TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Fu Jen Catholic University (天主教輔仁大學), one of Taiwan's premier Catholic institutions of higher learning, lowered its Vatican, national, and school flags to half-staff on Tuesday (April 22) to mark the pope's passing. University officials have created a dedicated memorial space on campus where students, faculty and community members can gather to pay their respects. Campus leadership announced plans for memorial Masses and commemorative events in the coming days, encouraging the university community to contemplate the pontiff's legacy.
Dr. Francis Yi-Chen Lan (藍易振), the university president, conveyed profound grief over the pontiff's death while reflecting on their November meeting at the Vatican. Dr. Lan described the pope's warm demeanor and genuine curiosity about Fu Jen's educational philosophy during their encounter. The president had proudly informed the pontiff that the university had integrated the pope's influential 2015 environmental encyclical "Laudato Si'" (願祢送讚頌通諭) into its academic curriculum, receiving the pope's personal encouragement to persist in these educational initiatives.
The university now enters a solemn period of collective mourning and contemplation, with administrators highlighting the profound influence the pope's theological and philosophical teachings have had on Fu Jen's educational framework. Campus officials designed the upcoming memorial events not only to honor the pontiff's legacy but also to reinforce a sense of spiritual continuity and community solidarity during this transitional period for the global Catholic Church. ★
