New missionaries: introductory courses to Taiwanese culture and church
Taipei ( AsiaNews) - An introductory course on the
culture and the Church in Taiwan for new missionaries who have just arrived on
the island is one of many initiatives being sponsored by the local Church. The
course run by the Association of Major Superiors will be held for five Saturdays
in a row in the month of March.
Father
Fabrizio Tosolini (杜 敬 一 神父) who is organizing these sessions in collaboration Sister M. Christiane
Oyales (欧亚莉 修女) and Father Willy Ollevier (吴伟立 神父),
explains: "The new arrivals are studying Chinese and Taiwanese, every day of
the week from Monday to Friday, but they also need a more general introduction,
in English - as even they are beginners in Mandarin - to help them to frame a
broader knowledge of the history and mission of the Church in Taiwanese
society. This is the main aim of these
five lessons on Saturday mornings. This
year we have about thirty participants, who are very excited and eager to learn
more about the context and culture that surrounds them".
Father
Willy says that the course "has become a tradition carried on by the
Association of Major Superiors of the various religious orders and offers an
introductory course on the life and challenges of the Catholic Church in Taiwan. It is open to everyone, especially to the new
missionaries who are beginning
their service on the island".
The
first session deals with "the double shock: the culture shock and the ecclesial
shock" in the new Taiwanese context in which participants find themselves catapulted
coming from their country of origin. This
first meeting sets the tone for the following four important sessions because
it provides interpretations and understanding of the different ways to
communicate and understand each other in a rich culture, often very different
to those coming from other continents or even other areas of Asia
.
The
second meeting concerns the Church and the media, or the history of the
Catholic presence as an important educational presence in the media in Taiwan,
from its origins with newspapers, radio and television to social media where today
almost everyone is connected to the network.
The
third meeting focuses on work in universities, where the missionaries have
concentrated their efforts in updating and improving educational standards in
favor of the younger generations and where they continue the work of mission
and culture with new tools adapted to the times.
The
fourth Saturday called "The Friendship Center" concerns the work of
evangelization in the context of youth in favor of those who want to deepen
their understanding of Jesus' message. Participants
analyze innovative strategies to present the gospel and the Church to young
people who are "curious" about the message of Christ.
Finally,
the last Saturday is dedicated to mission among foreign workers on the island,
with the presentation of the full range of possibilities offered by the Church
to become part of a community for many people who live far from their families.
"We
thank the Conference of Major Superiors for their financial commitment in
supporting this important initiative - continues Fr. Fabrizio - and we urge the
new missionaries to take part because it is important to have a proper
introduction to Taiwan. Improving our awareness of the environment in
which we are called to serve, and to make closer ties of cooperation between
the missionaries is really important. I believe that this is the best way to
invigorate the passion of everyone towards our mission. Participants from the
past few years can testify how important it is to be able to understand the new
context in which they are immersed. It
helps them avoid obvious mistakes in communication and at the same time to
realize the rich tradition of the Catholic mission in Taiwan. Hence our
collective creativity can then continue
to enrich future generations.
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