POSTHUMOUS AWARD OF ROC NATIONALITY FOR FATHER JERRY|追思丁神父 移民署頒發台灣身分證

Father Martin, a US Jesuit missionary who lived and worked in Taiwan for 50 years passed away at the age of 75 on Wednesday, just one day before he was to officially obtain Taiwanese citizenship. At a memorial service held for him, the National Immigration Agency posthumously presented him his national identification card. Pope Francis also sent a letter of condolence. Father Jerry Martinson's younger brother Father Barry Martinson, who is also a Jesuit priest, accepted ROC nationality on behalf of his brother. Known affectionately as 'Uncle Jerry', Father Martinson worked in Taiwan for 50 years and passed away from a heart attack. Originally the event was scheduled to award Father Martinson with his ROC nationality but was turned instead into a memorial service and posthumous presentation. ==FATHER BARRY MARTINSON== Doctors found he was in grave danger, so my brother asked for surgery, he said he was prepared, if the surgery was not successful, and he died, he wanted everyone to know he loved them all. Arriving in Taiwan in 1967, Father Martinson did not speak a word of Chinese and learned to speak, read and write, as well as sing. He set up a religious choir to take part in a TVv program 'Tianbian Julebu' and also sang in Western folk music restaurants and was proactive in entering Taiwan society. 'Uncle Jerry' was a TV program host and acted in dramas. In 2015 he was recognised by the Ministry of the Interior as an outstanding foreign national and in February this year, the National Immigration Agency invited him to apply for ROC nationality. Often when interviewed he would say that Taiwan's most beautiful scenery was its people. He loved Taiwan and was moved to tears by the thought of getting nationality. ==FATHER JERRY MARTINSON== Taiwan is not just my second home, it is my second parent, if you didn't remind me, I would forget I was a foreigner. News of Father Martinson's passing reached the Pope, who sent a message of condolence recognising Uncle Jerry as a blessing for the people of Taiwan. ==FATHER JAO CHIH-CHENG The Society Of Jesus Representative== We are grateful to Jerry, Father Jerry, for his life and work which was full of significance for us. Father Jerry Martinson's younger brother Father Barry Martinson said his brother loved Taiwan and would be buried here. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 丁松筠神父，週三因心臟病辭世，享壽75歲，移民署上午在光啟社舉行的追思會上，頒發身分證，讓丁松筠神父正式成為台灣人，而羅馬天主教教宗方濟各，也特別發來慰問信，緬懷他在台灣貢獻。 丁松青神父代替哥哥，領到得來不易的身分證，他的哥哥是在台灣，奉獻超過半個世紀的丁松筠神父，週三心臟病發與世長辭，原定今天要舉辦的身分證授證記者會，如今主角永遠缺席，只能改為追思會。 ==神父 丁松青== 醫生發覺到他非常危險 我哥哥說給他開（刀） 他說我已經準備好了 假如（手術）不成功 假如要走 你告訴大家我愛你們 來台超過50年，丁松筠從不會一個中文字都不懂，到會講、會寫又會唱，他曾組神風合唱團，參加台視歌唱節目"田邊俱樂部"，到民歌西餐廳駐唱，也積極融入台灣社會，主持和演戲都難不倒他，2015年獲內政部績優外籍人士表揚，今年2月，移民署親臨光啟社歡迎丁神父成為台灣國民，他接受訪問時，多次提到台灣最美的風景是人，他真心喜歡台灣，成為中華民國國民，讓他感動落淚。 ==神父 丁松筠 (2017.2.13) == （台灣）不只是第二個國家 我覺得是第二個父母 你不提醒我 我會忘記我是外國人 而丁松筠神父過世的消息傳出後，羅馬天主教教宗方濟各，也特別發來慰問信緬懷他在台灣貢獻。 ==耶穌會代表 饒志成神父== 我們感謝Jerry 丁神父他把他的生命 把他所做的事業 很有意義的帶給了我們 丁松筠愛台灣，他的弟弟丁松青證實，未來他不會回美國安葬，而會長眠於台灣的輔大頤福園。 綜合報導