Japan Catholic News
April 2006
SCRIPTURE GROUP KEEPS PRIESTLESS PARISH ALIVE
Catholic Weekly, April 16
 Since last year when its pastor had to leave because of illness, a
parish in Ichihara, Chiba, has been without a resident priest. However,
the parishioners have formed small groups to read the Bible, pray together
and keep the parish alive.
The Goi Church has just under 500 registered members, but regular Mass
attendance is between 80 and 100.
The Bible-reading groups began last summer. They meet every Tuesday
morning, and have had over 30 meetings so far. It was the absence of
a priest that led to the idea.
After their pastor left, a few parishioners took turns staying at the
church during the day in order to keep some presence there even without
a priest. One of them, Naotoshi Ishikawa, 65, proposed that they start
a Bible reading circle as a way to make good use of their time at the
church.
Around the same time, Bishop Kazuo Koda, 51, auxiliary bishop of Tokyo,
started an eight-session seminar on the Bible. It is the bishop's
hope that, "Christians united by their faith would gather in
small groups to read the Bible and talk about it in their own words."
Ishikawa had attended the bishop's seminars and introduced that
methodology at Goi.
Isako Susa, 47, was one of the first to join the group.
"We don't argue," she said. "We merely say what we
think about the passage we have read. We know it is only among ourselves
and that we needn't worry. We read the gospel for the following
Sunday. Then at Mass we recall what we thought during our reading and
the sermon takes on a greater meaning."
The group started with a few members but quickly grew to a dozen or
so, so that now there are two groups. Another group is being organized
that will gather on Saturday mornings. Two regular participants are
not yet Christians but they also take turns as discussion leaders.
In order to ensure smooth running, there is a roster and a schedule
for turns as leader. By using Bishop Koda's "Gospel Hints" that
appear each week on the Tokyo diocesesan home page, any member of the
group can serve as leader.
Toyoko Ishibashi, 60, said, "When you hear what others have experienced
you realize we are all united with God and the Scriptures take on a
deeper meaning. I hope that other people in other churches can have
the same experience."
Ishikawa, pointing out the good that has come of the Bible reading,
said that "the Scriptures have become a part of the reality of
life." He added that he dreams of more and more groups forming
in Goi.
FIVE YOUNG CATHOLICS EXPLORE MARTYRDOM ON PILGRIMAGE THROUGH HISTORY
Catholic Weekly, April 16
Martyrdom has been a problem ever since her high school days for Shibata
Yoko, 23, a parishioner of the Shizuoka Church. It all began when she
read Endo Shusaku's novel Silence, a story of the persecution
of Christians in Japan.
"Tread on the fumie (religious image) or die a martyr - - no matter
how much I thought it over, I could not understand it. I know that
to die a martyr is splendid but I feel it is necessary to study the
historical facts one by one," she said.
Shibata and four companions spent two weeks (March 6 - 19) on
a pilgrimage that took them to Kyoto, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Shizuoka
and Nagasaki to retrace the path taken by the Twenty-Six Martyrs of
Nagasaki, to visit places where hidden Kirishitan lived, to see for
themselves the city that was shattered by the atomic bomb and to learn
something of the history of the Catholic Church in Japan. During the
pilgrimage, they were joined by two priests.
Following the pilgrimage, Shibata said, "I still haven't
solved my problem of 'why martyrdom.'"
At the Historical Materials Museum in Yamaguchi, 21-year-old Mana Ide
of the Saku Church in Nagano saw for the first time a letter written
by one of the missionaries. She was surprised to find the missionary
describing martyrdom as something magnificent.
"I thought how different our way is of expressing our faith,"Ide
said. "But I also thought that our love for God is not different."
The pilgrimage was organized by the youth center in the Shinsei Kaikan,
Tokyo. One of the staff there, Toshiro Ogaki, a 20-year-old parishioner
of the Kojimachi Church, came up with the idea.
"Why not spend a while together thinking over the Church here in Japan?
People take pilgrimages overseas but opportunities for a pilgrimage
within the country are rare," he said.
The group made use of special rate youth tickets issued by Japan Rail
and they lodged at churches and kindergartens. The cost for each participant
came to ¥60,000.
"As for martyrdom,the more we thought about it the more problems we
found," said Shogo Kawahara, 22, who is originally from Nagasaki,
but is now a member of the Tama Church in Tokyo.
"There was so much more I wanted to tell the others," he commented, "but
I could not find the words." He said that he had to study more.
BISHOPS PREPARE FOR STATEMENT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, SEPARATION OF RELIGION AND STATE
Catholic Weekly, April 16
The Episcopal Commission for Social Issues of the Catholic Bishops' Conference
of Japan (CBCJ) held a joint meeting with their secretaries April 5
at the Catholic Center in Tokyo for an exchange of opinions on religious
freedom and the separation of religion and state.
The commission consists of the bishops in change of the Catholic Commission
of Japan for Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move, Caritas Japan,
the Japan Catholic Council for Justice and Peace and the Committee
for Buraku Issues.
In addition to the bishops who form the commission and five secretaries
of the constituent bodies, Archbishop Takeo Okada of Tokyo and four
others with special knowledge of this field were also invited to the
April meeting.
