Japan Catholic News
November 2006
HOSPITAL PLANS TO INSTALL 'BABY BOX' FOR ABANDONED INFANTS
Catholic Weekly, November 19
The national media reported recently that in an effort to save
babies from being abandoned or abused, Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto
is going
ahead with plans to set up a "baby box" where mothers
can leave their babies to be cared for.
The baby box will consist of a window in an outer wall of the hospital
through which a baby can be passed. An incubator and air conditioning
system will be attached to the window, and when a baby is left
there an alarm will alert hospital staff who will be on 24-hour
standby.
The hospital calls the baby postbox a "stork cradle."
The concept of the baby box was conceived in Hamburg, Germany,
when a newborn baby was found in a refuse dump in front of a nursery
school
in the city in 2000. In 2004 the chairman of the board of trustees
of Jikei Hospital, Taiji Renda, visited Hamburg to examine the
baby box there.
Jikei Hospital was founded from a clinic set up in 1898 by members
of the Paris Foreign Mission Society and the Franciscan Missionaries
of Mary. With the enactment of the Social Welfare Law in 1952,
it became the Our Lady's Social Welfare Corporation Biwasaki: Our
Lady's Jikei
Hospital. Since 1978 it has been run by the Seiryu Medical Corporation,
offering medical care based on Christian principles. Abortions
are not performed at the hospital and since 2002 it has offered
a 24-hour
pregnancy counseling service.
" For many years we have been taking special measures to respect and
preserve human life. The baby box is just a continuation of this
practice," said
Masatoshi Tokumitsu, manager at the hospital.
" At a time when the number of babies being abandoned and child abuse
is increasing, we believe that we must try and save those that
we can save," he continued.
Since the announcement of the baby box plan on Nov. 9, there have
been five offers from people to adopt children. While organizations
opposed
to abortion have called the measure "epoch making," human
rights organizations have said that "children have a right to
know their parents."
While the baby box will be set up when permission is received from
the municipal health department, "We really wish people to consult
us before doing anything. We will do what is best for both children
and parents," said Tokumitsu.
If a child is left in the baby box, the hospital will register
the birth at the city office, inform the police and consult the
city's
child welfare department. Later they will entrust the child to
the local authorities.
JLMM SENDS TWO NEW MEMBERS TO CAMBODIA, THAILAND
Catholic Weekly, November 19
The Japan Lay Missionary Movement (JLMM) conducted a sending ceremony
Nov. 11 for two of its members who will serve for two years, including
six months' language study, in Cambodia and Thailand. The missioners,
Hiroko Shigetomi (41) and Wakako Matsumoto (29), who spent the past
six months in training at the JLMM center at the Congregation de Notre
Dame convent in Chofu, Tokyo, will leave Japan during December.
Shigetomi told the Catholic Weekly she used to like traveling abroad,
but it was always "developed countries" that she visited.
A turning point for her was a social problems study group started by
auxiliary Bishop Goro Matsuura of Osaka at the Tamatsukuri Church in
Osaka. A desire to work in a foreign country as a volunteer and do
something for "undeveloped countries" grew stronger then.
She went to Cambodia as a member of the Japan Overseas Cooperation
Volunteers. Before going there, she saw a leaflet about JLMM at a church
and visited JLMM members in Cambodia.
"They were all Catholic, and so were moving in the same direction. In
the Overseas Cooperation Volunteers there were people with all kinds
of different values, and it was quite difficult," she observed.
Shigetomi, who has been involved in education work for 10 years, is
being sent to a small village in Siem Riep province in northwest Cambodia.
She will assist in converting a ruined church there into a nursery
school.
She said she does not fear going back to Cambodia.
"I wish to go there soon. I love Cambodian people. They are very gentle.
I know that, so I am not anxious about anything," she said.
She commented on her training in Japan, which included visiting a buraku
(outcast) area where people experience discrimination and a group home
for handicapped people.
"I really did have some good encounters with people. I met many people
about whom I thought 'I would like to become like this person.'"
Shigetomi said that when she faces a problem, she asks, "what
would Jesus do?"
She continued, "When I myself live together with Jesus, I think
I am also living with the people around me."
Wakako Matsumoto said that her journey to mission began when during
Mass an Italian sister used to whisper into her ear "let's pray
for poor children." That was at the church in Minamata, in her
native Kumamoto. When she looked at photographs of foreign children
she began to think, "I too should go and do something for them."
When Matsumoto talked to her mother about her interest, she showed
her an advertisement for JLMM in the Catholic Weekly. Since one of
the requirements for entry was two years' working experience, after
completing university studies in music she joined the Japan Overseas
Cooperation Volunteers. She taught music in Zimbabwe and then joined
the JLMM.
"Although the political situation was unstable, the people in Zimbabwe
were cheerful. I thought that maybe it was because they kept their
faith. In JLMM I wish to work with faith," she said.
