天主教在山城埔里的發展

天主教最早於西元1926年隨西班牙軍隊傳入台灣，1642年因荷蘭逐西班牙勢力而終止傳教活動。至西元1859年，在西班牙道明會郭德剛神父的努力下，才又開啟天主教在台的傳教事業。到了戰後的台灣，由於政治上劇烈的轉變，遂加快了民眾尋求宗教慰藉的腳步。1949年的大陸逃亡潮使得大批傳教士來台，正好補足了此時人民所需要的宗教力量，也促使天主教再度經歷以前在大陸之快速增長佳境。為因應此時迅速成長的教務，教廷傳信部（Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide）也重新劃分台灣的傳教區域，除原有的台北、高雄兩監牧區外，在1950年成立台中監牧區，並委派美國外方傳教會(Maryknoll Missioners，現通稱為瑪利諾會)管理，正式開啟了瑪利諾會在台的傳教工作。瑪利諾會來台後，迅速在中部地區開拓了大片的天主教信仰區，進而將福音帶往偏遠的山區，打開了天主教在台灣中部山地的傳教大門。其中尤以南投縣埔里地區的傳教工作最為特殊，因為埔里是多族共處的地區，人文環境複雜，又居於中部山區入山口的位置，因此成為各宗教匯集之地。天主教在西元1952年傳入埔里盆地，並於1953年間由賈振東神父（Rev.Armand Jacques, M.M.）興建埔里天主堂。在埔里開教的同時，賈神父也向周圍原住民地區傳教，傳教速度之快，至今無人能比。傳教之虞，也培養當地的傳教人才，以便使教會能由當地居民來管理、經營。隨著時代的進步，教會也開始面臨到新的挑戰，不僅是教友人數的下降、堂區的縮小，甚至人口移動所造成的不穩定，都考驗著天主教在埔里地區的發展，且從1996年瑪利諾會退出埔里而交由教區神父接手開始，又為埔里天主堂開啟了另一段的發展歷程。本文即希望從這個多族共處的小鎮中探討天主教傳入、發展及對當地所產生的影響，並如何融合各族群的特質，建立其本土化的教會特質？從中得知天主教會在埔里發展的脈落，以及其所具有的歷史意義。

關鍵字

天主教；台中教區；瑪利諾會；埔里；埔里天主堂

並列摘要

Catholicism was introduced to Taiwan earliest in 1926, following the Spanish army. In 1642, due to the Dutch defeating the Spaniards, Catholicism ended its preaching. Until 1859, under the effort of Fernado Sainz, the priest of the Order of Preachers, Catholicism preaches in Taiwan again. After War World II, the greatly political change in Taiwan caused people more needful to seek the comfort from religion. In 1949, a lot of preachers fled from mainland China to Taiwan. Those preachers just complemented the religion which people needed that time. It also made Catholicism flourished again. In order to handle the rapidly expanded works, Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide re-divided the area of preaching in Taiwan. Apart from original Taipei prefecture and Kaohsiung prefecture, Taichung prefecture was established in 1950. Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide assigned Maryknoll Missioners to mange Taichung prefecture. Maryknoll Missioners formally started its preach in Taiwan. After arriving in Taiwan, Maryknoll Missioners quickly expanded Catholicism in central area. Then Maryknoll Missioners took Gospel to remote mountain districts. Maryknoll Missioners began the Catholicism preaching in central mountain areas of Taiwan, especially Puli in Nan-tou county. The preaching works in Puli was most special because there was a district where many ethnic groups lived together. Owing to complicated culture and being as the entrance of central mountains, Puli became the convergence of every religion. Catholicism was introduced in Puli basin in 1952. In 1953, Catholic father, Rev.Armand Jacques, built Puli church. While Puli church established, priest Jacques also preached to aborigine people who lived around Puli. The missionary is quickly . Till now, no one can compare with him. Disciples fast increased. Besides, priest Jacques trained some locals for priest so that the church can manage by locals in the future. As times progressed, the new challenges that church faced was not only decrease of disciples but also reduction of church. Even the instable caused by people migrated tested the development of Catholicism in Puli. Since Maryknoll Missioners had left Puli in 1996, local priest have taken over the church. Puli church started another development process. The study selected the multiracial town, Puli, as the subject to analyze the introduction, development and influence of Catholicism. And how did Catholicism blend the characters of every race and set up its own local church characters? Through the analysis, the study presented the developmental process of Catholicism in Puli and its history meaning.