Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tai Pei (Agenzia Fides) – In keeping with the instruction of the Regional Episcopal Conference of Taiwan, the Catholic faithful are participating intensely in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity together with other Taiwanese Christians, in accordance with the Holy See's direction. According to information sent to Fides, all the representatives from the Christian Churches in Taiwan (The National Council of Churches of Taiwan, NCCT), led by Archbishop John Hung Shan Chuan, SVD, of Tai Pei and President of the Regional Episcopal Conference of Taiwan, met in the Methodist church on the evening of 21 January and the morning of 22 January to invoke the unity of Christians through prayer. The following afternoon, in the Catholic church dedicated to the Holy Family, a concert was held dedicated to the theme of unity, entitled “Love and Unity”. The long journey of promoting Christian unity, which began in Taiwan in 1960 with the foundation of the “National Council for Churches in Taiwan” was also traced during the occasion.
This organisation was created in fact on 20 October 1960, during a seminar held at the University of Tai Chung, promoted by the Chinese Christian Churches (Presbyterian, Anglican, evangelical Lutherans and Methodists) in Taiwan. The Catholic Church in Taiwan became a member of the Council in 1967, after the Orthodox Taiwanese. The current President is Archbishop John Hung; the Secretary is Catholic priest, Father Otfried Chen Ke, who is the General Secretary of the Regional Episcopal Conference of Taiwan. The goal of the Council is to promote friendship and collaboration among the Christian Churches, to actively participate in charitable and social Christian works and to recognise and respond to today's needs, committing to evangelisation to bring about Christian unity. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 24/01/2011)
