Fr. Ernest Piryns, CICM
By Fr. Werner Lesage, cicm
Speaking of old Japan hands, Ernest Piryns was called to the House of the
Father on June 1, 2005. Ernest was born in Moerzeke, Belgium, on July 28,
1930. He joined CICM in 1950, was ordained a priest in 1956 and came to
Japan in 1957. After finishing his language studies he went back to Belgium
to teach Japanese in Scheut-Brussels and in Leuven to the confreres destined
for JP. Yours truly was among them. Ernest obtained a Doctor's degree in
Missiology at the University of Nijemegen, the Netherlands. He came back
to Japan in 1972, becoming a member of Oriens Institute.
From 1973 onward Ernest served as professor at Sophia University, Tokyo;
and as visiting professor at the CICM Seminary, at Maryhill School of Theology
and at University of Santo Thomas in Manila, and at the "Euntes"
Center for Ongoing Formation in Zamboanga, Philippines. He was invited
as an expert at the meetings of the Bureau for Interreligious Affairs (BIRA)
of the Asian Bishops' Conference (1979-82). He wrote a number of books
and many articles on Missiology. He also wrote a lot of book reviews for
a.o. our own Oriens Institute. Ernest was speaker or took part in different
Congresses all over the world. He was a corresponding member of our "Euntes"
CICM periodical for Ongoing Formation (1993-99), the year whn he went on
sick leave to Belgium, where he retired after some months. The last seven
years of his fruitful life were a real calvary.
The funeral was held on June 9, in Kessel-lo, Belgium. Prosper Renson reported
that it was a very prayerful and heart-warming celebration, during which
Frans De Weirdt delivered the homily. This was the twelfth time his that
Frans served as homilist at the funeral or meorial service of a JP confrere.
This time his theme was : happy those who mourn, they shall be comforted
( Matt. 5:5 ). He spoke in a very concrete way about the pains and grief
that Nest must have experienced. At the end of the service, Ernest's brother-in-law
gave a moving eulogy.
The memorial service here in Japan was held on Saturday, June 11, at Matsubara
Church, Tokyo, at 5:00 p.m. At the altar we saw main celebrant and homilist
Matata Mukengeshayi, Director of Oriens Institute, Michel Christiaens,
former Director, and Harrie Quaadvliet, acting Provincial. At the memorial
service and later in the districts we have remembered Ernest and prayed
that he now may rest in peace.
(taken from SHIKI , CICM JP Province Newsletter, vol. 2, no. 3, July-August
2005)
