It was the moment in which the Society of Jesus finally came to life in Myanmar: the ordination of the country’s first ever Jesuit priest, Fr Wilbert Mireh SJ. Watching on among the throngs of faithful who packed Christ the King Cathedral in Loikaw, in Kayah State in the country’s east on May 1, Myanmar scholastic William-Paul gave quiet thanks for an event whose implications would reverberate far beyond the people who had gathered here to witness it.
Seventeen Jesuit scholastics were ordained deacon in Manila on September 8. They were an international group from nine Provinces and Regions in three Conferences, Asia Pacific, South Asia and Africa. Six of the new deacons are from the Philippine Province and the other 11 from Arrupe International Residence (AIR).
Two Korean Jesuits were ordained priests at the Myeong-Dong Cathedral in Seoul on July 4. Fr Hyung-chul Simeon Kim SJ and Fr Du-hyun John Kim, SJ both entered the Society in 2002. More than 800 people joined the Ordination Mass presided by Most Rev. Kyu-man Basil Cho, Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul. During his homily, Bishop Cho asked the newly ordained Jesuits to remember that it is not our capacity that makes the priesthood possible, but the prayers of our parents and the community of faithful.
Five Korean Jesuits were ordained as priests at Myung-dong Cathedral of Seoul Archdiocese on June 30. Frs Shin-jae Youh, Jin-hyon Lee and Jin-hyuk Park studied theology at Jesuit Theology Center (JTC) in Melbourne, Australia.
Four Jesuits were ordained as deacons in a joyful celebration at St Ignatius Church in Richmond, Australia on 3 December.
Korean Jesuits Shin-jae Youh, Jin-hyon Lee, and Jin-hyuk Park, were joined by East Timorese Jesuit Plínio Gusmão Martins at the ordination, with Bishop Greg O’Kelly presiding. Read more. . .
On September 12, Filipino scholastics Cristopher Fajardo, Joseph Haw Jr., Gilbert Emmanuel Levosada, Marlito Ocon, Alberto Paurom, Roy Cenon Ragas, and Karel San Juan were ordained deacons at the Church of the Gesu, Ateneo de Manila. The ordaining Prelate was Most Reverend Francisco Claver, S.J., D.D., Emeritus Apostolic Vicar of Bontoc-Lagawe.
14 priests, 3 scholastics, 2 brothers and a Monsignor – all the Jesuits in Cambodia – came together last July 31 at the Banteay Prieb to celebrate St. Ignatius’s feast day and also in thanksgiving for the 19 years of service of Sr. Denise Coughlan, outgoing Director of the Jesuit Service here.
All but Msgr Kike Figaredo (CAS), Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, were already in Banteay Prieb beginning on the 28th for some days of prayer, reflection and sharing before the actual feast day. This Jesuit meeting was a good chance for the younger members of the Jesuit Mission to get to know the community better and to learn from the wisdom of the community’s “elders.” It was also a good time to welcome the returning members Fr Rajat Purti (RAN) and Fr Kang In-gun (KOR), who is finishing his Phd in London. Both arrived a day or two before the gathering.
The Jesuits are celebrating their 150 years of service in Indonesia on 19 – 20 July at Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta. The Jesuit modern mission there (long after St Francis Xavier served in Celebes and Mollucas in 16th century) began on 9 July 1859 when Frs Martin van den Elzen and John Baptist Pallinckx (NER) arrived in Batavia (Jakarta).
Jesuit Scholastics Managamtua Simbolon, Bagus Taufik Dwiko Nanda Pratisto, Budi Nugroho, Handy Lenggawa, Rumanto, and Suharyadi will be ordained priests by Mgr Ignatius Suharyo, Archbishop of Semarang at a Eucharistic celebration on Wednesday, at 9:00 a.m. 29 July, in St Anthony Church, Kotabaru, Yogyakarta. (Contributor: Fr Priyono Marwan)
At 9:30 in the morning of May 24, the first ordination of a Jesuit in Cambodia took place. Fr. Joseph Phongphand Phokthavi (KAM), more fondly known as “Jub”, was ordained by Msgr Emile Descombe, MEP, Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, at the Church of the Assumption in Battambang, Cambodia.
It was a marvellous community event with both Fr Gabriel Je (KOR), Delegate for the Korean Provincial, and Msgr Kike Figaredo (CAS), Prefect Apostolic of Battambang, as joyful and generous hosts. It was a celebration of the 25 years Jub has spent in Jesuit apostolates since joining JRS in 1985. Refugee friends, co-workers and Jesuit companions from all those years were present, along with Jub’s mother and many brothers and sisters.