Hualien County’s Yuli Township (玉里) on Wednesday celebrated the reopening of a second-hand store and redistribution center for disadvantaged and poor residents after the store burned down in February.
The center was founded by Catholic priest Father Yves Moal.
Speaking at the ceremony, Moal said the successful reconstruction of the store was possible “due to the generosity of the Taiwanese people,” which had not changed since he arrived in Taiwan as a 25-year-old.
Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times
Due to the public’s concern for the less fortunate, the amount necessary for rebuilding the facility had been raised within just two days, he said.
Moal shared the story of receiving a letter from a small girl who donated NT$15, adding that “this sum is equal to several hundreds of millions.”
Moal, who received Republic of China citizenship four years ago, said in Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese): “I am Taiwanese,” adding that he is proud of his compatriots.
The ceremony was attended by former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and his wife, Lo Feng-ping (羅鳳蘋), who are Catholics.
“Father Moal is a living saint,” Chen said, adding that the priest, who has devoted 55 years of his life to Taiwan, embodied all the good sides of the nation and is “a Taiwanese priest hailing from France.”
Chen and Lo also took part in a sale for the benefit of Yuli’s disadvantaged and poor residents.
Bishop Philip Huang (黃兆明) of the Hualien diocese also attended the ceremony and blessed the new center.
The ceremony coincided with Moal’s 80th birthday, which was also celebrated with a large cake.
Moal also expressed the hope that the local community would soon be able to fund and build additional facilities for the town’s homeless residents, as they also “have the right to have a safe place to stay.”
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