L'ultimo regalo di Natale del card. Shan ai bambini di Taiwan
Dec 19, 2009
Volume autobiografico del vescovo emerito di Kaohsiung, malato di cancro. Si intitola “Seminare per chi ama: storia di Shan Kuo-hsi”. Il ricavato della vendita verrà destinato alla costruzione di un orfanotrofio dedicato alla cura dei bambini delle popolazioni indigene delle contee di Kaohsiung e Pingtung
Taipei (AsiaNews) – Il card. Paul Shan Kuo-hsi , vescovo emerito di Kaohsiung, ha pubblicato il 14 dicembre una “versione per l’infanzia” della sua autobiografia per condividere con tutti i bambini la sua perseveranza nel combattere il cancro ed il suo amore per la vita.
Intitolato “Seminare per chi ama: storia di Shan Kuo-hsi”, il nuovo libro è stato lanciato a Kaohsiung ed è dedicato a tutti i bambini come “ultimo regalo di Natale” del cardinale.
I fondi raccolti con la vendita del libro saranno devoluti ad un fondo per l’educazione dei bambini orfani e bisognosi che vivono nelle zone montuose nella regione meridionale di Taiwan.
Leo Hsiao, segretario del porporato, spiega ad AsiaNews:“Il card. Shan desidera costruire un orfanotrofio all’interno del complesso del Catholics’ Mount Beatitude di Kaohsiung, i cui i lavori sono già in corso, dedicato alla formazione ed alla cura dei bambini orfani delle popolazioni indigene delle contee di Kaohsiung e Pingtung”.
“Il cardinale Shan sta bene. Affronta ogni giorno come il suo ultimo giorno e sta lavorando con forza per diffondere la Buona novella e la gioia di vivere” aggiunge Hsiao.
Il libro è stato stampato in 30mila copie e verrà distribuito a Taiwan prima di Natale al prezzo di 180 dollari taiwanesi, circa 4 euro.
“Il cardinale - dice Hsiao - spera che il libro possa essere un regalo di Natale per tutti i bambini del Paese a testimonianza della sua gioia e del suo gusto per la vita”. Il volume è semplice nel linguaggio e contiene alcune foto ed illustrazioni.
Il libro è basato sull’autobiografia del cardinale. Come spiegato dalla Chou Ta-kuan Foundation, che ha sostenuto i costi di stampa del volume ed in precedenza premiato il cardinale per la sua testimonianza di amore alla vita, il prelato ha selezionato alcuni suoi articoli e interventi, poi editati da alcuni scrittori.
Il libro è costituito da 10 capitoli in cui il card. Shan racconta la sua vita di ragazzo, la sua educazione, e poi la sua vita da sacerdote e da primo cardinale di Taiwan.
In una sua lettera a tutti i bambini, contenuta nel volume, il card. Shan scrive: “Nel giardino ogni persona è unica. Ogni persona è preziosa. La vita di ogni persona è un giardino”. “ Se Gesù, Buddha o altri non piantano i semi di bontà, pace e amore, non c’è armonia e pace nel giardino della vita”.
El cardenal Shan recibe el premio presidencial por la paz de Taiwán
Sept 20, 2009
TAIPEI, viernes 18 de septiembre de 2009 (ZENIT.org).- El cardenal Paul Shan ha recibido el premio presidencial por la paz de Taiwán por su contribución a la paz y a la armonía étnica, anunció este lunes la Asociación Nacional Cultural del país.
A los 85 años de edad y afectado por un grave cáncer de páncreas, el obispo emérito de Kaohsiung y antiguo presidente de la Conferencia Episcopal Regional China de Taiwán, se ha dedicado últimamente a animar a los demás a afrontar la vida con valor, a través de una gira por las diócesis de Taiwán.
Recientemente, ha visitado a las víctimas del tifón Morako, que el pasado mes de agosto provocó más de 500 muertos y cuantiosos daños materiales.
El cardenal ha afirmado sentirse muy honrado por haber recibido este premio, según informó el diario Taipei Times.
Entre los ganadores de los premios presidenciales de cultura de este año se encuentra también la ONG Good Shepherd Social Welfare Service, de las hermanas del Buen Pastor, dedicada al cuidado de adolescentes maltratadas o prostitutas.
El presidente de Taiwán, Ma Ying-jeou, entregará los premios en una ceremonia que tendrá lugar el próximo 1 de noviembre en la ciudad de Wufeng (Taichung). Los ganadores recibirán un certificado y un regalo de casi 21.000 euros.
Dalai Lama Meets With Taiwan’s Catholic Cardinal Shan
Sept 13, 2009
Sept. 2 (Bloomberg) -- The Dalai Lama drew more than 1,000 people to an arena in southern Taiwan today to witness his meeting with Catholic Cardinal Shan Kuo-his as part of his five- day visit to comfort survivors of Typhoon Morakot.
The two religious leaders received a standing ovation from the crowd at the Hanshin Arena in the city of Kaohsiung where they held a public dialogue for about 2 hours. The Dalai Lama said a short prayer in Tibetan, after which a Christian choir sang a hymn in Mandarin and the cardinal said a prayer.
“It’s great that two religions can get together,” said Medusa Kuo, 33, an insurance broker who left her Tainan home at 5:30 a.m. today to see the Dalai Lama. “Both have the goal of giving peace to people.”
The Tibetan spiritual leader was invited by politicians from the opposition Democratic Progressive Party for prayers and blessings after the storm killed 609 people last month. While the Dalai Lama says he has no “political agenda,” the trip risks straining ties between Taiwan and China, which accuses him of separatist activities.
“Various major traditions I think still have a great important role on this planet,” the Dalai Lama said today, when asked to compare Buddhism and Christianity. “We can’t buy peace of mind at the supermarket.”
He hugged and thanked his interpreter at the end of the session and left the arena hall surrounded by police and security guards.
Nobel Prize
After the meeting, the Nobel Peace Prize winner left Kaoshiung for Taipei where he will stay until he leaves on Sept. 4. The Dalai Lama will meet with more than 500 Tibetans at the Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei on Sept. 3, Dawa Tsering, chairman of the Dalai Lama Foundation, said today.
More than 200 police surrounded the downtown Taipei hotel where the Dalai Lama is staying as pro-unification protestors waved banners and chanted, “Taiwan and Tibet belong to China,” according to a broadcast on TVBS news station.
The visit may hurt efforts by President Ma Ying-jeou to further strengthen ties with China, the island’s biggest trading partner. Ma agreed to the visit as his popularity slumped amid criticism his government responded too slowly to the devastation caused by Morakot.
China reiterated its “resolute opposition” to the Dalai Lama’s visit to Taiwan, saying it is “bound to have a negative influence” on cross-strait relations, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said Aug. 31.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet after a failed rebellion against Chinese forces in 1959. He accuses the government in Beijing of committing “cultural genocide” there and says mass migration of ethnic Han Chinese has made Tibetans a minority in their own land. China says it peacefully liberated Tibet and saved its people from serfdom.
Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang, or Nationalists, fled to the island after being defeated by Mao Zedong’s Communists in 1949. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to reclaim it.
Taiwan cardinal, Dalai Lama in wide range discussions
Sept 03, 2009
The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, met with Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, retired bishop of Kaohsiung, during a visit to Taiwan, urging political and social leaders to carry out their activities with honesty, sincerity and transparency.
Taiwan cardinal, Dalai Lama in wide range discussions
The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, met with Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, retired bishop of Kaohsiung, during a visit to Taiwan, urging political and social leaders to carry out their activities with honesty, sincerity and transparency.
By NCR Staff
Sep. 02, 2009
The Dalai Lama drew more than 1,000 people to an arena in southern Taiwan today to witness his meeting with Catholic Cardinal Shan Kuo-his as part of his five- day visit to comfort survivors of Typhoon Morakot.
The two religious leaders received a standing ovation from the crowd at the Hanshin Arena in the city of Kaohsiung where they held a public dialogue for about 2 hours.
The Dalai Lama said a short prayer in Tibetan, after which a Christian choir sang a hymn in Mandarin and the cardinal said a prayer.
