austraLasia

?

Shortcut

PrevPrev Article

NextNext Article

Larger Font Smaller Font Up Down Go comment Print Attachment
CIN
2019.02.05 07:02

5001(I)_Welcome to Taiwan!

Views 868 Comment 0

20190205_CIN.jpg


Migrant ministry in Taiwan - Filipino Salesian experience sharing


By Fr. Peter E. Porio, SDB
FIS missionary in Taiwan


Tainan, Taiwan, 4 February 2019 -- On the occasion of New Lunar Year of the Golden Pig, I would like to share with you the need for missionaries for Filipino migrants in Taiwan (R.O.C). Here are some facts and some personal experiences that might wake up some Salesians to volunteer for the next 5-10 years for this beautiful mission!


What is the general situation of the Catholic community in Taiwan?


There are 298,000 Taiwanese Catholics among the 23 million local population. That means only 1.3% are Catholics. There are 7 dioceses in Taiwan. This is the real characteristic of Taiwan Catholics:

  1. All 7 Bishops are Taiwanese,
  2. A good number of the priests are Vietnamese,
  3. The majority of the faithful are Filipinos.

As of 2018, there are 154,306 migrant Filipino workers in Taiwan who are predominantly Catholics. So, they need many missionaries to take care of them. There are some Filipino missionaries dedicated to taking care of the migrants but very few, who are scattered in different places in Taiwan. In Tainan diocese, there are 30,000 Filipinos. I am the ONLY FILIPINO PRIEST assigned here in Tainan, to take care of the human and spiritual needs of the Filipino migrants.


Don Bosco community in Tainan and Migrants?


The Salesian community in Tainan looks after the mission - care of the migrants coming to the parish of Mary Help of Christians in Tainan. Since the majority of church-goers are Filipinos, the Salesian community needs a Filipino priest for them.


In 2009, the Salesian community in Tainan requested FIN and FIS Provinces, through Fr Andrew Wong, former Regional Councillor for the EAO Region, to send a Filipino priest to Tainan and I was sent for this mission.


Don Bosco and MHC Parish in Tainan with Migrants?


In MHC Parish, there are about 400 faithful at the Sunday Eucharist. Many volunteers organize the liturgical services and some help organize sports and cultural activities for the Filipino migrants. Some form religious organizations such as: Legion of Mary and El Shaddai Prayer Group.


Don Bosco Oratory in Tainan?


Every year, the Pinoy Pastoral Community organizes the Pinoy Basketball League, to give the Filipino migrants a wholesome and meaningful sports activity. Before every game, a short catechism is given to the players. Usually we gather 25 teams, with 20 players of each team. We have more than 500 people for this league. We organize the league's officials. I train the Basketball referees and table officials. We are finishing the 2018, 15th season of the basketball league.


Migrants Within Tainan Diocese?


As the only Filipino priest in Tainan, I organize and coordinate the spiritual and human activities of the Filipino migrants in the diocese. Every Saturday and Sunday we celebrate Masses in 7 parishes and 10 dormitories. On weekdays, we facilitate other migrants activities such as: Bible-sharing, recollection, retreats, rosary rallies, etc.


We also form and facilitate Religious organizations in different Filipino communities, for example;

  1. Legion of Mary (LoM) and El Shaddai in Mary Help of Christians Parish.
  2. Children of Mary (COM) and Vincentian Youth Movement in St. Joseph Parish
  3. Children of Mary in 3 Manstrong dormitories.
  4. Mary Mother of God (MMoG) in 3 Champion dormitories.

"The harvest is plenty, but the labourers few?"


In 2016, Bishop of Tainan, Bosco Lin (Salesian Cooperator) and ECMI Migrants Chairman, appointed me as the Diocesan Migrants Coordinator. My tasks are:

  • to coordinate all the activities and affairs of all migrants in the diocese of Tainan. Most visible of them all are the Vietnamese, Indonesians, Filipinos, Thais and other nationalities.
  • to organize the migrants' community leaders, who are the facilitators of the activities in their respective migrant communities.
  • to animate the migrants' community leaders, who are the animators of their respective communities.
  • to coordinate all the spiritual, cultural, sports, educational and other activities.
  • to facilitate or provide priests to celebrate English Masses for the migrants in the 7 parishes and 10 dormitories, every Saturday and Sunday and holy days of obligation.
  • to organize the celebration of Tainan Migrants Day, every 4th Sunday of September, or the Sunday nearest to September 28, the feast day of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the Patron of Migrants.
  • to organize fellowship and bonding activities among the migrants.

As OFW (Oversea Filipino Workers) Chaplain?


  • Need to facilitate or provide priests to celebrate the English masses for the Filipinos in the 7 parishes and 10 dormitories. on Saturdays, Sundays and holy days of obligation.
  • Need to hear the confessions of migrant Filipinos, who prefer to confess in English or Tagalog.
  • Need to organize faith-formation activities, such as basic catechism on the catholic faith, bible-study, bible-sharing, liturgical formation, pre-baptismal seminars, pre-cana seminars, etc.
  • Need to provide opportunities for spiritual direction and counseling for the migrants.

