Dr. Chien-Jen Chen, President of Academia Sinica of Taiwan and Madam Chen were invited to visit the Vatican from September 23 to 27 to attend the Council meeting and the biennial Plenary Session of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (PAS). The theme of this year's meeting was "The Future of Sciences in a Changing World," with discussions covering scientific topics including artificial intelligence, mathematical computing, physics and energy, innovations in astronomy and chemistry, and biology.
Participants and their family members were arranged by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences to have an audience with Pope Leo XIV on September 24. In his address, the Holy Father emphasized the importance of science and stated that the wonders of nature come from God's creation. He expressed his hope that scientific research could protect the beauty of God's creation of the world, benefit humanity, and respect life. The Pope also emphasized the need to care for the vulnerable and to work for and pursue the common good. He reminded the distinguished scientists attending that if AI and robots were to become tools of warfare, they would pose a major threat to global security and world peace.
During their conversation with the Holy Father, Dr. Chen and Madam Chen thanked the Pope for receiving them. They also thanked the Pope for praying for Taiwan and providing donations to assist Taiwan when the country was struck by natural disasters, and expressed their hope that the Pope would continue to pray for Taiwan. Dr. Chen and Madam Chen also presented the Pope with a Mandarin translation of a biography of Pope Leo XIV, which included a preface written by Dr. Chen himself. The Pope was very pleased and warmly responded, "I will continue to pray for Taiwan."
During Dr. Chen and Madam Chen’s stay in Rome, Ambassador Ho of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) Embassy arranged and accompanied them on a visit to the General House of the Camillian Order. The Camillian Order established important medical institutions in Taiwan, including Luodong Saint Mary's Hospital and Penghu St. Camillus Hospital, and has made significant contributions to healthcare in Taiwan. During the visit, both sides exchanged views on healthcare services. Dr. Chen and Madam Chen also spent a long time praying before the relic of the heart of the founder of the Camillian Order, St. Camillus de Lellis, which is preserved and displayed inside the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, where the General House of the Camillian Order is located.
As the visit coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ambassador Ho and Madam Ho specially invited Dr. Chen and Madam Chen to a dinner gathering with overseas compatriots in the Vatican and colleagues and their family members of our Embassy to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together.