Flanked by police and protected by a submachine gun totting SWAT team, the 76-year-old Dalai Lama and the 86-year old Catholic cardinal entered the auditorium together accompanied by opposition Democratic Progressive Party Mayor Chen Chu, who was instrumental in inviting the Dalai Lama to Taiwan for a “humanitarian and religious journey” to pray for victims and survivors of a recent typhoon.
According to wire services, the Dalai Lama began the dialogue by chanting a Tibetan sutra, while the cardinal issued a prayer for God for salvation for the victims of Typhoon Morakot, which last month left 461 people dead and 192 others missing.
During their discussions the two leaders ranged over the differences between Buddhism and Catholicism and the need for inter-religious dialogue, respect and cooperation. They also discussed the challenge faced by humanity by global warming, inadequate education and the lack of ethics and morality in society.
Shan warned that the incidence of powerful typhoons and floods will rise as temperatures rise and said that humanity needs to improve preparations and preventions for survival. He urged the Taiwan government to formulate comprehensive plans for water and soil conservation, promote ecological recovery and resettle village in danger areas through dialogue and careful design and refrain from simply rebuilding bridges and structures in their original locations.
In his briefest remark in his public discussions, the Dalai Lama stated, in Chinese, “I agree entirely.”
Asked for advice on how to heal Taiwan’s own deep social divisions, the Dalai Lama said that influential people in society, including religious, business, political, government and judicial leaders, should carry out their work with honesty, sincerity and transparency and ordinary people should be truthful and honest with their neighbors to foster trust.
During the luncheon, the Dalai Lama contributed $50,000 for Typhoon Morakot disaster relief
Emouvant témoignage de foi du Card. Paul Shan
Apr 29, 2008
Cité du Vatican, le 29 avril 2008 - E.S.M. - Emouvant témoignage de foi du Card. Paul Shan à travers le « Dialogue qui ne se couche jamais- voyage d’adieu à la vie (terrestre) ».
ASIE/TAIWAN - Emouvant témoignage de foi du Card. Paul Shan à travers le « Dialogue qui ne se couche jamais- voyage d’adieu à la vie (terrestre) »
« Je suis comme un kangourou du Seigneur, qui court partout… La tumeur est mon second ange gardien, qui me rappelle que je dois considérer la valeur de chaque minute restante pour terminer ‘ma course’, comme dit Saint Paul, ‘J’ai combattu le bon combat, j’ai terminé ma course, j’ai conservé la foi’ ». Ce sont quelques-unes des expressions du Card. Paul Shan, Evêque émérite de Kaohsiung, dans le discours intitulé « Dialogue qui ne se couche jamais- voyage d’adieu à la vie (terrestre) du Card. Paul Shan ». Cet itinéraire de rencontres que le Cardinal poursuit depuis mai 2007 a un seul objectif : « présenter ma foi et ma vie en semant la semence de l’Amour ».
Le Card. Shan a eu l’idée de cette initiative quand il a été informé de sa maladie : une tumeur. Tout de suite après il a voulu utiliser le temps qui lui restait pour « annoncer aux non chrétiens mes 60 années de vie comme jésuite, notre foi catholique qui est simple, qui est Amour » confirme le Cardinal à l’agence Ucan lors d’une interview récente. Le fait qu’une personne âgée de 85 ans, avec une tumeur au poumon de presque 2 ans, réussisse à supporter les fatigues d’un discours de plus de 3 heures, affrontant des voyages fatigants, a étonné plus de 100 spécialistes de la tumeur. La réponse du Card. Shan les a davantage étonnés : il a en effet dit aux médecins pouvoir affronter tout cela « grâce à une médecine à laquelle vous n’avez pas donné d’importance : ma foi ». Cinquième cardinal chinois et premier de l’Eglise régionale de Taiwan, le Card. Shan vit avec un maximum de conscience sa mission d’apporter l’Evangile au monde chinois qui « veut entendre et veut savoir ». « Le temps étant limité, j’ai choisi trois catégories prioritaires auxquelles m’adresser -a déclaré le Cardinal: universitaires ou intellectuels, prisonniers, religieux, sans distinction de foi ni de race, il y a en effet de nombreux protestants, bouddhistes, taoïstes… ». A ce jour le Card. Shan a prononcé au moins 50 discours dans 14 universités, 8 prisons, et auprès de nombreuses organisations de 7 diocèses éparpillés dans toute l’île de Taiwan. Et la télévision, la radio, des revues et des journaux ont rapporté son discours.
Le Card. Shan est né il y a 85 ans (le 3 décembre 1923) à Puyang, dans la province de He Nan, sur le continent. A l’âge de 25 ans il entre chez les jésuites. Il est ordonné prêtre le 18 mars 1955. Le 15 novembre 1979 il est élu Evêque de Hwalien. Le 14 février 1980 il reçoit l’ordination épiscopale et prend possession du diocèse. Il assume d’importantes charges au sein de la Conférence épiscopale régionale chinoise. Le 4 mars 1991 il est nommé Evêque de Kaohsiung. Il assume de nombreuses charges pour le Saint-Siège et pour la Fédération de la Conférence épiscopale de l’Asie (FABC). Il est créé Cardinal par Jean-Paul II au Consistoire du 21 février 1998.
Cardinal Shan Says His Illness Reveals New Horizons For Evangelization
Apr 25, 2008
Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, suffering from lung cancer since mid-2006, says the "blessing" of his illness has opened many doors and enabled him to explain the Catholic faith to non-Christians "much more than I did in 60 years as a Jesuit."
ROME (UCAN, April 25, 2008) -- "It is a blessing," the former president of Taiwan's episcopal conference recently told UCA News in Rome, "because after the diagnosis of the illness, I said a prayer and then calmed down and thought: this is the special will of God for me; he wants to give me a final task for the last part of my life."
He soon learned what that is: "God wants me to give talks to people about the Christian faith, because many people are surprised that I am not afraid of death, and facing death I am still so calm. So they want to listen to me."
Since May 2007, he has given "more than 50 talks, each to an audience of more than 1,000 people." He has spoken in 14 universities, eight prisons, seven dioceses and many organizations across Taiwan. "Sometimes my talks are carried live on TV or radio, and reported by secular newspapers and magazines," he said.
During the last year, "I have explained our Catholic faith to non-Christians much more than I did in 60 years as a Jesuit because before my sickness I couldn't talk directly to the people about my faith as I didn't know whether they would listen or not," he pointed out. Now, he gets invited by the people themselves because "they want to listen, they want to know."
On Feb. 5, for example, more than 100 lung-cancer specialists invited him "because they were surprised I could live so long." He recalled that when "they asked, 'what means besides medicine do you use?' I replied, 'one that you haven't paid attention to - my faith!'"
He had a simple message during that three-hour discussion, he added. "My faith, Christianity, is very simple. Just one word, love, because God is love and the nature of God is immense love," he recalled telling them. He also explained that he is "not afraid of death, because I know that after death I will enjoy the eternal life of God, which is a life of immense love."
Nowadays, the cardinal explains "the essential points of our faith" to audiences of people who are 97 percent non-Christians, given that Catholics and Protestants account for only 3 percent of Taiwan's population. Many of them, he said, are hearing about the Christian faith for the first time.
Invitations keep arriving, he said, but "the shortage of time and the condition of my health" compel him to give priority to three categories: intellectuals like university scholars and doctors, imprisoned criminals, and religious groups, including Protestants, Buddhists, Taoists, and Catholics.
Cardinal Shan, now 84, was born in Puyang in northeastern Henan province. When he was 25, he left mainland China to join the Jesuits and study for the priesthood, just before the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong came to power in 1949. Since then, he was allowed to return once in 1979. Now in the evening of his life, he wishes to revisit the mainland, but this is still not possible.
Vatican officials have noted that while Beijing welcomes cardinals visiting from Belgium, France, Scotland, USA and Vietnam, it shows no such readiness to allow the world's two Chinese cardinals, Paul Shan Kuo-hsi and Hong Kong's Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, a Shanghai native, to visit the land of their birth.