The chairman of the commission, Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki,
explaining the purpose of the meeting, said it was held to prepare
for an eventual CBCJ message on the separation of religion and politics.
"We listened to opinions from members of the Episcopal Commission for
Social Issues and the special advisors since we wish to compose a lucid
and sincere message,"he said.
Bishop Daiji Tani of Saitama chaired the meeting and referred to proposed
changes to Article 20 of the Japanese Constitution which guarantees
freedom of religion and prohibits the state from engaging in religious
activities.
"The Catholic Church must tackle this problem,"he declared.
At the meeting it was pointed out that in 1936 the Vatican Congregation
for the Propagation of the Faith (the forerunner of the present Congregation
for the Evangelization of Peoples) issued an instruction permitting
Japanese bishops to allow Catholics to participate in "patriotic"ceremonies
as well as marriages and funerals at Shinto Shrines. The instruction
was not rescinded after the end of the Second World War. Furthermore,
one of the catechisms widely used in Japan since the war says that
Catholics are permitted to visit Shinto shrines.
The five specialists attending the meeting pointed out that there is
confusion among Catholics since the Church has not taken a definite
stance on issues related to Yasukuni Shrine where war dead are enshrined.
There were also demands for the hierarchy to clarify the attitude Catholics
should take regarding the separation of religion and politics.
The CBCJ plans to take up the problem religious freedom and the separation
of religion and state during their regular plenary meeting next June.
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CHAPEL HELPS ORPHANS SET OUT ON THEIR
OWN
Catholic Weekly, April 9, 2006
April is the time when many young people in Japan take their first
steps into adult society. Among them are young people from orphanages
who have graduated from high school and are beginning work.
To help these young people with their new lives the women's group of
the Franciscan Chapel Center in Roppongi, Tokyo, has started an Orphans
Graduate Project to provide them with essential items for setting up
housekeeping on their own.
The group has given seven young men and women who have moved out of
two institutions in Tokyo gift vouchers to buy suits and clothing.
In addition, through collections at the parish the group has also provided
bedclothes, tables, computers and other items.
"Every one of us has experienced leaving home as an adult. It was rewarding
to help these young people and wish them good luck at this important
time in their lives,"said Margaret Baxter, president of the
women's group.
Most members of the Franciscan Chapel Center are foreign nationals
who attend the center's English Masses. For over 20 years the women's
group has held Christmas parties for children from Seibi Home, an orphanage
in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Each summer the group organizes a picnic for children
from St. Joseph's Home, a similar institute in Nishi Tokyo City.
The latest project originated when members of the group visited Saint
Joseph's Home and asked if they could be of any assistance beyond what
had been done in the past. They were told of young people from the
institution who started life in society with only a few possessions.
A member of the women's group, Debbie Leonard, commented, "I
asked them what type of things the students would need. They gave us
a few ideas and we told them that we would go back to the group to
see how we could help these students go out onto their own after graduation.
We talked about how we could help these two girls and the students
who would leave St. Joseph's in the future."
She is determined that this activity will continue.
"We will work to help four students in 2007 and 13 students in 2008
who will graduate and we will continue to move forward with this project
into the future,"she said.
FLOATING CHURCH GIVES COURAGE TO IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY
Catholic Weekly, April 2
 Kompong
Luong village on Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia is a community with 60
Catholic families, all of them Vietnamese. Their floating church has
been a source of courage and consolation to them in their struggle
against poverty.
Taira Nishiki (33), a member of the Japan Lay Missionary Movement (JLLM),
has been working there for the past two years helping to educate the
people in ways to maintain health and hygiene. Most of her work is
with children.
The JLMM began cooperating with the Battambang apostolic prefecture
in 2001, teaching people in the floating villages how to read and write,
and promoting and maintaining health services. The villages have a
population of 6,000, of whom 70 per cent are Vietnamese. Most are employed
in fishing but many families are poor. The Vietnamese villagers are
stateless, and being unable to speak Khmer, the Cambodian language,
they are isolated from Cambodian society.
Teo (55), father of three children, fled to Vietnam during the Pol
Pot regime and came back to Cambodia in 1980 when that regime collapsed.
"In Vietnam,"he said, "I had neither land nor house nor relatives
so I came back to the village where I was born."
A village woman, Vanam (50), said, "I have also lived on land
but life was hard there and it was difficult to get along with people.
Life is not easy here either but it is better than on land."
The floating church was built in 1998. Fr. Tonlop Sopal (53), pastor
to the community, described how it came about.
"We used to gather in someone's house for Mass, but the people are very
poor and the houses awfully small. One time the house sank under the
weight of the congregation. We were all drenched."
Reading and writing lessons are for all regardless of faith, so scores
of children gather to learn and to have fun.
It is the hope of the lay missionaries that by their activities and
by mixing with the people in the district to which they are assigned
they can transmit the spirit of Christianity.
Taira told how she had set up and carried out several programs to cope
with problems, but, she continued, "In working with the people
I came to realize that development projects are not everything. Since
then, I have been working with the villagers as a Christian among Christians.
