Japan Catholic News
July 2007
KOBE CHURCHES FOCUS ON CHILDREN
Catholic Weekly, June 24, 2007
 Over 800 people attended the Kobe District Catholic Rally June 10 at
Kobe Stella Maris Girls' School. The gathering focused on children's
participation in the Church.
The various parts of the program, organized with the involvement of
young people, introduced the region's priests and had songs accompanied
by beating time or sign language so that everyone could enjoy the contents.
Especially popular was a "Q & A Corner" where children
could ask questions of the priests.
One question that provoked gales of laughter came from a child who
asked, "During Mass, Leo Ikenaga Jun's name pops up. What country
is he from?"
Archbishop Ikenaga of Osaka, a Japanese Jesuit who was at the gathering,
is mentioned in the Eucharistic Prayer in all Masses said in the diocese,
of which Kobe is a part.
A characteristic feature of the Osaka diocese's Kobe Region is that
since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995, the 11 parishes in
the region have built deep bonds. Through their newsletter Tsunagari (Connections), matters determined by the Evangelization and Pastoral
Care Council as well as information notices of the 11 parishes are
presented in common. All the parishes cooperated in the preparation
of the rally.
Masao Sawaki, a parishioner of the Suzurandai Church who served as
the rally's chairperson, explained that at first there was a lack of
unity in organizing the rally around children.
"In addition to the shrinking population of young people, there
are various problems such as cram schools, extracurricular activities
(clubs) and nurturing faith in the families, and so forth. I thought
we should make doing something about this the central theme of the
rally, but the mainstream reaction was that the flow of society cannot
be helped."
However, discussion continued and the rally's main theme "Let's
Meet at Church" was decided upon. The organizers stressed that
if families do not usually gather, they can at least meet at Church
on Sunday, attend Mass together and eat together. The emphasis aimed
at was "If you come to Church, you'll find friends."
High school senior Hirona Tomiyama of the Mita Church took part in
the preparations for the rally.
"On Saturday and Sunday, school clubs meet so there are students
who cannot go to church. If you take a break from the sports clubs,
you will not be permitted to go to the games, so you cannot be absent.
Seniors step down from the clubs, but we begin commuting to cram schools
for entrance exam study," she said.
Again, a three-generation Vietnamese family's mother from the Takatori
Church commented concerning the problems caused by conflicts between
school activities and church.
"We did not want to follow the school's conflicting demands but,
for the sake of clubs, children probably cannot but skip church. We
are nevertheless continuing their faith education in the family."
Seventh grader Asuka Okada of the Kitasuma Church and her two younger
sisters stay overnight every Saturday at the home of her grandmother
Fuyoko Kaneda for the sake of going together to the church, which is
close to the grandmother's home. The children talk about faith with
their grandmother and spend fun time with others. Asuka said she entered
a club without Saturday or Sunday meetings for that reason.
In his homily at the Mass, Archbishop Ikenaga said that parents should
attach great importance to infant baptism, stress attendance at Sunday
Mass and deeply live the faith in the midst of the family. If any these
points is lacking, he said, it becomes the main factor in children's
numbers declining in the Church.
In the Kobe district of the Osaka diocese, in order for youth to become
familiar with the Church, various programs are beginning. At Rokko
Church, from Saturday noon the garden (parking lot) is entirely left
open for children and is offered as a play space. About 60 children
come to play, of whom about half are not Catholics. At the Suzurandai
Church too, the fourth Sunday of every month is a designated "No
Car Day" when cars are not permitted to enter or leave, and the
parking lot is used as a play space. The Akashi Church is considering
celebrating a Saturday evening Mass at six o'clock for the sake of
junior- and senior high school students who go to school clubs or juku
(cram schools).
YOKOHAMA DIOCESE ADAPTS TO NEEDS OF DISABLED
Catholic Weekly, June 17, 2007
More than 220 people attended a June 2 gathering sponsored by the Yokohama
Diocesan Welfare Committee and the Eastern Shizuoka Regional Evangelization
Committee at the Numazu Church in Shizuoka. The meeting, the 11th,
was titled, "The Handicapped -- Advancing Together."
At the annual gathering, participants listen to the voices of patients
or the handicapped, this time under the theme of "Learn, deepen
awareness and mutually interchange."
There were four keynote speakers. Tokio Fujiwara is a former Hansen's
disease patient. Toshiko Watanabe has a congenital skin condition,
epidermolysis bullosa. Tomoko Ogura is hearing impaired. Makoto Kigawa
is the Shizuoka representative of the Japan Epilepsy Society.
The speakers stressed that having relationships with other people is
important to the disabled for whom discrimination becomes a source
of alienation.
Ogura, a free-lance writer, became hearing impaired 10 years ago, so
she carries out her news gathering and writing activities using email
or FAX. When she first goes for a medical exam or such, she relies
upon publicly-provided translators who turn the words she cannot hear
into summary notes or sign language.
