Cardinal Kung, a Defender of the Faith Scholarship

Overview

Established to honor Ignatius Cardinal Kung Pin-Mei’s heroic fidelity to the Church (1901-2000), these scholarships are offered by The Cardinal Kung Foundation. Ignatius Cardinal Kung Pin-Mei, Bishop of Shanghai, was a renowned educator and a prisoner for Christ for thirty-two years under the Chinese communist government. Saint Pope John Paul II named him Cardinal in pectore in 1979 while he was serving a life sentence in China, later referring to him as a man who gave witness by word and deed through long suffering and trials. The scholarship awards recognize students who demonstrate a commitment to actively promoting and defending the Catholic faith, mirroring Cardinal Kung’s dedication to the Church through practical activity and catechetical training.