Xaverians in Taiwan

Our Presence

We, Xaverian Missionaries, arrived in China in 1899 and left in 1954. We opened a small community in Taiwan in 1966, but closed it a few years later. But with the rebirth of the "China Project" in 1984, we once again set foot in Taiwan to prepare qualified persons with the means necessary to re-launch St. Francis Xavier's dream.

 

Today we are 4 Xaverians living in Mainland China and 4 in Taipei. We work at St. Francis Xavier Parish, involved in full time pastoral activities, including several youth groups, some lead the China Forum meetings, and other collaborates with the Diocesan Youth Office. Our sole and exclusive goal is evangelization of China. We see our presence and ministry in Taipei not as contradictory or parallel, but one that is complementary and convergent on the same objective.

 

Although the present social and political climate of China Mainland prevent us from doing direct missionary service, we are still present in such a way that whether in the schools among the students, in the Center of Fang Shan among the children and coworkers, in cultural exchanges, or in following China in its development, or with the people we encounter everyday, our life bears witness (words and deeds) to Gospel values, attentive to take advantage of all occasions that allow us to gratuitously exchange the gift of faith and joyfully welcome the values which make up the spiritual and cultural heritage of our Chinese brothers and sisters.

 

In the past two years, while continuing to strengthen our commitment to deepen and expand our knowledge of Chinese culture and values, we have continued to develop and nourish friendship and contacts. Furthermore by organizing together with "Centro Internazionale Arte e Cultura di Parma" the visit of a couple of Chinese specialists, we started concretizing the desire we had to make mission a joyful and gratuitous dialogue of values. We can truly say that now we find ourselves present among those who suffer under the present status quo, those who are left out, disenfranchised, alienated and those who find life burdensome.

 

In Taipei, through our work in the St. Francis Xavier Parish and its various groups, and our collaboration with the Diocesan Youth Office, we are involved in direct pastoral and missionary activity. This, together with the China Forum, the Documentation and Research Center, and the Cultural Study Seminars, make us live in such a way that our life becomes a mutual exchange and sharing of gifts: we openly and respectfully share the evangelical values of the Teacher of Nazareth: Jesus the Christ, and receive with joy and gratitude the values and insights of our Chinese brothers and sisters. The differences we encounter everyday (East - West, Catholic - follower of other religious traditions) are not source of tensions but occasions for joyful encounters.  In an attitude of humility, we present and share in simplicity the gift we ourselves have freely received.

 

Today, in Mainland China, "religion, unemployment, and the situation of the farmers" are prohibited subject maters to talk about. On the economic level while the situation is improving, the gap between rich and poor is widening, corruption is still widespread, as are the cases of drug abuse and divorce.

 

In Taiwan, on the other hand, socially speaking, we have seen an increase in youth violence, in the number of suicides (youth and senior citizens) and in school dropouts.

 

We understand that we are not alone in this mission. We strive to enable others to do things by themselves so that they in turn may teach and empower others to do things by themselves. This is how we make visible Gospel values and in so doing we reach the heart of our neighbors and by default all corners of society.  Truly, the best missionaries to the Chinese are the Chinese themselves.

 

We are also trying to break a barrier, oftentimes caused by language or lifestyle, by making our house available to people: students can come to study, others can come to talk or rest, etc. While preserving space for our community life, we make our house a "house for all peoples." We continue dedicating time and energies to be with and work with youth and young adults.

 

 

Service, mission, work, news, and presence of the Xaverian Missionaries in Taiwan