Rather than development based on big projects, I feel that a slow pace
and self-reliance based on the Church and the Church community will
do more for the future of the village."
The church building and the adjoining classroom are aging rapidly and
are greatly in need of repair. Funds are low and the rainy season begins
in May. Anyone wishing to help keep the Tonle Sap Church afloat can
contact the Japan Lay Missionary Movement. Tel: 03-5414-5222. Fax:
03-5414-0991.
"Nippon Notes"by William
Grimm
YASUKUNI SHRINE VISITS, A CATHOLIC DILEMMA
UCANews
TOKYO (UCAN) -- The fifth annual visit of Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro
to the Yasukuni Shrine that honors Japanese military personnel who
died in uniform since the 1870s has produced the fifth annual protests
from China and Korea.
The visits do not generate much excitement here in Japan since, for
the most part, there is not much interest in Yasukuni or other issues
related to it. After all, most Japanese were born after World War II
ended. The Japanese empire and its sins are as remote from them as
the invention of the telephone in 1876 was remote from people who lived
under that empire.
The number of Japanese passionately interested in "protecting"Japan's
colonial and imperial image is declining rapidly as the country's
long-lived elderly die off. Their influence will probably disappear
in the next decade or so. Those who oppose visits are also decreasing
as anti-everything holdouts from the 1960s mellow. The majority does
not care. This is not apathy; it is a normal lack of interest in the "once
upon a time."
I am among those who think the annual uproar from China and, decreasingly,
South Korea is related to the interests of the governments in those
countries. Rousing people to manufactured indignation over what the
Japanese did three generations ago is a handy way to distract citizens
from developing or expressing indignation over what their own governments
may be doing today. The decline in anti-Japanese activity in South
Korea as that country has democratized illustrates the point.
And yet, the Yasukuni Shrine does provoke strong emotions among the
generation of Japanese who lived through the imperial period. A large
number of them look on the shrine not as a place that honors 14 class-A
war criminals but as the place where their dead fathers, brothers,
sons, husbands and friends are remembered. For them, questions of colonialism,
war guilt and politics are irrelevant.
For others of that generation, Yasukuni is a reminder of the militarism
and injustice that victimized the Japanese as well as others. They
oppose visits to the shrine by political figures. Frequently, they
advocate building another memorial to commemorate all victims of Japan's
Asian wars, civilian as well as military, foreign as well as Japanese.
Those who oppose Yasukuni tend to be most vocal about it. Sometimes,
they provoke a response from the small number of diehards who would
glorify Japan's imperial past, which Yasukuni's museum and overall
ethos certainly do. The majority stays out of the fray.
The issue can be divisive even among some Catholics who lived through
the war period.
Following the August commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Japan's
defeat, the letters column of Katorikku Shimbun, Japan's Catholic
weekly, has carried many letters pro and con about the visits to the
shrine and the somewhat related issue of amending the Constitution
to regularize the situation of Japan's military. Some people
go beyond excusing Koizumi's visit and even advocate such visits
to the Shinto shrine by Catholics.
After Koizumi visited the shrine on Oct. 17, Japan's bishops issued
a protest. However, their statement is unlikely to end the controversy
among older members of the Church. Ironically, Catholics who favor
not only politicians' visits to the shrine but even encourage
Catholics to visit despite what the bishops say can claim to have an
ally. The Vatican.
In the 1930s, at a time when militarists had taken control of the Japanese
government and society, Catholics in Japan faced a problem. Children
had to go to Shinto shrines as part of their school activities. In
September 1932, Archbishop Jean-Baptiste-Alexis Chambon of Tokyo asked
the Ministry of Education to clarify whether or not such visits were
religious. A week after the archbishop sent his letter, a response
came saying such visits were a manifestation of patriotism and loyalty,
not a religious activity.
Based on that, Cardinal Pietro Fumasoni Biondi, prefect of "Propaganda"(now
the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples) in Rome, sent word
to Japan in May 1936 indicating that since visits to Shinto shrines
were not religious activities, Catholics were allowed to make such
visits.
After Japan's defeat in 1945, the U.S. occupation authorities
ordered the denationalization of Shinto shrines, including Yasukuni.
Thereafter, they were to be religious entities. At the first post-war
gathering of Japan's bishops in May 1946, the bishops decreed
that Catholics henceforth were not allowed to go to shrines in either
a private or a public capacity.
That probably would have put the issue to rest except for a 1951 declaration
from the Vatican stating that the 1936 decision was still in effect.
It may be significant that this statement was signed by Cardinal Fumasoni
Biondi, who had signed the 1936 one. Might a reluctance to admit having
made a mistake 15 years earlier have caused him to reaffirm the earlier
position?
In any case, the last word from the Vatican is the cardinal's
reiteration of permission for Catholics to go to Yasukuni and take
part in its rituals. There is now a move afoot to have the bishops
of Japan look at the issue and make some sort of statement on the issue.
If that happens, though politicians will continue to visit the shrine
as long as its supporters remain party contributors and voters, Catholics
at least would have a clear teaching from their bishops to follow or
ignore.
Maryknoll Father William Grimm is
editor-in-chief of Katorikku Shimbun, Japan's Catholic weekly.
Opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer and do not represent
the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan.
back to top
'ONE HUNDRED SACKS OF RICE' PRIZE FOR PRIEST
Catholic Weekly, April 9
An organization in Nagaoka, Niigata prefecture, has named a priest
as recipient of this year's One Hundred Sacks of Rice award for
individuals or organizations that make major creative contributions
to education and training.
The Nagaoka city One Hundred Sacks of Rice Foundation, a non-profit
corporation, has awarded its tenth One Hundred Sacks of Rice Prize
to 76-year-old Father Fumio Goto, SVD, for his work with young Cambodian
refugees.
Father Goto has taken responsibility for and reared 14 Cambodian refugee
children since 1981, with the aim of making them self-reliant He later
began to build a school in Cambodia. This work led to the founding
of Amatak Living Together with Cambodia, a non-profit organization.
The One Hundred Sacks of Rice Foundation was established in 1995 in
imitation of Torazaburo Kobayashi, a retainer of Nagaoka's feudal
lord during the period of unrest after the Boshin Civil War (1868-69)
that led to the overthrow of the Tokogawa shogunate and the restoration
of imperial rule.
Kobayashi believed that rice given for hunger relief after the war
should be sold and the money used for education. Locals initially protested
the idea, but Kobayashi prevailed, saying, "If 100 bags of rice
are eaten, they are lost instantly, but if they are put towards education,
they will become ten thousand or one million bags tomorrow."
The prize will be awarded to Father Goto at a ceremony at the One Hundred
Sacks of Rice Day Citizens' Gathering in Nagaoka city June 15.
CTIC SEEKS FUNDS FOR REFUGEE'S MEDICAL EXPENSES
Catholic Weekly, April 9
The Catholic Tokyo International Center (CTIC) is appealing for assistance
for a refugee family from South Asia both of whose parents are ill.
Lillian, the mother, needs an operation for a heart ailment. Since
she did
not join the national health insurance scheme before applying for refugee
status, she needs a lot of money to cover the cost of the operation,
which
is still unscheduled.
Lillian came to Japan with her husband in the1990's after receiving
threats
to her life for involvement in political activities in her native country.
Her request for recognition as a refugee was not accepted and she spent
time
in an Immigration Bureau detention center when her residence permit
expired.
During that time her husband made a number of attempts to take his
own life,
and Lillian herself suffered a cerebral infarction. Both of them have
yet to
recover from their illnesses. They now have a son and daughter who
were born
in Japan and attend primary school.
"The only government assistance given to people who apply for refugee
status is a number of months' supplementary income from organizations
affiliated with the Foreign Ministry,"said Father Kaoru Kawaguchi,
chairman of the Japanese Catholic Committee for Refugees and Migrants
and
director of CTIC.
Medical care is an urgent problem for refugees, he said. "Since
for
financial reasons they do not receive sufficient medical treatment,
their
illnesses tend to become serious. For people who apply for refugee
status in
America and Europe there is government assistance with food, clothing
and
accommodation after entering the country. Japan still lags behind with
this."
Explaining the CTIC fundraising on behalf of Lillian, the priest said, "In
Lillian's case, since she does not have the approximately five
million yen
necessary to cover the cost of an operation, there is no hospital that
will
accept her. So we are seeking donations for her treatment."
Donations for Lillian's treatment may be sent to the "Lillian-san
wo Shien
Suru Kai"at the Catholic Tokyo International Center: Tel. 03-5759-1061,
Post Office Account no. 00180-6-649571.
SENDAI DIOCESE MAKES MOVES TO ORGANIZE PASTORAL CARE OF FOREIGNERS
Catholic Weekly, April 2
The Sendai Diocesan Human Rights Commission has been visiting other
dioceses
to see first-hand how they carry out the pastoral care of foreigners.
It has
been planning activities like this to raise the consciousness within
the
diocese of being "A Church Together with Foreigners."
In May 2004, before being transferred to Takamatsu, Bishop Osamu Mizobe,
SDB, set up a Human Rights Commission for the Sendai diocese. Working
with
experts and persons active in the field, he presented the basic stance
of
the diocese regarding human rights problems in order to "bring
about a
change of consciousness in the diocese."
According to Hidetoshi Sonobe, chairman of the commission and a parishioner
of the Motoderakoji Church, the diocese previously had a Human Rights
and
Welfare Commission that dealt with problems related to people with
disabilities. However, after the 1998 resignation of the late Bishop
Chijiro
Satoh, OP, the diocese was left for an extended period without a bishop
and
the commission ceased to function.
The present commission decided that it could continue to move forward
even
after the transfer of Bishop Mizobe and during the interim until the
appointment of Bishop Tetsuo Hiraga in March of this year. "We
have
continued to deal with the various problems of persons with foreign
citizenship like visa problems, work-related problems and formation
in the
faith,"said Sonobe.
As part of the preparation to set up a center to provide assistance
to
foreigners, the commission visited the Saitama diocesan "Open
House"last
July.
"In Saitama the concept of a multi-national parish has been accepted
much
more than in Sendai,"Sonobe remarked.