"However," she said, "the public system's translators
cannot be used for things in relation to work or politics or religion."
In order for the handicapped to live a full Church life, she said,
the Church must train people able to provide notes or sign language
translation.
Hearing-impaired believers find special difficulty in the Sacrament
of Penance, she said. If the priest cannot use sign language, penitents
must write out their confession and converse by writing. However, Ogura
said, there are priests who refuse written confessions.
At one communal Penance service, a person with difficulty in hearing
learned afterwards that the confession could be heard by others. Because
of the shock of having the confession heard by the surrounding people,
that person never again went to such a service.
Ogura also mentioned that in a diocese where she lived when she was
young she was refused Confirmation, being told, "because you are
deaf."
At this year's gathering, an overhead projector displayed transcriptions
of the talks and sign language was provided throughout.
In addition to the presentations, Yokohama Bishop Masahiro Umemura
celebrated Mass using sign-language. He was joined in this by Fr. Tsutomu
Furukawa, chair of the Diocesan Welfare Committee, and newly-ordained
Fr. Akihisa Hamada.
In addition to the annual gathering, the Yokohama diocese has made
other efforts to involve the disabled in the life of the diocese.
Isaac, a group that provides transcription services for the hearing-impaired,
provides service at the annual diocesan Liturgy Study and Training
Meeting. As of July 7, the diocesan-sponsored Yokohama Olive Group
for mentally ill persons and their families started.
The Ofuna Church in Kanagawa prefecture installed a hearing aid system
after learning about such aids at the Liturgy Study and Training Meeting.
Furthermore, since Bishop Umemura used sign language Mass at last year's
Confirmation ceremony, the Lord's Prayer is now prayed in sign language
at the Sunday Mass, with 30 percent of the attending people having
become able to pray it in sign language.
Tsuneko Suzuki, a parishioner of the Saginomiya Church in Kanagawa
prefecture, commented on this year's conference at Numazu.
"At Church, we call everyone brothers and sisters, but we did
not know anything about the present state of affairs of our physically
challenged companions. I felt keenly the need to be able to deepen
our understanding and walk together."
BISHOPS' CONFERENCE ISSUES STATISTICS ON CHURCH IN JAPAN
Catholic Weekly, July 8, 2007
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Japan has published its Statistics
of the Catholic Church in Japan 2006.
The entire number of Catholics (clergy and religious included) numbered
452,571 at the end of 2006, roughly the same as 2005, and exceeded
450,000 for the third consecutive year. About 60 percent of Japan's
Catholics are women. Because this census is based on parochial registers,
those who are not registered at a parish, generally foreigners, are
not included.
The Tokyo archdiocese has the largest number of Catholics. The next
three are Nagasaki archdiocese, Osaka archdiocese and Yokohama diocese.
(See below for a listing of all dioceses.)
As of the end of 2006, there were 1,553 bishops and priests, of whom
926 are Japanese and 627 are foreign citizens. There were 38 deacons,
28 of whom were Japanese. Seminarians totalled 138 and 58 others were
enrolled in pre-seminary programs.
One in every 75 Catholics in Japan was a female religious. There were
6,060 Japanese sisters and 372 foreigners. There were 201 religious
brothers, of whom 147 were Japanese and 54 foreign.
There were 7,193 baptisms during the year. Of that number, 3,692 were
of adults while 3,501 were of children under age seven. This is a 1,476-person
decrease compared with five years before. The summary says there were
5,414 catechumens.
First communicants numbered 4, 511, while 4,790 were confirmed.
Sunday Mass attendance averaged 119,988. Easter brought 205,804 to
churches in the country and at Christmas 277,950 people attended Mass.
Marriages united 3,130 couple. Nine percent, 285, of those were marriages
between two Catholics. The largest number, 1,465 couples, were marriages
between a Catholic and a non-religious or non-Christian spouse. Next,
at 1,252, were marriages conducted in churches between non-Catholics.
The smallest number in the marriage statistics, at 128, was of marriages
between a Catholic and a non-Catholic Christian. Overall, church weddings
were less than half of the 6,393 couples united in 2001.
Number of registered Catholics by diocese:
Tokyo 95,362
Nagasaki 65,415
Osaka 55,441
Fukuoka 31,074
Yokohama 54,430
Nagoya 26,174
Hiroshima 21,475
Saitama 20,619
Kyoto 19,015
Sapporo 18,010
Sendai 11,154
Kagoshima 9,584
Niigata 7,586
Oita 6,253
Naha 5,880
Takamatsu 5,099
KYOTO DIOCESE COMMISSIONS NISHIJIN SILK PORTRAIT OF MARTYRS
Catholic Weekly, July 8, 2007
To commemorate the forthcoming beatification of 188 Japanese martyrs,
the Kyoto diocese commissioned a portrait of the martyrs in the world-famous
Nishijin-ori (high quality silk fabrics produced in the Nishijin weaving
district of Kyoto).