Cardinal Shan, in Rome in March to attend a meeting of the Commission for the Church in China set up by Pope Benedict, expressed optimism about the future of the Church in the mainland, "because we are in the hands of God, and from history we know that no dictatorial regime will last forever."
"If we compare the actual government of Beijing (today) with the government of Mao Zedong or Deng Xiaoping, there is a big change, a big change," he said.
As for persecutions and trials over the years, he believes "God uses them to purify us." Despite everything, he concluded, "the number of Catholics has increased almost five times in over 50 years -- and that's a miracle!"
Cardinal's lecture tour shares insights on life and beliefs
Dec 21, 2007
In November, Cardinal Shan Kuo-hsi, of the Roman Catholic Church embarked on a lecture tour around Taiwan titled "Farewell to Life."
(Taiwan Journal, 12/21/2007) Shan was born in Hebei Province, China, in 1923 and joined the Society of Jesus in 1946, being ordained a priest in the Philippines in 1955. Shan served as the bishop of Hualien from 1979 to 1991 and the bishop of Kaohsiung between 1991 and 2006. The late Pope John Paul II elevated him to cardinal status in 1998. He was diagnosed with cancer in August 2006. A few days after the cardinal's 84th birthday, Taiwan Journal staff writer June Tsai interviewed Shan Dec. 5 about his life, belief, concerns and plans for the future. This interview has been edited for length and style.
TJ: How did you first become a man of God?
Shan: Both of my parents were Catholics, so I was baptized when I was very young. Yet, the story of how I truly became a man of God is a long one. When I was a young student, a neighbor died after suffering for three days because there was no doctor in my village. The sound of his cries made me think of becoming a doctor, so I could help save lives.
During my high-school years, northern China was gripped by the worst drought in more than 100 years. The Sino-Japanese War [1937-1945] was also waging in China, with the Kuomintang, the Communists and the Japanese commanding different areas. This blocked the flow of goods, and a large number of people died of hunger. At that time, my wish was to become an engineer to help manage the flooding of the Yellow River that was one of the causes of the constant famine in northern China. Yet such a project was not possible without a well-functioning government.
By the time I needed to decide what to study at university, it was impossible to fulfill both those wishes because there were no related departments in the two universities in northern China. I then thought of becoming a priest, since I had been inspired by the example of my principal at elementary school, Gaspar Lischerong, who was a Hungarian Jesuit priest. I saw him defending refugees in the church, literally with his own body, against Japanese soldiers. Moved by his selflessness, a Japanese official even ordered his men to stand guard outside the church to protect those inside from being harassed by other Japanese troops.
I thought if I became a priest, I could still fulfill my wishes by encouraging people to pursue medical or engineering careers to save lives. I therefore decided to go to Beijing and join the Society of Jesus. After studying in Beijing for two years, and before the Communists came to power in 1949, the church sent me abroad to study for the priesthood. I spent 14 years studying and teaching in different countries, finally ending up in Vietnam in 1961. The Jesuit society had just started doing missionary work in Vietnam, and my job was to train missionaries.
How was the Roman Catholic Church in Taiwan when you arrived on the island?
Shan: I came to Taiwan later than my other colleagues, in 1963. Most of the Jesuits in Taiwan came directly from China after 1949. Prior to that date, there were only several Dominican missionaries and less than 10,000 converts. There are now about 300,000. Having been expelled from China, young Chinese priests, like myself, came to Taiwan. When I arrived, missionary work in Taiwan was very active in comparison to Taiwan under the Japanese.
In those days, there were many of us, all young and full of spirit. Catholic churches, schools, clinics and youth centers sprung up almost overnight. So far, we have built 49 Catholic schools in Taiwan, including three universities. No other religious group in Taiwan has set up so many educational institutions. During those peak years, more than 30 hospitals were established, offering free medical services, and there was a twentyfold increase in the amount of converts. In recent decades, however, due to rapid economic development and a change in values, people seem to have lost interest in religion, and the number of converts has stopped growing.
It is estimated that 60 percent of Taiwan's aborigines are Christians, while less than 3 percent of Han Taiwanese are. Why is this so?
Shan: The aborigines have their beliefs, though they are not particularly structured. They did not want to adopt religions held sacred by the Han Chinese, who had driven their ancestors to remote mountainous areas. In addition, Western religious groups offered relief during times of scarcity. Those are some of the many reasons that Taiwan's aborigines converted to Christianity.
Would you say today's society in Taiwan is atheist?
Shan: There is a medley of different beliefs in society today. In terms of the Buddhist faith, many believers accept folk traditions and Taoist beliefs. This is true for followers of Taoism as well. Religious belief in Taiwan has a very practical purpose, which may have something to do with the agricultural society from which it developed. People can pray to different deities for many different purposes, to ensure a good harvest, to bring more wealth, for example. Even thieves have an appropriate deity to pray to. You cannot really call people atheists, yet their lives are distinctly materialistic.
Is this the greatest difficulty you face when preaching in Taiwan?
Shan: Exactly. Globalization has helped the spread of a single value, which I call "practical atheism." This leads to a life without God, with ordinary people seeking only material gains. All the world's religions face the same challenge.
What can the church do to counter this tendency?
Shan: It can set a good example by conducting itself in daily life according to Christian values.
The Mount of Beatitudes Social Welfare Park in Kaohsiung that you initiated began construction last year. Are you going to realize your childhood dream through this project?
Shan: When I became the bishop of Kaohsiung in 1991, I thought of how to serve people in southern Taiwan. After one year of observation, I realized that young people in Kaohsiung and Pingtung Counties were leaving old people behind to seek work in the cities. One part of this project, therefore, offers care and a place for the elderly to live.
The second part of the project includes a halfway home for children. A high divorce rate, domestic violence and a growing number of unmarried mothers have all given rise to children without parental care. The park will also include a life-education center, which will teach people to treasure their lives. Normal school education seldom deals with the reality of young people committing suicide.
How do you view life after having been diagnosed with cancer?
Shan: I was shocked at first and asked "Why me?," as I do not drink alcohol or smoke. After half an hour of praying, I became peaceful and asked instead, "Why not me?" I do not have any special privilege that prevents me from becoming afflicted. I am almost 85 now and many people do not even live to this age.
I regard this disease as a gift from God, reminding me to make good use of the remaining days of my life. I set out on my tour of Taiwan because I felt like sharing my experience with all those people who had also contracted incurable diseases, hoping to help them live with dignity and even gratification.
When my doctors saw me on television or in the newspapers, they told me to rest more. I replied that a year ago, they had told me I only had four and a half months to live. I told them I could use all that extra time any way I wanted, and that their powers of healing must be excellent to have given me more time to live. They laughed. I calmed them down by explaining that I would rest in the future. After all, it's a blessing to still be able to do something.
Cancer Is My "Angel," Says Cardinal
Dec 07, 2007
Taiwanese Prelate Spreads Message of Courage.
HONG KONG, DEC. 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- After being diagnosed with lung cancer last year, Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi didn't wait to die, but rather got up to inspire others to face life with courage.
The Jesuit cardinal, who is the retired bishop of Kaohsiung and former president of the Chinese regional episcopal conference in Taiwan, began his "Farewell to My Life" tour in October.
His first visit was to Hsinchu, located on the northwestern coast of Taiwan, and since then has visited the six other dioceses of the island.
"I treated the cancer as my 'little angel,'" the cardinal told ZENIT in a telephone interview. "It guides me to tell people that we should have the courage to face the challenges at our life."
The tour came to completion Wednesday when the prelate visited Fu Jen Catholic University in Taipei. The university offered him an award to honor his love for life.
Cardinal Shan Kuo-hsi turned 84 on Sunday.
The Chinese cardinal said he was "very happy to be a witness of the Gospel" at the last stage of his life.
A contribution
The cardinal said he had visited a drug abuse center in Taitung and met 300 inmates there Nov. 22. He told them, "The cancer let me know that as I am entering the last stage of my life, I should try my best to contribute the society."
He prayed for the inmates and appealed that people should use "love" to settle the problems in their daily life.
