The Religious of the Good Shepherd in the Province
of Philippines-Japan, apostolic and contemplative sisters, expressed gratitude
for the life of +Fr. Adolfo Nicolas SJ, former superior general of the Society
of Jesus, who passed on to eternal life on May 20, 2020 in Japan.
Sr. M. Regina Kuizon RGS sent a message to Fr. Primitivo Viray SJ, provincial
of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, assuring him of prayers of the
sisters in the province and in gratitude for the life of Fr. Nicolas. "
"Fr. Nico is a key figure in the history of the Good Shepherd Philippine
Province. How can we ever forget him? And we know, he loved us and was a real
Father to us. Receive our heartfelt sympathy. We are one with you in praying
that he be welcomed by Jesus as he enters the Father’s Kingdom and enjoy
eternal bliss."
Fr. Nico, along with Fr. Bienvenido Nebres SJ,
facilitated discernment and sessions of the Religious of the Good Shepherd at
the time when sisters were both strong in the in the field of education and
residential ministry and at the same time called to respond to the challenges
of the pastoral ministry and the clamor for societal structures. These led to
the 1982 Chapter of Reconciliation that Fr. Nico and Fr. Ben facilitated and
strenghtened the call of the Good Shepherd to each sister. The Centennial book
of the RGS records, "The Chapter of Reconciliation was significant in that
it was a Chapter of Reconciliation for us. Divisions, conflicts and tensions
were named, admited and we moved on."
Fr. Nico was born on April 29, 1936 in Spain. Before being elected Superior General, Fr. Nico worked primarily in Japan; he
taught at Sophia University in Tokyo for twenty
years and then headed educational institutions in Manila, including the East
Asian Pastoral Institute from 1978 to 1984 and in Tokyo from 1991 to 1993. He
led the Jesuits in Japan from 1993 to 1996 and,
after four years of pastoral work in Tokyo, led the Jesuits in Asia-Oceania
from 2004 to 2008.
He was the thirtieth Superior General of the Society of
Jesus from 2008 to 2016.
After his term as Superior General, he came back to the Philippines and stayed
at Arrupe International Residence. He returned to Japan in 2019.
Fr.
Viray replied that “Fr. Nico must be having a great time with the Lord now
and praying for the Good Shepherd sisters!”
He
listed several links that maybe of interest to the sisters:
Fr.
Nico’s funeral, in Tokyo at 5 p.m., which is
4 p.m. in Manila, Saturday, May 23. There is live transmission in English at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odhf-vNMM_g
A
memorial mass was also celebrated in Rome at the Gesù Church at
4:30 p.m. (Manila time). A video recording of this will be made available. For
more information see jesuits.global or visit the special site prepared on Fr.
Nico:
https://nicolas.jesuitgeneral.org
Sunday,
May 24 at 9 a.m. a special Memorial Mass was also celebrated
for those lost during the pandemic, and with first intention for Fr. Nico. Fr.
President Jett Villarin presided at this Mass in the University’s Church of the
Gesù. The Liturgy was being live-streamed too via Radyo Katipunan (87.9) and
JesCom’s Facebook page.