(ANS -Tokyo) - On Friday last, 31 October, Fr Aldo Cipriani SDB returned to his maker. He was Provincial of the Salesians in Japan in the six-year period 2009-2014. Fr Cipriani was 65 years old and had been a missionary for forty-four years in the country of the Rising Sun. He had been suffering from a serious illness for a long time.

A native of Castel Focognano, Italy, Fr Cipriani went as a missionary to Japan in the 1970s. After his ordination in Tokyo in 1977, he held various positions, being at different times Provincial Secretary, Provincial Economer, Vice- Provincial and Provincial Delegate for Social Communications, and finally Provincial in 2009.

The statement released by the Salesians of Japan says of Fr Aldo:

"He gave of his best for the Church and the Salesian mission, as an excellent communicator, educator and evangelizer with the heart of Don Bosco. Despite his serious illness, he spent all his energy, his wisdom and his prayer until the last moments of his life, for the good of the Japanese Province.”

Published 03/11/2014