A Maryknoll missionary priest from Brooklyn who has lived and served in Taiwan for most of the last 54 years joined with elementary school children to sing the Taiwan national anthem during National Day celebrations on Oct. 10. Father Brendan O’Connell was the lead singer of the anthem at one of the many celebrations that commemorated the Republic of China’s 106th birthday.

Father O’Connell became the first person to be naturalized as a Taiwan citizen without renouncing citizenship of his country of origin.