Cardinal Shan Kuo-hsi was diagnosed with lung cancer in July 2006. He shared with those he met on the tour that he was shocked with the diagnosis, and with the prospect of only having a life expectancy of 4 to 5 months.
"At first I asked the Lord, 'Why me?' When I calmed down, I recognized that it is the will of the Lord," the cardinal said. "He wanted me to help the others by sharing my personal experience with them.
"And now, I will confirm that 'Why it is not me?' A cardinal does not have a privilege to stay healthy forever!"
He said that after his death, his body will be turned into fertilizer for the land of Taiwan, but his soul will be returned to the Lord.
The Chinese cardinal also praised the heroic example of the late Pope John Paul II, who tried his best to live out the last minutes of his life with dignity.
Cardinal Shan Kuo-hsi is a native of Hebei province, northern China. He left mainland China after he joined the Jesuits in 1946. He was ordained priest in the Philippines in 1955.
He was named bishop of Hualien, Taiwan, in 1979, and bishop of Kaohsiung in 1991. He was elevated to cardinal in 1998, and retired in January 2006.
Cardenal dispuesto a mediar en impasse entre partidos políticos
Sept 12, 2006
El cardenal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi expresó, el jueves 24, su buena disposición de actuar como mediador entre los líderes de los diferentes partidos políticos para que logren sostener un diálogo tendiente a promover la armonía social.
Taipei, agosto 24 (CNA) "Me gustaría servir como mediador si los líderes del partido gubernamental y los partidos de oposición tuvieran la intención de sostener un diálogo", manifestó Shan en el curso de una entrevista sostenida con la prensa local. "Sin embargo, me parece que 'ellos dos' -- refiriéndose al presidente Chen Shui-bian y al jefe del principal partido de oposición Kuomintang (KMT), Ma Ying-jeou, son 'lo suficientemente sensato' como para sostener un diálogo constructivo que pueda contribuir a la armonía de la sociedad de Taiwan", añadió el Cardenal.
Chen y Ma sostuvieron un diálogo inusual a principios de abril pasado; sin embargo, no colmaron las expectativas del pueblo, ya que no alcanzaron ningún consenso respecto a los diversos temas de mutuo interés. Desde entonces, el presidente Chen ha estado ocupado elaborando medidas tendientes a "controlar los daños" causados por una serie de sospechosos casos de corrupción implicando a varios miembros de su familia y a sus propios confidentes.
Shan, a quien se le ha diagnosticado recientemente un cáncer pulmonar, dijo estar preocupado por un posible brote de conflictos entre las fuerzas buscando destituir a Chen y los radicales buscando defender al "Presidente de Taiwan" después de que Shih Ming-teh, ex presidente del gobernante Partido Democrático Progresista (PDP), inició una campaña encaminada a buscar destituir a Chen.
Ma ha expresado su apoyo a tal campaña, estimulando a los miembros de su partido a participar en la venidera protesta de sentadas pasivas para forzar al presidente Chen a dejar su cargo, mientras que el PDP ha lanzado una campaña nacional para recuperar los activos "mal obtenidos" por el KMT, provocando así una mayor agitación en la tensa sociedad.
Asimismo, Shan dijo que respetaba al maestro Hsing Yun, un líder budista, por emitir una declaración escrita urgiendo al presidente Chen a dimitir voluntariamente de su cargo tanto para prevenir una posible agitación social como para "mantener su dignidad con un decente líder nacional".
Sin embargo, Shan recalcó que no se meterá en la política. "Los asuntos políticos deben ser dejados en manos de las figuras políticas", dijo, urgiéndoles a mostrarse moderadas para evitar crear las divisiones "étnicas y políticas".
Cardinal Shan diagnosed with lung cancer, asks for prayers
Aug 27, 2006
Jesuit Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi has been diagnosed with lung cancer following tests during a medical checkup.
TAIPEI (UCAN, August 18,2006) -- The Taipei-based Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference in Taiwan made this news public on Aug. 17 through a press release signed by Father John Chen Kun-chen, its secretary general.
According to the press release, Cardinal Shan, 82, has been diagnosed with lung cancer after tests showed a small tumor in one of his lungs. However, the press release pointed out that the tumor has not spread.
The cardinal has accepted the fact calmly with a religious spirit and will cooperate with his doctor for treatment, it stated. "He does not wish to disturb others, but only asks all of us to pray for him so that he can fully carry out God's will," the release added.
In January Pope Benedict XVI accepted Cardinal Shan's resignation as bishop of Kaohsiung, a diocese based about 300 kilometers southwest of Taipei. When the prelate resigned last November as president of the bishops' conference in Taiwan, he had held that office for 18 years. The late pope John Paul II made him a cardinal in 1998.
Father Chen told UCA News Aug. 17 that Cardinal Shan went to Taipei for a medical checkup in mid-July to look into his irregular breathing. Lung cancer at an early stage was confirmed after a biopsy was conducted, he said. Describing the cardinal as "a person who relies on God," he called the prelate's health satisfactory.
According to Father Chen, the cardinal will remain in Kaohsiung for the time being but will travel to Taipei for medical treatment as necessary.
Bishop Peter Liu Chen-chung, who was coadjutor bishop of Kaohsiung for 19 months before succeeding Cardinal Shan as head of the diocese, said he was "a bit surprised" to hear of the diagnosis, as nothing unusual was discovered when the cardinal went for his annual checkups in previous years.
"The cardinal has been healthy, and he has traveled unaccompanied frequently," Bishop Liu told UCA News Aug. 17.
The bishop said Cardinal Shan "asked us not to pray to God for a miracle, but to ask God to strengthen him to accept the time God gives."
Cardinal Shan, a native of Puyang in Hebei province, northern China, joined the Jesuit society in 1946 and then left the mainland for his study for the priesthood. He was ordained a priest in the Philippines in 1955.
Pope John Paul appointed him bishop of Hualien in 1979 and bishop of Kaohsiung in 1991.
The cardinal was present for the late pope's funeral in April 2005 but did not take part in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict because he was past the age of 80, when cardinals no longer have the right to vote for a new pope.
Taiwan cardinal to interreligious congress: Mutual respect can overcome tensions
May 09, 2006
Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi said unity and mutual respect among religions can resolve the political tensions in the world today.
(www.ucanews.com, 4/17/2006) TASHU, Taiwan (UCAN) – The cardinal, retired bishop of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, was addressing more than 700 religious representatives from 19 countries and regions attending the 32nd world congress of the International Association of Religious Freedom.
"Dignity in Diversity" was the theme of the congress, which was held March 26-30 at Fo Guang Shan (Buddha's light mountain), a center Buddhists run in Tashu, southern Taiwan, 280 kilometers southwest of Taipei.
Cardinal Shan told participants that the dignity of religions is based on the moral consciousness and inner belief of their followers. Although religions differ in many ways in terms of faith, rites and structures, he said, the core values are the same.
The guiding principle for interreligious dialogue is mutual understanding and mutual respect, he pointed out, adding that the people involved have the responsibility to express the faith and belief of their respective religions.
All religions should unite in order to gather strength to conquer evil, to resolve the political tensions prevalent in the world today and to promote fraternal love among all people, the cardinal said.
Besides Cardinal Shan, a priest from Tainan diocese, Kaohsiung's northern neighbor, also represented the local Catholic Church and briefed the congress on the contemporary development of religions in Taiwan.
In another speech, Buddhist Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan International Buddhist Order, identified four points that he said are essential in making peace among religions.
The first calls for relinquishing exclusivity and respecting others to promote tolerance. The second calls for an end to infighting so believers can unite. The third calls for an end to insisting on the primacy of one's view, seeing selflessness as the only path to harmony. The fourth calls for an end to oppositional stances, saying that only compassion finds peace.
The congress began with a prayer service using the religious traditions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Shinto.
Deliberations at the congress revolved around three topics -- religion and family life; religion and civic engagement; religion and peace making.
The congress also included opportunities to experience different forms of worship and practice, group discussions, sharing and cultural performances.
Participants chose Reverend Abhi Janamanchi of the Unitarian Universalist Association in the United States to succeed Ellen Campbell of the Canadian Unitarian Council as president of the association.
