we Welcome Fr. bong tajon!
Maayad ha Pag-uma!
We welcome Fr. John Lester "Bongbong" Tajon, SJ, with joy and gratitude, to the Jesuit Bukidnon Mission District! As he begins his ministry among the Indigenous Peoples, may he find deep companionship in mission, wisdom in service, and strength in the Spirit. He will serve as the Executive Director of the Fr. Leoni Mission Foundation, Inc.
Father Bongbong was born in Pinil, Ilocos Norte, and grew up in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. He attended high school at the Ilocos Norte National High School, Laoag City and proceeded to obtain his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (B.S.E.E. class of 1997) from the Mariano Marcos State University, Batac, Ilocos Norte. After practicing his profession as a licensed Electrical Engineer working with the EEI Corporation and RCBC Plaza Property Management, he entered the Society in 2002. He has since earned an MA in Philosophy, assisted in Parish work for the San Jose Manggagawa Parish in Marikina. He also served in Payatas, doing parish work in the Fatima Chapel of the Our Lady of Divine Providence Parish.
He spent his regency in Cambodia, from 2007 to 2009, working as assistant director to Sr Marie Jeanne Ath, a Sister of Providence and one of the original members of the Jesuit Mission in Cambodia, at Peytyieychi, a health center in the Battambang prefecture. After his ordination in 2013, he was missioned back to Cambodia, where he deepened his study of Khmer language before assuming the role of parish priest of Kampong Thom. He remained in Kampong Thom until his Tertianship in Australia in 2018.
He returned to Cambodia after his Tertianship, and on February 2019 he was appointed as the Vicar General of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang. He is also the parish priest of Chrap Viel parish. He is known to have helped improve the infrastructure of the Prefecture, particularly the parishes and schools. He pronounced his solemn perpetual Final Vows to the Society of Jesus on February 4, 2022, the Feast St John de Brito, Blessed Rudolf Aquaviva, and the Martyrs of India. The Mass was celebrated at the Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Battambang, Cambodia.
Father Bongbong, may your presence be a source of hope and faith, and may you be blessed abundantly in your work of accompanying, serving, and growing with the people of Bukidnon. We look forward to walking this journey with you!
(references: Xavier University; Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific; Jesuit Refugee Service - JRS Asia Pacific)
