Kuepers said the local Taiwan Catholic Church has to represent the aspirations, sufferings and ideals of the people of Taiwan before God and also in the Catholic communion of churches with the Bishop of Rome as first among equals.
Taiwan is a society in search of its identity: the Church's task is to accompany and support this search with the light of the Gospel.
Although it has not been advertised in Taiwan, there was a letter sent from a Catholic representative group in Taiwan to the Vatican, trying to press the Pope not to break relations with Taiwan when establishing them with China. The letter caused quite a big disturbance.
Is it just, right, or fair to send Taiwanese Catholics to the land of oblivion for the sake of putting Chinese Catholics under the Vatican's wings?
Only time can tell what will happen and when it will happen. Until then, we should not worry. Maybe the greatest opportunity for the Catholic Church in Taiwan is to find its true identity is waiting around the corner in the form of a switch of diplomatic relations. Let's switch it on!.
Francisco Carin Garcia is a Claretian missionary living in Taipei County.
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