Happy New Lunar Year!


Related news article:




20190205_CIN1.jpg


20190205_CIN2.jpg


20190205_CIN3.jpg


20190205_CIN4.jpg


20190205_CIN5.jpg


Attach

Drag and drop your files here, or Click attach files button.

Maximum File Size : 0MB (Allowed extentsions : *.*)

0 file(s) attached ( / )

  1. 5380(II)_Kolkata Salesians’ 17th Provincial Superior installed at Turin

    ALA_5380 By Fr. IC Jacob & Fr. Nirmal Jamreet Valdocco, Turin, 19 May 2020 -- Fr Joseph Pauria was installed the 17th Provincial Superior of Salesian Province of Kolkata on May 17, 2020 at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians at Val...
    Date2020.05.19 CategoryWorld Reply0 Views742 file
    Read More
  2. 5380(I)_Schools reopen in PNG: Don Bosco, Simbu, focused on Novena to Mary Help of Christians

    ALA_5380 By Fr Savio Angel Sanchez, sdb Don Bosco Simbu Technical College, Chimbu Province PNG, 19 May 2020 -- After the preventive lockdown due to the coronavirus, schools in Papua New Guinea re-opened on the 4th May 2020. Since May is th...
    Date2020.05.19 CategoryPGS Reply0 Views543 file
    Read More
  3. 5379_MES Seminar Kicks-Off on High Note

    ALA_5379 By Nigel Akuani Port Moresby, Papua new Guinea, 18 May 2020 -- The second Media Education Seminar kicked off to an energetic start with the presence of seven Catholic Agency schools. The weekend commenced on Friday 15 May, at the...
    Date2020.05.18 CategoryPGS Reply0 Views762 file
    Read More
  4. 5378_Domestic volunteers – Anisakan, Nazareth House

    ALA_5378 Interview with Fr Bosco Zeya Aung – domestic volunteers MYM Anisakan, Myanmar, 17 May 2020 -- Founded in 1957, the Nazareth Aspirantate in Anisakan (Mandalay archdiocese) is considered to be the Valdocco of Myanmar, the Mother hou...
    Date2020.05.17 CategoryMYM Reply1 Views830 file
    Read More
  5. 5377(III)_EAO Salesian Cooperators join the Laudato Si' Week 2020

    ALA_5377 By Mr. Philip Yu, ASC World Councilor for the EAO Region (2014-2020) China province, 16 May 2020 -- I am happy to proclaim this meaningful message, indeed an urgent call from Holy Father to “Stand united… in faith as we grow throu...
    Date2020.05.16 CategoryASC Reply1 Views633 file
    Read More
  6. 5377(II)_Aid to the Church in Need Recalls Heroic Act of Akash Bashir

    ALA_5377 By ZENIT news services Pakistan, 16 May, 2020 -- The ZENIT new agency has reported on 'The Church in Need' agency sharing the impact of Akash Bashir's Martyrdom (March 15, 2015), that today offers a strong inspiration and light on...
    Date2020.05.16 CategoryPak. Reply0 Views917 file
    Read More
  7. 5377(I)_ANS Channel - Salesian News Agency

    ALA_5377 The Novena to Mary Help of Christians - Day 1 May 15, 2020 This year the traditional Novena to Mary Help of Christians (May 15 to 23) takes on a very special meaning given the health emergency provoked by the spread of the Coronav...
    Date2020.05.16 CategoryWorld Reply1 Views634 file
    Read More
  8. 5376(II)_ Missionary Volunteers inspire the zeal of the Salesians

    ALA_5376 By Fr Paul Leung – Delegate Mongolia Delegation, Ulanbaatar Mongolia, 15 May 2020 -- Interview with Fr Paul Leung. How was your experience of hosting volunteers in your community? Generally speaking, my experience has been quite...
    Date2020.05.15 CategoryMong. Reply0 Views668 file
    Read More
  9. 5376(I)_Living and Working with the Cagliero volunteers in Dili - Timor Leste

    ALA_5376 By Fr. Abilio E. Correia Guterres, sdb Dili, Comoro, Timore Leste, 15 May 2020 -- Keith was a volunteer with the Cagliero project, who spent six months volunteering at the Don Bosco Comoro Technical Community Centre in Timor Leste...
    Date2020.05.15 CategoryTLS Reply0 Views1121 file
    Read More
  10. 5375(II)_Fiji: 40th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination

    ALA_5375 By Cl. Peter Duc Nguyen, SDB Suva, Fiji Islands, 14 May 2020 – On Sunday 10th May, 2020, the Don Bosco community celebrated the 40th anniversary of priesthood of Fr James Kyaw Hoe SDB. The celebration was quite simple but very war...
    Date2020.05.14 CategoryAUL Reply0 Views669 file
    Read More
List
Board Pagination Prev 1 ... 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 ... 533 Next
/ 533