(Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 21-06-2022) Last 20 August, the Catholic Diocese of Kaohsiung celebrated the solemn translation of the mortal remains of the two former bishops of the Diocese: the Dominican, Rev. Fr. Joseph Cheng Tien Hsiang OP, the first bishop of the Diocese; and his successor the Jesuit, Paul Cardinal Shan Kuo Hsi SJ at the Cathedral Basilica of the Rosario of Kaohsiung. The celebration took place within the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Diocese (2020-2021) but it proved impossible due to the pandemic outbreak until recently. The choice of 20 August, is due to the fact that 19 August, was the 32nd anniversary of the death of Bishop Cheng while 22 August, was the 10th anniversary of the death of the Cardinal.
The remains had been previously exhumed from the Catholic cemetery of Kaosong and were temporarily kept at the Bishop’s residence. The celebration began with the reception of the remains with the entire clergy awaiting it at the doors of the Cathedral led by the bishop in pontifical robes. A simple public. the ceremony took place with representatives of the municipal government, a delegation from the Buddhist group Fo KuangShan, which had been closely bonded with the Cardinal and it ended with a representative of the Provincial of the Jesuits.
The holy mass began at 10 o clock sharp with the assistance of the bishop emeritus of Tainan, Msgr Bosco Lin, and the Bishop of Chiayi, Msgr Norbert Pu Ying Xiong with the diocesan clergy and the religious working in the diocese. The main celebrant was the bishop of Kaohsiung, Msgr Peter Liu Cheng Chung. The preaching of the homily was entrusted to Rev. Fr. Domingo Tu Yong Xiong, Vicar General of the Diocese. The grand choir composed of aboriginal Christians (Paiwan tribe), regaled us with their sweet angelic voice with new musical compositions with aboriginal air, thus injecting a local and inculturated flavor to the liturgical celebration.
Although the ceremony was greatly centered on the memory of the Cardinal, due perhaps to the many guests who came to memorialize him, and also to his national and international stature as a Prince of the Church, during the homily, with all naturalness, Fr. Tu Yung Xiong narrated to us many anecdotes of our Dominican confrere, sharing us his simplicity, his great love for the aborigines, his religious poverty and his many pastoral actions reflecting his commitment to the Diocese.
After the mass, the porcelain urns containing the remains were deposited in previously prepared niches below the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the left lateral altar of the Basilica. It was the last desire of the Cardinal that seven years after his death, his remains may be exhumed and transferred to the Cathedral under the altar of the Sacred Heart.
The late Msgr. Joseph Cheng Tien Hsiang OP was a son of the Province of the Rosary. With the erection of Kaohsiung as a diocese in 1961, he was appointed as its first bishop while he served as the Rector of Saint Dominic High School. From 1961 till his death in 1990 he consolidated the work of the missionaries leaving it flourishing with many charitable institutions. It should be remembered that Msgr. Cheng invited the Dominican contemplative nuns from Olmedo (Spain) to make their first foundation in Asia, he also made the petition to raise our old mission of Wanchin (Pingtung) into the first Basilica Minore of the island, thus leaving in perpetuity as a memento of the evangelical work of the first missionaries in the island. His death in 1990 concluded the long list of bishops/prelates that the Province of the Rosary had given in the service of the Church in the mission. He was also the second Dominican bishop of Chinese heritage in the Province.
Various members of the Dominican family attended this celebration, among them were the Vice Provincial of the Chinese Dominicans, the Prioress General of the Chinese Dominican Sisters, the Provincial Coordinator of the Dominican Missionaries of the Rosary and the local prioress of the Religious Missionaries of Saint Dominic. From the part of the Province, it was represented by the Vicar of the Provincial and some confreres of the mission serving the Diocese.
Photos courtesy of Mr. Josafat Pan and Ms. Vissia Chiu
Fr. Jarvis Sy Hao OP
Vicar of the Provincial
Saint Joseph Mission of Taiwan.
