Bishop Francis Mizobe was known as an enthusiastic and passionate lover of the Church and its history, with a missionary slant. He was an especially committed promoter of the cause of Beatification of the Japanese Martyrs, Fr Kibe and 187 companions (Beatified in 2008). In the history of the East Asia-Oceania Region he is well known as the main promoter of the mission in the Solomon Islands which was entrusted in the initial stage to the Japan province (1995-2005).
His last years after he resigned as a diocesan bishop of Takamatsu, were spent in spiritual direction, faith and vocation accompaniment of young people in Kyoto diocese.
One of his close collaborators remembers his outstanding capacity for forgiveness, an expression of his deep and consistent faith in Jesus Christ.
Francis Xavier Mizobe Osamu was born in Shiniju Shi in North Korea on 5 March 1935, baptized in Beppu, Japan on 24 December 1949, joined the Salesians in March 1955, and was ordained a Salesian priest in Turin in February 1964. For a period of six years he served as provincial of Japan (1990-1996). He was consecrated as Bishop of Sendai on 9 September 2000 and later became Bishop of Takamatsu diocese (2004-2011). He spent the past four years in Kyoto diocese as director of a Spiritual Centre for young people (2012-2016).
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Takamatsu diocese (Shikoku Island) on 4 March.
Published 02/03/2016