She said the six month-training course was an opportunity to reflect
on her own faith. "I never had a chance to read the Bible as I
did during that time."
She will go to northern Thailand.
"I do not know the language at all. I am anxious about how I will get
on there, but I'm happy too," she declared.
She will teach music in a high school.
"Music is related to the culture of a country. Music is necessary for
a people to appreciate and protect their culture and traditions," she
said.
Commenting on the motto of JLMM, "living together," Matsumoto
said, "I wish to find out for myself the meaning of 'living together.'
I want other people also to wish to 'live together.'"
PRIEST KNOWN AS 'FATHER OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES' RECALLS QUARTER-CENTURY OF SERVICE
Catholic Weekly, November 12
More that a quarter of a century has passed since Vietnamese refugees
began to achieve permanent residence in Japan. Fr. Harry Quaadvliet,
76, now resident in the Scheut Fathers' center house in Himeji, the
man who supported them in their appeal since 1979, is still concerned
in looking after them. Fr. Quaadvliet who is known as the "Father
of Vietnamese refugees," spoke about present conditions among
those with permanent resident status.
"The generation who were in their 20s or 30s when they arrived in Japan
are now in their 50s and 60s and about to join the ranks of senior
citizens. Some among them are not very fluent in Japanese and living
alone. Others have become unbalanced due to stress. Still others are
ill and handicapped. One cannot say that these are people who have
settled completely into Japanese society."
The Center for Promoting Permanent Residence for Refugees was opened
in Himeji, Hyogo prefecture, in1979, the first such activity in Japan.
Fr. Quaadvliet was a central figure in the campaign for permanent residence
for refugees at that time and contributed to the success of the center.
Even after the center closed in 1996, the priest remained available
for consultations.
"The refugee problem is not over yet," he said.
"The refugees did not come to Japan of their own volition. When they
arrived they had no knowledge of the language or the culture and this
led to great hardship. The language barrier made it impossible to choose
jobs. Young people who went to work in their teens had no proper schooling
either in Vietnam or Japan. Many parents became exhausted looking after
small children while holding down a job. Even now, they are still unable
to study the Japanese language."
The priest observed that while some Vietnamese immigrants have been
successful in Japan, they are not the norm.
"Among those who are now permanently resident there are bank employees,
teachers and priests, but these are the exception. The truth is that
for most refugee families, economic difficulties meant that getting
employment for their children came before dreams of sending them for
higher learning. Besides the financial aspect, there are the problems
surrounding the education of children, communication between parents
and children, divorce, housing and unemployment. All the problems you
find in Japanese families are there in the families of resident Vietnamese."
According to Fr. Quaadvliet, immigration from Vietnam continues.
"Because even now the Vietnamese encourage family members to come here,
the problems of finding accommodation and educating children are the
same as those we had 30 years ago. And there are still Japanese who
have an antipathy to foreigners. The only difference is that the newcomers
are helped by family and friends in Japan."
Providing Japanese language classes, care of the elderly and the mentally
ill, education of the children, the difficulty in achieving permanent
residence for foreigners -- the tasks pile up, but Fr. Quaadvliet
said, "In taking care of them I became deeply aware of my vocation
as a missionary. All I can do now is share their joys and sufferings
but I want to keep helping till we can say they have become part of
Japanese society."
KOREAN, JAPANESE BISHOPS EXPLORE POSSIBILITY OF BISHOPS' EXCHANGE AT EAST ASIAN LEVEL
UCA News, Catholic Weekly, November 20
 DAEGU, Korea (UCAN) -- As Japanese and Korean bishops shared concerns
about priestly formation in the region, they also explored the possibility
of including bishops from other East Asian countries in future meetings.
Eighteen bishops from Korea, 15 from Japan and one from Hong Kong attended
the 12th Japanese and Korean Bishops' Interchange Meeting, held Nov.
14-16 at the Hanti Martyrs' Shrine near Daegu, 230 kilometers southeast
of Seoul.
The shrine marks the location of a Catholic village to which early
Korean Catholics fled in order to escape religious persecution in the
19th century.
During their closed-door meeting, the bishops discussed priestly formation
in China, Japan and Korea. Auxiliary Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong,
a special guest, spoke on the situation in Hong Kong and mainland China.
According to Father Choe Won-o, undersecretary of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of Korea (CBCK), the meeting was held behind closed doors
because the bishops wanted to have a "heart-to-heart" talk
on the subject.
Several bishops spoke with UCA News outside of the meeting sessions.
Bishop Jun-ichi Nomura of Nagoya, president of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of Japan (CBCJ), identified priestly formation as one of
the major problems the Church is facing. "Forming high-quality
priests is an urgent matter," he said.
The prelate added that the subject for this year's meeting was proposed
by Archbishop Ri Moun-hi of Daegu.
