By Prenov. Lorenzo Ruiz Hasegawa

Chofu, Tokyo, Japan, 16 December 2019 -- The Salesian province of Japan (St. Francis Xavier) rejoiced in the Lord for the magnanimous grace bestowed to the congregation and for the entire Church in the person of Rev. Fr. John the Baptist Le Pham Nghia Phu, who was ordained to the order of presbyters on 14 December 2019 with the solemn laying of hands by the Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tokyo, Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi at Himonya Parish in Meguro, Tokyo.

The said event was blessed by the attendance of Bishop Hiraga of the Diocese of Sendai, Vietnamese priests in Japan from different congregations and dioceses, people from different parishes where Fr Phu was sent for his apostolic activities, his brother Salesians, and his parents and relatives from Vietnam and the United States.

Archbishop Kikuchi, in his homily, reminded the new priest to imitate Christ who is the Good Shepherd to look after each sheep he tends through sacramental faculties transpired in priesthood and proclamation of the Good News. Before the final blessing, words of gratitude to the ordaining bishop were expressed by the Provincial Superior Fr. Jacob Hamaguchi. Newly-ordained Fr. Phu expressed his deep gratitude to people in attendance who had been part of his journey towards that gracious occasion. Fr. Phu said that he wanted to share that joy that he himself had received from God, the gift of vocation. He further mentioned that despite all the trials and difficulties he had faced, the act of responding to God’s invitation had been the foundation of true joy in his path of vocation which he wanted to share the same joy especially to the young people to pursue responding to God’s call as the way of living in sanctification. Fr. Phu believed that the joy found in his journey towards vocation was not a superficial one but rather something that was akin to what the Blessed Mother must have pondered when God calls her to be the mother of the Savior. The “Magnificat” reveals the immense joy of the Blessed Mother in the saving act of the Lord, God.

On the following day, 16 December 2019, newly-ordained Fr. Phu celebrated his first Holy Eucharist in the Chofu Parish of St John Bosco where the formation house is located. There was a good number of people in attendance to celebrate the blessed occasion whom Fr. Phu had dealt with during his formation years in Chofu. He likewise thanked all the people who supported him in his journey towards priestly life which has just begun. He elaborated that he was able to reach the point where he stands now because he was in the disposition of being chosen by God who is gracious rather than working by himself to reach the point. It was never his own intervention to be able to do what he had done. He concluded his greetings by requesting the faithful to pray for his perseverance being a zealous priest of God until the end.

Fr. John Phu was ordained after 12 years long vocation journey in Japan, where he arrived in 2007 with other 4 young Vietnamese missionary aspirants and went through various stages of his initial formation in his new province.

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