With a height of 35 centimeters and a width of 21 centimeters, the
silk weaving is based on a painting by Masami Nakayama.
The portrait was made by Koto Art Textiles, a weaving house in the
Nishijin district owned by Noboru Yanagimoto, which produces and sells
vestments and other religious goods. Yanagimoto, 49, a parishioner
of Nishijin Church, consulted with other weavers and fabric designers
in producing the portrait, which took 14 months to complete.
"The most difficult part was not the danger of misrepresenting
the oil painting, but in highlighting the gloss of the dyed silk and
arranging the threads in the special manner of silk fabrics to produce
a beautiful image. It was especially difficult to portray with a limited
number of threads the suffering but also the joy of martyrdom, along
with the gentleness in the expression of the mother, Thecla Hashimoto," he
said.
The portrait shows the martyr embracing her three children as the family
is burnt alive.
Since the weavers and designers were not Catholics, at first they feared
that because of the cruelty of the scene they were recreating there
could be a "curse" on the work. However, when Yanagimoto
explained the true meaning of the martyrdom of these Christians and
the reward martyrs receive in Heaven, they cooperated enthusiastically.
During the great persecution which took place in Kyoto in 1619 a total
of 52 people, including Hashimoto Tahei Joan and his wife Thecla were
sentenced to burn at the stake. After four centuries they are among
those about to be beatified.
"Nippon Notes" by William Grimm
THE FAILURE OF SUCCESS
UCA News
TOKYO (UCAN) -- When missionary work resumed in Japan in the 19th century,
after being illegal for more than two centuries, the task taken up
by foreign missioners and the Japanese who joined them as clergy, catechists
and religious was that of setting up a local Church.
To that end, they built churches and institutions and set up parishes,
vicariates and dioceses around the country.
That style of mission in Japan lasted until the decade following World
War II, by which time the normal structures of a national Church were
in place, including a native clergy and hierarchy. The work of missioners
in Japan had reached a successful conclusion. The goals that motivated
their work for nearly a century had been achieved.
However, success brought on a crisis, even though that crisis might
not have been widely recognized.
Pioneering became maintenance as more and more domestic and foreign
missioners (especially priests) became pastoral workers, supplementing
(and largely duplicating) the efforts of diocesan clergy. The work
of missionary priests became increasingly defined in terms of pastoral
work with -- it was hoped and expected -- a mission thrust, rather
than missionary work per se. For men whose basic vocation was evangelization,
mission ad gentes became ancillary to their work within and for already
existing Catholic communities. It was as if what had formerly been
a tool of evangelization -- parish and institutional activity -- had
become the object of their vocation.
Even though there have been repeated calls over the past several years
for a renewed commitment throughout the Church to evangelization as
proclamation, the embarrassing fact is that few, if any, seem sure
of what doing evangelization today entails.
We are, as it were, so out of practice that we keep repeating what
has been done, hoping that if we do it often enough and long enough
it will once again bear the kind of fruit it has not borne in years.
In fact, the number of baptisms continues to decline. As the large
number of Japanese Catholics baptized in the 1950s and 1960s die without
replacements, the Church here will soon enter a steep decline.
Even those who are "professionals" in evangelization, the
foreign missioners, are at a loss. Our successes in the past have led
us into a sort of dead end. The work being done is valuable, but the
suspicion grows that something more is needed, something that missioners
should be doing.
Although the Church in Japan is established, the need for pioneering
is not ended. The ripe field remains, but it is outside the parishes
and other structures of the Church. Our challenge is to find ways in
which missioners (both foreign and domestic) can once again involve
themselves with the larger Japanese society in ways that introduce
people to Christ and his Church. Models are few, so what is needed
more than anything else is a spirit of adventuresome experimentation.
That experimentation must be based upon the fact that the Japanese
Catholic Church already exists and has primary responsibility for the
evangelization of Japan. Therefore, any attempts to develop new modes
of missionary presence must be formulated and actualized in conjunction
with the Church here, involving not only "professional" missioners
but also the laity, clergy, hierarchy and Religious engaged in other
tasks. The missioners must see their vocation as animating and facilitating
the entire local Church in fulfilling the mission mandate of the Lord.
But the problem remains: what practical steps can be taken?
A problem that has lasted the better part of a century and has become
entrenched in the practices and attitudes of the Church in Japan will
not easily be dealt with, let alone solved. However, unless the bishops,
clergy, Religious and laity make a priority of the search for new ways
to fulfill the Church's ancient vocation to proclaim Christ, the future
of the Church in Japan is bleak.
Might not the same be said of the Church in other nations of Asia?
Maryknoll Father William Grimm is the editor-in-chief of Katorikku
Shimbun, Japan's Catholic weekly.
Opinion expressed in this column are those of the writer and do not
represent the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan.
SEVEN PARISHES UNITE TO ORGANIZE ORDINATION CELEBRATION IN YOKOHAMA DIOCESE
Catholic Weekly, June 10, 2007
To be present at an ordination and witness the birth of a new priest
can be a great pleasure for Christians, but behind the scenes there
is much effort on the part of those involved in organizing such an
event.