"In Japan, priestly vocations are very few, so the formation of the
small number of seminarians into intellectually and spiritually competent
pastors is an important task," Bishop Nomura continued. "It
was a good chance to share these concerns with Korean bishops."
During the meeting, Archbishop Ri explained the priestly formation
situation at Daegu Major Seminary, while Bishop Ri Pyung-ho of Jeonju
detailed the situation in Kwangju Major Seminary. Bishop Masahiro Umemura
of Yokohama spoke about the overall situation in Japan.
Several bishops also said they would like to see their annual meeting,
which started in 1996, become a meeting for all East Asian bishops.
CBCK president Bishop Chang Yik of Chunchon told UCA News that within
the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), East Asian members "have
much in common in terms of history and culture." Discussions among
bishops from throughout the region would be "very helpful for
the pastoral work of local Churches," he said.
China "is situated very near to us, but we don't know much about
the Chinese Church," the Koran prelate pointed out. He added that
although it is not easy to meet with Chinese bishops at present, Korean
and Japanese bishops hope for a "close relationship with the Chinese
Church in the near future."
Bishop Nomura confirmed that Korean and Japanese bishops hope to have
their annual meeting "develop into an East Asian bishops' meeting." He
said, "This time our dream is coming true, thanks to the presence
of Bishop John Tong."
The Japanese bishop also elaborated that "among the four subregions
of the FABC, (members of) the East Asia region are geographically close
to one other, and if we discuss the various issues of the Chinese Church,
we can harvest more abundant fruits."
Using the annual meeting as a "base" for exchange would help
the Church in the region become a more cohesive one, he predicted.
According to a CBCK official, the Korean and Japanese bishops tried
to have a bishop from Taiwan attend this year's meeting too, but were
unsuccessful.
The bishops started the annual meetings, which they take turns hosting,
to develop among themselves a common understanding of their countries'
intertwined histories and to promote friendship. Japan ruled Korea
as a colony from 1910 until its defeat in 1945 at the end of World
War II, and some Koreans still harbor deep resentment over this.
Japanese Bishop Yoshinao Otsuka of Kyoto told UCA News, "We have
developed from the discussion of war and history between the two countries
to pastoral affairs like priestly formation or ecumenical issues. Now
a bishop from Hong Kong has joined the meeting."
Bishop Chang remarked, "Japan is an economically and socially
developed country, and Korea has much to learn from Japan's experience
with social changes such as urbanization, the breakdown of families,
migrant workers and so on."
According to the CBCK, the Korean Church had 1,387 diocesan seminarians
in seven major seminaries as of 2005. The CBCK has no figures for Religious
seminarians, but their numbers are relatively few. According to the
CBCJ, the Japanese Church had 72 diocesan seminarians and 89 Religious
seminarians in five diocesan and two Religious seminaries as of 2005.
The next Korean-Japanese bishops' meeting is scheduled for November
2007 in Japan.
BROCHURE FOR CATHOLICS PAY REVERENCE TO YASUKUNI SHRINE
Catholic Weekly, November 12, 2006
We cannot affirm that such an act would be considered acceptable,
according to The Episcopal Commission for Social Issues of the CBCJ.
A booklet published Oct. 22 by the committee deals with the problems
surrounding Yasukuni Shrine. It states that “In the light of
present-day Catholic teaching we cannot affirm that such an act would
be considered acceptable” even in a private capacity.
Written by Archbishop Takeo Okada of Tokyo, the booklet, The Position
of the Catholic Church Before, During and after the War, is one of
a series being prepared by the commission concerning freedom of religion
and the separation of religion and the state.
In the booklet, the archbishop reviews in the light of present conditions guidelines
issued by the Vatican Congregation Pro Propaganda Fide in 1936 for the Church
in Japan, Concerning the Duties of Catholics to their Country.
The guidelines were promulgated at a time when students in Catholic schools were
compelled as part of the school curriculum to pay their respects at National
Shinto Shrines. The guidelines stated that because such visits to a shrine were
not religious acts and carried merely a social significance, the students could "conduct
themselves like all other citizens." These guidelines were still followed
after the war even when State Shinto had ceased to exist.
The booklet points out that these guidelines are 70 years old and that both the
Church and the nation have experienced huge changes in that time. There is no
longer a state religion and the Constitution does not recognize the possibility
of one.
The archbishop wrote that given the present circumstances, the Vatican guidelines
should no longer be applied to the Church in Japan.
Catholics should pray for all the dead, the booklet says. That is why Catholics'
prayers differ from visits to Yasukuni, a shrine dedicated solely to the souls
of war dead who gave their lives fighting for the emperor.
Commenting on visits to Yasukuni to pay respect to the dead, the booklet asks, "Do
they not signify an affirming, a glorifying of war? Do they not at least give
that kind of impression to the people of the nations that were invaded?"
Concerning the separation of religion and the state, the archbishop wrote, "It
should not be interpreted simply as a separation of politics and religion, but
rather as a separation of the organs of public administration under state authority
on the one hand and religious organizations on the other."
