The weaver of hope: Brendan O'Connell's legacy in Taiwan
What is the story about Reverend Brendan O'Connell's contributions in Taiwan and Asia?
On 8 June 1963, Brendan M. O'Connell (甘惠忠) was ordained as a Catholic priest for the Maryknoll Missionaries, having earned his degrees in theology and religious education. Just two months later, in August 1963, he stepped onto the shores of Taiwan, a young man with a clear purpose. From 1963 to 1974, he served in the mountainous region of Miaoli, where he aided local communities and began to recognize the profound lack of support for children with intellectual disabilities. This experience captured his heart, becoming an unexpected calling.
Chinese Summary
甘惠忠神父於1963年8月受天主教瑪利諾會派遣來臺灣傳教。鑑於當時臺灣缺乏特殊教育資源，他為此特地返回美國，取得特殊教育碩士學位，並於1974年重回臺灣推動融合教育。
為了落實理念，他在臺灣創立了瑞復基金會，並創辦全臺灣第一家專門收容心智障礙者的早期療育機構。此後，他陸續在臺灣創立多項早期療育和融合教育的服務模式與民間組織，以強化推動的力量。
甘神父也與亞洲學者及民間組織共同創立了亞洲智能障礙聯盟（AFID），每兩年舉辦一次大會，作為亞洲各國協力推動智能障礙工作的交流平台。甘神父一生投入在臺灣和亞洲持續不懈地推動特殊教育的發展，他的無私奉獻與大愛將永遠留存在人們心中。
Driven by this new purpose, Brendan returned to the United States. He earned a Master's in special education from the Southern Connecticut State University and returned to Taiwan to begin his mission. Ten years later, Taiwan's first Special Education Act passed, but only segregated special education services were provided. For over five decades, he dedicated himself to a quiet revolution, tirelessly championing early intervention and inclusive education, believing every child deserved a place in the community.
His vision came to life through the institutions he founded. In March 1997, he established the Bethlehem Foundation and Non-profit Kindergarten, advocating for inclusive education for children with developmental delays. Later that same year, the foundation was entrusted with managing Tainan County's Northern Early Intervention Center, solidifying its role in the community. Milestones continued to mark his journey: the groundbreaking for the Raphael center in Anna District in Tainan in 2005, and the groundbreaking for the Bethlehem Early Intervention and Inclusive Education Center in 2015 (see “Though Short Of Fund, An Early Intervention & Inclusive Education Center Is Started At Tainan” from Taiwan Church News, 台灣教會公報).
Taiwan officially recognized Reverend O’Connell’s contributions to the country on 6 January 2017, when it granted him Taiwanese nationality without requiring him to renounce his U.S. citizenship—a historic first under the newly amended Nationality Act. He returned to Taiwan in March 2018 to attend the Bethlehem Center's opening ceremony.
Reverend O'Connell left this world in New York on 16 April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic at the age of 84. His legacy, however, remains woven into the very fabric of Taiwan's educational landscape. His spirit, a blend of dedication and compassion, continues to guide the work of organizations like the Asia Federation on Intellectual Disabilities (AFID), which he co-founded. He was later named an honorary member and participated in every conference until the 22nd meeting in 2015.
As we prepare for the 27th AFID in Taiwan, the third time the conference will be held here but the first time without Reverend O'Connell’s guidance, we do so with the deepest gratitude. We remember a man who saw no limits to a child's potential and, through his unwavering efforts and actions, helped build a more inclusive, more hopeful world.
Thank you for sharing this story! I enjoyed reading about Reverend O’Connell.
I am grateful for Reverend O'Connell's contributions to Taiwan. He not only helped children with disabilities, but also their family and communities. He deserved his citizenship for the extraordinary service to the island.