The May 3 ordination of Yokoham diocesan priest Fr. Akihisa Hamada
at the Seisen School in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture, was prepared
jointly by the parish of the new priest and the seven neighboring churches.
More than 1,300 attended, and to help motivate future vocations seats
for children were set in front of those for special guests.
"It proved to be a form of cooperative missionary effort," said
Katsuhiko Hanashima, president of the parish council of the Zushi Church. "Communication
among the parishes went well and enlivened the event."
The Zushi Church, Fr. Hamada's home parish, is part of the Kanagawa
fourth district of the Yokohama diocese along with the Yukinoshita,
Yuigahama, Yokosuka-Otsu, Yokosuka-Mikasa, Miurakaigan and Kanazawa
parishes.
"Everyone worked hard," said Fr. Mitsuyoshi Morita of the
Kanazawa Church. "They prayed earnestly, reflected on the divine
call and turned out a 'home-made' ceremony."
The Yokohama diocese recently began to encourage parishes to prepare
ordinations. According to Fr. Morita, the joint efforts for Fr. Hamada's
ordination started a year ago with the intention of making the event
an opportunity for a vocational awareness campaign. He invited Fr.
Toyohiko Hirata, rector of the Tokyo Catholic Seminary, to speak and
never failed to include prayers for vocations in the General Intercessions
at every Sunday Mass.
Representatives of the seven parishes met repeatedly since January,
checked the site beforehand and decided what each parish would be responsible
for. The process proved that people with the necessary talents were
available in the area. On the day of the ceremony, each parish provided
homemade cakes.
Hanashima said he hopes "that this will be an opportunity for
the seven churches to keep up their cooperative relationships and get
together occasionally."
Bishop Masahiro Umemura of the Yokohama diocese published a pastoral
letter April 8 in which he called on all parishes to work for the promotion
of cooperative mission on the area level.
HOSPITAL WITH CATHOLIC ROOTS USES GERMAN SYSTEM TO SAVE UNWANTED INFANTS
Catholic Weekly, May 27, 2007
On May 10, Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto began offering a "Baby Post
Box" service, allowing people to anonymously deposit infants they
cannot or will not care for. To help people understand the service,
the hospital has sponsored a video showing the background to the decision.
In 2004, a group including Jikei's vice chairman Taiji Hasuda visited
three hospitals in Berlin as well as a nursery in Hamburg to get ideas
about how to better serve newborn life here.
In Germany there are approximately 1,000 babies abandoned each year.
The finding of a baby in a garbage truck in 1999 triggered the setting
up in the following year the first "Baby Klappe" (baby bunk).
The movement spread throughout Germany to save babies and women who
suffered unexpected pregnancy. As of 2004, over 70 baby bunks have
been set up, saving about 40 newborn lives each year. Infants can be
left in the bunks, which have a door that opens onto the outside of
the hospital.
Baby Klappe is no more than an emergency measure. In Germany there
are pregnancy counselors for those who have unexpected pregnancies,
and meeting such a counselor is a prerequisite for undergoing an abortion.
There is also an "Anonymous Birthing" system that allows
women to give birth without disclosing their identity. A pregnant woman
can come to the hospital before birth for counseling, to give birth
safely, and then stay in a special home for the mother and the baby
for two months, during which time the mother can decide whether to
raise the child, put it into foster care or give it up for adoption.
This system attempts to prevent mothers giving birth without proper
assistance and then just leaving the baby in a Baby Klappe.
There have also been baby desertion cases in Japan. Recent news reports
have told of cases of babies found dead: May 9 in Komatsu, Ishikawa-ken;
April 23 in Nousemachi, Osaka; April 21 in Omaezaki, Shizuoka-ken;
April 19 in Yokohama and April 12 in Sagamihara, Yokohama. Though Japan
is considered permissive regarding abortion, there has been little
discussion of abortion.
Jikei Hospital started its own version of the Baby Klappe, the Baby
Post Box, based on a desire to save the God-given life of infants and
to help mothers who feel they cannot raise their child. In the video,
Hasuda says, "We expect not only to save the life of the baby
and the mother, but we want to convey the importance of life to many
people."
The 98-bed Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto city was begun by the Franciscan
Missionaries of Mary in 1898, but management has been transferred to
Seiryukai Jikei Hospital Medical Corporation. According to the hospital's
website, the aim of the hospital is "to support the happiness
of people and the area, providing a warm and high level of medical
treatment and care motivated by Christ's love and an attitude
of service."
ARSON VICTIM TRAVELS COUNTRY TO GAIN SUPPORT FOR LIFE IMPRISONMENT SENTENCES
Catholic Weekly, June 24, 2007
 Alberto Stucki travels the country by motorcycle collecting signatures
supporting the introduction of life imprisonment in Japan. Currently,
the heaviest punishment second to the death penalty has instances of
release on parole after only 10 years in prison.