Concerning love of one's country, the booklet points out that the Church does
not "deny" this, but also warns of the danger in emphasizing this to
the exclusion of thought for neighboring nations. The Church says, "Love
your neighboring country as you love your own."
The archbishop also takes up the Liberal Democratic Party's draft proposal for
a revision of Article 20 of the Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion.
He closes by saying, "I cannot but state that I have grave misgivings, a
very great fear indeed, that it is linked to a racist contempt for and exclusion
of other nations."
Handmaids of the Sacred Heart Sister Haruko Ishikawa, in charge of the CBCJ general
secretariate's division for the evangelization of society, said, "The booklet
is published by the bishops' Commission for Social Issues, so we may take it
as demonstrating the attitude of the Japanese bishops to the Yasukuni Shrine
issue."
Three more booklets will be published by the commission. One will deal with Church-state
relations, the second will look at moves by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party
to revise the Constitution and the third will examine the persecution of the
church in the Kirishitan era and freedom of religion.
COMMISSION FOR MIGRANTS, REFUGEES AND PEOPLE ON THE MOVE SPONSORS SEMINAR AND SEAFARERS' MEETING
Catholic Weekly, November 19
More than 150 pastoral workers and foreigners gathered for the annual
national seminar of the Catholic Commission of Japan for Migrants,
Refugees and People on the Move at the Nagasaki Catholic Center Nov.
3-4.
The participants held an exchange of opinions on the present reality
of foreigners in Japan and the problems they encounter under the theme,
Nagasaki: a city that hopes for peace -- we are one people.
"I really felt the joy of coming together," said Sister Akiko Takebe
of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, general secretary of the commission.
At the beginning of the meeting two Filipina women from Kumamoto and
Oita who are married to Japanese men spoke of their personal experience.
One of them, Rowena Hashimoto, could not speak any Japanese at the
time she married, and there were times when she was very lonely.
"But even at stressful times, I felt happy when trying to understand
the other person's position," she said.
Following the talks, participants broke into five groups to discuss
problems related to work, residence qualifications etc.
Sr. Takebe joined the group discussing education of children and religious
education. She said that this was an extremely urgent problem, and
she felt that everyone was sincerely concerned about the children.
She commented, "For some mothers, as their children are growing
up they are taught many things by them, but people said that it is
faith that mothers can teach their children, and they must teach it.'
More than half the participants were from the Philippines, and the
opening address of Bishop Daiji Tani, bishop of Saitama and chairman
of the commission, and the final Mass, including his homily, were all
in English, reflecting the multi-cultural nature of the meeting.
Fr. Kiyoshi Kawaguchi of Oura church in Nagasaki, who cooperated
with the Oita and Nagasaki dioceses in organizing the meeting, held
meetings
with Japanese and Filipino staff every week since the summer.
"Over 50 volunteers welcomed the participants, and more than a seminar
it was a friendly gathering," he said.
Another level of encounter took place as local middle and high school
students brought children who accompanied their parents to the seminar
to local churches and an aquarium.
Before the Nagasaki Seminar, on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, the same commission
also held a national meeting on the pastoral care of seafarers at the
Kobe Bible House and Sumiyoshi Church in Kobe. Over 25 people attended.
People involved in the pastoral care of seafarers brought with them
the needs of seafarers and talked about how they could best respond
to them.
Emphasizing the importance of the mission to seafarers, Anglican missionary
Paul Tolhurst said, "Seafarers live lives entirely different from
ours. For example, they wish to open and read a newspaper, to drink
a cup of tea with us. They just meet the same people all the time,
so visiting their ships is in itself important."
It was pointed out at the meeting that few people respond to the needs
of seafarers, and so it is necessary to continue to publicize this
work. As a step in this direction, Catholics from Sumiyoshi Church,
who up to now had not met seafarers, were invited on the second day
of the meeting and joined participants in their discussions and their
Mass.
THREE NOBEL LAUREATES ATTEND HIROSHIMA INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE, JOIN PRAYERS AT CATHEDRAL
Catholic Weekly, November 12
Three Nobel Peace Prize winners attended the Nov. 1-2 Hiroshima International
Peace Conference 2006.
 The Nobel laureates who took part in the gathering were Betty Williams,
63, awarded the prize in 1976 for her efforts to find a solution to
the fighting in Northern Ireland, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond
Tutu, 75, who received the prize in 1984 for his part in the struggle
to end apartheid in South Africa and the Dalai Lama (71), in exile
from Tibet since 1984, recognized for his efforts to bring peace to
Tibet.
Each of them gave a theme-setting talk.
The Dalai Lama, drawing attention to the present world situation where
nations are becoming more aware of their interdependence, emphasized
the need to inculcate a sense of "global responsibility."
"In order to care for ourselves," he said, "we have to think
of the whole world. That is the age we live in. As long as suffering
remains in the world we all have a responsibility to abolish it."
