TAINAN(SE): Salesian Father John Baptist Zen Shing Yeh passed away on September 2 at the medical school of National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. He was 92-years-old.
He served for decades in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and was involved in the education of young people and the formation of priests.
Father Zen was born on 11 May 1931 in Jiangsu province, China, and grew up in Shanghai. He made his first profession on 16 August 1949 and his perpetual profession on 16 August 1955 in Hong Kong. Following his ordination on 11 February 1960 in Turin, Italy, he continued his studies in theology at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome and received his doctoral degree.
From 1963 to 1972, he was rector of the Academy of Philosophy for the Far East in Cheung Chau. He was also rector and supervisor of the Salesian School from 1975 to 1978, and is well-remembered for successfully fighting for the construction of a footbridge outside the school in Chai Wan after witnessing many traffic accidentss.
During his time as rector and supervisor of Tang King Po School from 1980 to 1986, he showed great concern for students, especially the marginalised ones.
He was the rector of the Salesian Missionary House from 1987 to 1989, and served as novice master. The younger confreres considered him to be a father and brother, who affectionately encouraged them to be faithful to Don Bosco and to their vocations.
Father Zen was the vice-provincial of the China Province of Mary Help of Christians from 1972 to 1975 and the provincial from 1989 to 1996.
His subsequent positions included parish priest in Taipei from 1996 to 1997, rector of Taiwan Catholic Regional Seminary in Taipei from 1997 to 2000, and later rector of the Salesian Technical School.
A funeral Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-fai, sdb, at Salesian Technical School in Tainan on September 12.
In Hong Kong, a memorial Mass is scheduled for September 15, to be celebrated by Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun at St. Anthony’s Parish, Pokfulam.
