The Dominican Order (Order of Preachers) has been the central pillar of Catholicism in Taiwan for nearly 400 years, serving as the first Catholic missionaries to the island in 1626 and again as the sole Catholic presence for nearly a century after 1859. [1, 2, 3]The Spanish Dominican Era (1626–1642) [3]
- Arrival & Missions: Led by Father Bartolomé Martínez, the first group of five Spanish Dominicans arrived in northern Taiwan on May 10, 1626. They established nine missions and built the first Catholic churches in Keelung and Tamsui.
- Expansion: During this 16-year period, 35 missionaries served on the island, converting approximately 4,000 to 5,000 indigenous people, primarily the Basay and Kavalan tribes.
- Expulsion: The mission ended abruptly in 1642 when Dutch forces from southern Taiwan captured the Spanish fortresses in the north and deported the missionaries. [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]
- Founding of Modern Missions: On May 18, 1859, Fathers Fernando Sáinz and Ángel Bofurull arrived in Kaohsiung. They were the only Catholic evangelizers in Taiwan until 1949.
- Key Landmarks:
- Wanchin Basilica (Pingtung): Built by Father Sáinz in 1870, it is the oldest Catholic church in Taiwan today. It was elevated to a Minor Basilica in 1984.
- Holy Rosary Cathedral (Kaohsiung): Originally a small vicarial house built in 1861, it was later rebuilt into the current Minor Basilica and Cathedral by Dominican friars between 1929 and 1931.
- Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Taipei): The original Gothic cathedral was built by Dominicans in 1911 but was destroyed by bombing in 1945; the current structure stands on the same site.
- Institutional Legacy: The Dominicans founded significant educational and social institutions, including Blessed Imelda College (1917) and College of Santo Domingo (1957). [1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13]
- Semantic Translation: Dominicans pioneered a missionary approach that integrated local customs, such as placing ancestor tables and bagua symbols inside churches to bridge the gap between Catholic faith and Taiwanese culture.
- Indigenous Outreach: They focused heavily on indigenous communities, particularly in the south and on the eastern coast, translating religious materials into native languages. [10, 14, 15]
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Nurturing Life Through the Gospel:
A School’s Legacy and Transformation As Taiwan commemorates 400 years of Christianity on the island, this is our humble contribution; a story not only of a school, but of a mission shaped by God’s providence, carried forward through generations by the faithful witness of the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic. From the rescue of abandoned infant girls during the missionary era in mainland China, to the founding of a girls’ school in Dadaocheng, Taipei, and to what is now a vibrant institution accompanying diverse learners, the Dominican Missionary Sisters have journeyed through changing times with one unwavering foundation: the Gospel. While the forms of education have evolved, the mission, to nurture life through faith and to allow love to endure across generations, has remained constant. The origins of the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic's work can be traced back to the missionary efforts of Dominican priests of the Province of the Holy Rosary in China. In extremely harsh conditions, they rescued abandoned baby girls from garbage heaps and even from the jaws of stray dogs. These fragile lives, so easily discarded by society, became the very heart of a mission. Recognizing the urgent need for care, the priests invited Religious Sisters from Spain and the Philippines to join them. Here we see clearly the role of the Dominican Sisters in God’s plan: not merely as helpers, but as co-workers in His saving love receiving life when it was most vulnerable, protecting it, and nurturing it with dignity. What began as an act of compassion became a vocation