In May 2004, Stucki's home in Miyazaki city was set ablaze, killiing
his wife Koshi Konishi and their second daughter Tomorie, who had just
entered junior high school. The male offender had been sentenced several
times before for arson and other crimes, and after the arson at Stucki's
home until the time he was arrested, he piled up more arson charges.
"At first, I hoped for the death penalty. But now, I want him
to work on reflecting until he dies," said Stucki of the arsonist.
Stucki asserted, "(Such a criminal) coming back to society is
dangerous. The crimes are repeated over and over when there is only
parole, not life imprisonment."
In July of the year after the arson, carrying pictures of his deceased
wife and daughter, Stucki started his signature campaign. Stucki's
nationwide pilgrimage encompasses the 47 administrative divisions of
Japan. Currently making his third circuit of the country, his main
objective is to make his plea before the people in governmental authority.
So far, he has presented more than 70,000 signatures to the government.
Stucki seeks the cooperation of the people he is able to meet, and
he participates in Masses at churches he passes. There he is also able
to obtain support.
"(There is cooperation from the Diet, but) support from the average
citizen is the important thing," he said.
At each of his stops, Stucki meets members of crime victims' bereaved
families, and they tell Stucki that they are delighted that he came
to grips with the situation in a positive way.
"(Thinking of the two members of my family I lost) every night,
I can't sleep until three or four in the morning. Eating dinner is
also painful, even now," he said.
While employed in Miyazaki as a company representative dealing with
interior design, he says he doesn't know where he gets the energy to
continue his crusade.
Stucki is gratified that on June 8 at a regular session of the House
of Councillors, a Rehabilitation Protection Act was adopted, strengthening
probation for people released on parole from prison and reform school.
"This is a big step (for public safety)," he said.
Stucki's oldest daughter, who is the mother of one child, is also a
supporter of his efforts. Stucki said his journey will continue until
the establishment of life imprisonment sentences.
OKINAWA CATHOLICS MARK BATTLE ANNIVERSARY WITH PILGRIMAGE
Catholic Weekly, July 1, 2007
Naha diocese held its 21st Catholic Peace Pilgrimage June 23, the anniversary
of the end of organized Japanese resistance in the World War II Battle
of Okinawa.
Some 70 people started the pilgrimage to the Konpaku no To (tower of
the spirits) in Itoman city after attending a six o'clock morning Mass
at Oroku Church in Naha. Along the 16-kilometer route more people joined
the pilgrimage and eventually the number of participants grew to about
450. The Konpaku no To is a memorial that marks a mass grave containing
the remains of some 35,000 victims of the 1945 battle.
This year the procession contained a larger than usual number of participants
from outside Okinawa. Among them was an 84-year-old woman from Okayama
who walked the whole course.
Along the way, meetings were held at three places, where after listening
to accounts of individual war experiences, participants took time to
offer prayers.
After reaching the tower, young participants read a peace appeal in
front of the tower, declaring, "As Christians living in Okinawa
we declare that we will keep our antiwar vow."
HIROSHIMA DIOCESE BUILDS FUTURE ON 'THREE PILLARS'
Catholic Weekly, June 3, 2007
"Who wants to celebrate their wedding in a church?" asked
speaker Noboru Kamiyama at a late-April Hiroshima diocesan youth rally.
When many of the 70 or so participants raised their hands, Kamiyama
asked, "If there are no church then, what will you do? The laity
must think and take a leading part."
As director of the Lay Drive for Peace, Kamiyama goes around the diocese
to tell as many people as possible about the "Apostolic Priorities
of Hiroshima Diocese" presented by Bishop Atsumi Misue in April
2006. The objective is to encourage the entire diocese, which according
to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan has 21,475 registered
Catholics, to "take a hard look at the shape of the diocese five
or 10 years from now."
The basic theme of the diocese as presented by the bishop is "Let
us become apostles of peace." To achieve that goal, there are
three "pillars": peace, collaboration and formation.
In this scheme, peace means "to perfect support for resident foreigners
to live together with us," peace education and other such things.
Collaboration means making the Mass come alive for participants and
sharing information throughout the diocese. Formation is directed toward
the development of training programs and the building of small faith
communities.
The Lay Drive for Peace started last year as a means of grappling with
the three pillars, "setting forth concrete direction concerning
tasks cherished by the diocese and likewise providing practical assistance." In
April of this year, the office published a booklet about the pillars.
Youth too are grappling with bringing word of the three pillars to
the whole diocese. In the preface to the booklet, the head of the Youth
Rally executive committee Yoh Kadono, a parishioner at the Noboricho
Church, commented on her impression when she attended a "Network
Meeting" of Catholic youth from all over Japan
"There are no activities for the youth of the diocese," she
reflected. "Before we present ourselves to the outside world,
we have to build up connections among ourselves."
