CICM in Taiwan  - A short history

    250 CICM missionaries were expelled from Mainland China between 1949 and 54. Two of them—Bishop J. Oste and Fr. Fr.Legrand – made an exploration visit to Taiwan to prepare for a new mission in Taiwan. Four CICM missionaries left Genua by boat in December 1954 and arrived in Keelung in January 1955. They were: Remi Van Hyfte, Andre Baert, Peter Crevits, Albert Geusens. Archbishop J.Kuo assigned to them the Wanhua District of Taipei as their mission assignment. They started to study Taiwanese right away and opened a first little church in Hsiyuan Road which was soon followed by a two small other churches: Tapu street and Tongyuan Street. Out of these early initiatives grew the present parishes of Wanta Road (Holy Rosary Parish), St. Theresa Parish, Resurrection Parish (Talistreet) and Christ the Savior Parish (Liu Chou Street).Since 1956 CICM also took over Hua Ming Bookshop and brough the Correspondence Course from Shanghai and Singapore to Taiwan. In 1958 Bishop A.Van Buggenhout started the first Catholic Primary School in Taiwan: Kuangjen Primary School. In 1965 CICM started Kuangjen Middle School in Panchiao. Meanwhile (since 1959) CICM accepted also a new venture of mission in N.Taiwan. Over the following years new mission stations were started successively in Chinshan, Sanchih, Wanli, Laomei, Shihmen. 

      In 1959 Bishop Kupfer MM invited CICM to start a new Minor Seminary in Taichung Diocese. Two CICM fathers were sent. Besides taking care of the seminary they also initiated a Catholic Middle School Student Association for boys and girls. In 1964 they started a new parish in Taichung Shuang Shi Road and in 1965 in Taya Road. They started a Catechetist School in Taichung, which was later changed into the office for the Correspondence Course. In 1965 CICM called on the Srs. of the Sacred Hearts of Tienchung to take care of the Yujen Primary School initiated by CICM in Taichung.

      In the seventies CICM initiated several centers for special education. First in Kuangjen Primary and Secondary School. Later also in St.Theresa Parish, Christ the Savior Parish, in Taichung.

     In 1972 CICM had signed an agreement with Taipei Archdiocese stating that most of its works and all the parishes would be transferred to the Local Church. In 1988 CICM agreed with the Archdiocese to create Kuangjen Foundation, a structure through which all the schools, centers of special education and kindergartens were transferred to Taipei Archdiocese.

    In its work CICM stresses its commitment to Justice and the Poor. In line with this Cicm initiated the Chingjen Labour Center which used to have its center in Resurrection Parish and the House of Peace which cares for street people (= people without a home). 

   CICM also reaches out to the Church in China through the V. I. China Program (especially dioceses in N. China and in former CICM dioceses) and  the also through the SMCO China Apostolate.

Recently a new center was started in the Wanhua , the children after school activities center to provide better education chances for children from poorer or problematic families in the Wanhua. Cicm has always had a preferential option for the poor and the disadvantaged.

And thanks to all who support us, namely the Friends of Cicm and Cicm benefactors Cicm continues to reach out to more people in need. You too can make a difference in the life of people. Join the friends of Cicm or become a benefactor for Cicm.

 (Thanks to Jeroom Heyndrickx for contributing to this article)