FATHER BRENDAN O'CONNELL GETS ROC ID CARD AFTER FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE IN TAIWAN |服務台灣50年 甘神父終於取得身分證

An American pastor, who is also known by his Chinese name Gan Hui-chung has spent the most active part of his life in Taiwan, 50 years to be exact, taking care of the vulnerable. Father O'Connell always hoped to obtain an ROC ID card. Last year a new nationality law enabled him to finally fulfill his aspirations. Father Brendan O'Connell, who is also known by his Chinese name Gan Hui-chung has been working in Taiwan in early childhood education, for more than 50 years and has devoted his whole life to Taiwan. He wished to get an identity card, but he had not been able to do so in the past. At the end of 2014, the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the Nationality Act on the third reading. Father Gan finally got the long-awaited identity card and thanked the government for its help. ==FATHER BRENDAN O'CONNELL Bethlehem Foundation== I appreciate everyone who has helped along the way, including the mayor, the Minister of Interior, the Premier and the kids in this foundation. Upon receiving the identity card, I'd like to do more things but one step at a time, and I hope I can live until I am 100 years old. Premier Lin Chuan and the Minister of the Interior Yeh Chun-jung, made a special trip south to issue the identity card and said that this was the first use of the law after its amendment. As well as congratulating the priest Lin said that in Taiwan there is a large group of long- serving foreigners who, in the future can also apply to the Ministry of the Interior for naturalization. ==YEH CHUN-JUNG, Minister of the Interior== Through the amendment to the Nationality Act, article six, it allows people who have made a significant contribution to Taiwan, to be granted nationality without first renouncing citizenship of his home country. Therefore, people such as Father O'Connell and others like him would be able to benefit under this new amendment. In the future, the priest can enjoy all usual civil rights, including the right to vote. Father Gan stressed that obtaining the identity card was an acknowledgment by this land and in the future, he will continue work for the vulnerable. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 投入台灣兒童早療教育工作的甘惠忠神父，為台灣服務超過50年，一生都奉獻給台灣，他的心願是希望拿到一張身分證，但是過去卻一直無法如願。2014年底立法院三讀通過國籍法修正案，他終於拿到期待已久的身分證，除了興奮也感謝政府協助。 ==伯利恆文教基金會神父 甘惠忠== 很謝謝市長 還有內政部長 還有院長 還有各位機構的小朋友 還有台灣的恩人 拿到身分證真的 一步一步可以做更多的事情 我希望我可以活到一百歲 行政院長林全以及內政部長葉俊榮，更專程南下為甘神父頒發身分證，同時也表示這是國籍法修正後，首次的案例，除了祝福甘神父，同時也強調，在台灣還有一群長期奉獻服務的外國朋友，未來也可以向內政部申請歸化。 ==內政部長 葉俊榮== 所以這是我們透過國籍法修改 在第六條裡面 特殊給有 對台灣有殊勳的 經過行政院同意之後 我們不必放棄原來國籍 類似像甘神父 還有許多以前 馬偕計畫的許多這樣的 都可以受惠這樣的條款 藏不住的喜悅，甘神父率領伯利恆基金會的員工大喊台灣萬歲，未來他除了可以享有一切公民權利，也有投票權，甘惠忠強調拿到身分證代表對這片土地的認同被看見，未來也會繼續投入弱勢照顧工作，為台灣早療相關工作盡力。 記者 溫正衡 台南報導