Every Spring, the Hiroshima Diocese organizes "Chu-buro," a
rally for high school students attended by about 100 people. This year,
the rally dealt with the diocese's three pillars.
"Can we get (the rally) back on track?" asked Kadono. "We
have to put what we get there to work right away in our parishes when
we get home."
Young Catholics comment that it is difficult to fit into parishes or
that one might be the only young member of a parish.
Bishop Misue described the three pillars as "difficult, but concrete."
"I'm always talking about them so as to make them sink in with
the faithful."
The manner in which everyone is grappling with them is "laudable," he
added.
Kamiyama is enthusiastic about "giving it as a task." At
the conclusion of his talk to this year's Youth Rally he asked, "What
is it that each of us can do with all our might for spreading the Gospel?"
SIMILARITIES, DIFFERENCES MARK SEMINARY LIFE IN JAPAN AND KOREA
Catholic Weekly, June 10, 2007
The long-continued decline of priestly vocations in Japan has led to
a situation in which most Catholics do not have a chance to meet seminarians.
In contrast, in neighboring Korea, priestly vocations are abundant.
The Catholic Weekly asked Fr. Lee Jung Yoon, 33, who was dispatched
from Korea's Uijeongbu diocese to work in the Yokohama diocese, and
Taiki Inokuchi, 26, a Hiroshima diocesan seminarian, about life in
their respective seminaries.
In Japan at present, in order to become a diocesan priest, seminarians
enter formation programs in one of two places. Those from Kyushu and
Okinawa study at the Fukuoka St. Sulpice College/Seminary. Those from
the rest of the country study at the national seminary in Tokyo. At
present, a process is underway to merge the two seminaries.
According to Inokuchi, the first year of formation in the Tokyo system
takes place at Galilee House in Nasu, Tochigi prefecture. There the
new seminarians get used to a lifestyle centered on Mass, prayer and
Scripture and through community living learn to "live for others."
In their second year, students move to the seminary in Tokyo's Nerima
ward where they study philosophy and theology.
The daily schedule is highly structured. Arising at 6 am, from 6:20
the seminarians meditate and pray Morning Prayer. Mass follows. After
breakfast, from 9:00 to noon and again from 1:30 to just before 5:00
they attend classes. At 6:10, there is Evening Prayer followed by dinner
at 6:30. The evening is devoted to private study.
On weekends, students go to nearby churches to gain practical experience
in the apostolate. During their long vacations, they return to their
home dioceses and help with programs for youth and children.
"It takes at least 6 years to become a priest," said Inokuchi. "At
present, there are about 30 seminarians in Tokyo's seminary. There
is full-scale study from the second year and because the last year
is the deaconate course, in really four years it is necessary to finish
all the minimum required courses. So it is truly a busy lifestyle.
With various responsibilities and taking turns, laundry and so forth
we really rush around."
Because the use of holidays and free time is left to the individual,
Inokuchi added that training in the use of this time will be useful
for the future.
Fr. Lee presently serves at Yamate Church in Yokohama.
The Korean priest explained the similarities and differences between
the training of priests in his country and in Japan.
"In Korea, with three years of military service or two years of
volunteer activity included, it takes 10 years to become a priest.
The first year after entering the seminary, going out of the seminary
is prohibited. Even in the second year, one can go out only once a
month. Cell phones are prohibited, and we cut our own hair. From 8
pm until 8 am the next morning is the Great Silence, so we could not
speak at all."
The daily schedule at the seminary in Seoul where Fr. Lee studied does
not differ significantly from that of the Tokyo seminary.
According to Korea's National Broadcast Network (KBS) in 2005, from
1992 to 1999 the Seoul seminary had 290 students of whom 35 percent
left the seminary without being ordained.
According to Fr. Lee, "In Seoul, the seminary has a 5 pm curfew.
Youths of the same age freely enjoy themselves, but at the seminary
there is the rule of the Great Silence and other forms of self-denial.
What is important is to take 10 years with life-or-death seriousness
to make a choice that involves your whole life."
Hiroshima diocese and Korea's Pusan diocese are sister dioceses. Last
summer, in order to make preliminary preparations for a sports meet
exchange between the two dioceses, Inokuchi and two other seminarians
from Hiroshima visited Pusan's seminary together with Fr. Kim Ki Yon,
a Pusan diocesan priest working in Hiroshima, as well as Hiroshima
diocesan priest Fr. Kiyoharu Ogi and others.
The circumstances of both countries' churches are different, but Inokuchi,
encountering Korea's seminarians in real life, said he did not feel
a difference between the seminarians with respect to the aspiration
to become a priest.
"I think seminary formation is not a matter of pointing to a school
or buildings. The whole period of formation, for me as a seminarian,
is the lifestyle."
Commenting on the support seminarians receive from others, he added, "I
felt strongly how essential is the great help received in the personal
and financial support of praying persons in order to receive that formation.
I feel we have a responsibility to be involved in explaining our lifestyle
to those who kindly give us encouragement, such as The Grain of Wheat
Society, Ichiryuukai et cetera, so that they may be informed."