Founded in 1900, the International Association of Religious Freedom claims to be the world's oldest interfaith organization. It is a registered charity based in Great Britain with a stated goal of working for freedom of religion and belief at a global level.
It has over 90 affiliated member groups in approximately 25 countries, representing a range of religious traditions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Shinto and Sikhism. Its last world congress was held in Hungary in 2002.
Le card. Shan décoré par le président de la République
Mar 29, 2006
Le cardinal Shan a reçu une décoration des mains du président de la République pour sa contribution à la promotion des relations entre l’Eglise et l’Etat, indique « Eglises d’Asie », l’agence des Missions étrangères de Paris (EDA 436, eglasie.mepasie.org).
ROME, Mardi 14 mars 2006 (ZENIT.org) – Recevant une décoration des mains du président de la République, le cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, qui a assumé la présidence de la Conférence régionale des évêques catholiques de Taiwan pendant dix-huit ans, a tenu à remercier tous les prêtres catholiques, les religieuses et les fidèles de Taiwan pour tout ce qu’ils avaient fait pour la société taiwanaise. Le 16 février dernier, le président Chen Shui-bian a décoré le cardinal Shan, jésuite âgé de 82 ans, de l’Ordre de l’Etoile brillante (première classe), en reconnaissance pour sa contribution à la promotion des relations entre Taiwan et le Saint-Siège. Le président Chen a remis la médaille et le ruban au cardinal au cours d’une cérémonie qui s’est déroulée dans le bureau présidentiel. Le cardinal Shan a remercié le président pour cette distinction, déclarant : « Je ne suis qu’un prêtre ordinaire qui a travaillé à Taiwan pendant quarante ans pour aider les gens dans le besoin, poussé par l’esprit de service et de sacrifice du Christ Jésus. »
Le président pensait honorer le cardinal en mai dernier, mais celui-ci avait demandé d’attendre sa démission en tant qu’évêque de Kaohsiung. Quand le pape Benoît XVI l’a acceptée en janvier 2006, c’est son coadjuteur, Mgr Peter Liu Chen-chung, qui a été désigné pour prendre sa succession. En novembre 2005, le cardinal avait déjà démissionné de sa charge de président de la Conférence régionale des évêques catholiques de Taiwan. Pendant la cérémonie, il a aussi déclaré : « Je représente les évêques catholiques, les prêtres, les religieuses et les fidèles de Taiwan. Cette médaille n’est pas seulement pour moi mais pour eux et pour tout ce qu’ils ont fait, tous, pour promouvoir les valeurs morales, l’éducation, la culture, la charité et les services sociaux, comme aussi leur contribution au développement des relations avec le Saint-Siège. »
Parlant des relations avec Rome, le cardinal Shan a reconnu n’avoir joué qu’un humble rôle de passerelle. L’essentiel des activités diplomatiques du Saint-Siège, a-t-il expliqué, n’est pas lié aux affaires profanes, mais « à la sauvegarde des valeurs universelles et éternelles, telles la liberté religieuse, les droits fondamentaux de l’homme, la justice sociale et la paix dans le monde », affirmant en même temps que les efforts du gouvernement taiwanais tendaient vers le même but. Il a aussi loué Taiwan pour l’aide apportée aux victimes des catastrophes naturelles ou humaines dans le monde, même si l’île n’est pas présente aux Nations Unies. « Le Vatican apprécie la liberté religieuse et la générosité du pays, a-t-il assuré. Ce qui est l’élément essentiel pour une amitié et des relations diplomatiques fortes entre Taiwan et le Saint-Siège. »
Le cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, ancien secrétaire pour les relations avec les Etats à la Secrétairerie d’Etat, au Vatican, a lui aussi reçu l’Ordre de l’Etoile brillante (grand cordon), lors d’une visite à Taiwan, en novembre 2005 (1). Auparavant, en novembre 2001, le président Chen avait conféré à Mgr Stanislaus Lo Kuang, ancien président de la Conférence régionale des évêques catholiques de Taiwan et président de l’université catholique Fu Jen, l’Orde de l’Etoile brillante (deuxième classe).
En Europe, le Vatican est le seul pays à maintenir des relations diplomatiques avec Taiwan. Tous les autres Etats européens entretiennent des relations diplomatiques avec la Chine populaire.
(1) On sait que les relations diplomatiques entre Taiwan et le Saint-Siège et la normalisation des relations entre le Saint-Siège et la Chine sont liées. Sur ce sujet, voir EDA 302, 303, 305, 340, 370, 391, 417, 430 et EDA 345 (Cahier de documents : « Les réactions des catholiques de Taiwan a une éventuelle normalisation des relations entre la Chine et le Saint-Siège »)
Il cardinale Shan insignito per contributo a buoni rapporti tra stato e Chiesa nel paese
Feb 24, 2006
Il cardinale Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, vescovo emerito di Kaohsiung ed ex presidente della Conferenza episcopale regionale cinese di Taiwan è stato insignito della Medaglia dell’Ordine della Stella Brillante in riconoscimento del suo contributo alla promozione dei rapporti tra Stato e Chiesa nell’isola.
(Radio Vaticana, 23/02/2006) TAIPEI, 22 feb – L’alta onorificenza viene attribuita ogni anno dalla Repubblica di Taiwan ai servitori dello Stato, ma anche a personalità straniere distintesi per i servigi resi al Paese. La medaglia è stata conferita nei giorni scorsi dal Presidente della Repubblica di Taiwan Chen Shui-bian. Alla cerimonia l’anziano cardinale ha voluto sottolineare come essa sia un riconoscimento dell’opera di tutta la Chiesa a Taiwan: “Rappresento i vescovi cattolici, i sacerdoti i religiosi, le suore e i laici di Taiwan – ha detto -. La medaglia non è solo per me, ma per la loro opera di promozione dei valori morali, dell’educazione, della cultura della carità e dei servizi sanitari, come anche per il loro contribuito ai buoni rapporti tra Taiwan e la Santa Sede”. A questo proposito il cardinale ha sottolineato come il “Vaticano apprezzi la libertà religiosa garantita nel Paese e i suoi generosi aiuti umanitari”. “Questi elementi – ha detto – sono alla base della forte amicizia e dei rapporti diplomatici tra Santa Sede e Taiwan”.
Prima del cardinale Shan altri due uomini di Chiesa sono stati insigniti della Medaglia dell’Ordine della Stella Brillante a Taiwan: lo scomparso arcivescovo Stanislao Lo Kuang, ex presidente della Conferenza episcopale regionale cinese, e il cardinale Jean-Louis Tauran, ex segretario per i Rapporti con gli Stati della Segreteria di Stato.
Card. Paul Shan Kuo-hsi (profile)
Sept 26, 2005
A commitment to inter-religious dialogue and to “peaceful coexistence” between the state and the Church characterize the work of Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi SJ, Bishop of Kaohsiung (Taiwan). The prelate was born on 3 December 1923 at Puyang, Hopeh, in China in the diocese of Taming. He was ordained to the priesthood on 18 March 1955 in Baguio in the Philippines. He took the four solemn vows in Thuduc in Viêt Nam on 2 February 1963.
(Asianews, 9 September, 2005) In 1976, he was appointed Episcopal Vicar of Taipei. On 4 March 1991 he was appointed Bishop of Kaohsiung and he took possession of the new diocese on the following 17 June. A member of the Pre-Synodal Meeting (1996-98), he was reporter-general of the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops which took place in Rome from 19 April to 14 May 1998. On 21 February of the same year John Paul II appointed him as cardinal of the Title of St Chrysogonus.
He has always had a special commitment to inter-religious dialogue. He was elected President of the Association for Faith-Links between Chinese Religions, and he organized the visit to the Holy See of the Buddhist Master Hsing-Yun.
In his capacity as president of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference for several terms, he coordinates pastoral and evangelical action of the entire Catholic Church in Taiwan with great skill. In 1988, he convoked the National Symposium on Evangelization which set the directions for evangelization in the last years of the twentieth century.
