Bringing Love Across the Seas: Foreign Missionaries in Taiwan

During the 1950s, Taiwan was just emerging from a period of war and chaos, and faced inadequate conditions in culture, education, medical care, and public health. At this time, Catholic missionaries from Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy, and elsewhere arrived with much-needed donations and material assistance.

Bolstered by their firm faith, these men and women have over time built hospitals, formed dance companies, founded after-school programs to help disadvantaged children, and promoted community arts and culture. Strangers in a strange land, they have learned the local languages and assimilated into local culture. Though sometimes faced by material privations, culture shock and other difficulties, they have nonetheless persevered.

Over the past half-century and more, these foreign Catholic missionaries have done things that no one else had thought to do, but which many people have very much needed. They have dedicated their whole lives to this land, from vigorous youth to old age, and even to the grave. Like angels, they have continually spread the message of love in our society.