JAPAN BISHOPS WELCOME END OF LONG WAIT FOR BEATIFICATION DECISION
Catholic Weekly, June 10, 2007
Pope Benedict XVI signed a decree June 1 officially authorizing the
beatification of Peter Kibe and the 187 other Japanese martyrs.
Nagoya Bishop Jun'ichi Nomura, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference
of Japan (CBCJ) expressed his happiness, commenting that this beatification "will
represent a good chance to give hope, to shine a sure light upon people
in a world and an era deeply submerged in bewilderment, moving beyond
differences in ideology and creed."
Likewise, Takamatsu Bishop Osamu Mizobe, chairman of the Special Committee
for the Cause of the Japanese Martyrs (SCCJM), said, "I'm happy.
The words, 'at last,' sum it up." He explained that he had felt
clearly the fact that "waiting around will not accomplish anything."
Deeply involved in this beatification as a member of the Congregation
for the Causes of the Saints (CCS) at the Roman Curia, Cardinal Fumio
Hamao did not hide his happiness.
"It's a very happy occasion," he said. "In the past,
the causes for Japanese martyrs had all been proposed by those missionary
and religious orders with which they had connections, and it was all
decided at Rome. This is the first group advanced by the Bishops' Conference
of Japan, and the whole group was Japanese. That almost all were laypersons
and that there were also many women and children are special features."
The initial impetus for the movement seeking the beatification of the
188 people came in 1981 with Pope John Paul II's visit to Japan. The
path to beatification took the following course:
・ 1981: CBCJ decides in a plenary session to begin application
process for beatification;
・ 1984: gaining the approval of the Roman Curia, the investigations
for beatification begin;
・ 1995: SCCJM releases a booklet called Witnesses
of Love: Peter Kibe and the 187 Martyrs as a promotional activity;
・ 1997: all investigations complete, the cause is submitted
to the Roman Curia. Procedures begin inside CCS;
・ Dec. 9, 2004: cause passes CCS historical inspection committee;
・ May 5, 2006: cause passes CCS theological investigation committee;
・ Aug 1, 2007: fundraising activities in support of the beatification
begin;
・ Feb. 4-11, 2007: "A Week of Remembrance and Prayer with
the Martyrs" is held throughout Japan;
・ Feb. 6, 2007: cause passes CCS investigational committee;
・ June 1, 2007: Roman Curia issues decree ratifying the beatification.
The date of the beatification ceremony, which will take place in Nagasaki
some time in 2008, has yet to be decided.
SPANISH SISTER IN JAPAN FOR 70 YEARS MARKS CENTENNIAL OF BIRTH
Catholic Weekly, June24, 2007
 Sr. Victoria de la Cruz of the Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament, who
was born June 24, 1907, said she never thought she would live to be
100 years of age or that she would spend 70 of them in Japan.
"I never thought I would become a missionary," she said,
reflecting on the time she entered the convent. When her superior proposed
that she go to Japan, Sr. Victoria's response was "it is up to
you!" She never thought of returning to Spain, because, "I
believed it was God's will."
Born in Malaga, in the south of Spain, Sr. Victoria was the second
of eight children. A retreat at the age of 22 inspired her to enter
the convent, and she was 28 when she arrived in Japan. She traveled
to Japan on a merchant ship and the journey took two months. She learned
some Japanese language from Japanese members of the Adorers of the
Blessed Sacrament, and then served as novice mistress and superior
in their convents in Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka.
Not long after Sr. Victoria arrived in Japan civil war broke out in
Spain. This was followed by World War II, and during these years contact
with her family was difficult. She remembers helping dig air raid shelters
and working in the fields with other sisters during the war years.
They were evacuated to Nagano where, she says "it was cold, and
we were hungry."
They went searching for firewood before dawn, and carried water during
the day.
"Those days were very different from now," reminisced Sr.
Victoria. "I am very grateful to have lived so long. I have many
friends."
People come from many places to visit her. Sr. Victoria herself sometimes
goes to visit people in hospital.
The nun enjoys playing the castanets. She played them at a charity
concert in Kitami church on June 22. She sometimes pushes the wheelchair
of a 92-year-old sister. When another sister offers to do this, Sr.
Victoria's reply is, "This is my work. It is good exercise.
I enjoy it."
When asked the secret of her long life, she said, "I don't
know. It is God's will."
She takes her turn each week praying for two hours before the Blessed
Sacrament. Worshiping Jesus in the Eucharist both day and night, she
continues to live the charism of her congregation.
BISHOPS OF G8 NATIONS CALL FOR PRACTICAL MEASURES AGAINST POVERTY
Catholic Weekly, June 17, 2007
Before the heads of government of Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States met in the German seaside
resort of Heiligendamm by the Baltic Sea June 6-8 for the G8 summit,
the episcopal conferences of all the participating countries except
Italy wrote to their respective political leaders urging them to take
practical measures to relieve poverty.