He has focused his energies in the service of the Church on the formation in Taiwan of a well prepared laity. At the beginning of his ministry in the Diocese of Kaohsiung, the Pope named a young Taiwanese priest as his Auxiliary Bishop. Cardinal Shan named a young aboriginal priest as his Vicar General. He has established a new seminary in an isolated place to form new priests for the Church.
He is also involved in charitable works: in his Diocese he has set up the Catholic Charitable Foundation for Social Welfare, and at the national level he has promoted the creation of a Catholic Mission Foundation in Taiwan to meet the needs of Taiwanese society and to evangelize it. The Catholic Church in Taiwan is regarded as a great benefactor of the poor, the sick, the elderly, and as a great defender of exploited women, of those who are forced to work overseas, of the marginalized, of prisoners and of the cause of human life.
He has translated two books into Chinese: How To Be a Guide and Commitment and Leadership, published by Kuangchi Press. Both have become best-sellers, and the second is used in training government leaders on the island with whom the cardinal has excellent, if distant, relations. When the 28 February demonstration “for democracy” took place in Taiwan, called for by current president Chen Shuibian, Cardinal Chan said the faithful were “free to choose” and he told AsiaNews: “The bishops did not intervene in the matter but Christians and Catholics participated in both demonstrations or they did not participate”. In many of his interventions he has consistently highlighted the urgent need of reconciliation between China and Taiwan and he has always defended freedom of worship in the People’s Republic of China.
There are 320,000 Catholics in Taiwan, equal to 1.4% of the total population.
Le Cardinal Shan ordonne quatre prêtres et les invite à répondre avec générosité au mandat du Seigneur
Aug 06, 2005
Le Cardinal Paul Shan, Evêque de Kaohsiung a ordonné quatre prêtres, dont trois Taïwanais : un Jésuite, deux Dominicains, et un du Diocèse de Kaohsiung.
Kaohsiung (Agence Fides, 23 juillet 2005) - Le Supérieur général des Dominicains, le Supérieur provincial de la province chinoise des Jésuites, et le Supérieur de la province chinoise des Dominicains, ainsi que 23 prêtres venus de toute l’île de Taïwan ont concélébré avec le Cardinal.
Plus de 2.000 fidèles ont participé à la cérémonie, dont les familles des ordinands. Le nouveau prêtre jésuite et le frère cadet du Supérieur général des Dominicains, venu spécialement de Rome pour l’ordination.
Dans l’homélie, le Cardinal Shan, en Père et Pasteur, a confié à ses futurs prêtres, son expérience de 50 années de sacerdoce, et les a invités à suivre les traces et l’enseignement de Saint Paul pour « être un homme nouveau » : « Vous devez être des prêtres qui servent le Peuple de Dieu avec succès et avec joie. Servez le Seigneur avec vos mains et avec vos pieds, en utilisant votre intelligence, pour que le Seigneur soit content de vous ».
Security of Faith and Hope to Humanity
Jul 15, 2005
I am very happy that we have a new Pope who is very similar in many aspects to his predecessor. It is an established fact that he was a great friend of John Paul II, his right-hand man, and so many of the great projects of the preceding Pontiff can be continued. By Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, Bishop of Kaohsiung (Taiwan)
(30Days, May 2005) The new Pope is a man of profound faith. Thus even if in a secularized society there are all kinds of doctrinal winds and waves – that people are induced to follow, and often don’t know where to go anymore because they have lost direction, the sense of life, the meaning of things – this Pope with his profound faith in God and in Jesus, knows in a very clear way in what direction the Church and humanity are going.
And then he is a great theologian, he was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and guardian of the faith of the Church for a quarter of a century; he has a very clear vision and perspective, something that the Church and humanity as a whole are in need of. I expect this new Pope will above all give a sense of security to the Church.
He knows that in the last decades, following the winds of different doctrines and faiths, that Christians themselves have become “cafeteria” Christians, they pick and choose, they take one thing and refuse another, they no longer know that the faith has value in its fullness and asks to be taken in its totality, it can’t be cut into pieces without losing its authenticity. This Pope can give us the certainty of faith.In the second place, Pope Benedict can bring light and hope to humanity.
Many young people seek a guide for their future, a light, a hope that neither their teachers nor their governments can offer. There is great confusion, and the Pope can offer a light, not his own, but that of the Lord Jesus, who said of himself: «I am the light of the world; whoever follows me, will not walk in the darkness», because only in Jesus Christ do we have hope and light.
Thirdly, his name, Benedict, is beautiful, that of the patron saint of Western Europe. John Paul II came from Eastern Europe, which he freed from atheistic communism. Today Western Europe is very secularized and the faith greatly weakened. As Saint Benedict and his monks maintained the Christian culture and tradition in Europe during the barbarian invasions, so Pope Benedict can revitalize the traditions and the roots of European culture and society.
We know, too, that in 1914, at the beginning of the First World War, Pope Benedict XV was elected who did not want and did not love the war, but constantly sought peace and reconciliation. And we recall also that he wrote – and the impact that it had was great – the celebrated Apostolic Letter Maximum illud to promote missionary activities, among which the creation and formation of native clergy in the mission lands.
This Pope also will do his utmost for the missions and for new local vocations; he will bring a greater evangelization to the world. I hope that, in taking care of the mission lands, he will follow his predecessor John Paul II who, in 1995 in Manila, talking to the Federation of the Episcopal Conferences of Asia, said that the third millennium would be that of the evangelization of Asia, and he repeated this in his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Asia, after the Synod of Asian bishops.
For Pope Wojtyla, the first millennium had seen the evangelization of the Mediterranean, the second that of the Americas, north and south, and of part of Africa, and therefore the third millennium would be reserved for Asia. I hope that this was not only his wish or his prayer, but also a prophecy that I hope the new Pope can also adhere to. Finally, I hope that under the guidance of Pope Benedict XVI theologians can find new terms to present our faith in an acceptable manner to the modern world, and comprehensibly to ordinary people.I offer these hopes of mine to the new Pope.
Taiwan-Vatican Ties Remain Steadfast
May 31, 2005
Relations between the Republic of China and the Vatican remains steadfast, Cardinal Paul Suan said Friday.
Kaohsiung, May 27 (CNA, 2005/05/27) Suan, who just returned to Taiwan after taking part in the late Pope John Paul II's funeral mass and the election of Benedict XVI as the new pontiff, said local people should view relations with the Holy See from a religious perspective rather than from a political one.
"What the Vatican cares most about is religious freedom, " Suan said, adding that the Holy See doesn't care about political, economic, military or commercial interests in forging diplomatic ties with other countries.
For the Vatican, the cardinal said, the ultimate goal of diplomacy is to protect religious freedom. So long as Taiwan upholds religious freedom and respects religions adopted by individual citizens, Suan said he believes that Taiwan will be the Vatican's permanent ally.
« Avec Benoît XVI, nous savons dans quelle direction ira l’Eglise »
Apr 26, 2005
« Le clergé et les fidèles chinois ont une grande foi et un grand respect pour le nouveau Pape. Ils sont heureux, et nourrissent une grande espérance, en continuant à prier de manière intense et fervente » déclare à l’Agence Fides le Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, Evêque de Kaohsiung à Taïwan.
Rome (Agence Fides, 23 avril 2005) - Dans un entretien avec l’agence Fides, au lendemain de l’élection du Pontife Benoît XVI, le Cardinal Shan déclare : « Le nouveau Pape est un grand théologien. Sa position sur la doctrine est très claire. Avant-hier, dans son homélie, il a presque indiqué le programme de son Pontificat, en donnant la liste des problèmes pour la foi et pour l’Eglise. Avec lui, nous savons dans quelle direction ira l’Eglise, et nous voyons avec clarté quelle est la vision de la foi dans le rapport avec le monde contemporain. Je suis certain que Benoît XVI continuera dans la ligne de Jean Paul II ».
Parlant de l’avenir de l’Eglise en Chine, le Cardinal Shan a déclaré : Dans les rapports avec la Chine, le problème c’est que si la Chine veut instituer une Eglise indépendante, cette dernière se place en dehors de l’Eglise universelle et sera toujours un obstacle pour les rapports avec le Saint-Siège. Mais nous espérons et nous prions pour un avenir meilleur »
The anti-secession bill does not serve peace, says Cardinal Shan
Mar 10, 2005
The bill that authorises use of force shows that the military is getting stronger in Beijing, says the prelate. Christians on both sides of the strait must work closely for reconciliation.
