For Fr John Mace SJ, Cambodia was but the last way station in a decades-long journey in service of the Society of Jesus and the universal mission in Asia. He had spent the last four years serving as Secretary to the Delegate of the Korean Provincial to the Jesuit mission in Cambodia.
On February 15, he bid farewell to Jesuits and collaborators in Cambodia and travelled to Seoul with Fr Oh In-don SJ, Delegate of the Korean Provincial. The Thanksgiving mass presided over by Fr In-don and Msgr Kike Figaredo SJ, Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, was attended by around 50 guests – Jesuits, volunteers, donors and friends of the Jesuit community in Phnom Penh, many of whom had received spiritual direction from Fr John.
Fr John Kim Duhyun, SJ, one of the younger Jesuits of the Cambodia Mission who for some years had been receiving spiritual direction from Fr John, says what he appreciated most was that “Fr Mace was a very good listener. His presence was the kind that made you at ease in sharing. He also always had nuggets of wisdom about Jesuit life which gave clarity and insight.”
During the evening’s celebration, Fr John shared “Out of the Blue”, his reflections on how the Lord’s call to serve took him in ways and places that were most often unexpected.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska in the United States, Fr John was first missioned to Asia as a Regent. He taught at Daegun Regional Seminary in Kwangju, South Korea from 1962-1965, and later became the Novice Master of the Korean Jesuits. Later he served as Rector of the Sogang University Jesuit Community, and then President of the university. Throughout most of his ordained life in Korea, he also taught as a Professor of Theology at Sogang.
Fr John returned to the United States in 1985 to serve the Wisconsin Province (his Province of origin) as a teacher at the Jesuit Novitiate, US Assistancy Secretary for Formation and then as Socius to the Wisconsin Provincial. In 1996 he was again missioned to Asia, this time to serve the then Jesuit Conference of East Asia and Oceania as Rector of the Arrupe International Residence in Manila. After 10 years in the Philippines, he was appointed as Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Timor-Leste, which was the last position he held before going to Cambodia in 2011.
From Phnom Penh, Fr John travelled with Fr In-don to Seoul where he spent a week meeting good friends from the past.
On February 22, they left for the United States, closing a big chapter in Fr John’s life as he said goodbye to Asia.
Now 79, Fr John is back in his birthplace of Omaha. He has joined the Creighton University Jesuit Community where he assists in various spiritual ministries.
Arrupe International Residence 1996 to 1997 community photo:
1st row: Robert Rimmin (IDO), Martin Carl (MIC), Albert Tan (MAS), Joko Tarkito (IDO), John Mace (KOR), Paul Kriangyot Piyawanno (TAI)
2nd row: Ignatius Lee (MAS), Fernando Larranaga (CHN), Sigmund de Guzman (PHI), Rudiyanto (IDO), James Tan (MAS), Joseph Nam (KOR), A T Thomas (HAZ), Harjono (IDO)
3rd row: Martin Abad Santos (PHI), Christopher Soh (MAS), Norris Seenivasan (MAS), Christopher Wee (MAS), Hans Tschiggerl (ASR), Ravi Michael (MAS), James Meehan (PHI)