Ladislas Nsengiyumva SJ was ordained to the priesthood in Holy Family Catholic Church in Taipei, Taiwan. The ordination on July 30 was presided by Most Rev John B Hung Shan-Chuan, Archbishop of Taipei, with Fr John Lee Hua SJ, Provincial of the Jesuit Chinese Province concelebrating the Mass.

“I was humbled by the presence and support of people from many nationalities and walks of life,” shared Fr Nsengiyumva. The newly ordained priest celebrated his first mass at the Holy Family Catholic Church the next day, July 31, the feast day of St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus.

A native of Burundi, Fr Nsengiyumva joined the Society of Jesus after studying medicine in Beijing. He served his novitiate at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Quezon City, Philippines and spent two years in Manila for his philosophy studies. He completed his theology studies in the Fu Jen Faculty of Theology of St Robert Bellarmine in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

He is currently finishing his Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) in Moral Theology – Bioethics in Boston College, USA and will start his PhD studies in Biomedical Ethics next year.