In order to gain an understanding of the actual situation, the commission
decided to send a questionnaire around the Sendai diocese. As a result,
they
became aware of the varied types of support activities that are already
going on throughout the diocese.
"I saw with my own eyes the actual support activities and interchange
with
foreigners going on at Matsukicho Church in Fukushima and Ichinoseki
Church
in Iwate,"said Sonobe.
While the commission found that there are priests who make themselves
available to foreigners, they also discovered that parishioners were
not
aware of this.
According to the chairman, after assembling this kind of basic information,
the commission concluded, "Just studying the situation is not
enough. It is
time to take action and set up a desk for foreigners."
At the same time they decided it was necessary to deepen the understanding
on the part of Japanese Catholics. They plan to create opportunities
for
exchange between Japanese Catholics and foreigners, for example an
International Mass.
Sonobe remarked, "Since there are many people in the diocese
who are
already involved in human rights activities, I would like to take advantage
of their experience as we make our plans to set up a desk for foreigners."
AFTER EIGHT YEARS AT VATICAN, CARDINAL HAMAO ADVOCATES
SOME CHANGES
UCA News
 ROME (UCAN) -- Cardinal Fumio Hamao, who headed a Vatican office for
eight years, is advocating a review of criteria for the appointment
of bishops in Asia and Africa, as well as a change in Church approaches
to dialogue with other religions, and greater internationalization
of the College of Cardinals.
The Tokyo-born prelate spoke frankly with UCA News about several issues
of interest to the whole Church, particularly the Church in Asia, on
March 15, four days after the Vatican announced that the pope had accepted
Cardinal Hamao's resignation as president of the Pontifical Council
for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.
"I feel free now,"he remarked upon learning he no longer had to
bear the heavy responsibility of the office he was assigned to head
on June 15, 1998.
Even so, he admitted that he dearly loved the work that brought him "into
daily touch with human suffering around the world,"and he hopes
somehow to continue working in this area in the future.
In February 2005, shortly before the cardinal turned 75 on March 9,
2005, he handed in his resignation to Pope John Paul II, since the
official age for retirement in the Vatican is 75. But the ailing pontiff
died less than a month later, and his successor, Pope Benedict XVI,
asked Cardinal Hamao and other Vatican officials to remain in their
posts "until further notice."
Cardinal Hamao used to report on his work twice a year to Pope John
Paul, so in September 2005 he requested and was given a private audience
with Pope Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo, a small town about 30 kilometers
southeast of Rome that has been used for centuries as the summer residence
of the pope.
Though Cardinal Hamao "never imagined"last year's conclave
would elect Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he gained a "very good
impression"of Benedict XVI when he went to congratulate him.
The new pope told him, "Let us work together for the good of the
migrants."The cardinal found this "very encouraging"-- "he
knew me and knew my office; it was very good and very human."
Last September, during a half-hour private audience, he again found
the new pope "very interested in our work, and very understanding,"but "he
gave no indication then about what would happen to our office -- no
indication!"
Instead, Cardinal Hamao read in newspapers about the pontiff's intention
to reform the Roman Curia and that his own council temporarily would
be led by Italy's Cardinal Renato Martino, 73, head of the Pontifical
Council for Justice and Peace. However, the Japanese cardinal officially
was told nothing.
Cardinal Hamao began to wonder if the press reports were true when
his council started to lose staff. Last August, his council's under-secretary,
Divine Word Father Michael Blume of the United States, 59, was named
nuncio to Togo and Benin in Africa, and India's Father Anthony Chivatyath,
64, in charge of gypsies and aviation, was appointed this past February
as bishop of the Syro-Malabar diocese of Sagar in his native country.
Neither was replaced.
In late February, therefore, he asked to meet Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, "sostituto"(substitute)
in the Vatican's secretariat of state, to request new staff. But when
they met, Archbishop Sandri informed the cardinal that the new pope
had indeed accepted his resignation. The archbishop also suggested
that he talk with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state. When
Cardinal Hamao did so that same day, Cardinal Sodano confirmed what
the archbishop had said.
The Vatican announced on March 11 that the pope accepted Cardinal Hamao's
resignation and the presidency of his office would merge "for
now"with that of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
under Cardinal Martino.
The Japanese cardinal is disappointed over how his exit took place. "Nobody
consulted me,"he said. "I felt a little bit -- how do you
say it -- sad."
Thereafter, Cardinal Hamao learned much the same happened with Archbishop
Michael Fitzgerald, 68, former president of the Pontifical Council
for Interreligious Dialogue. The British prelate, named nuncio to Egypt
on Feb. 15, also was never consulted about curia reforms or the future
of his council.
According to Cardinal Hamao, "it will take time"for the
Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerants to be integrated fully
with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, if indeed such is
the plan. "It will not be easy,"the cardinal predicted,
because the focus of his former council is "more pastoral"while
the other has hitherto been "more theoretical."
Even so, he said the final result "can be good,"but first
there is need "for much consultation"between the two councils,
which remain separate even if temporarily led by the same president.
The cardinal expects the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"to
be merged eventually with these two, but not yet.
