religions with a metaphysical base can survive and flourish only in a free society. This is abundantly proved by the dynamic existence of the Church in the Republic of China today in contrast to its non-existence on a Chinese mainland tyrannized by those who proclaim themselves atheists and castigate religion as the poison of the people.
"To say that you and this Plenary Assembly are welcome is an understatement. You will find your deepest welcome in the love and affection of the Chinese adherents of your faith. I wish you well in your deliberations and success in the evangelization of Asia. What is good for the Catholic Church is good for the people of Asia and the cause of a free and better world."
Paul Cardinal Yupin, the president of the Chinese Bishops' Conference, said in his opening remarks:
"We all share the same divine missionary mandate of bringing to our people the Good News of the gospel of Christ, which is a message of hope, of freedom, of justice and universal love.
"Inspired by the Holy Spirit so visibly present in this August assembly, I invite you with the Lord himself to 'lift up your eyes and behold that the fields are already ripe for the harvest.'
"From time immemorial, down to the last centuries, the people of Asia were quite satisfied with their civilization, characterized by highly developed religious and moral ideals of personal and social life.
"But a sudden and all-pervading modernization with its conflicting ideologies, and waves of new materialism, atheism, like devastating winds, shattered this serene possession of cherished spiritual values, bringing insecurity, imperative of swift change in the midst of which our people struggle to give an adequate answer.
"In this general searching for a new meaning to this human endeavor, a new way of salvation, of liberation, of promotion of human dignity, of participation in the control of their national destiny, do we not read the signs of the times?
"Do we not feel in the hearts of our people the longing for those values which only Christ can bring to realization through this Gospel and through a new effusion of his Holy Spirit?
"Emitte Spiritum tuumet renovabis faciem terrae. It is our firm conviction that Christ alone is the full answer to the searching, the longing, the expectation of Asia today."
Edward Cassidy, apostolic pronuncio to the Republic of China, said: "I feel confident that this Taipei meeting will prove to be an important milestone in the continuing process of the Church in coming to a better understanding of its role in the Asian context. The members of these Churches are looking to Taipei this week for guidance, for inspiration and above all perhaps for practical suggestion.
"They know that they have a message to share, which can prove to be 'good news' also for Asia; a message of truth, a message of justice, a message of love, a message of brotherhood and of peace. We are well aware that they are called by Christ to serve the people of Asia, and to contribute to a solution of Asia's most pressing dilemma, namely how to overcome poverty and find prosperity without the sacrifice of spiritual and cultural values or the loss of personal freedom and human rights. "
Madame Chiang Kai-5hek gave a reception for the Catholic prelates. (File photo)
Leaders of the Republic of China showed deep interest in the Taipei conference and its proceedings. Madame Chiang Kai-shek, herself a Christian of deep conviction and a principal instrumentality in the conversion of President Chiang to Christianity, was hostess to the Catholic prelates for a reception at the Chungshan Building on Yangmingshan. She inquired about the progress of the meeting and discussed the evangelization movement.
In her Eastern Testimonial of 1958, Madame Chiang said: "Religious faith, which antedates advanced morality in the annals of human beings, not only believes what has been conceived, it substantiates in the highest sense the unseen. It defies our inductive and deductive powers of understanding and sensory perception. Neither is faith a credulity or whim that can be conveniently shed when it suits our purpose; nor is it a flaccid, memory-image - a bestowal of expectancy upon which the world plays with many a prompting. If my limited faculty of delineation and very personal feeling can at all comprehend it, faith can best be said to be an inner compulsion in reality which will always emerge towards the highest level of movement and existence when fear of the known together with the unknown, as well as physical well-being, become of little con sequence as compared to peace of mind and composure of spirit, while self-confidence and old stand-bys contrariwise become a hollow farce. It is that inward summons which propels one forward into a region we cannot infer nor place in the ordinary mundane sense of confidence.
