First Jesuit ordination in Cambodia

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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.

Jesuit ordained bishop in Vietnam

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On Oct. 7 Cosme Hoang Van Dat, SJ was ordained a bishop and installed as the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Bac Ninh, Vietnam. The Principal Consecrator was Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Nhon of Dalat, the president of the Vietnam Conference of Catholic Bishops. Twenty-one bishops took part, including Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Dinh Tung, retired Archbishop of Hanoi; hundreds of priests and religious and over ten thousand faithful joined the ceremony.

Jem Guevara’s Priestly Ordination & Thanksgiving Mass

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Last August 15, Rev. Jerome Emmanuel Guevara was ordained to the priesthood in the Oratory of St. Ignatius de Loyola, Loyola House of Studies (LHS), Philippines. The ordination started at 2p.m. and was presided by the Arch. of Cagayan de Oro, His Eminence Antonio J. Ledesma, DD. Since Jem was a former Arrupean, the Arrupe International Residence (AIR) Community came to witness the momentous event. Chinese delegates from Taiwan also came to join the celebration. After the mass, a simple refreshment followed at the Richie Fernando Covered Court near LHS.

First Ordination for the Chinese Province in Several Years

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Fr Louis Gendron, Provincial of the China Province, wrote on this touching celebration: “On August 26, our Chinese scholastic Lúcás Chan was ordained a priest by Cardinal Zen in the Hong Kong Cathedral, together with a diocesan seminarian. The church was packed. I was interiorly moved several times during the celebration (although it was almost all in Cantonese) and deeply grateful to the Lord for having a new priest in our midst.

Ordination of Vinai Boonlue

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Vinai Boonlue was ordained by Bishop of Chiangmai, Joseph Sangval, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral of Chiangmai on the 19th of November 2005. The date was chosen because it was Saturday after the 17th of November 2005, the date that marked the 51st Anniversary of the second mission of the Jesuits in Thailand. A Regional Triduum preceded the ordination to end the Region’s Golden Anniversary and to prepare for the Jubilee of St. Ignatius, St. Francis Xavier, and Blessed Peter Favre.