ASIA/TAIWAN - Bishops of Taiwan prepare for their Ad Limina visit to the Vatican

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – According to information released to Agenzia Fides, the Taiwan Regional Bishops' Conference will make its Ad Limina Apostolorum visit to the Vatican, December 9-13 (although the Bishops will be in Rome December 6-15). It is the first time that the Bishops of Taiwan meet with the Holy Father Benedict XVI, as their last Ad Limina visit was made in 2002, under the Pontificate of John Paul II.
The Taiwan Regional Bishops' Conference is formed by 8 Bishops. The acting President is Archbishop John Hung, SVD of Taipei, and the other members are: Bishop John Baptist Lee of Hsinchu; Bishop Martin Yao-Wen Su of Taichung; Bishop Thomas Chung of Chiayi; Bishop Bosco Lin of Tainan; Bishop Peter Liu of Kaohsiung; Bishop Philip Huang of Hwalien; Bishop John Baptist Tseng, Auxiliary Bishop of Hwalien.
On December 11, the Holy Father and the Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone will receive the Bishops. On the 12th, they will have their audiences with the Holy Father and meet with the Secretary of State. According to the itinerary, the Bishops of Taiwan will visit various Dicasteries of the Roman Curia: the Congregation for Divine Worship, the Congregation for the Clergy, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Among their main topics for reflection will undoubtedly be the 150th anniversary of the evangelization of the island of Taiwan and the pastoral situation of the Catholic community. There are now about 300,000 Catholics in Taiwan. The Bishops' Conference hopes that beginning this year, there will be 15,000 newly baptized every year. There are also 8 Emeritus Bishops and Emeritus Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-Hsi, SJ of Kaohsiung, still in Taiwan. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 4/12/2008)