Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tai Nan (Agenzia Fides) – With a solemn ecumenical prayer, the procession of the Cross and the Sacred Scriptures, another phase of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Tai Nan, on the island of Taiwan ended a few days ago. According to information gathered by Fides, the faithful of the church of priests, methodists, renewed protestants and other Christian denominations, joined hundreds of faithful in the Diocese of Tai Nan, led by Bishop Bosco Lin Chi Nan, to pray together for unity in Christ. In his speech Bishop Lin called on all Christians to join together to give Christian testimony in society, and pointed out that all Christians are called to promote Christian unity: "In Taiwan, the Christians are few. So we have an even greater responsibility.” The representative of the church of priests stressed the urgent need for unity of Christians quoting St. Paul.
The Diocese of Tai Nan currently has 9,108 faithful, 1 Bishop, 31 diocesan priests and 27 religious men, 6 non-religious priests, 68 religious women, 10 catechists, five deaneries, 30 parishes, 10 mission stations, a semi-public church. In addition, the diocese is very active in the social field following 70 students from the language school, 1,487 students from the professional school, 6,693 students from three junior and secondary schools, 940 elementary school students, 1,436 children in 19 nursery schools, 42 children in the orphanage, 131 elderly of 3 old age pensioners homes, 638 guests of 6 rehabilitation centers for children, 661 boys and girls of 7 colleges. It also has a publishing house, a weekly and 11 monthly magazines. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 04/05/2011)
