TAIPEI (UCAN) -- The outgoing charge d'affaires at the Taipei-based Apostolic Nunciature in China recently bade farewell to President Ma Ying-jeou and introduced his successor.

The Holy See Press Office announced on May 8 that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Monsignor Ambrose Madtha apostolic nuncio to the Ivory Coast in West Africa, and raised him to the rank of archbishop.

On June 10, Archbishop-elect Madtha introduced U.S.-born Monsignor Paul Fitzpatrick Russell to Taiwan's new president at the presidential office.

The outgoing diplomat told UCA News via electronic mail that Ma told him he has attended Sunday Masses a number of times and that "when the circumstances are feasible and opportune, he will visit (the) Vatican."

Ma, baptized a Catholic but not a regular faith practitioner, took office on May 20 after winning the March 22 presidential election.

Archbishop-elect Madtha, who started working in Taiwan in 2003, also told UCA News he observed significant developments on the local Church scene. He elaborated that bishops, clergy and Religious have intensified their evangelization efforts and brought the Gospel to many who are not Christians in Taiwan.

"In every church we can see on Sundays a lot of non-Christians participating and coming forward to receive the blessing of the priest at the time of Holy Communion," he said.

With native-born bishops in all seven dioceses in Taiwan now, the local Church has become more localized and has also given more importance to the use of the local language, he added, commending missioners' contribution as well.

The "work of the Catholic community" has been "well appreciated by the Government and by the people," he said, noting that the Church here is preparing to celebrate next year's 150th anniversary of Catholicism in Taiwan.

On Taiwan-Holy See relations, he said he has "repeatedly told the Taiwanese that the Holy See will never abandon them," and that the pope regards himself "as a 'spiritual father' to everyone" including people in mainland China and Taiwan.

Archbishop-elect Madtha was born in Belthangady, India, in 1955. He was ordained a priest for Lucknow diocese in 1982 and then earned a doctorate in canon law at Pontifical Urban University in Rome 1985-1989. He then studied 1989-1990 at Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, a school that prepares Church diplomats.

Since officially entering the Holy See's diplomatic corps on June 1, 1990, he served at the apostolic nunciatures in Ghana, El Salvador, Georgia and Albania before coming to Taiwan.

On June 12, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of President Ma, will confer the Order of Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon, a state honor, on the archbishop-elect.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Phoebe Yeh told UCA News on June 4 that it is a common practice for the government to present a medal to an outgoing diplomat in gratitude for his or her service.

The departing diplomat is scheduled to leave Taiwan on June 14 and to be ordained archbishop in his home diocese of Lucknow on July 27.

Jesuit Father Wilfred Chan told UCA News the Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference in Taiwan has organized a delegation to attend the episcopal ordination in India and also make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Francis Xavier in Goa.

Bishop John Baptist Lee Keh-mean of Hsinchu will be part of the delegation, which is expected to include about 30 Catholics including Father Chan, who will lead the pilgrimage.

Monsignor Russell served at the Apostolic Nunciature in Nigeria before arriving in Taiwan on June 6. He attended his first Chinese cultural event here, a Dragon Boat Festival contest, on June 8. The festival commemorates patriotic Chinese poet Chu Yuan (332-296 B.C.), also known as Qu Yuan.

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