We are invited by God and are firmly believed that Christ alone is Lord. We rely on the power of the Holy Spirit: with the spirit of contemplation, praise, gratitude, and seeking truth. As Eucharist is our center, we live a simple, hard-working consecrated life. With the spirit of kindness and humility, we strive to serve the weak, exude the brilliance of motherhood, and are full of enthusiasm for evangelization.
History of our Congregation
We are invited by God and are firmly believed that Christ alone is Lord. We rely on the power of the Holy Spirit: with the spirit of contemplation, praise, gratitude, and seeking truth. As Eucharist is our center, we live a simple, hard-working consecrated life. With the spirit of kindness and humility, we strive to serve the weak, exude the brilliance of motherhood, and are full of enthusiasm for evangelization.
1.Early stage
The founder of our Order, Archbishop Zhao Bingwen, was appointed by Pope Pius XI as the first Apostolic Vicar of Funing Diocese in 1926. Funing is located in the eastern part of Fujian and is one of the eight prefectures in Fujian Province. Because at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the six Blessed Dominicans were all martyred in Fu'an, so Fu'an developed the best, and the number of girls living a consecrated life at home was the largest. Influenced by the great teachings of St. Frances and St. Gabriel a woman named Chen Zidong made her break through the difficulties and was determined to keep her chastity life and serve the church. She became China's "first fruit of chastity". Due to her kind influence, hundreds of virgins and nuns in the Funing area assisted the church and had contributed a lot due to their hard work. In this regard, Archbishop Zhao was deeply moved and decided to establish a local congregation of sisters. In 1932, Archbishop Zhao Bingwen established the"Funing Dominican Sisters" in Sandu'ao, Fujian Province. Archbishop Zhao invited Dominican sisters of Rosa Province to come to China to engage in evangelization and pastoral work, and to help nurture the local Funing-Dominican Sisters
In 1932, Sr. Ascension Nicol Goni and Sr. Teresa Lazaro accompanied the nine young nuns, after two months of hardships; they flew directly from Spain to Hong Kong to convey Fuzhou to Sanduoao. Sandu'ao Mother's House was consecrated on August 4, 1939, and it was named "House of Charity",protected by the Sacred Heart of Jesus
2. Towards the Unknown
Early days of coming to Taiwan 1949
1949 • The CCP war had come to the south • The convent sent 13 young sisters as to study abroad. Among them, 6 were perpetual vow sisters, 5 were novitiates, and 2 were postulant. At that time, the situation was in a panic, and they could not say goodbye to their parents. With the help of Bishop Lin, Sr.Miao Shunying and Sister Lai Juzi were ordered to take two bamboo boxes filled with important documents of the Order to the Fuzhou dock and wait. They, including six Spanish nuns, arrived in Hong Kong on May 18. The nuns of the Precious Blood Society offered a big and warm helping hand. During this period, the living expenses were financed by the Precious Blood Sisters and the local zealous priests and faithful. Life is very hard. After that, Sister Hong Qizhen, the principal of the Middle School, handled the admission procedures and our sisters went to Taiwan by boat three months later.
On the way to Taiwan, the sisters spent three days half-starved with only a bucket of biscuits given by the Precious Blood Society nuns when they boarded the boat. Arrived in Keelung on August 15th, but due to the typhoon, the ship was docking in Kaohsiung. Father Wu took the sisters to the Leren Hospital of the Sisters of Mary to participate in the Mass of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and enjoyed meal they served; and after that they took some bread and went back to the ship and spend the night sleeping peacefully. The next day, the ship arrived at Keelung Port and boarded the land of Taiwan. After arriving in Taiwan, Sister Hong Qizhen, the principal, personally came to Keelung Port to welcome the sisters and placed them in the school dormitory for three months. In June 1951, Archbishop Zhao was arrested for "advocating the Legion of Our Lady". On November 1, the bishop and priests Hu Liangming and Xue Renkan walked from Fuzhou to Guangzhou for five days, and then took the train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. After leaving China, he recuperated in St. Paul's Hospital in Hong Kong
In 1952, he went to Manila, passed through Taiwan, went to Taipei, and Kaohsiung to visit the sisters. He must return to Spain in two weeks
In 1954, sisters receive the acceptance of Bishop Niu and the support of the priest ofthe ChiaYi diocese.
In 1955, seven sisters came to the Diocese of Chiayi to settle down one after another, serving in Huwei Joseph Hospital and Sacred Heart Kindergarten. In 1957, the Mother House and the Novitiate were built in Dounan Town, Yunlin County. On November 28, Bishop Niu approved Sister Lai Juzi as the Mother Superior and Sister Miao Shunying as the Mentor.
In 1960, the Congregation of Propaganda approved the establishment of the Mother House in Taiwan, and a Novitiate, which was renamed the "Chinese Dominican Sisters" and affiliated with the Chiayi Diocese. So far, the incense of the religious order has continued and developed in Taiwan. The founder of the Congregation, Archbishop Zhao Bingwen, established a local church in China, and the Congregation has been
fulfilled
At the beginning of the establishment of the congregation in Taiwan, the resources were very lacking, but the sisters trusted in God’s help, diligently and frugally, raised pigs,
chickens, vegetables, and accumulated some savings. Archbishop Ren Zhao even tried his
best to raise funds for us. After many efforts, we finally have the ability to build our Mother House in Dounan, and establish Dounan Kindergarten and Fu'an Hospital. Later, we opened Xiguang Kindergarten and No. 1 Clinic in Xiluo, and started the education and charity service of the congregation. In addition to developing schools and running hospitals, the sisters paid more attention to evangelism and youth education. They dispatched sisters to Zheng Xin and Fu Jen Middle School to serve as teachers and housemasters. And Futeye parish to serve the aborigines. The priest of the Dominican of Germen has helped the sisters apply for opportunities for further education and cultivation. In 1973, sisters were also invited to serve in the Chaozhou Xiao Ai Home for the Elderly, and three years later, the home was generously donated to the us, which became our mission of evangelization. Their trust and support for the sisters fully expressed the friendship within the big Family of Dominicans, which made the sisters deeply grateful.
As the congregation gradually developed steadily, the sisters were grateful for the kindness of the founder, Archbishop Zhao, and asked the bishop to come to Taiwan and let the sisters express their gratitude.
In 1973 the first International Conference of Dominican Missionaries was held in Madrid,Spain. Sister Huang Bixia of our congregation participated. After 20 years of separation, the bishop was overjoyed to see the sister from the congregation he founded. For half a month, he and Sister Huang often had the opportunity to get together to talk about the situation of the sisters in Taiwan and his love for them. At the age of 85, with the deep desire to meet with the sisters, he applied to the Holy See to come to Taiwan
The Archbishop came to Taiwan in November 1974 from Rome. At the press conference when he arrived in Taiwan, he repeatedly said: China is his second hometown, and he wants to rest on this land.
On May 6, 1980, Archbishop Zhao and the sisters gathered together happily for six years. After being called by the Lord, he left us with infinite memories.
3. Towards the future
The Continue development of our Congregation. Since 2003, overseas young women have joined us, working together to respond to the mission of evangelization and continue the spirit of St. Dominic. The religious order also slowly developed to continue serving God abroad. Thank God for his company and blessing along the way, so that we can constantly feel His presence and calling. We hope that every sister will continue the spirit of evangelization to people, Proclaim the Heavenly Kingdom, and glorify God.
