Cardinal Tien Ken-Sin: Achievement
- Emmanuelle Minoungou
Photo taken by Emma
Cardinals are the most senior bishops in the Catholic Church. They are chosen by the Pope, and their duty is to divide the leadership of the various departments of the Holy See and the essential parishes of the world. Cardinal Thomas Tien Ken-Sin was a remarkable individual who excelled in his duty as a man of God; he worked hard to help people in need by helping build shelters, hospitals, and convents. From 1918 to 1969, he achieved great things.
Cardinal Tien Ken-Sin is the first Chinese Catholic cardinal before cardinal Paul Yu-pin. Born in 1890 in Zhangqiu Town, Yanggu County, Shandong Province, Tien’s father died when he was really young. After his baptism at the age of 11, he first studied in a small monastery and continued his studies later at a bigger monastery in Polli village, Yanggu. His ordination as a priest occurred On 9 June 1918, in the Church of the Holy Spirit, which was the cathedral for the Bishop of Yanzhou.
Cardinal Tien is well known for his devotion to God and the Holy Church. His love and fight for the greatness of the church allowed him to achieve great things. He was part of the diocese of Juye located in Yutai, Wenshang. As he scrimped to keep the churches running, the economic conditions of churches improved consecutively. His strategy of knowing what the people needed in order to provide help was to mingle with the locals, and he was appreciated for his humility and compassion towards others.
In 1929, Tien Ken-Sin Tien Ken-Sin entered the Holy Speech Society, where he studied for two years. He vowed to become a member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and serve all his life which he also accomplished. As a member of the Society of Divine Word, his mission was precious and valued to his heart. He went to Jiaxiang, Yuncheng, and other areas to do missionary work in 1931. In 1934 (said in 1933), he was appointed by the Holy See as the supervisor of Yanggu Parish in Shandong Province. In 1939, Tien was promoted to vicar and head bishop of Yanggu. On November 29 of the same year, he was consecrated as a bishop by Pope Pius XII in St. Peter’s Basilica. The next year, he founded the Sisters of Our Lady of China in Chaocheng County, Yanggu Diocese, which was a rare order founded by Chinese people at that time. The establishment of the Sisters of Our Lady had been followed by the construction of the parish on which he worked day and night, and he always went there to teach regularly.
In 1942, Tien was appointed bishop of the Qingdao Diocese in Shandong Province. Then in 1945, the Pope appointed him the first Cardinal of the Far East. On 18 February 1946, he was approved in St. Peter's Basilica, but concerned about the status of the Chinese Church in the universal church, Tien advised the Pope to establish a Chinese hierarchy to improve the Chinese Church’s status. As his request was approved, the Pope appointed Tien as the Archbishop of Peiping on April 11, 1946, and the hierarchy of the Chinese church was soon established after that.
In Taiwan, Tien worked hard to achieve establishment of the Saint Joseph convent with the ICM sisters from Belgium in 1959. The convent aimed to help the poor and bring medical assistance to people. The sisters set up a dispensary on Da Pu Street in Taipei City, providing medical care and medication to people in need. Cardinal Tien as well connected helped the sisters to bring the convent to reality, after which they established the Saint Joseph Hospital on Dong Yuan Street two years later and continued supporting the poor. On May 1, 1962, the hospital was inaugurated. Its main purpose was to serve mothers and children, as the number of premature newborns in Taiwan was high. From April 1960 to December 1967, he was the Chair of the Board of Trustees; at Fu Jen Catholic University.
He participated in building and establishing Saint Thomas Seminary in Taiwan and GengXin Hospital. He also assisted in the restoration of Fu Jen University and became its President. The University built and named a building after the cardinal Tien Ken-Sin as tribute, a homage to him and his achievements. His impact on his community and society resulted in continuing his legacy. A memorial hall was established in Chiayi as a commemoration 20 years after his death. A hospital was built and named after him to remind us of his commitment to helping the poor and effectively providing health care.
On 24 July 1967, the first Chinese Cardinal Tien Ken-Sin, known for his devotion to the Sinicization of Catholicism, passed away at St. Martin's Hospital of the Sisters of Our Lady of China in Chiayi, Taiwan. He was buried at the metropolitan cathedral in Taipei and later transferred to the Cardinal Tien Memorial Chapel at the SVD mission station in Chiayi, south of Taiwan.