By Mr. Okawa Chihiro
Provincial Social Communication Team
Tokyo, Japan, 1 May 2017 -- On Sunday, April 30, from 2pm, the priestly ordination of John Bosco Taniguchi Ryohei took place at the Salesian parish of Himon-ya in Meguro, Tokyo. Including the more or less 45 priests concelebrating, about 600 people gathered to pray in thanksgiving for the newly ordained Fr. Taniguchi.
In his homily at mass, the main celebrant Archbishop Peter Okada Takeo (Tokyo Diocese) invited the newly ordained, “Especially, I would like to point out that in Japan today, ‘poverty among children’ is becoming a grave concern. I ask you, as a Salesian whose beneficiaries are the young, to be able to convey the message to children who are in vulnerable situations, materially or spiritually, and tell them that ‘You are precious, one and only’.”
The Provincial Fr. Mario Yamanouchi gave words of thanks to all as he looked back on Fr. Taniguchi’s journey and asked to continue to pray for him, also at his first mass to be celebrated the next day.
Fr. Taniguchi, visibly moved during his speech at the end of mass, offered the bouquet of flowers he had received to his grandmother and said among tears that “I feel that it was truly God’s plan that I am now standing here”. The people gathered responded with an enthusiastic applause.
The Academia followed, in which Fr. Makiyama Miyoshi (Fukuoka Diocese), parish priest of Shinden-baru Church – Fr. Taniguchi’s home parish – accepted the role to give a toast. The different groups of the Salesian Family offered their gifts of various performances to the newly ordained priest. The celebration ended in joyful and enthusiastic atmosphere as Fr. Taniguchi bestowed his priestly blessing on everyone.
Thanks be to God! Mary Help of Christians, Saint John Bosco, pray for us.
