Jan. 19, 2022 – Br. Juan Ngiraibuuch, SJ, was born on Jan. 27, 1964, in Koror, the largest city in Palau, in the Federated States of Micronesia. His parents were Martina (nee Moses) and Skedong Ngiraibuuch. He had two brothers, Stanley and Linus and one sister Camilla.
After two years at the University of Guam, Br. Ngiraibuuch entered the Society of Jesus in 1987 at Manresa House of Studies, Koror, Palau. Br. Ngiraibuuch returned to the University of Guam in 1989 to finish his degree in communications.
Due to the numerous small islands located in the pacific, Br. Ngiraibuuch found himself traveling frequently as a Jesuit. In 1992 he spent a year at St. Ignatius House of Studies, in Barrigada, Guam, as the assistant at the house of studies. From 1993 to 1995 he held multiple roles at Sacred Heart Parish in Palau. He was a minister, treasurer, and buyer and was involved with catechetical and pastoral ministry. From 1995 to 1997 he was the Asst. at Micro Sem. In Video Productions on the island of Pohnpei. In 1997 he returned to Sacred Heart Parish in Palau to continue his previous duties.
In 1998, Br. Ngiraibuuch studied at the Ateneo de Manila University, in the Philippines. For the next four years he worked on earning a master’s degree in family counseling. After receiving his degree in 2002, Br. Ngiraibuuch worked at Assumption High School, in Majuro, Marshall Islands as a teacher and counselor. For his tertianship in 2005, Br. Ngiraibuuch traveled to Japan to live and work in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
In 2006, Br. Ngiraibuuch traveled to Guam where he spent a year as the director of the St. Ignatius House of Studies. From 2007 to 2010 he served as the director of the St Ignatius House of Studies located on Koror, Palau. In 2010 he would return to the Phillippines for six years to serve as the minister and house consultor of Arrupe International Residence in Quezon City. In 2017 from January to July, Br. Ngiraibuuch did pastoral work on the islands of Palau and Pohnpei.
Before he passed away, Br. Ngiraibuuch served in several roles. He worked with seminary formation at the Pacific Regional Seminary in Fiji but mostly worked at the Jesuit Community of Micronesia, in Chuuk, where he was the house consultor and did pastoral and retreat ministry work.
Br. Juan died in early morning of Jan. 18, 2022, local Micronesia time. He was 57.