The Office of Mission Identity

The Office of Mission Identity is based on the ideals of the university¡¦s three founding units, the Chinese diocesan clergy, members of the Society of Jesus (S.J.), and the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). These three groups of Brothers and priests joined forces to re-establish Fu Jen Catholic University with the spirit of love and service. The Office of Mission Identity dedicates itself to share truth, goodness, beauty and holiness with the students and members of the university community. It aims to foster the growth of the whole person. In addition, each of the founding units supports development committees in its own colleges. In 2001, during the integration of the university, the committees and representatives of the units separately renamed the Mission Identity offices of the Chinese diocesan clergy (Liberal Arts and Fine Arts), the Society of the Divine Word (Science and Engineering, Foreign Languages, and Human Ecology), and the Society of Jesus (Law, Management, Social Science, and Medicine). In 2003, the Religious Guidance Center performed the role of a fourth Office of Mission Identity, being responsible for special mission activities at Fu Jen, including programs for the libraries, computer center, School of Continuing Education (SOCE) and the Extension Education Unit. There are now a total of nine religious counseling offices which provide service for all teachers and students. ƒÞ

The Office of Mission Identity of the Chinese Diocesan Clergy
The Office of Mission Identity of the Chinese diocesan clergy is organized by two colleges and under the direction of the Catholic Bishops of Taiwan. The representative of this unit is Father Lin Chi-chi, who received his PhD degree in Development Education at Grambling State University, and has served as an assistant professor in the Educational Development Center of Fu Jen University. Now Father Lin teaches in the College of Liberal Arts, offering courses such as Introduction to Education, Philosophy of Education, Learning Diagnostics and Counseling, and Teaching Practicum.

Mission
Those who believe in Jesus must recognize and identify themselves as Christians, and always endeavor to follow Jesus¡¦ words and deeds.

Identity
In our role as Christians, we are witnesses to individuals and groups for the sake of the Gospel which Jesus preached.

Purpose
To pursue the education of the whole human person in the wider communality of Fu Jen (faculty, students, staff and so on), the Office of Mission Identity is dedicated to showing the relationship between Chinese culture and Christianity in order to balance social development with respect for human dignity.

Goal
The Office of Mission Identity affirms the value of human dignity, questions the meaning of life, encourages academic research, reinforces group consciousness and interaction, fosters cultural harmony, strengthens religious collaboration, and serves people and society. „«


Contact Information:

Religious Counseling Office of the College of Liberal Arts
Location: LE 101, 1F, Wen Kai Building
Telephone: +886-2-2905-2330
Religious Counseling Office of the College of Fine Arts
Location: 1F, College of Fine Arts (AG)
Tel: +886-2-2905-2362

The College of Humanities Women¡¦s Dormitory
Information Counter: 02-2905-3355 (Wen De)
02-2905-2339 (Wen She)


The Office of Mission Identity of the Society of the Divine Word

The Society of the Divine Word (SVD, Societus Verbi Divini) was founded by the German priest Arnold Janssen on September 8, 1875. The SVD works in more than fifty countries preaching the Gospel in the context of education, church, and social service. The SVD was invited by Pope Pius XI in 1933 to administer Fu Jen Catholic University in Peking. On October 12, 1950, Fu Jen was taken over by the Communist Party of China, and was joined with Beijing Normal University the next year. In 1955, former Archbishop Yu-bin invited the SVD to participate in the refounding of Fu Jen University in Taiwan. In 1958, Superior General John Schutte arrived in Taiwan to take part in planning the re-establishment of Fu Jen. In 1959, the Holy See appointed Archbishop Yu-bin as the first president of Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. At the beginning, the university relied on the cooperation of the Chinese diocesan clergy, the SVD (and its sister congregation, the Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit), and the Society of Jesus. The SVD was responsible for the College of Science and Engineering, the College of Foreign Languages, and the College of Human Ecology.

The SVD Office of Mission Identity helps to cultivate students¡¦ spiritual interests, contacts alumni, assists in raising funds, promotes academic excellence and an appreciation of history, and offers SVD financial aid for students. Its religious counseling division holds activities related to religious festivals in the Colleges of Science and Engineering, Foreign Languages, and Human Ecology. The Office of Mission Identity is responsible for each college¡¦s religious affairs. In addition, the office handles religious celebrations and guidance for students who live in several dormitories.
ƒÞ

The Office of Mission Identity of the Society of Jesus (S.J.)

At present, the religious counseling in the colleges of Law, Management, Social Science, and Medicine is served by Jesuit priests who promote the values of a Catholic university and directly respond to the spiritual needs of Catholic and Christian believers. The S.J. Office of Mission Identity offers opportunities for students to discuss their studies, to watch videos, and relax in a pleasant atmosphere. The main purpose of religious counseling is to let everyone deeply realize his or her ¡§heart.¡¨ The S.J. Office of Mission Identity aims at increasing the interaction between Chinese and Western cultures to promote religious dialogue, and encouraging teachers and students to be acquainted with Christianity and to discover spiritual peace. The S.J. Office of Mission Identity also fosters service learning and education by personal experience. Service learning programs deepen students¡¦ understanding of humanity and nurture a sense of self-knowledge and introspection. This introspection can help deepen valuable self-understanding and further respect for the dignity of the human person.
ƒÞ

Religious Guidance Center

The Office of Mission Identity for the Society of Jesus (S.J.) sponsors religious celebrations every year, promotes the university¡¦s goals for improved interaction between colleges and departments, spreading spiritual awareness on campus, preaching the Gospel, and stimulating the human spirit to pursue truth and care for society and the world. The Office of Mission Identity of the Society of Jesus offers students care for their physical and spiritual well-being, and invites graduate students to help improve college students¡¦ learning. The Office of Mission Identity supports various interchanges and voluntary activities for the strengthening of values among members of the entire Fu Jen Community. Moreover, the office is concerned about accommodations on campus, provides comfortable and quiet spaces in its college dorms, and holds training sessions to develop better life habits and a whole family atmosphere. The Religious Guidance Center has been a part of Fu Jen for over twenty years, and has now become the fourth Office of Mission Identity of the university. Under the direction of the university chaplain, the every college¡¦s religious counseling center arranges lectures about religious belief on topics such as the Bible, self-cultivation, prayer, and liturgy. The Office provides information about Catholicism as well. The office also offers an elementary course for freshmen to know more about the spirit of a Catholic university.