The rite to confer the ministry of lector in Sapporo Diocese was held on 20 March in Kitaichijo Parish Church which is the cathedral of Sapporo diocese. Today is a public holiday in Japan, Spring Equinox Day, and number of public functions, such as graduation ceremony for schools or ordination Mass for several dioceses, take places all over Japan.
The ministry of lector calls candidates to be servants of the Living Word of God. Their duties are not only proclaiming the readings at liturgy. They do more than simply read. They are to prepare candidates for sacraments of initiations through catechism classes and also to proclaim gospel message to people all over the world.
Mr. Paul Ken-ichi Sato, photo above with me, received the rite and given his ministry as the lector during the Mass. He entered the National Major Seminary 3 year ago and just finished his first year of Theology which is the end of his third year in the priestly formation. At this moment, the National Major Seminary has two campuses, one in Tokyo and the other in Fukuoka. The Fukuoka one serves as three-year theologate and Tokyo one houses two years of Philosophy and a year of special course for deacons. Sapporo diocese has all together 3 seminarians at this moment. There is one in Fukuoka and the other one in Tokyo. Then one has already passed the entrance exam and ready to join the formation course after this Easter. Kindly remember these seminarians and continue to pray for their vocation. Also we need your strong prayer so that there will be more youths to decide to be priests in Catholic Church in Japan.
By the way, for your information, I do not have any seminarians for my own diocese, Niigata.
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