Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Taipei (Agenzia Fides) - “A leaf that has planted its roots of love here” is the literal translation of the the Chinese name “Ye You-Gen” given to Fr. Stephen Jaschko, Hungarian Jesuit missionary who died at the age of 99 on March 17, after having spent 54 years at the service of the missions in Taiwan. However, nearly his entire life was dedicated to the mission of evangelization in China, with heartfelt and active dedication. In the end, he even donated his body to the Medical Institute at the Catholic University of Fu Ren: a complete self-donation to the Lord. The news of his passing has caused a great sorrow from the Asian continent to Europe, site of his beloved homeland. For a greater love, a love for the missions, he had only returned to his homeland three times in nearly a century of life. The websites across the continent, Catholic and non alike, have reported on the news of his passing with great devotion, also publishing his biography. Both the daily publication Nepszadadsag and the Duna Television Station in Hungary, as well as the media in Taiwan, have given ample coverage on the missionary.
Almost a century ago, Father Jaschko – known to the Chinese as Fr. Ye (meaning “leaf”) – was born in Kosice in Hungary (today part of Slovakia) and became a Jesuit in 1929. He was sent to mainland China in 1936 along with other Hungarian brothers. Forced to leave the mainland in 1954, he began dedicating his life completely to the mission on the island, although never forgetting the mission on the mainland, and supporting it with his prayer. As soon as he could, he began assisting in the Diocese of Han Dan in the foundation of the Si Gao School for disabled, orphaned, or abandoned children. He never stopped thinking and caring for the evangelization of the mainland, the poorest among Chinese children both on the island and the mainland. In Taiwan, he founded the Saint Joseph Special Education Center and the Catholic Social Welfare Foundation in Hua Kuang, which are highly appreciated by the local people. They often considered him more Taiwanese than Hungarian. He was very disciplined in making every effort to save a cent here and there, because, he said, “every cent counts in a charitable work.” Upon his death, the local mass media spoke of his coherence of life as a missionary in comparison to the activity of so many corrupt politicians who send enormous sums of money to foreign nations.
The religious and children at the Si Gao School, in the Diocese of Han Dan, have felt great sorrow upon the loss of their father and founder. In fact, all the children at the school have adopted the same last name as Fr. Ye, because they are all his children. The religious look after the human, spiritual, physical, and medical well-being of the children. Funeral Masses were held by the 4 priests at the school. Many seminarians, religious, and faithful attended and there were also prayer vigils organized for the repose of his soul. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 25/03/2009)
