Sacred Heart Church Introduction
In the 17th century, the Spanish brought the Catholic faith to Taiwan, but the missionary work temporarily halted with the arrival of the Protestant-religious Dutch. In 1859, Father Andreas de Gonsalves of the Dominican Order’s Rose Province took up the legacy and officially began the history of the Catholic Church in Taiwan by establishing the first church in Kaohsiung. In 1953, with the diligent efforts of Father Jiang Liang-ya and Father Du Ming-de, the Catholic Church took root in Ahou City. Fathers Jiang and Du initially set up a chapel in an old building on Yongfu Road, and as the number of believers increased, the Dominican Order decided in 1959 to purchase land on Gongyuan Road. After a decade of challenges, the current chapel was finally completed. Coinciding with the Catholic feast of the "Glorious Cross," it was named "Holy Cross Chapel." The chapel's exterior is adorned with washed stone pavement, embodying the simple and solemn spirit of the Catholic faith. Inside the chapel, there are statues of the Passion of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph, with spacious accommodations for hundreds of people to hear sermons. Grand celebrations are held annually during Easter, the church's feast in September, and Christmas in December.
