Fr Nithin Lisbon Coelho SJ was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Archbishop Tarcisius Kikuchi in St Ignatius Church, Tokyo, on Saturday afternoon, 12 September, with over 50 priests concelebrating.

Fr Nithin was missioned to Japan in 2020 from the Karnataka Province in India. His mother and father, along with 11 other family members, gathered from India, Hong Kong, and the US to join in the festivities, most of them intending to spend a few weeks in Japan with the newly ordained. Fr Dionysius Vaz, Karnataka Provincial, and Fr Leston Lobo, Fr Nithin’s companion from novitiate days, also attended.

After the ceremony there was a joyous reception in St Joseph Hall, and that evening a genuine Indian dinner was provided at the Scholasticate, with Fr Nithin’s mother and aunt contributing to the preparation of delicious Indian dishes. Fr Arun D’Souza, originally from Karnataka, joined with the Scholasticate team to help transport Jesuits and family members from the airport to their various lodgings and to help get things in order for the various events.

Fr Nithin’s first Mass was held at 9:30 Sunday morning in the Kōenji parish church, where he had done pastoral ministry before and during his diaconate ordination earlier this year. [R Chiesa]