Like several other Vatican officials, Cardinal Hamao feels there is
urgent need for better communication, coordination and cooperation
between and among the Roman Curia's various offices. He said as much
in a written statement submitted to the one-day meeting of the College
of Cardinals on March 23.
From 2002 until he retired, Cardinal Hamao was the only Asian in charge
of a Vatican office. The Synod of Bishops for Asia in 1998 asked Pope
John Paul to bring more Asians to work in the curia. Before long, he
not only assigned then-Bishop Hamao of Yokohama to the Vatican, but
also named Vietnam's Archbishop Nguyen Van Thuan, then in exile in
Rome, as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
The archbishop became a cardinal in February 2001, and Cardinal Hamao
received his own red hat in October 2003.
Today, no one from Asia heads any curia office. "Cardinal Van
Thuan has died (2002), and I am leaving,"Cardinal Hamao stated.
If, as he hopes, he soon gets an audience with Pope Benedict, he will
ask the pontiff to "call an Asian bishop to head any Roman Curia
office. I would suggest that he call someone from Korea, Indonesia,
India, the Philippines or any other part of Asia."
When Cardinal Hamao, Japan's fifth cardinal in Church history, meets
Pope Benedict, he said he also will suggest that the pope "listen
to the voice of the Asian people -- not judge beforehand, but listen
to them, listen to us."
In his view, Rome "has difficulty in understanding"Asia's
reality and the Church in Asia, particularly as regards dialogue with
people of other faiths.
"They cannot understand because they say interreligious dialogue is
very important, yet we must proclaim only one Savior, Jesus Christ,"he
said. "Of course, we know and believe this, but if we live in
the midst of different religions, we must have some dialogue with others,
especially the dialogue of life. In this dialogue, we can cooperate
with other religions, such as Buddhism or Shintoism, for the education
of youth, the education of people for peace, social assistance for
handicapped people, to help the poor and so on."
The cardinal elaborated by pointing out, "Saint Peter said in
his First Letter (3:15-16), if they ask us what is the reason for our
hope, for our joy, then we can explain this kindly, honestly, clearly.
So that is our attitude."
Cardinal Hamao spoke on this very subject during the 1998 Synod of
Bishops for Asia. At that time, he recalled, "I said we must proclaim
the Gospel and Jesus Christ as Savior, gradually, not from the beginning;
because if we say that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior from
the beginning, then we cannot have dialogue with them."
"European cardinals and bishops cannot understand this well,"the
outspoken cardinal said. "They are not so happy with this 'gradually.'"By
contrast, he added, "many Asian bishops and cardinals do say 'gradually.'
They say we must show the pastoral care of Jesus Christ; not catechesis
but Gospel. Asians accept easily the pastoral care of Jesus Christ
more than the catechism."
"The catechism is theology -- European theology, not Oriental theology,"he
asserted. "It is all too difficult, too intellectual, too logical.
We Asians are not so intellectual, but we are intelligent. We are --
how can one say it -- more intuitive, more aesthetic. We need something
to touch our heart. The catechism does not convert people."
As a cardinal, the Japanese prelate serves as a member of the Congregation
for the Evangelization of Peoples, so he takes part in its monthly
meeting where candidates are considered for appointment as bishops
in Asia and Africa.
Around that table, he said, are "so many"cardinals and bishops
from Europe, America and Latin America who are particularly concerned
about whether or not the man to be appointed bishop in Asia or Africa
has studied in Rome or elsewhere in Europe, and whether he has gained
an academic degree there.
Cardinal Hamao believes this should not be a decisive criterion. In
his view, a candidate could have studied in his home country, without
gaining an academic degree, yet have such good pastoral experience
he could be the right person to become bishop.
Based on his experience in that congregation, Cardinal Hamao advocates "a
revision of the criteria for the appointment of bishops in Asia and
Africa."This revision, he elaborated, should not only address
the question of academic and theological preparation, but also face "the
problem related to tribe or caste,"a major issue in the appointment
of bishops for countries such as Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, as
well as in Africa.
Reflecting on his own Vatican experience, the courteous cardinal thinks
the reason so few Asians are in the Roman Curia, and the Asian perspective
is lacking and the Asian voice not really listened to, is because "Asia
is too far from here, it's very far. I don't mean geographically, but
morally."
In Rome, he said, "they consider the Church in Asia and Africa
as a baby, immature in terms of Christianity. Perhaps they think the
Asian and African Church is a baby or infant Church. They only consider
Europe as mature, and maybe Latin America is considered an adult Church
now. That is my impression."
He pointed out that European predominance also is evident in the College
of Cardinals, where today 100 of the 193 cardinals are from Europe,
and 60 of the 120 cardinal-electors are Europeans.
For Cardinal Hamao, this composition does not accurately reflect the
current spread of Catholics, most of whom are no longer Europeans.
Most Catholics now live in Latin America, and the flourishing Asian
and African Churches have more Catholics than their European counterparts.
He would like the membership of the College of Cardinals to reflect
this new reality.
He added that though he was "very happy"three Asians were
to get red hats on March 24, he found it "strange"that not
even one new African elector was among them, and fully half of the
12 new cardinal-electors are Europeans.
