About Us > The History of Evangelization

Lay Missionaries from Taiwan

Dominicans in Taiwan At the End of Qing Dynasty

1874: Launched Evangelism Institute to train male evangelists and Virgins (only unmarried women could work as lay missionaries) to assist missionaries in Kaohsiung.

Local evangelists often travelled northward to understand those local cultures in preparation for further evangelization. Initially responsible for both evangelization and building physical churches.

Maryknoll in Western Taiwan

In 1953, launched evangelism institute at Chang-hwa：Educated evangelists both men and women to assist proclaiming Gospel in the central western coast of Taiwan. Some of them continued to serve the Church after retirement.

Bethlehem Fathers in Eastern Taiwan

In 1958, launched St. John Evangelism Institute at Taitung: Trained about 400 evangelists proclaiming Gospel in the Hwatung area and converted most of the indigenous people.

In the 1970s, because Catholic lay evangelists / catechists decreased, Protestants increased as many converted to be Protestants. Currently, still 40% has remained Catholic.


1937 Eucharistic Congress in Manila: above are lay missionaries from Taiwan.