rooted in the Gospel: to “receive life,” to accompany it, and to help it flourish. Eventually, the Sisters were sent to Taiwan and settled in Dadaocheng (Penglai Town), Taipei. In a society where women were undervalued and educational opportunities for girls were scarce, they discerned a new call. With courage and determination, they acquired land and, in 1916, founded Blessed Imelda School Jingxiu Girls’ High School. Inspired by the prayer of Hannah in the Book of Samuel whose faith brought hope to her people, the Sisters entrusted their mission under the patronage of Blessed Imelda Lambertini. They envisioned forming young women not only in knowledge but in virtue: cultivating inner stillness, discipline, and moral strength so that goodness might endure through generations. As the saying goes, “Educate a girl, and you educate a generation.” During the Japanese colonial period, when educational policies promoted Japanese culture, language, Shinto practices, and loyalty to the Emperor, the missionaries faced significant challenges. Yet, guided by wisdom and faith, the Dominican priests and Sisters found creative ways to integrate Christian values into the life of the school. Through curriculum, symbolic spaces such as Marian courtyards, liturgical celebrations, and especially Christmas festivities, they quietly transmitted the Christian vision of family, morality, and faith. Their approach did not aim at forming elites, but at shaping character. This, too, reveals the depth of the missionary vocation: to transform society not through power or prominence, but through the patient formation of hearts. When the students graduated and entered family life, the values they had received naturally took root in their homes. In this way, the mission extended far beyond the school walls. Faith was not only taught it was lived, shared, and handed on. Through generations, the Gospel became incarnate in daily life. Thus, the story of BIS Jingxiu is not simply an educational history; it is a testimony to God’s faithful guidance and to the indispensable role of Religious Missionaries. They were instruments of His providence; bridging cultures, responding to the needs of each era, and faithfully nurturing life from its most fragile beginnings to its full human and spiritual flourishing. As we celebrate 400 years of Christianity in Taiwan, we recognize in this journey a living Gospel: a mission that began by saving abandoned lives, grew through education and formation, and continues today, quietly yet powerfully, through every life touched, transformed, and sent forth in love. |
在福音中培育生命：一所學校的傳承與轉化
當台灣紀念天主教在這片土地傳播四百週年之際，這是我們謙卑的奉獻；這不僅是一所學校的故事，更是一項在天主的眷顧中形成的使命，並由道明傳教修女會以忠信的見證，世代相傳、延續至今。 從中國大陸福傳時期被救起的女嬰開始，到台北大稻埕創立女子學校，再到今日成為陪伴多元學習者的靜修中學，道明傳教修女會以福音為根，走過時代的變遷。教育的形式或許逐漸改變，但那份以信仰滋養生命、讓愛在世代中延續的使命，始終未曾改變。 道明傳教修女會的起源，可追溯至玫瑰道明會省神父在中國大陸從事福傳工作的時期。當時，他們在極為艱困的環境中，從垃圾堆與野狗口中救起被遺棄的女嬰。為了照顧這些脆弱的生命，特別從西班牙與菲律賓召請修女前來協助，展開了以關懷與教育為核心的服務使命。這份從「接住生命」開始的召叫，也成為日後投入教育工作的深層根基。 其後，修女們來到台北大稻埕蓬萊町。在當時重男輕女、女性教育資源匱乏的社會背景下，她們深感女子教育的重要，遂排除萬難購地建校，並於1916年創立靜修女中。她們期盼，如同《撒慕爾紀》中亞納的祈禱能拯救民族一般，透過教育女孩子，在小主保貞福嚴美黛的護佑下，培養靜心修身的德行，使美好的文化得以世代延續。正如俗話所說：「教養一個女孩子，等於教養下一個世代。」 靜修女中成立於日本統治時期，當時教育政策強調日本文化，包括日語使用、神社參拜及天皇信仰。在此背景下，神父與修女們巧妙地將基督宗教的價值融入教育之中——透過課程、環境設計（如瑪利亞廣場）、禮儀培育及聖誕活動，傳遞基督徒的道德觀、家庭觀與信仰精神。學校雖不以菁英教育為導向，卻極為重視品格養成。 當學生畢業、進入婚姻與家庭生活後，這些在校所培育的價值觀，便在日常生活中自然流露，潛移默化地傳承給下一代。透過靜修女中的培育，基督的信念得以延續，使福音精神在世代之間逐步落實於生活之中。 當我們慶祝基督宗教在台灣四百週年之際，我們在這段歷程中看見一部活生生的福音：一項始於拯救被遺棄生命的使命，透過教育與培育而不斷成長，並在今日持續以寧靜卻有力的方式，藉著每一個被觸動、被轉化並在愛中被派遣的生命，延續不息。 [1] https://www.holyrosaryprovince.org [2] https://works.hcommons.org [3] https://www.airitilibrary.com [4] https://en.wikipedia.org [5] https://www.taiwan-panorama.com [6] https://worldofnancylublog.blogspot.com [7] https://homepage.ntu.edu.tw [8] https://homepage.ntu.edu.tw [9] https://www.researchgate.net [10] https://www.holyrosaryprovince.org [11] https://worldofnancylublog.blogspot.com [12] https://homepage.ntu.edu.tw [13] https://worldofnancylublog.blogspot.com [14] https://www.mdpi.com [15] https://www.ncregister.com |
