FATHER JOSEPH LIENCHUNG WANG, S.J., 83 died peacefully at the Toronto General Hospital on Friday July 15, 2016; he had been 63 years in Jesuit religious life and 51 years a priest.
Joseph Wang was born in Tianjin, China on January 3, 1933, the son of Wang Pei Yuan and Wang Su Hwa; he converted to Catholic Christianity when he was 16 years old and was baptized on April 16, 1949. Three years later, on November 11, 1952 he entered the Jesuit Novitiate in the China Region. He was sent to the Philippines to begin his Jesuit formation and taught mathematics and science during his internship prior to theological studies.
Father Wang was ordained a priest on May 9, 1965 in Taipei, Taiwan; later through an arrangement with his provincial and Canadian Catholic bishops, he immigrated to Canada and served as a priest in many west coast communities: in Prince George, B.C. (1984), Victoria (1988), Vancouver (1990), Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Mill Bay, and other Catholic communities on the West Coast. Throughout these years and postings, he approached his pastoral ministry with energy and zeal.
In 2011, Father Wang moved to Eastern Canada, living first in Pickering and then in Toronto, his first experiences in many years of living in Jesuit Community. In Toronto he provided ministry at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Fudger House, Chinese Martyrs’ Parish and St. Agnes Parish. On weekends, he would do a full measure of ministry using both Chinese languages. He carried out ministry every day of his life until the day he died.
His Jesuit brothers enjoyed and encouraged him to pray the grace before meals in Chinese; at his residence home, at the downtown-Toronto Pedro Arrupe community, he was seen as gentle and wise. He loved languages, even engaging himself in learning some French every day. He would sit outdoors in all kinds of weather in the evening praying his rosary; serving the Church as a generous priest, he was loved and appreciated,.
There will be a Wake at the Rosar Morrison Funeral Home, 467 Sherbourne St., Toronto on July 20 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM.
The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 520 Sherbourne St., Toronto on July 21 at 10AM (with a reception following).
Burial of his remains will take place at the Jesuit Cemetery, Guelph at a later date.
R.I.P.