Taipei (AsiaNews, 8 March, 2005) – Card Paul Shan Kuo-hsi told AsiaNews that “this bill is not appropriate; it does not breach the gap between Taiwanese and Chinese”. For the 82-year-old Bishop of Kaohsiung (Taiwan), “both sides of the strait must take steps to reduce tensions”.
Beijing’s decision to adopt an anti-secession bill that authorises the use of force against Taiwan’s attempts to become independence is worrying people on the island. President Chen Shui-bian’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) announced that it would organise demonstrations of more than 500,000 people to protest the Chinese bill.
According to Cardinal Shan, “most Taiwanese—more than 80 per cent—are absolutely against this bill”. “During the Chinese New Year,” the prelate noted, “we thought tensions had been reduced. For at least 15 days direct flights between China and Taiwan made travel easier for traders and business people. Many people from the island went to see their relatives on the mainland, and many people from the mainland came to see their relatives on the island”.
Even though the government in Beijing claims that the bill is only meant to oppose those groups on the island who want its independence, for cardinal Shan it is a sign that the military are getting stronger.
“In Taiwan, everyone wants calmer and more peaceful relationship with China. But by adopting this bill the mainland is not serving peace. It will show that the government in Beijing is driven by the military. China is so big and there are so many factions in the party and the government”.
Answering a question about the bill’s impact on relations between the Chinese and the Taiwanese Churches, Cardinal Shan said: “I don’t believe the bill will influence our relations. Neither we, nor the Chinese Church are involved in politics. We only want and we are only working for reconciliation and communion”.
Message du Cardinal Paul Shan pour le Nouvel An chinois
Feb 19, 2005
Le Cardinal Paul Shan, Président de la Conférence Episcopale Régionale de Taïwan, a publié un message de vœux à l’occasion du Nouvel An chinois, le 9 février.
(Agence Fides, 10 février 2005) Taïpeh - « En ce moment de renouveau, alors que s’approche la fête du printemps, je souhaite santé physique et intérieure, bonheur en famille, succès dans les entreprises, en visant des buts toujours plus hauts dans votre vie spirituelle, étique et morale.
Je prie le Seigneur de bénir notre pays. Je souhaite que toute l’humanité pratique la justice et la charité. En outre, je prie le Seigneur de bénir les victimes et les réfugiés du désastre naturel qui a touché l’Asie.
Que le Seigneur protège les survivants pour qu’ils puissent recevoir les aides apportées avec amour. J’encourage tous les hommes de bonne volonté » à aider les personnes en difficulté ».
"Unsere Mission als Brücke der Kirche zu China"
Nov 30, 2004
Vom 21. bis 31. Januar 2002 hielten sich die Bischöfe aus Taiwan zum alle fünf Jahre stattfindenden Ad limina-Besuch in Rom auf. Fides sprach mit dem Bischof von Kaohsiung, Kardinal Paul Shan Kuohsi.
(Fides - 8/2/2002) Einige Bischöfe nahmen auch am interreligiösen Friedensgebet in Assisi teil. Gemeinsam unternahmen die Bischöfe eine Wallfahrt zur Benediktinerabtei in Montecassino südlich von Rom.
Eminenz, welche Bilanz würden Sie zum Ad limina-Besuch der Bischöfe aus Taiwan ziehen?
Wir haben uns 10 Tage lang in Rom aufgehalten und durften dreimal den Heiligen Vater treffen. Jeder Bischof konnte auch ein Einzelgespräch mit dem Papst führen. Der Papst ist sehr an der Missionstätigkeit in unseren Diözesen und an den Beziehungen zwischen der Kirche in Taiwan und der Kirche in China interessiert. 1984 hat der Papst den Bischöfen von Taiwan eine besondere Aufgabe übertragen: Sie sollen Brücke zwischen der Kirche in China und der Weltkirche sein. Der Papst unterstützt diese Mission, die von grundlegender Bedeutung ist, sehr.
Wie sieht die Tätigkeit einer Kirche mit Brückenfunktion aus?
Mit sehr bescheidenen Mitteln versuchen wir unser Bestes zu tun: Vor allem beten wir für die Kirche in China; außerdem versuchen wir die Kirche in China bei der Aussöhnung zwischen der sogenannten "Untergrundkirche" und der "offiziellen" Kirche zu unterstützen. Wenn wir einen Vergleich mit 1984 anstellen wollen, so gibt es heute sehr viel mehr Kontakte zwischen Christen in Taiwan und Christen in China. Wir haben gemeinsam liturgische Schriften veröffentlicht; Kirchendokumente, die in Taiwan übersetzt wurden, werden in China benutzt. Vor allem aber bemühen wir uns um Aussöhnung: Beide Zweige der Kirche haben unter der Verfolgung gelitten und teilen denselben Glauben. Die meisten Gläubigen der offiziellen Kirche erkennen den Papst als Leitfigur und Lehrer des universellen Glaubens an. Auch sie leiden unter der zu strengen Kontrolle der Regierung. Wenn es einmal die Religionsfreiheit geben wird, werden die beiden Zweige der Kirche zeigen, dass sie zutiefst vereint sind.
In den vergangenen Jahren hat es zahlreiche Angebote der Öffnung seitens des Vatikans gegenüber China gegeben. Auch der Papst hat seine Liebe zum chinesischen Volk zum Ausdruck gebracht...
Die Kirche ist sehr aufrichtig und möchte den Dialog und die Beziehungen zu Peking fördern. Doch bisher kann ich keine Reaktion oder positive Zeichen seitens Chinas sehen. Die Beziehungen zwischen dem Heiligen Stuhl und China scheinen nicht zu den Prioritäten der Agenda der chinesischen Regierung zu gehören. Ende dieses Jahres wird der Kongress der Kommunistischen Partei stattfinden, bei dem es Änderungen in den Führungsreihen geben wird. Die heutigen Führungskräfte beschäftigen sich vor allem damit. Die zukünftigen Führungskräfte haben sich noch nicht gefestigt und möchten sich nicht äußern, um keinen Machtkampf hervorzurufen. Ich fürchte, wir werden noch zwei bis drei Jahre warten müssen, bevor wir erste Zeichen erkennen können. Es muss eine neue Führungsschicht entstehen, die ihre Position zu konsolidieren hat.
Welche Vorteile würden Beziehungen zum Papst und die Religionsfreiheit für das Volk der chinesischen Regierung bringen?
China spielt weltweit eine bedeutende Rolle unter politischen und wirtschaftlichen Gesichtspunkten. Wenn diplomatische Beziehungen zum Vatikan zustande kommen und die Religionsfreiheit gewährleistet wird, würde dies das internationale Prestige sehr verbessern. Man könnte wirklich zu einer angesehenen internationalen Macht werden, die Demokratie und deren Achtung in die Wirklichkeit umsetzt. Auf diese Weise könnten die Menschen auf der ganzen Welt China schätzen und der Nation mehr Vertrauen schenken.
Wie steht es um die Mission der Kirche in Taiwan? Haben Sie bei diesem Besuch in Rom Empfehlungen erhalten?
Wir haben ein sehr klares Bild von unserer Mission. Wir müssen der Gesellschaft in Taiwan dabei helfen, die spirituellen Werte neu zu entdecken. Die Gesellschaft Taiwans ist heute sehr materialistisch geprägt. Die Menschen streben nur nach materiellen Dingen. Die Kirche muss spirituelle Werte anbieten. Vor allem müssen wir die Werte der Familie konsolidieren. Die chinesische Kultur misst der Familie großen Wert bei; sie ist Mittelpunkt der Erziehung der Kinder und Grundlage für die Stabilität der Gesellschaft. Leider gibt es in der heutigen Zeit in Taiwan sehr viele Ehescheidungen und getrennt lebende Familien. Deshalb bedarf es einer pastoralen Betreuung für katholische Familien, die reich an Glauben, Hoffnung und Liebe sein sollten und auf diese Weise selbst Zeichen der Evangelisierung unter nichtchristlichen Familien setzten können. Aus diesem Grund möchten wir Laien und Ordensleute zusammen mit den Pfarreien zunehmend in die Evangelisierungstätigkeit einbeziehen, damit alle gemeinsam eine wahre Familien-Gemeinschaft darstellen. Das Problem der getrennten Familien hat auch in China dramatische Ausmaße.