Cardinal Hamao, who knows Latin well and taught it to Japan's Emperor
Akihito when he was crown prince, also fails to understand the current
push to restore Latin in parts of the Roman liturgy, and the insistence
that Catholics be able to recite the Gloria, the Creed and the Lord's
Prayer in Latin.
He noted that many cardinals and bishops, mainly Europeans, have tried
to push this, such as during the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist
last October.
Cardinal Hamao knows Pope Benedict is pro-Latin, but he clearly stated
his opposition to the drive for more Latin, and he did that in writing
-- the only Vatican office head to do so. He explained that it is just "unreal"to
expect Catholics in India, Indonesia, Japan or elsewhere in Asia to
learn Latin.
BOOK COMMEMORATES 'WALKING MISSIONARY' OF
AMAMI OSHIMA
Catholic Weekly, April 2
 A new book commemorates the life of a Conventual Franciscan priest
who
worked on Amami Oshima island in Kagoshima prefecture for 51 years.
Father
Jerome Lukaszewski, an American, was nicknamed the "Walking Missionary."
Ketsuzo Nishi, 61, a parishioner of Furutacho Church in Amami Oshima
and
chairman of the committee that coordinated the publication of the book,
explained, "It all started on the first anniversary of Father
Jerome's
death when someone suggested, 'Let's publish a book commemorating
Father
Jerome.'"
The committee collected funds and articles for the book, which was
published
March 19, the third anniversary of the priest's death at age 80. Nishi
said it was an
easy task because everyone's attitude was, "I am willing
to do anything
for Father Jerome."
The late priest spoke the local Amami Oshima dialect and loved the
food of
the island. He made many contributions to the island, including a home
for
the children of mothers infected with Hansen's disease. He did
that when he
found out that the government was forcing mothers infected with the
disease
to abort their babies. He was frequently seen walking from hospital
to
hospital to visit the sick, and was well-known on the island. Naze
City (now
Amami City) made him an honorary citizen, the first foreigner to be
honored in such a way. There were so many people who wanted to attend
his
funeral that the church could not hold them and a hall was rented from
the
city for the ceremony.
The Furutacho parish has preserved many items the priest left behind
and
will soon open a small museum to display them. They have named the
church
hall in his honor, calling it Jerome Hall.
The 230-page book Ugaminshoran: Memories of Fr. Jerome, Apostle of
Amami
Oshima (in Japanese) is available for 2,300 yen. ("Ugaminshoran"is
the
Amami Oshima dialect word for hello.) For further information, contact
the
publication committee at Tel: 0997-52-1107 or Fax: 0997-52-1197.
"Nippon Notes"by William Grimm
EVANGELIZATION IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE, EVANGELIZATION
IN JAPAN
UCA News
TOKYO (UCAN) -- After Japan's 1945 defeat, the Church here experienced
a period of unprecedented growth, especially among young adults. After
joining the Church, these new Catholics frequently organized groups
of friends with the same interests or work.
So there arose Catholic associations of doctors, nurses, journalists,
railroad workers, artists etc. Some of those groups continue to exist
today, but they are dying off. The elderly surviving members bemoan
the fact that they have no younger members and wonder what they can
do now, a half-century too late, to attract new blood. Many parishes
are in the same situation.
What happened? Or, rather, what did not happen?
What did not happen was sustained growth. Groups (including many parishes)
became closed clubs of people who enjoyed each other's company. Being
comfortable with each other, they either did not look for new members
and, if potential members appeared, the groups did not accommodate
themselves to the newcomers. Newcomers had to adapt to a group that
did not adapt itself in a welcoming way to newer, younger recruits.
As time went on and the groups aged, it became less and less likely
that outsiders would join what had become, in fact, cliques.
A further difficulty in the case of parishes was a tendency to see
evangelization as an activity of the clergy and Religious, the "professionals."Catholics
were willing to let others join them if priests and Religious brought
such people into contact with the community. The parish became a receptacle
for the fruits of others' efforts. However, the general membership
did not usually involve itself in evangelizing outreach.
As the number of clergy and Religious has declined, the number of catechumens
has declined as well. As the dynamism brought by new converts has become
rarer, the attraction of parishes, even to young people who have been
raised as Catholics, wanes.
History may provide a corrective and a program to remedy this situation.
Sociologist Rodney Stark in his book The Rise of Christianity:
How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious
Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries calculates that from
the time the Church was born until its endorsement by Constantine in
the early fourth century, the number of Christians increased on average
by 40 percent each decade. Such growth is not extraordinary. In fact,
the Mormons, Soka Gakkai and other recently founded religions have
exhibited similar rates of growth.
There were factors in the Roman Empire that made this growth possible.
A major one was the alienation of the middle class from the traditional
religion. As Stark points out, "It is obvious that people do not
embrace a new faith if they are content with an older one."
Discontent with, or at least indifference to, the religious traditions
of Japan is a much-remarked-upon situation. The situation facing the
Christian community in Japan today, a century and a half since evangelization
resumed in the mid-nineteenth century, is not totally different from
that facing the Christian community in the Roman Empire a century and
a half after Pentecost.