"This infinite beatitude which we call faith grants human beings its joi de vivre, its courage and its willingness to risk all for the future. It is exactly that power, not altogether undefinable to the finite mind yet possible of being grasped to the fullest, which makes faith ultimately irresistible should we seek it. It is that translation of substantial form which is able to rise above the insatiable desire of man for the thing that can be understood through the haze and phantasmagoria of the material. In penetrating both the conscious and unconscious impulses of the materialistic state of mind, and of the Ego and its manifestation, it is above the common failure of extreme individualism or self-centeredness in dealing with the problems of our lives from the vantage point of what is practically possible or impossible. Moreover, it compels us to view in the light of what is imposed by the inner judgment in separating right from wrong decisively to which only our conscience is set to bear witness. This is the triumph of spirit over flesh. For is it not said: 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen? '
Another reception was given by Monsignor Francesco Colasuonno, the charge d'affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Taipei, at the Grand Hotel. Ranking members of the government and members of the Taipei diplomatic colony attended. Premier Chiang Ching-kuo greeted many of the Catholic prelates. Foreign Minister Shen Chang-huan gave a dinner in honor of the delegates to the conference at the Taipei Guest House. He had a talk in his office with the cardinals from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, India and the Republic of China, as well as Monsignor Wilhelm Wissing of the Federal Republic of Germany and Archbishop Stanislaus Lokuang of Taipei. Earlier in the day Minister Shen had an hour's discussion with Archbishop Simon Lourdusamy , secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples at the Holy See. The Papal delegate was accompanied by Monsignor Francesco Colasuonno.
The bishops concluded their deliberation with a can for increased dialogue with the great religions of Asia. Recognizing and respecting the "profound spiritual and ethical meanings and values" of Asian faiths, the bishops said that the development of "truly local churches" in each country should be the "primary focus of our task of evangelization." A truly local church was described as one who is "truly incarnate in a people." In the concrete, they said, this means "a church in continuous, humble and loving dialogue with the living traditions, the cultures and the religions" of the people.
Special attention was caned to the necessity of a dialogue with the poor, so many of whom have been "deprived of access to material goods they need for a truly human life." The bishops said many peoples of Asia have been deprived of "access to resources they need to produce these goods for themselves. They live under oppression, that is, under social, economic and political structures which have injustice built into them." The Church, they continued, is committed to the "transformation of social structures of injustice, so that the deprived and oppressed may responsibly free themselves.
"The search for holiness and the search for justice-evangelization and the promotion of true human development and liberation are not only not opposed, but make up for us today the integral preaching of the Gospel, especially in Asia." There is need, the prelates said, for "a genuinely Asian theology and knowledge of Asian philosophies and especially the ideological currents which captivate youth." Such knowledge should be imparted to missionaries, they said.
Christian churches of Asia are working together closely, the bishops found, but expressed hope the ties of collaboration can be drawn even tighter in the future.
Overseas broadcasting of Radio Veritas, a Catholic station in Manila, will be continued as a result of decisions reached at the meeting. Radio Veritas suspended international services to the Chinese mainland and the rest of Asia last year due to technical difficulties.
The Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences assumed "collegial responsibility" for the overseas broadcasts and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines for the domestic services of Veritas. The station broadcasts religious, educational and development-oriented programs. "Collegial responsibility" means that the bishops as a body will participate in and assume fun moral responsibility for the international operations. The bishops will be represented by their Commission for Social Communications in relations with the Philippine Radio Educational and Information Center, which owns and operates Veritas. The Commission is made up of Bishops Oswald Gomis of Sri Lanka, chairman, and Daniel Tji of South Korea and Alfonsus Mathias of India.
The Philippines is the most Catholic country of Asia in consequence of its hundreds of years under Spanish rule. Taiwan province of the Republic of China occupies second place. The island has an archdiocese, six dioceses and two prefectures. The 391 parishes have 14 bishops, 800 priests and 1,000 nuns. Owned and operated by the Church are 3 colleges, 26 high schools, 9 vocational schools, 8 primary schools, 19 hospitals, 41 clinics, 2 radio stations and 10 publishing houses. The Republic of China is represented at the Vatican by an ambassador, Chen Chih-mai.
Monsignor Joseph Kuo, who was to be the first archbishop of Taipei, arrived in 1949 with priests, seminarians and sisters who had been forced to flee the Communists. In January of 1950 he was appointed the first prefect of the newly established prefecture of Taipei with jurisdiction over northern Taiwan. The apostolic prefecture of Taichung was established in 1951 under care of Maryknoll fathers.
