TOKYO: 17th Sept --  In a solemn ceremony held in the Salesian Parish Church of Shimoigusa, Rev. John Bosco Maeda Takashi and Rev. Michael Urata Shinjiro were ordained to the priesthood by the Archbishop of Tokyo, Peter Okada Takeo, in the afternoon of September 13, 2003.  Rev. Maeda comes from the island of Amami Oshima, off
Kagoshima Prefecture, and felt the call to be a Salesian and a priest when he was a border during his 7th grade in the Salesian School of Miyazaki.  Rev. Urata comes from Tokyo and will be continuing his studies at the UPS at the end of this month.  Almost a thousand well-wishers -- from the Salesian family and the young of the parishes and schools where our two new priests once worked -- were present to witness the event with over 40 priests concelebrating.  The
Regional for East Asia -Oceania, Fr. Vaclav Klement, in time for his visitation of the Japan Province, was also present.
As has been the tradition here in the Province of Japan, the new priests led the Sunday parish celebrations in the Parish Church of Chofu, where the seminary is also located, the day following their ordination.  Thanking God for 17 to 18 years of formation, they were joined by a church-filled group of parishioners, relatives, friends and Salesians.
Rev. Frs. Maeda and Urata are part of the group of aspirants in the 1980's, when  vocations rose, ironically during the strong Japanese period of economic supremacy.  They now join the group of an increasing number of young local Salesian priests.