Williams, who is active in war-torn areas across the world, especially
in the cause of children, told her audience that women and children
are the chief victims of violence. Forty thousand children die of hunger
every day, she said.
She was inspired to take up her present work for peace after witnessing
the killing of three innocent children.
"I cannot deny," she said, "the anger I felt at that time.
I strove second by second, minute by minute, month after month to overcome
it till at last the anger changed to a decision to do something myself
to bring about peace."
Williams, who prays for peace every morning and night, was asked by
someone in the audience if she was ever afraid.
"My children," she said, "grew up in an atmosphere of terror.
It was not easy to tell them not to be afraid. However, although fear
is contagious, so is courage. If we have courage we can spread it to
others."
Referring to the way in which Hiroshima began its campaign for peace
with prayers of forgiveness after the 1945 atomic bombing, she appealed
to the city never to relax its efforts.
Archbishop Tutu gave his talk on the second day of the conference.
He spoke about efforts to replace the justice of retaliation with restorative
justice in post-apartheid South Africa.
"If you wish to make restorative justice a reality," he said, "you
must trust people. If we can achieve it in South Africa it is possible
anywhere."
He went on to introduce a South African word, ubunto, which signifies
the essence of being human: when one begins to live for others, one
becomes human for the first time. In other words, it is impossible
to live independently of others.
In closing, the three speakers signed a declaration of peace that stated, "We
ourselves are the origin of the problems that arise; the solution too
must begin with us."
Prayers for peace were held in the evening of the first day at the
Hiroshima cathedral, the Peace Memorial Church. Organized jointly by
the Hiroshima diocese and the Kobe diocese of the Anglican Church in
Japan, the prayer meeting was attended by a capacity congregation of
600.
Sutras recited by Tibetan monks were followed by Catholic hymns and
Buddhist songs of praise. After a reading from Scripture, Mrs Williams
and Archbishop Tutu read out an appeal for peace.
The archbishop summed up by saying, "God weeps to see the things
his children do. Let us be the ones to wipe away his tears. Let us
say 'No' to war, 'No' to discrimination and pray with Jesus for peace
and generosity."
MEGURO YOUTH GROUP PROVIDES PROSTHESES FOR RWANDA
Catholic Weekly, October 29
 For two years, Love Step, a group of young adults at Tokyo's Meguro
Church, has helped provide artificial legs to people injured in the
civil war in Rwanda by supporting an NGO called Mulindi Japan One Love
Project (One Love).
After Mass on the fourth Sunday of each month, which they call Lunch
Sunday, Love Step members prepare a meal like curry rice for parishioners
to buy for lunch. The proceeds of the sale are donated to the NGO.
The project was begun as a result of a talk given at Meguro Church
in 2004 by Mami Yoshida, the leader of One Love.
At the time, the youth group had just begun Lunch Sunday, but had not
yet decided how to use the proceeds. Sister Masami Nakamura, a member
of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers who worked at the parish, suggested
the One Love project and the group made the decision to support it.
After Mass last Oct. 22, Sayaka Asano, a member of the Fujisawa Church
in Kanagawa prefecture who had just returned from Rwanda after a three-month
summer experience as a volunteer at the office of One Love, gave a
talk.
Asano reported on her experience and the places she visited, showing
slides of One Love's activities and a church where a large-scale massacre
took place. More than 40 persons (including 10 from the Asakusa Church)
gathered to hear the talk. After the talk they had a Lunch Sunday meal
of beef hash.
Love Step member Ushiho Uenodan mentioned that while as many as 25
people have participated in the group, "We usually have only five
or six on a Sunday."
Uenodan added that since people in their 20s are usually busy, they
tend to grow distant from the Church.
"I hope that this activity will also become an opportunity for them
to come to church. I hope that we can be an active group can attract
younger people," he said.
JESUIT UNIVERSITY FACULTY, STUDENTS COMMEMORATE XAVIER WITH A PLAY
Catholic Weekly, November 5
 The Jesuits' Sophia University in Tokyo is planning a number of "Xavier
500th Anniversary Commemorative Events," among which are a concert,
talks and a symposium. On Dec. 2 and 3 teachers and students will perform
a drama in Japanese called The Arrival of St. Francis Xavier in
Japan.
One student, Sayako Yoshida, a member of the Omiya Church in Saitama
prefecture, said, "I've been involving in acting since elementary
school. This will be fun -- like a breath of fresh air. It will
be fun to work together towards a common goal with teachers I've never
met before. We should be able to develop good relationships with one
another naturally."
There is a two-hour practice three times each week.
Hiroshi Kito, a professor in the Economics Department, is often heard
to say, "It's really hard to take this much time for practice," but
he always shows up for rehearsals.
"Of course, it's really interesting putting on a play, but more than
that, it's rare to be able to work with teachers from so many different
departments, so I really want to do it," he said.