Bishop Junichi Nomura, the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference
of Japan (CBCJ), delivered the letter to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
on June 4, the day before he departed for the Summit.
The episcopal conferences wrote to their respective political leaders
in response to a call from the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops requesting that these conferences tell their representatives
that they were "praying that practical measures addressing world
poverty, hygiene and sanitation, climate change, peace and security
for the common benefit of all peoples will be considered at the Summit."
The bishops also requested that "acting on the moral responsibility
we bear for the welfare of all peoples, action be taken to bring hope
to the despairing peoples of Africa and greater security to all the
peoples of the world."
The bishops requested again that the participants in the Summit stipulate
that half of the $5 billion in additional overseas development aid
each country is to contribute each year until 2010 be sent to Africa
as agreed at the G8 in Scotland in 2005.
The bishops also urged the G8 participants to take decisive action
on AIDS/HIV, climate change, the arms trade, and corruption in developing
counties. They emphasized that "urgent measures" were necessary
to deal with the tragic situation in Darfur (Sudan) and requested that
the members of the United Nations Security Council strengthen the peace
keeping forces there.
Bishop Noumura said, "it is important that national episcopal
conferences cooperate and work together in solidarity. That is why
I, as chairman of the CBCJ, signed this letter."
A similar request was taken up at the Fifth Latin American Episcopal
Conference meeting in Aparecida, Brazil, in May and the bishops there
voted to send a telegram to the leaders meeting at the G8 Summit urging
them to "make global economics for the common good."
During an audience at the Vatican on June 6 Pope Benedict XVI also
appealed to the leaders meeting at the G8 Summit "not to retreat
from their promises to make a substantial increase in development aid
in favor of the most needy populations, especially those of the African
Continent."
The Pope also mentioned that last December he wrote to German Chancellor
Angela Merkel requesting that she keep the theme of world poverty on
the agenda of the G8, especially with reference to Africa.
NEW CHURCH DEDICATED IN KOBE AS QUAKE RECONSTRUCTION CONTINUES
Catholic Weekly, June 3, 2007
 A new church was dedicated May 26 at Takatori in Kobe, replacing the
previous building destroyed in the Hanshin earthquake of Jan. 1995.
Archbishop Jun Ikenaga of Osaka was the principal celebrant at the
Mass of dedication. All of those involved in the building of the new
church attended a reception the following day, May 27.
The new church building surrounds a grass lawn, and the two stories
are built around a cloister. One corner of the building is the tent-like
church structure, supported by a circular pillar in the center.
The open space on the first floor contains a dining hall, while the
second floor has an FM radio studio (FM Wi Wi) which serves many of
the foreign community living in the area. On the left side of the entrance
is an open space where people can meet, eat together, sing songs and
so on. The doors and stairs from the previous rectory were incorporated
into the new building, and a statue of Christ that survived the earthquake
was restored and placed inside the new church. The altar was made of
Japanese cypress by carpenters from Nagiso town in Nagano prefecture
which has been assisting Kobe with restoration work since the earthquake.
Japanese cypress from Nagiso was also used in the paneling of the tatami
room in the building.
Hisao Kawafuku, 67, a long-time parishioner of the Takatori Church
and president of the parish council, said, "I thought we would
never be able to rebuild the church. I was wondering which church I
would go to. I never thought we would have a church like this."
"Although there are factories here, people live in the suburbs,
and the absence of residential blocks is obvious. It takes a lot of
courage to build a church in a place like this," he added.
Before the earthquake there were churches at almost every railway station
in the Kobe district. After the quake, funds that each church had set
aside for building were pooled by the archdiocese, and while some churches
were amalgamated with others, it was decided to rebuild Takatori Church.
According to Kawafuku, in order to keep reconstruction costs as low
as possible, parishioners did much of the work themselves.
"Most of the old building was dismantled by ourselves. We sold
the copper wiring and iron, and cut the wood into small pieces and
sold it to the local bathhouses. There are a lot of young Vietnamese
here, and we enjoyed working together."
The parishioners also made the bench and table in the inner garden.
"It cost us \8,000. If we had bought it, it would have cost \170,000.
We could not have done all this if we did not decide to work together
and eat together. This had been happening for a number of years before
we began to build the church. Up to then the Vietnamese were inviting
the Japanese to join them. They knew that they could do little by themselves,
so they asked us to work with them."
"I have continued to say that the missionary work carried on in
Takatori church is 'building a town' and 'forming people,'" said
Fr. Hiroshi Kanda, 49, at present chancellor of the archdiocese of
Osaka, and who worked at Takatori until last year.
"The people in the church had to work together like the people
in NGO's and in churches and voluntary organizations whom I have met
so far," he said.
The priest said that the building itself is "not the most important
thing,"
"What is inside is not really important, although there must be
some kind of building. We kept together saying 'the building must not
beat us,' and we must try and continue the good work we have been doing
together."
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