Taiwan: bishop calls for conversion of entire island to the Catholic faith
November 19, 2009
As Taiwan commemorates the 150th anniversary of its evangelization, a prominent bishop has called for the conversion of the entire nation to the Catholic faith. Bishop Peter Liu Cheng-chung of Kaohsiung-- whose predecessor is a cardinal, and whose diocese is the nation’s most historic-- said that “after 150 years of effort, we have had a crop equal to 1.3%, and looking ahead there is the flood of 23 million compatriots to satiate Christ's hunger .... So we must be 'firm in one spirit' and to fight 'unanimously for the faith of the Gospel.'”
Pope Pius XII established Taiwan’s hierarchy in 1952; today, 1.3% of the nation’s 22.3 million inhabitants are Catholic, with 691 priests, 84 seminarians, and 1,065 nuns-- in all, 306,000 Catholics.
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Further information:
- At the close of celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the evangelization, Bishop of Kaohsiung calls everyone to “open wide the missionary doors” (Fides)
- 150th anniversary of evangelization of Taiwan (CWN, 11/17/09)
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