He added, "My role is that of a Buddhist monk who meets Xavier
and comes to know God."
Demographic history research often uses a historical source from the
Edo Period called the Shumonkaicho (Registry of Religious Sect Conversion).
It is a compilation of anti-Christian information used for the purpose
of exercising strict control over Christians.
Commenting on that record, Kito said, "If Xavier had not come
to Japan, neither the persecution of Christians nor this historical
source would have existed. It is thanks to Xavier that this source
exists. I would love to be able to meet Xavier and talk with him."
Fr. Juan Haidar, a Jesuit priest who plays the role of Xavier, said, "Playing
this role really taught me a lot about what Xavier felt when he arrived
in Japan."
The original play was written by Fr. Hermann Heuvers, a deceased Jesuit.
A graduate found the script of the play, which had been performed 50
years ago, and showed it to Fr. Shinzo Kawamura, the Jesuit who heads
the executive committee for the anniversary celebrations.
Since the 16th century the Jesuits have often used plays as a tool
for education.
Fr. Kawamura said, "During this year when we are commemorating
Xavier I feel that I really want to make a success of this play."
Commenting on the commemoration, Fr. Kawamura said, "We can learn
from Xavier's mistakes and experience. Xavier believed that Christianity
was absolute when he came to Japan and this led to misunderstanding.
We can relate this experience to the present time. If one goes to another
country bringing one's own ideals, he cannot expect to be welcomed.
Even now the same mistakes are being repeated."
During June, notices were posted on bulletin boards and fliers were
handed out announcing the play and seeking actors.
"We decided to change the venue because I want as many people as possible
to see the play. The budget has grown to three times the original budget.
Even now we are collecting more funds," said the priest.
Sister Kumiko Nakata of the Congregation des Soeurs de Marie-Auxiliatrice,
who has been involved in the preparations from the outset, said, "The
students have been extremely cooperative. All of the costumes for the
practices have been brought by the students. Some of the students have
been studying about Christianity in order to be able to develop their
roles better."
The director is Tatsunori Isomi, an honorary professor from Yukinoshita
Church in Kanagawa prefecture. He was a personal friend of Fr. Heuvers.
The director commented, "Fr. Heuvers was a very calm and broad-minded
person. In this drama there are no bad people. In order to make the
drama interesting to people today, some new elements have been introduced
into the play."
Tickets can be ordered on the Sophia home page: www.sophia.ac.jp. Inquiries
can be made at the following telephone number: 03-3238-4161 (Catholic
Center)
JAPANESE SISTER IN PERU SAYS PROSTITUTES 'JUST LIKE OURSELVES'
Catholic Weekly, October 29
 Sr.
Kyoko Kawamata (61) of the Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament and of
Charity, who was sent to Bolivia 11 years ago and moved to Peru
in 2002, returned on a visit to Japan recently. She and other members
of the congregation are involved in the spiritual care of women forced
into prostitution to make a living, and assist them in finding other
means of livelihood. On Oct. 17, Sr. Kawamata spoke about her involvement
with poor women in Peru at a meeting at S.J. House on the campus of
Sophia University in Tokyo sponsored by the Japanese Catholic Missionaries
Support Group.
"When I was sent to Peru I worried about how I would become involved
with women engaged in prostitution, but through my contacts with them
I learned that they too are ordinary women just like ourselves. It
is just because they are poor, and in order to make a living, that
they have no alternative but prostitution. We in Japan live in an economically
wealthy country, with a social welfare system and are born into relatively
wealthy families, so we do not have to resort to prostitution. If we
were in the same circumstances as these women, we would probably do
the same as they,"said the nun.
Sr. Kawamata works at Maria Michael House, a work training
center run by the Handmaids in Lima. Women ranging in age
from 19 to 45 attend
computer classes at the center on Sundays, an industrial machine course
on Tuesdays and a beautician course on Tuesdays. At the end of a year's
training, they are presented with a certificate. At present about 50
women attend three courses, and all of them have been involved in prostitution.
Most of them are unmarried mothers rearing an average of three children.
 The Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament and of Charity were founded
in 1856 to help women who were forced to prostitute themselves and
had fallen into the lower levels of society.
Sr. Kawabata told the story of Chicas, a young woman engaged in prostitution.
In order to help her, the nun went with a social worker to the street
where Chicas waited for customers and invited her to go with them to
the training center. Since Peru is a largely Catholic country, according
to the sister, wearing a religious habit makes it easier to approach
the women they wish to help.
Most of the women the sisters contact were not reared in a family or
by their parents. Since they have lived in poor circumstances since
childhood, they can only make a living through prostitution. Especially
in rural areas, natural disasters have prevented people from making
a living through farming or rearing livestock. They move to cities
in the hope of finding work, but in cities, too, this is very difficult.
