Joseph Mitsuaki Takami

The Most Reverend Joseph Mitsuaki Takami P.S.S.
Archbishop Emeritus of Nagasaki
Native name	高見三明
Church	Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Nagasaki
See	Nagasaki
Appointed	17 October 2003
Installed	14 December 2003
Term ended	28 December 2021
Predecessor	Francis Xavier Kaname Shimamoto
Successor	Peter Michiaki Nakamura
Other post(s)	President of the Japanese Episcopal Conference (2016-)
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Nagasaki (2002-03) Titular Bishop of Munatiana (2002-03) Vice-President of the Japanese Episcopal Conference (2013-16)
Orders
Ordination	20 March 1972 by  Joseph Asajiro Satowaki
Consecration	29 April 2002 by  Francis Xavier Kaname Shimamoto
Personal details
Born	Joseph Mitsuaki Takami (1946-03-21) 21 March 1946 (age 79) Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Motto	Pro Ecclesia et cum Ecclesia
Coat of arms

Ordination history of Joseph Mitsuaki Takami
History Priestly ordination Ordained by Joseph Asajiro Satowaki Date 20 March 1972 Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Francis Xavier Kaname Shimamoto Co-consecrators Peter Takeo Okada, and Joseph Hisajiro Matsunaga Date 29 April 2002
Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Joseph Mitsuaki Takami as principal consecrator Paul Sueo Hamaguchi 26 June 2011 Wayne Francis Berndt 12 February 2018 Peter Michiaki Nakamura 16 September 2019

Joseph Mitsuaki Takami (born 21 March 1946) is a Japanese prelate of the Catholic Church who served as archbishop of Nagasaki from 2003 to 2021.

Biography

Takami was born in Nagasaki on 21 March 1946. One of his grandmothers, two aunts, and an uncle died when an atomic bomb was dropped on the city in 1945. ^[1] He was ordained a priest on 20 March 1972 and joined the Sulpicians on 29 October 1973. ^[2]

From 1973 to 1985 he continued his studies in Rome. He obtained a licentiate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and another in sacred scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He also studied in Paris and Jerusalem. From 1985 to 2002 he taught dogmatic theology and sacred scripture at the Seminary of Saint Sulpitius in Fukuoka, serving as Vice-Rector (1990-1991) and Rector (1993-1998). ^[2]

On 7 February 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Nagasaki. ^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on 29 April 2002.

He was named archbishop of Nagasaki on 17 October 2003 ^[3] and served until Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 28 December 2021. ^[4]

In 2015, following the first archdiocesan synod, he said the archdiocese was experiencing "a deep sense of crisis" with the "withering and enervation" of the Catholic community that had fallen from 75,000 to 62,000 in 30 years. ^[5]

He has been president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan since June 2016. ^{[6] [7]}

Problem in Diocesan Fund

A priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nagasaki was alleged to have misappropriated a total of 250 million yen in diocesan funds without permission. The archdiocese acknowledged the misappropriation and explained the circumstances in its bulletin "Catholic Kyoho" published on September 1, 2020. The Archbishop stated, "It is all my responsibility and I sincerely apologize." ^[8]

References

1. "Joseph Mitsuaki Takami". Berkley Center at Georgetown University. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
2. "Rinunce e Nomine, 07.02.2002" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 February 2002. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
3. "Rinunce e Nomine, 17.10.2003" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 17 October 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
4. "Resignations and Appointments, 28.12.2021" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
5. "Archbishop says there is a 'deep sense of crisis' in Japanese Church". Herald Malaysia. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
6. "Archdiocese of Nagasaki". UCA News. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
7. "Mgr Michiaki Nakamura becomes the new archbishop of Nagasaki". Herald Malaysia. 30 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
8. 神父が2.5億円無断流用　高見大司教が謝罪　カトリック長崎 長崎新聞 2020/09/02 [11:00]　

External links

• "Archbishop Joseph Mitsuaki Takami". Catholic-Hierarchy.