“It was Church as Church being lived to the full and what it could and should be.”

Rev Frances becomes the third member of his family to be ordained after his time in Tokyo studying for a PhD led him back to the Church.

Frances recalled being struck by seeing the then priest of St Alban’s Tokyo, Fr William Bulson, praying outside the church and wanting to go in. Two months later he returned to the Church and became a member of the community worshipping there.

St Albans’s is the English-speaking Anglican Church in Tokyo and is situated on the same complex as the Anglican Cathedral in Tokyo. The church uses a translation of the Japanese liturgy and during key festivals such as Easter joint services are held.

Describing his return to Church Frances said, “I was struck by the sense of fellowship.

“People didn’t just come to Church for the service, they would always eat a meal together after the service, people were looking out for each other.”

He added that on retuning to the UK he felt there was much the Church of England could learn from the Church in Japan, “It shows us how to live a quiet dedicated faith in a society that doesn’t understand why that is important anymore.

“Christians in Japan were often travelling long distances to attend Church on Sunday and having to take time off work for key Church festivals.

“It was Church as Church being lived to the full and what it could and should be.”

Frances trained at Ripon College, Cuddesdon and was ordained deacon at Christ Church Cathedral on 29 June.