Peter Milward (1925–2017)

Peter Milward, SJ is Professor Emeritus of Sophia University in Tokyo. He entered the Society of Jesus at St. Beuno’s College in North Wales in 1943 and then went on to study scholastic philosophy at Heythrop College, Oxon from 1947-50 and classical and English literature at Campion Hall, Oxford from 1950-54. He came to Japan in 1954, and after studies of the Japanese language and Catholic theology was ordained a priest at St. Ignatius church in Tokyo in 1960. He taught English literature, with special attention to Shakespearian drama, at Sophia University, Toyko from 1962-96, and then at Tokyo Junshin Women’s College, as dean of the faculty of Modern Culture, from 1996-2002. Fr. Milward is the founder of the Renaissance Institute and Renaissance Centre at Sophia University, and also the Chesterton Society of Japan and Hopkins Society of Japan. He is the author of innumerable books and articles both in Japan and abroad, especially on Shakespeare, Hopkins, and Chesterton.