Archbishop Anthony Riberi, the apostolic internuncio in China, was arrested and expelled by the Communists. He reached Taiwan in 1952 and opened a Vatican Legation in Taipei. It was he who consecrated Monsignor Kuo as first arch bishop of the newly created see of Taipei. Two further ecclesiastical divisions were made in 1952: that of Hualien to the Paris Foreign Mission Society and that of Chiayi to Chinese secular priests. In October of 1959, Monsignor Joseph Caprio arrived to assume office as apostolic internuncio, succeeding Monsignor Riberi, who was reassigned to Ireland.
In December of 1959, Pope John XXIII accepted the resignation of Archbishop Kuo of Taipei and appointed Thomas Cardinal Tien, refugee archbishop of Nanking, as apostolic administrator of the Taipei archdiocese. In May of 1960, Monsignor Paul Cheng Shih-kuang was appointed auxiliary bishop to Cardinal Tien and consecrated with the cardinal in July. In April of 1961, Pope John raised the apostolic prefecture of Kaohsiung to the rank of diocese, naming the Most Rev. Joseph Cheng Tien-siang, O.P., as the first bishop. The Pope created two new dioceses: Tainan and Hsinchu with Monsignor Stanislaus Lokuang and Monsignor Peter Tou Pao-zin as the first bishops. The three new bishops were consecrated by the Holy Father at St. Peter’s in Rome.
Two more apostolic prefectures were raised to the rank of diocese in 1962: Chiayi with Bishop Thomas Niu and Taichung with Bishop William Kupfer, M.M. Hualien prefecture was made a diocese in 1963.
Cardinal Tien resigned as administrator of Taipei archdiocese in 1966 because of poor health. Bishop Lokuang of Tainan was named archbishop of Taipei and Bishop Paul Chen Shih-kuang re placed him in Tainan.
Paul VI promoted the apostolic internu!1ciature to the status of apostolic nunciature in December of 1966 and named Monsignor Joseph Caprio as the first pronuncio. The Conference of Chinese Bishops was created in April of 1966 and Archbishop Joseph Kuo became the first president. Monsignor Caprio left Taiwan in September of 1967 and was succeeded by Monsignor Luigi Accogli. In February of 1969, Bishop Philip Cote, S. J., the refugee bishop of Soochow, was named apostolic administrator of the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu.
Archbishop Paul Yupin was named to the College of Cardinals in May of 1969. Upon the death of Bishop Philip Cote in 1970, Monsignor Alfons Van Buggenhout, CICM, was named apostolic administrator of Kinmen and Matsu. In the same year, Monsignor Eduard G. Quint, OFM, became apostolic administrator of Penghu. Monsignor Matthew Kia was consecrated bishop of Chiayi to succeed Bishop Thomas Niu, who resigned because of illness. Monsignor Luigi Accogli left Taiwan in October of 1970 and Monsignor Edward Cassidy was named by Pope Paul as the new pronuncio to the Republic of China.
On December 5, 1971, the Church celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy in China. Pope Paul dispatched Stephen Cardinal Kim of Korea as his special envoy. The Chinese Bishops' Conference published a "Social Declaration." On Chinese New Year's Day of 1972, Paul Cardinal Yupin led a special service of worship to honor God and the ancestors of men at the Taipei cathedral. This was a Church action of special significance and reversed some of the unfavorable impressions remaining from a 200-year-old controversy over Chinese rites.
This amounts to the record of an active, evangelizing but thoroughly localized church. Prelates and priests of the Republic of China are from many different nationalities but Chinese pre dominate. The hold of the Church is strongest at the grass roots. This has led to the important advances in education and hospital care. One of the island's biggest hospitals is under construction in suburban Taipei. Paul Cardinal Yupin has been its principal initiator and fund-raiser.
The Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences held its First Plenary Assembly in a fairly new but solidly established citadel of the Church. This was a story that Radio Veritas could be expected to tell to the millions on the Chinese mainland who have been denied the right to publicly proclaim their faith anti worship as they please. Fearful that the Church would destroy them, the Chinese Communists suppressed it together with all other organized religions. The contrast between the mainland under Communism and Taiwan under the free government of the Republic of China was summed up in Vice President Yen's assertion that what is good for the Church is good for the Chinese people and all other Asians.