Taipei (AsiaNews) - Fr Barry (丁松青神父） raised funds over the week-end in a charity auction to open a youth and senior citizens centre in an aboriginal village in Hsinchu, a region in north-western Taiwan. Originally from San Diego, California, Fr Barry has been in the village for more than 40 years where he is famous artist, specializing in mosaics made with glass and canvas. He lives with his three dogs. Jokingly, he said, "I'd rather be with my three dogs than with my Father Superior. They keep him away."
Fr Barry has turned the village into a tourist attraction, improving the local economy with new initiatives. For this reason, locals love him.
His latest novel, published last year in English and mandarin, is entitled Ghost friends. In it, he shows that those already in the afterlife have a mission to help those who live in this life.
In the past four months, he has created 35 expensive angels in coloured glass to be auctioned off. They can be placed on windows or hung inside homes where they can be illuminated with LED lights.
"Two businessmen gave me the secret and helped in the promotion," he said. "Angels certainly helped me. We held a press conference three weeks ago and I was not sure whether anyone would care for my latest work. As soon as she arrived, the TV host told me, 'I'll do the press conference only if I can buy the little St Gabriel; otherwise, I am leaving!' I had no choice. I realised then, that people liked these angels. Perhaps everyone needs the presence of a guardian angel."
Fr Barry's first work does not however represent an angel, but a young woman who lived in American soil, Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint canonised yesterday by Benedict XVI.
Barry brought his work to Taipei for the charity auction. He came with two loyal friends, Awei, an artist who worked with him on the glass, and Kondy, a manager friend who helped in the promoting the village. Four women in aboriginal dress helped in setting up the great hall.
"Next Sunday, I must be in church to celebrate Mass in traditional costume," he explained. "Our people have strong feelings about this canonisation because for them she is one of the village."
"If you read her story, Kateri lived in a small Mohawk village on the other side of the river. The village was called Caughnawaga. Our village is on the other side of the river. It is called Chingchuan. Here too, many young women are committed to others and to the true values of life."
"In the United States, there are an estimated 680,000 Native American Catholics. Here in Taiwan, there are fewer, about 523,000 aboriginal people, 70 per cent Christian. Kateri was aboriginal like us. She is the patron saint of aboriginal people."