The result is that women give birth to children whose fathers they
do not know. They are then disowned by their parents and forced to
live and rear their children in huts in the slums on the desert-like
hills around Lima, where there is no running water or electricity,
and poor sanitation. This vicious cycle continues from one generation
to the next.
Every year, 150 women like Chicas visit the Maria Michael House in
Lima. However, only about 50 of these attend the training courses most
days, and only between 20 and 30 of these receive a certificate. Many
do not come because they cannot afford the bus fare.
"In order that as many as possible of them can come, we give the trainees
one-way bus fare and money for lunch, and we built a nursery for their
children so they can be at ease while studying. But it is difficult
for them to find work and become self-reliant."
At present the congregation is considering building a workshop near
Maria Michael House. Their dream is that the women will use the skills
they learn to make things that they can then sell.
Sr. Kawamata said, "After a year their expressions become more
relaxed. They say prayers before the training sessions, some study
Christian doctrine, and we sisters talk to them and place importance
on spiritual care. It is important to acquire a skill in order to become
self-reliant, but what is most important, I think, is to have peace
of heart, take care of one's self, and live placing one's self entirely
in the hands of God."
DEDICATION OF NEW CHURCH IN RURAL OKINAWA HEARTENS CATHOLICS
Catholic Weekly, November 5
 Over 1000 people gathered Oct. 8 for the dedication of a new church
in Yomitan village in the Okinawa diocese.
Yomitan is located about 20 kilometers north of Naha. Catholics who
had until now to travel to the Awase, Gusikawa or Maehara churches
are overjoyed that a church has been built near their homes.
Kayoko Usui, a member of the Yomitan parish, spoke of the reaction
of the parishioners to having their own church.
"At first they were surprised and didn't know what to think. But now
these feelings have changed into a deep sense of joy," she said.
"We members of Yomitan parish are imperfect and far from satisfactory.
Can it be that God has turned his eyes toward people like us? God has
been sent from above to be with us, and that, not just for a short
time, but as if to become an resident of Aza Ogi in Yomitan," she
added.
After the noon dedication and Mass a celebration was held which continued
until evening. Filipino Catholics prepared lechon (whole roasted pig)
and cake. Children put on a bamboo dance and a hula dance.
Father Socrates Mesiona, Superior-General of the Mission Society of
the Philippines (Fil-Missioners), which has sent three priests to the
Okinawa Diocese, visited the Okinawa diocese for the occasion.
After the Mass, Fil-Missioner Fr. Rommel Cruz said in his message, "From
the outset the mission in Yomitan was a big concern, but I trusted
in God and the concern gradually grew lighter."
He called on everyone to remember that, "the success of the Church
is not the building but the strong faith and unity of the community.
Please don't forget this."
The new church was completed at the end of September. The site had
been blessed on Aug. 14 and by the middle of September the pre-fabricated
building had been put up. The building was then painted white in accord
with the wishes of the parishioners. During the nine days before the
dedication, Catholics gathered daily for a novena.
The patron saint of the Yomitan parish is St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first
Filipino to be canonized a saint. After coming to Okinawa as a missionary,
he was martyred in Nagasaki.
It is expected that a pastor will be named next year after Easter.
Until then the Mission Society of the Philippines will be responsible
for evangelization and pastoral care. The diocese will provide financial
support. Masses will be on Wednesdays and Sundays.
NIIGATA BISHOP DESCRIBES ASIAN MISSION CONGRESS
Catholic Weekly, November 5
Niigata Bishop Isao Kikuchi, 48, who led the Japanese delegation at
the Asian Mission Congress in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Oct. 18-22, found
the packed schedule of the gathering taxing, but worthwhile.
The congress took the form of an exchange of faith experiences among
the participants. The Japan delegates were three bishops, five priests
and13 Religious and laity.
Bp. Kikuchi explained in an interview with the Catholic Weekly that
in accord with the theme of the congress, "Telling the Story of
Jesus in Asia," participants emphasized that evangelization means
telling the story of Jesus to others, repeating it over and over as
opportunity offers. In line with that, an important part of the congress
was the participants' telling their personal stories of how they had
met Jesus.
Through all four days of the convention, each day began with Mass at
6:00 a.m and went without a break until 10:00 p.m. Evening activities
included musical presentations, the rosary and eucharistic adoration.
"With an over-packed program like that, just keeping up was mentally
and physically taxing,"said the bishop.
Morning sessions consisted of a theme-setting lecture and faith experiences
related by several members.
According to Bp. Kikuchi, though some of the speakers were not very
good at explaining their witness to the faith, "There were others
who had marvelous stories that compelled your attention. I wished I
could tell my own story with the same confidence."
In the afternoons, participants broke into groups of 10 and discussed
what they had heard in the morning. The group reports were then summarized
by theologians.
The program of the convention was based on the guidelines for evangelization
in Asia set out by the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences):
people, culture and religion.