Another, more important, key to Church growth in the early centuries
was the willingness of Christians to evangelize the network of connections
they had with family, friends and associates. This activity was not
limited to, nor primarily engaged in, by "Church professionals."Every
Christian had such networks, and many of those Christians utilized
their networks to invite others to join the community. Catechetical
formation and the transmission of "information"about the
faith took place after newcomers had already joined the community in
a "social"sense.
Since Japanese Catholics also live in a web of such networks, it might
be realistic to expect that the Church in Japan can and should grow
by 40 percent every 10 years, equivalent to 3.42 percent growth each
year.
Practically speaking, this means that for every 29 members of a congregation,
one or two among their family or friends would join the Church each
year. Births in the community might replace those lost to death or
defection.
That does not require a superhuman effort. We just have to figure out
why it has not been happening and then fix what's broken.
What's probably broken is the willingness of many Catholics to bring
their friends and family to faith. Sociological data indicates that
conversion takes place when people with whom a believer has contact
are brought into the fold via that contact. Commitment to doctrine
usually follows conversion. That explains why newspaper ads, posters,
Bible distribution, movies, TV, street-corner preaching or door-knocking
campaigns have minimal effectiveness as evangelization tools.
A study done years ago showed that conversions in Japan to Christianity,
both Catholic and Protestant, generally followed encounters with believers,
usually clergy and Religious. That might be because, for the most part,
among Christians only the clergy and Religious were primarily interested
in sharing their faith and were identifiable as Christians.
However, it is groups that rely on the whole membership rather than
on clerical professionals (e.g., Moonies, Soka Gakkai, first-century
Christianity) that grow. If the laity were to do more among their friends
(like merely admitting they are Christians?), who knows what might
happen?
What can be done to promote such a new thrust in evangelization?
Paradoxically, the first thing might be to lower our expectations. "Convert
the whole world"is too daunting a challenge. Can we commit ourselves
to the measurable goal of increasing each Catholic community by a bit
less than 4 percent each year? Having a measurable goal might make
it easier to work up the ambition, formation and programs to meet it.
When Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire, it was
probably not due to a vision at the Milvian Bridge, but rather a recognition
of the fact that by increasing just a few percent each year, Christians
had become nearly half the population of the empire. Is there a lesson
in that for the Church in Japan and the rest of Asia?
Maryknoll Father William Grimm is editor-in-chief of Katorikku Shimbun,
Japan's Catholic weekly. Opinions expressed in this column are those of the
writer and do not represent the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan.
Maryknoll Father William Grimm is editor-in-chief of Katorikku Shimbun,
Japan's Catholic weekly.
Opinions expressed in this column are those of the
writer and do not represent the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan.
back to top
'STROLLING TOUR' FEATURES RELIGIONS
OF NAGASAKI
Catholic Weekly, April 4
From April 1 to October 29 the Saruku Urban Walking Tour Expo 2006
will be held in Nagasaki. "Saruku"is the Nagasaki dialect
word for strolling leisurely around town. The purpose of the Expo is
to have as many people as possible get in touch with the history and
culture of Nagasaki. Therefore, the venue for the festival will be
the entire city of Nagasaki.
During the period of the event, seminars called Shimin Seminariyo 2006
will be held to provide an opportunity for people to learn about the
religious history of Nagasaki. The overall theme of the seminars will
be The Culture and Religions of Nagasaki - God, Buddha and Us.
The seminars will have three parts: a walk, a talk and music. Participants
will visit the Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum, Suwa Shrine and other places.
In the music section, they will listen to music related to the venue
of the seminar including Gregorian Chant and the oratorio "Kakure
Kirishtan"(Hidden Christians) sung by the Nagasaki Catholic Chorus.
The first talk will be held at the Oura Cathedral (Oura Tenshudo, which
is designated as a national treasure) on April 29. The talk will be
given by Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki. Later seminars will
feature Fr. Renzo De Luca, S.J. as well as Shinto and Buddhist clergy.
The sponsor of the seminars is Agenda NOVA Nagasaki - Considering the
Culture of Nagasaki. This group has sponsored other events such as
visiting Christmas displays at the different Catholic churches in Nagasaki.
Concerning this year's event, Kazuyo Ayukawa, chairperson of the group,
remarked, "Never before have we had priests representing the different
religions that have been woven into the culture of Nagasaki over the
centuries gather together to reflect on this history."
Commenting on the fact that many people died in Nagasaki during the
period when Christianity was outlawed, Ayakawa said, "The soil
of Nagasaki has been stained with blood and there are people here who
are truly in need of healing. Taking this as the point of departure,
I would like to reflect on the importance of this history together
with the people of Nagasaki."
On April 16th there will be a tour of the Endo Shusaku Museum and an
Easter concert. On April 18 there will be a concert of Gregorian Chant
and Renaissance music.
It is recommended that tickets for the various events be purchased
ahead of time. Contact Agenda NOVA Nagasaki at (tel) 095-858-0492 or
(fax) 095-846-0151.
www.feature.jp/agenda/event/religion_culture/index.html
Detailed information on The Saruku Urban Walking Tour Expo 2006 can
be found at the following link: www.sarukuhaku.com/e/index.html
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