12/09/2015．Wenzao Delegation Attended the World Congress on Catholic Education Held in Vatican

　
　

　

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Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Giuseppe Card.
Versaldi met with the delegation from Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages
 

 
 
 
  










Dec. 09, 2015







【News release: Public Relations Office】
 
     President Chou Shieu-ming of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages recently led a delegation to the World Congress on Catholic Education, which was held in the Vatican, for an academic exchange with 2,000 experts and scholars from catholic schools and universities the world over. This event marked the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration, Gravissimum Educationis, and the 25th anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution, Ex Corde Ecclesia. The opening and closing sessions took place in the Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican on Nov. 18th and 20th, with the other sessions held at the Centro Mariapoli in Castel Gandolfo. The 13-member delegation included Wenzao Vice President Dr. Mei-hua Chen, Director of General Education Center Dr. Yao-tang Lin, Director of Center for Ursuline Education Dr. Shu-fen Chang, and representatives from Fu Jen Catholic University and Providence University.
 
 
     The title of the World Congress was "Educating Today and Tomorrow: A Renewing Passion", focusing on major educational issues and challenges. Pope Francis chaired the closing ceremony, reminding the audience that education today has become "too selective and elitist" and that "it seems that only those people or persons who are wealthy at a certain level have the right to an education.” The Pope noted such development would not bring people closer to us, but rather keep people away from us.
 
     The ROC Ambassador to Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Holy See, Mr. Yu-yuan Wang, held a welcome reception at the embassy on Nov. 20th, with the presence of 70 guests or so, including Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Giuseppe Versaldi; Undersecretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Fr. Friedrich Bechina; experts and scholars from Portugal, Spain, the United States, Canada, France, Greece, Poland and Russia, as well as ROC clergy in the Holy See. According to Ambassador Wang, the academic exchange is one of the most fruitful exchanges between Taiwan and the Holy See. The signing of the "Agreement on Collaboration in the Field of Higher Education and on the Recognition of Studies, Qualifications, Diplomas and Degrees" provides for the mutual recognition of academic degrees and boosts exchanges between Taiwan and the Holy See, encouraging schools to engage in academic exchanges with Vatican.
 
     Wenzao delegation paid a visit to the Ursulines of the Roman Union to meet with Prioress General Mother Cecilia Wang. Mother Wang is among the first graduates of Wenzao"s English Department. She was baptized while studying in Wenzao. Three years after graduation, she joined the Ursulines and has served as the Prioress General since she was elected in 2008, the first non-European Prioress General. The delegation invited Mother Wang to come back to Wenzao next year to join in the school"s 50th anniversary celebrations.
 
     It is worth mentioning that Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages has signed an academic exchange memorandum with Universidad Anahuac Mexico Sur. Universidad Anahuac Mexico Sur was founded in 1981 in Mexico City and is a comprehensive university. It is the first time for Wenzao to achieve a sisterhood relationship with a Mexican university.
 
      After the World Congress, President Chou travelled to Brescia to visit Desenzano town, the birthplace of St. Angela Merici, her childhood residence, and the church where her relic is preserved. Director of General Education Center, Dr. Lin Yao-tang, noted that Wenzao"s educational philosophy is based on the educational spirit of the Ursulines founder, St. Angela Merici, and the mission of catholic universities. Feeling very emotionally touched, Director Lin summed this trip in a few words: "Believing intensifies knowledge, and seeing strengthens belief." The entire trip gave Director Lin a touch of grace in body, mind and spirit. He also shared what he had learned at the World Congress: Today, the world"s education is facing difficult challenges, with issues such as educational inequalities and poverty which need to be tackled urgently. Educators in the world"s catholic schools hoped to engage in interactions in this platform to exchange experiences in different educational settings and cultural backgrounds, so this event is an important and rare opportunity.
 
 




 


 




The delegation was invited to the lunch hosted by the ROC Ambassador
 to the Holy See, Larry Yu-yuan Wang


The delegations from the three universities took a group photo with the ROC Ambassador to the Holy See, Larry Yu-yuan Wang







 




Pope Francis met the participants to the World Congress on Catholic Education in the closing ceremony


Wenzao signed the MOU with the Universidad Anahuac Mexico Sur 







The delegation of Wenzao was received with warm welcome by Mother Cecilia Wang(middle of the front row) while visiting the Ursulines of Roman Union .
The delegation had dinner with the ursuline sisters







A visit to the former residence of St. Angela Merici in Le Grezze


Relic of St. Angela Merici  








The delegation visited the former residence of St. Angela Merici with Sister Patrycia


St. Angela Merici