austraLasia #2323

Fr Aldo Cipriani - new provincial for Japan

ROME: 9th January 2009 -- The Rector Major, after consulting his Council, has appointed Fr Aldo Cipriani, long-time missionary in Japan, as the new Provincial.  Fr Cipriani succeeds Fr Orlando Puppo.  The official installation for the new Provincial will take place on the Feast of St Francis of Sales, 24th January.
    Fr Cipriani, who hails from the diocese of Arezzo, Italy, made his first profession at Chieri-La Moglia in 1966. He was ordained priest in Tokyo in 1977.  Over the years he has held many roles of responsibility in the province, having been rector, provincial secretary, vice provincial, provincial economer, delegate for social communications, at one time or another. At the time of his appointment he is Rector of the Tokyo-Meguro community.
    In addition to Italian and Japanese, Fr Cipriani speaks English.
   News of Fr Cipriani's appointment came through just as we were preparing another news item for Japan, so it is included here since it provides a context for the work of the new provincial which will continue the much appreciated re-dimensioning process that has been introduced and followed up by the outgoing provincial and his council. Part of that re-dimensioning has involved a focus on the immigrant population of Japan, especially those coming from Latin America and South East Asia.
    Our correspondent writes that the Salesian Parish of Hammamatsu is facing up to the economic crisis which is affecting so many of its parishioners. This is being done in a systematic way, beginning with a questionnaire distributed to gain precise knowledge of the circumstances people face (who is out of work, who has been unable to afford to pay rent, has no possibility of self-support, cannot pay back loans, is unable to send the children to school, and so forth). Parishioners have banded together to seek various solutions to these kinds of needs.
    Parish Priest Fr Angel Yamanouchi also sees the positive side of the crisis, noting that a number of Catholics who had ceased to practice are now returning, and that a number of young people have rediscovered the value of family since they have found it too difficult to survive on their own.
     austraLasia congratulates Fr Cipriani, and offers a word of thanks, too, to the outgoing provincial, Fr Puppo.
   
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Title: australasia 2323
Subject and key words: GIA new provincial
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2323