The office of the prefect apostolic, Clemente Fernandez, o.p. (1913–1920) in difficulties: analysis on Jean de Guébriant's report to Propaganda fide

PurposeThe study discovers a crisis of authority and administration in Catholic mission of Taiwan during 1910 and 1920s. It aims to discover the reasons and the significance of the problem.Design/methodology/approachThe author works on the reports and correspondence of Jean de Guébriant, apostolic visitor of China missions in 1919–1920. He received some reports from the Dominican Prefect Apostolic of Formosa, Clemente Fernandez.FindingsThe author discovers a severe problem of authority brought about some conflicts between the Prefect Apostolic Clemente Fernandez, o.p. and some Dominican missionaries in the mission, conflicts reflecting ambiguous status of this prefecture apostolic with regard to not only the Dominican Provincia del Santo Rosario, headquarters of Dominican missions in East Asia, but also the Dominican apostolic vicariate of Southern Fujian in China, and even the Japanese Catholic church, because Taiwan had been conceded to the Japanese empire since 1895 until 1945.Research limitations/implicationsThe author has not yet consulted the archives in Propaganda Fide in Vatican circle and in Dominican archives. Still, some questions remain unanswered for lack of related archives. This study calls for further works in the future.Originality/valueVery few relevant studies are found on the Dominican mission in Taiwan during 1860–1949. This study reveals a serious problem on the structure of Catholic mission due to an unclear status of Taiwan. It reflects, in fact, the delicate situation in ecclesial and political aspects between China, Japan and Spanish missions in Manila, Philippines.