On the afternoon of Saturday, 24 June, the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus celebrated the ordination of Michael Nguyen Phuoc Bao Dai Loi SJ, Przemyslaw Maka SJ, and Philip Fung Hon Chung SJ to the priesthood, as well as the ordination of Paul Pham Khanh Linh SJ to the diaconate.
His Excellency, Most Rev Stephen Chow Sau Yan SJ, Bishop of Hong Kong, was the ordaining prelate. It was a joyous occasion to see him back in Taiwan, especially since he is the former Provincial. At his side were Fr Stephen Tong Chak Long SJ, current Provincial of the Chinese Province, and Fr Louis Gendron SJ, Rector of the St Robert Bellarmine theologate community. Despite the hot and humid weather in Taipei, the Holy Family Church was filled with the faithful who gathered to partake in the liturgy.
During his exhortation, Bishop Stephen Chow invited the ordinandi to serve others rather than seek to be served. He encouraged them to live today in a way that leads Jesus to say on the last day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Fr Provincial Tong said that the ordinations were the result of a long process. The path to ordination has joy as well as many struggles, challenges, and tensions. Some of these challenges are known only to the ordinandi and God. Yet God’s love and grace have prevailed and brought these four Jesuits to their ordination day.
Since the ordinandi hail from different countries, the liturgy had a distinctly international flavour. The prayer intercessions were read by family and friends in Polish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Tayal (Taiwan indigenous language), Mandarin Chinese, and English. Multilingual songs also helped the congregation to appreciate the beauty of these cultures.
The Chinese Province has local vocations in Taiwan, however, most Jesuits serving there come from other provinces or regions. There is a great hunger for local vocations, and the celebration of the ordination shows how the Holy Spirit brings diverse people together to create something with harmony and unity in Christ. A poignant moment during the ceremony was when the parents of the ordinandi, who had travelled long distances, presented the offertory. It was a touching gesture that spoke volumes without words. The sole reason they had come together in Taipei over the weekend was to support their sons, who had given themselves to Christ.
Participants at the Mass included many healthcare professionals (Fr Philip Fung is a medical doctor), priests, and religious from many countries, as well as the former vice president of Taiwan and his wife.
At the closing of the liturgy, the four newly ordained gave their thanksgiving speeches. They structured their speeches creatively around the four weeks of the Spiritual Exercises, with each ordinand sharing on the specific theme corresponding to the week. A clear motif emerged from their words: gratitude, for their family, Jesuits, collaborators, and benefactors.
In another sign of unity, the three priests celebrated their first Mass together the following morning at Sacred Heart Jesuit Parish in Taipei.
Jesus has called each of these men personally. May what God has begun with much grace and care be brought to fulfilment in the years of service, sacrament, and shepherding ahead. [Chinese Province]