Coming to Taiwan 14 years ago, Martinez learned Hoklo in Kaohsiung and served in Tainan for eight years. He started working for the basilica four years ago.
"All services in our church, including mass and children's catechism classes, are conducted in Taiwanese [Hoklo]," Martinez said.
Outreach activities in Wanchin and neighboring villages are easier because Catholicism has a solid historical background in the area, he said.
Local Aboriginal people said that in the past food and household goods delivered by Catholic priests created a strong incentive for them to go to church and accept the faith.
Martinez said Catholic churches in the country, though lacking financial support, have always been thinking of how to reach more young people.
"We have to first find out what people of this generation need and provide help," he said.
Many people in modern society suffer family problems, Martinez said. "We will think about how to help these families."
Supporting the 80-year-old Cardinal Paul Shan (
A nun in her 60s who wanted to be known as Sister Yang said the traditional Catholic approaches to attract young people were time-consuming and ineffective.
Responsible for the outreach ministry of her church in Kaohsiung, Yang, who became a nun at the age of 20, said the church needs to lead the young generation in ways they can accept.
Born to a Catholic family, Yang said she started yearning for the life of a nun after reading the autobiography of Saint Teresa of Lisieux when she was a high school student.
As a young girl, Yang did not like to dress up or watch movies.
Yang said her difficult life as a nun has given her the patience and capacity to help others.
"My church also lacks young people and the congregation is aging," she said.
Nevertheless, she vowed to keep looking for ways to bring young people back to the Lord.
RSS