Tributes from friends of Fr Adolfo Nicolás SJ on the occasion of the first anniversary of his death on 20 May 2021
On 25 February 1961, I was among the Jesuit scholastics in the Japanese language school in Yokosuka, Japan, preparing to welcome a new group of applicants from overseas to the Japanese province. Suddenly one of the Spanish scholastics announced in a solemn tone, “One of the group arriving tomorrow, Adolfo Nicolás, will be our Provincial someday.” Thirty-two years later that prediction came true, but little did we guess in 1961 that Nico would not only become Provincial but later Superior General of the whole Society.
Nico was also a leader in organising discussion groups among the scholastics to deepen our understanding of the Council documents, and as the ecumenical movement began to take shape, promoting dialogue between Jesuit scholastics and representatives of the Anglican, Lutheran, and United Church of Christ communities. Another pioneering effort he made with considerable success was encouraging communication between Jesuits and our counterparts in the diocesan seminary next door. Nico’s ecumenical efforts reached a kind of symbolic culmination on 17 March 1967, the evening of our ordination to the priesthood in Tokyo, when a number of Protestant clergymen and their wives joined Nico, me, and my family for a joyful celebration. Nico went on to many greater accomplishments later in his life, but these are the memories I treasure most with joy and gratitude. – William Currie SJ
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The 34th General Congregation inspired me to take the initiative to live in a low income workers’ area in maybe the poorest region of Tokyo where I was already doing pastoral social apostolate, while teaching at Sophia University. That wasn’t the “standard” life of Jesuits in Tokyo and provoked misunderstanding.
Fr Nicolás was our Jesuit provincial and one day phoned me asking whether there was any empty room in my apartment. Due to the construction of the new Church of St Ignatius, the provincial house was dismantled and although he had various options, he decided to come to live in the region where I was. We were there together for about four years. From the beginning he was greatly concerned about the situation of a large population of Filipino workers living and working in the region. A few months later, Fr Nicolás ended his term as provincial and dedicated himself to working in the Catholic Tokyo International Center (CTIC). At the same time, we did pastoral work together at a diocesan parish, taking care of a small Filipino community.
The parish, composed of about 90 local Japanese faithful, was soon overwhelmed with foreign workers and often reached, on Sundays, 600 Filipino workers that belonged to the El Shaddai Christian group. That created problems because every Sunday they used all empty facilities of the parish. Finally, the parish decided not to allow them to come to the church anymore.
I still remember that Sunday evening conversation with Fr Nicolás about the matter. In fact, he had become the chaplain of the El Shaddai group, convinced of the need to assist their members in their true and simple faith, and the daily difficulties facing them in Japan. We felt sad at remarks that the parish was losing the generous financial contributions provided by the El Shaddai community, which had been thrown to a religious exile. – Ando Isamu SJ
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Fr Nico was a peaceful person who generously shared his smile and warm hellos. He was not one for chattiness, yet, he kept abreast with the conversations with his gentle nodding, his “hmmm”, and occasional one-sentence replies. For instance, when we were discussing the highly emotional subject of extra judicial killings and the silence of some church leaders, a few Jesuits included, Fr Nico, in almost a monotone reply, said, “They will act when it comes close to them”, then said nothing more. He never rebuffed us or suggested we keep a distance when, out of concern with his frequent falling as his illness progressed, we would remind him to slow down in walking or we would hold him as he wobbled. He obediently nodded with a “yes” and a smile. – Eric and Marites Ingles (Philippines)
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When Fr Nico was our Provincial in Japan and I was in Nagasaki, I remembered consulting him about some activity I wanted to do. Feeling my Local Superior didn’t understand my point, and hoping Fr Nico would, I just told him frankly that that was the reason why I was asking his opinion. I remember clearly that Fr Nico, with his usual smile, told me: “If your Local Superior doesn’t agree, don’t expect me to do so”. I was disappointed at that time, but I saw the point. Now that I am Provincial, I am not afraid to repeat those words to my people, knowing that, even if some may get frustrated, they will help them to grow in our way. ~ Fr Renzo de Luca SJ
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“We collect stories from the provinces and regions, secretaries, peer groups, then we distribute the interesting ones as news”. That was my I answer when Fr Nicolás, who was then new to his position as JCAP President, asked me about what I usually do to share news about the conference. “What are the criteria you use to decide which stories are interesting?” he asked again. I was surprised to hear this question. Honestly, I got only enough stories to fill the quota for a monthly news bulletin that I did not have the luxury to choose the “interesting” ones. “Don’t we notice that the stories we share are usually about something we have successfully accomplished?” Fr Nico pursued. “Certainly, from those stories we can learn something, but is it not possible that we also write news about our failure?”
I have to admit that even after I left the office of the Socius of the conference, I had never put out a single story about failure. I learned, however, that what Fr Nico said about celebrating failure has deep roots in his personal experience of Ignatian spiritual life. A phrase he often repeated was “depth of spiritual life”. Only a person who has a deep understanding of life as a gift can celebrate failure. Fr Nico knew that his life mission was not his own but a mission from above, the Missio Dei. That conversation we had was a moment of great revelation. We know very well that pride is a synonym for Jesuit, and that is why it is all the more important that we beg to be humble by asking for the courage to celebrate our own failures. – Riyo Mursanto SJ
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On regular East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) Wednesday Community Nights, Fr Nico would be transformed into a flamenco dancer, a banduria player, and best of all, Charlie Chaplin. Oh, those Charlie Chaplin evenings!
It was during Fr Nico’s time as EAPI director when Fr General Pedro Arrupe met privately with the staff community. Before his arrival, I had told Fr Nico that Fr Arrupe was the first Jesuit I read about and that he was my favorite Jesuit. There was no photo of our meeting at that time. But the next day, on top of my table was a small piece of paper with Fr Arrupe’s signature!
When Fr Nico ended his EAPI tenure, we had Mass for him and I cried a river that it made one Jesuit quip that I should charge him for all the tissue paper used.
In one of my last visits, I asked him what was a memorable experience during his time as Father General. It took him a few seconds of quiet and then, he finally replied: “When I met a Jesuit who was true.” On 20 May 2020, the angels led someone to Paradise, he who had a great sense of humor and who was a true Jesuit. – Victoria Faicol
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In those years at EAPI, we had cultural shows when each country would present, in songs, dances, costumes, and rituals, their culture. One such event was reserved for the staff, and the main surprise-number was always Nico’s, who would appear as Charlie Chaplin. And believe me, he was better than Charlie Chaplin himself! It was truly hilarious and always got rave reviews since, despite all our efforts to compete, Nico always had the best part of the whole show. I’m not sure he ever appeared, when General, as Charlie Chaplin. Too bad, it would have been worth more than a speech or a homily. – Roger Champoux SJ
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Fr Nico, no words can express how lucky I am for being part of your life. I am thankful that God has given me those opportunities to take care of you. I will cherish those memories we spent together. Thank you for protecting me and trusting in me. Thank you because I found a father figure in you. You taught me how to boost my self-confidence and my skills. You treated my son as you own grandson and I am so grateful for that. Thank you for being a kind and great priest. We miss you and love you. You are always remembered by our hearts. – Rachel Prieto, Fr Nico’s caregiver at the Jesuit Health and Wellness Center in Manila
For more tributes, visit nicolas.jcapsj.org.