Fr Paul Yamauchi Yutaka was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi in St Ignatius Church, Tokyo, on 14 September. Among the 44 concelebrants was Salesian Fr Taniguchi, who had been Fr Yamauchi’s godfather when he was baptised as a young adult.
In his exhortation, Archbishop Kikuchi stressed the need for being a beacon of hope in a world full of conflict by actively witnessing to the love of God in our Lord Jesus.
In his message of gratitude, the newly ordained Fr Yamauchi expressed his appreciation to the members of St Ignatius parish for giving him many opportunities to experience “church” as a faith community offering mutual support. A lively reception followed in the St Joseph Hall. The Sunday School children and leaders that Fr Yamauchi has worked with were present to share in the joy of the day. [R Chiesa/Japanese Province]