Sharing Our Compassion with the World
President Ma Ying-jeou Speech at the 2009 Spiritual Exercises, Fu Jen Catholic University
September 11, 2009
It is my great pleasure to be here today. The Republic of China's relationship with the Holy See is one of our oldest and closest diplomatic ties, spanning nearly 7 decades. And even more significant is Taiwan's relationship with the Catholic Church, which has spanned nearly 4 centuries. Today, close to 5% of our population is Christian, including hundreds of thousands of Catholic practitioners; Roman Catholicism has become embedded in the very fabric of our society. So there is no doubt in my mind that the Holy See is one of the most meaningful and invaluable partners.
In truth, the Catholic Church is very much a part of Taiwan's success story. Especially in the modern era, the Church has made remarkable contributions to Taiwan's academic, medical, and social systems. As one of the most prestigious private academic institutions in Taiwan, Fu Jen Catholic University stands testament to the Church's dedication. Countless Catholic missionaries have also founded schools and orphanages to care for Taiwan's children; provided refuge and shelter for abused victims; and freely offered counseling and charity to those less advantaged in society, including aboriginal communities, the disabled, the elderly and the infirm. The Church's benevolence has helped build the foundation upon which Taiwan has become an open and democratic society where its people can freely follow their religious beliefs without fear of persecution.
Even as I speak, the Catholic Church continues to offer its compassion to Taiwan's people. The Holy See is one of many countries that have donated generous humanitarian aid to the victims of Typhoon Morakot. We have received very meaningful disaster relief from many Catholic-based organizations, such as Caritas Internationalis. So on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I offer my deep gratitude to you, the international community, as well as the countless rescuers who have done so much to help Taiwan's people get through this very difficult time.
As a recipient country in years past, Taiwan truly values the importance of international aid. Our economic miracle, democratic development, and swift social and technological advancements have been built upon the bedrock of years of generous foreign contributions. Because of this invaluable assistance, Taiwan today has the capability to be a proud donor country. So, as the Bible teaches to "Love thy neighbor as thyself", it is Taiwan's solemn duty to humanity to share its success and prosperity with the world community.
Therefore, my administration has adopted clear measures to transform our foreign aid policy to better achieve this goal. By modeling our new policy on the UN Millennium Development Goals, we hope our foreign aid will alleviate real needs and reflect international trends. In particular, we have set our sights on reducing extreme poverty, promoting education, preventing the spread of disease, and protecting our green planet for the health and wellbeing of our families. The Republic of China Constitution requires that our nation advance the cause of peace and justice for all humanity, and my administration will work to fulfill that duty.
But Taiwan cannot do it alone. As the Millennium Development Goals state, we must strengthen global partnerships in order to triumph over the challenges we face today. The urgent tasks of reversing climate change, preventing pandemic outbreaks, and providing humanitarian relief in natural and man-made disasters, all call for concerted international effort. Since Taiwan's economic miracle decades ago, we have worked to share our wealth and knowledge with those in need. Our government agencies have actively mobilized to provide financial and technical aid to developing nations. Tzu Chi, World Vision Taiwan, and The Red Cross Society of the Republic of China are just some of the many non-profit organizations that have also made invaluable contributions in nearly every corner of the world.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you a personal story of mine. In 1997, I had a chance to visit the South Pacific islands – Solomon Islands. I spent a day over there. As usual, I started the day by jogging in the morning. When I reached a local market, I met a young boy selling betelnuts and coconuts, very... just a few of them. A black boy of about 15 or 16. What attracted my attention was the T-shirt he wore. He wore a blue T-shirt with Chinese names on it. The Chinese names read 青溪國中 張文堂. Obviously this young boy could not read 青溪國中 張文堂, but this is a T-shirt collected in Taiwan and donated to Solomon Islands. That's what I thought. At the time, I was suddenly... virtually frozen, and thinking about what happened exactly 40 years earlier when I was a small boy in Wanhua District in Taipei City, where I went with my grandmother to Xiyuan Road Catholic Church every Sunday. There I met Father Remi Van Hyfte (文懷德神父), where he taught us how to worship God, and after the mass usually he would give out donations or other items which the church collected from Western countries. So we were able to receive butter, milk powder, and corn powder, which greatly enriched our daily diet, so I was a pretty healthy boy as a result. So I was very much grateful to the church, and I was so touched by that moment. Why? Because I was so happy that Taiwan had transformed from a sort of receiving country to a donor country in terms of charity. That was a moment of pride, of confidence.
Similarly, the Holy See and Catholic Church are renowned for their benevolent work in foreign aid. Especially in the modern era, the Catholic Church has reorganized its centuries of missionary work into a global movement for humanitarian services. Through your unwavering dedication and tireless efforts, you have inspired the world by improving the welfare of countless human lives. Therefore, I hope that through our common compassion for our brethren throughout the world, the Republic of China and the Holy See will seek to forge a stronger partnership. As the disaster in southern Taiwan shows us, "No man is an island, entire of itself." The global community must band together if we are to safeguard the values cherished by all of humanity. Once again, for those who've come from afar, welcome to Taiwan, Republic of China.
Thank you very much.