Die Zeit ist reif für eine Vereinigung der beiden katholischen Kirchen in der Volksrepublik China.
Nov 30, 2004
In der katholischen Monatszeitschrift “30 Giorni” äußerte er sich zu einer möglichen Aussöhnung zwischen der staatlich anerkannten “patriotischen” Kirche und der romtreuen Untergrundkirche.
(Radio Vatikan, 4.2.2004) Nach dem Führungswechsel im kommunistischen Zentralkomitee der Volksrepublik im vergangenen Jahr sei der Moment günstig, so der Kardinal. Im Jahr 2008 ist die Volksrepublik China Gastgeberland der Olympischen Spiele. Bis dahin könnte der Annäherungsprozess der beiden katholischen Kirchen Chinas abgeschlossen sein, so Shan.
Die neue Führung Chinas sei “deutlich aufgeschlossener” als ihre Vorgängerinnen. Taiwan sei bereit, die eigenen diplomatischen Beziehungen zum Heiligen Stuhl personell einzuschränken, wenn dies dem Verhältnis zwischen Peking und dem Vatikan dienlich sei. Seit 1954 unterhalten die Volksrepublik und der Kirchenstaat keine diplomatischen Beziehungen mehr. In dieser Frage könne man zu einer Lösung gelangen, so der Kardinal. Skeptischer zeigte er sich, ob Peking den Christen in absehbarer Zeit religiöse Freiheit zugestehen werde.
Wie gestern bekannt wurde, sollen in Peking erstmals seit 50 Jahren zwei neue Kirchen gebaut werden. Dabei handelt es sich um protestantische Kirchen und nicht um katholische, wie einige Medien zunächst gemeldet hatten. China-Missionare sehen in dem Bau jedoch keinerlei Fortschritt in der chinesischen Religionspolitik. Gotteshäuser würden ausschließlich für die offiziellen Religionsgemeinschaften errichtet, die Kirchen der Katholiken im Untergrund zerstöre man weiter.
Taiwan und China
Nov 30, 2004
Die Kirche Taiwans verlangt, dass das Wohlergehen der dortigen Katholiken nicht einem Dialog zwischen dem Heiligen Stuhl und China geopfert werde.
(Kathpress, 12.12.2002) Taipeh, 12.12.02 (KAP) Der taiwanische Kardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi hat an die chinesische Regierung appelliert, volle Religionsfreiheit zu gewähren. Das sei auch Voraussetzung für eine Verbesserung der Beziehungen zwischen Peking und dem Vatikan, sagte der Erzbischof von Kaohsiung bei einer Konferenz in Taipeh, wie die asiatische katholische Nachrichtenagentur «Ucanews» am Donnerstag berichtete.
Taiwan sei kein Hindernis mehr für die Aufnahme der diplomatischen Kontakte zwischen Peking und dem Heiligen Stuhl. Die Schwierigkeit sei vielmehr die materialistisch-atheistische Haltung der kommunistischen Führung in Peking.
Weiter betonte der Kardinal, die katholische Kirche Taiwans würde sich niemals in Gespräche zwischen dem Vatikan und Peking einschalten, um den verfolgten Katholiken in China nicht zu schaden. Gleichzeitig verlange die Kirche Taiwans aber, dass das Wohlergehen der dortigen Katholiken nicht einem Dialog zwischen dem Heiligen Stuhl und China geopfert werde.
Interview with Bishop of Kaohsiung
Nov 30, 2004
Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, bishop of Kaohsiung, is delighted about the canonization this Sunday of 120 martyrs of China.
China has her Saints at last
(ZENIT.org-Fides, SEPT. 27, 2000), KAOHSIUNG, China - Despite Beijing‚s opposition, Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, bishop of Kaohsiung, is delighted about the canonization this Sunday of 120 martyrs of China.
"The event is a great honor for the Chinese people and a great encouragement for the Church in China," the 77-year-old bishop of Kaohsiung said in an interview with the news agency Fides. The cardinal will be present in Rome for the celebration Oct. 1 and the next day he will preside at a Mass of thanksgiving at St. Peter's. Here is the interview:
--Q: Your Eminence, you were very much in favor of this canonization, why?
--Cardinal Shan: Saints are important in the Church. In Europe all the particular Churches in the different countries have their own saints. On the Asian continent, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines all have their canonized saints and martyrs. The Church was established in China much earlier than in these other countries. More than 700 years ago Franciscan missionary Giovanni de Montecorvino arrived in China and he became the first archbishop of Beijing. Up to now we only had our beatified, no saints. This is why all the Catholics in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas longed to have their own saints, to be for them a model of Christian life and encourage them in the faith.
--Q: What do you think about the Chinese government's harsh reaction to this event?
--Well, you should ask the government. I think it is a mistake to give the event a political interpretation. Those who are being canonized were killed a long time ago and they have nothing to do with the present regime. In other cases, the governments of Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam did not react in this way: They saw the canonization of the martyrs as a great honor for the nation.
--Q: What will the canonization mean for the Church in China?
-- It will be a source of great encouragement for the Christians who are persecuted. Catholics have prayed and hoped for this, for a long time. I remember many years ago when I was a child and I lived in China, we used to pray for the canonization of our martyrs because this is a great honor for us and a call to be witnesses of the faith. Our motives are only religious, not political.
--Q: How has the Church in Taiwan prepared for this event?
-- We have prepared a novena which will be prayed in every diocese and parish: nine days of prayer to show our respect and devotion to the new saints. The preparation is all spiritual. Thousands of Catholics from Taiwan are coming to Rome for the event. On Oct. 28 in Taipei we will have a solemn Mass of thanksgiving at the national level to thank God for the canonization.
--Q: What did the Pope say to you about the canonization?
--I was in Rome for the World Youth Day in August but I did not have a private audience with the Pope. The Holy Father always tells me that China is in his prayers, he loves China and he is concerned for the Church in China.
“Lunar New Year in China Will Be Dedicated to Evangelisation”
Nov 30, 2004
“Parishes have been asked to draft a plan to evangelise the surrounding area and form mission teams composed of catechumens and baptised persons.”
(Fides Service 20/1/2004) Kaohsiung – “The Church in Taiwan will be dedicating the new year to new evangelisation”, Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, Bishop of Kaohsiung told Fides Service. “Parishes have been asked to draft a plan to evangelise the surrounding area and form mission teams composed of catechumens and baptised persons. We have urged all the faithful to make a special effort for evangelisation this year and to carry the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth” the Cardinal said.
The Cardinal told Fides a little about celebrations for the Lunar New Year in Taiwan: “In China new year is a little like Christmas in Europe. Families get together and the old values of families ties and friends are celebrated. Many people in fact return to their home town or village of New Year celebrations For us as Catholics it is a great opportunity for communion and reconciliation with the universal Church. We feel called to live reconciliation”.
Last Sunday, January 18, at the midday Angelus prayer, the Pope sent best wishes for the Lunar New Year to people in China, Vietnam and Korea. Cardinal Shan voiced his gratitude: “I would like to thank the Holy Father for remembering us. He knows how much we love him and pray for him. May the Lord give him the strength to continue to guide the Church on her way. We know that Pope John Paul II loves the Church in China and is concerned for Chinese Catholics. We, for our part, will never fail him.”
L'ultimo regalo di Natale del card. Shan ai bambini di Taiwan
El cardenal Shan recibe el premio presidencial por la paz de Taiwán
Dalai Lama Meets With Taiwan’s Catholic Cardinal Shan
Emouvant témoignage de foi du Card. Paul Shan
"Unsere Mission als Brücke der Kirche zu China"