Today I celebrated my silver jubilee of priestly ordination. I was ordained a priest on 15 March, 1986 in Nanzan Catholic Church, Nagoya, by late Bishop Nobuo Soma of Nagoya. For the year 1986, the Japan Province of the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) had only myself for the priest ordination while 2 other confreres from Poland were ordained together as deacons. One of them is Fr. Ziebura, a parish priest of Nishimachi. Also Fr. Kashirajima and Fr. Ohmatsu were ordained deacon during the same Mass for Redemptrist (CSsR).
As we had our Lent recollection for diocesan priest in Niigata today, I celebrated the jubilee with my diocesan brothers in a crypt of Niigata Cathedral. I would like to thank all of you for your prayer and support for past 25 years. Without your prayer and support I could not fulfil my duty as priest and bishop. Also I ask you to continue to pray for me so that I would be your worthy servant.
As victims of recent earthquake and Tsunami are suffering and so many people are still waiting for their rescue, please kindly remember them in your prayer. Countless people lost their precious lives. Families are separated. Many lost everything. I am going to visit Sendai tomorrow with Bishop Tani to discuss the plan of relief activities of Japanese Catholic Church with Bishop Hiraga of Sendai. Since train service is not functioning to Sendai and express way is closed, and also gas station is Sendai are mostly closed, we will go by Bishop Tani's Toyota Prius.
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Dear Bishop Isao, I am a malaysian working in the Philippines with the Institute of Formation Fondacio Asia. My name is Alice Tan. I was introduced to your blog by my Japanese colleague, Chieko Hirao during this time of the calamity that hit Japan and its people. Please accept my solidarity and prayers for the people and the Church in Japan affected by the deadly earthquake and tsunami. I am also honored to be able to wish you Happy Anniversary of your priestly ordination. God Bless you and the difficult work facing you and the church.
ReplyDeleteI pray for your safe trip and hope we Catholic church in Japan will find some way to suppor the victims.
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