The bishop said that among the points that received emphasis were consideration
of Asia's local cultures and religions, and the fact that Christians
must transmit the story of Jesus by their way of living. He added that
if that story is not based on one's own experience it will have no
power to convince, and it must not be one-way traffic but a dialogue
full of respect for the other person.
"Basically community-building is directly linked to evangelization and
must be rooted in the conversion of the individual," he concluded.
JAPAN DELEGATES TO ASIAN MISSION CONGRESS DESCRIBE 'MOVING EXPERIENCE'
Catholic Weekly, November 5
Yoshimi Ide, 65, a parishioner of the Akunoura Church in Nagasaki described
his experience of the Asian Mission Congress held in Chaing Mai, Thailand,
Oct. 18-22.
"To meet with so many different races all gathered in the same hall
and to share our feelings with them as Catholics was a moving experience," he
said. "Methods of evangelization differ from country to country
and I wonder how many we could adopt here in Japan. But the feeling
of solidarity among us was very deep."
Ide may be called on to be involved in organizing international conferences
scheduled for Nagasaki.
"Counting the staff, the convention was a gathering of a thousand, several
hundred people. I hope we can use some of the ideas we saw there," he
said.
For Yurika Tsuda, a 23-year-old parishioner of the Kasai Church in
Tokyo, it was her first experience of an international conference.
"I think it was the zeal of the delegates from the various countries
that struck me most -- so different from my image of the Church
in Japan."
According to Tsuda, by comparison with other Asian Churches, the Church
in Japan seems closed in on itself and seems to have little involvement
with society.
"Perhaps it was because the delegates were from developing countries
where more people are anxious to do something for society. I was surprised
at their readiness to dialogue not only with other Christians but also
with members of other religions. Maybe Japan is too inclined to go
it alone," she said.
Fr. Akira Nakagawa, 54, an Osaka diocesan priest working in Kobe, said, "Considering
that the congress was the first of its kind and was able to draw over
1,000 participants, it was a success."
The priest was surprised, though, that parts of the congress's final
Mass were in Latin.
"Local Thai Catholics attended this Mass, bringing the congregation
to around 2,000. But no one can sing Latin hymns," he observed.
Fr. Nakagawa was also disturbed that the summary on the last full day
of the congress was given by a European priest.
"Shouldn't it have been an Asian theologian?" he complained, though
he said the speaker's summary of inculturation was well done.
"One got the impression that nothing has changed over the past 10 or
20 years. However, there has been a careful, patient buildup of pastoral
care in the Philippines and I thought that was something to emphasize."
The priest also expressed the hope that in any future gatherings there
would be more participation by the laity.
SPECIAL SERIES: JAPAN'S MILLION-MEMBER CHURCH
FOREIGN STUDENTS IN JAPAN FACE LANGUAGE BARRIER IN CHURCH
Catholic Weekly, October 29
"The first time I went to Uji Church people welcomed me as if I was
an old friend. But I could not speak Japanese very well," said
Rhoda Agdeppa, a graduate student whose research is mostly done in
English.
According to 2005 Immigration Bureau statistics, 129,568 (6.4%) of
the 2,101,555 foreign nationals living in Japan are students.
Agdeba learned about a church in Kyoto and the times of Masses from
a Filipino friend.
A Nigerian graduate student in Sapporo, Chichi Nwafor, inquired among
fellow students.
"I always go to the English Mass," Nwafor said. "At the Japanese
Mass people always welcome us warmly, and the flow of the Mass is the
same. But it is all in Japanese!"
Nwafor cycles 30 minutes each Sunday to an English-language Mass. The
Mass in the church nearest his home is in Japanese. There are no English
texts of the bible readings or Mass prayers available there.
"I feel very much at ease when I enter a church. But everything is in
Japanese, and I think it would be good if there were some English translations."
Most universities do not provide any information about churches to
foreign students. There is no information about churches in the homepages
of the public universities' foreign students' centers. Even the homepages
of Catholic universities do not contain information about Masses.
The Foreign Students' Handbook on the Nanzan University homepage does
have a section about religious services that contains information about
Catholic and other Christian churches, as well as Islamic mosques.
At the Nagoya campus of Nanzan University there are Masses in foreign
languages as well as in Japanese. There is also the Logos Center, a
place where "teachers and students of Nanzan come together and
encounter Christianity and Christian thought." There is an English
Mass there each Saturday, a Mass in Spanish once a month, and Masses
in French and other languages as well.
"People of many nationalities come. There are new people there each
time," said Fr. Henri Daros (58, Divine Word Missionary), who
says the English Mass. "We try to make everyone welcome." Not
only students, but working people also attend.
The homepages of the Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nagoya, Saitama, Sapporo and
Tokyo dioceses all contain information about Masses in English and
other languages as well as Japanese.
Oscar Barawid (30) from the Philippines is a graduate student studying
in Sapporo. There is a church nearby, but he does not attend, because
he "cannot understand Japanese at all." He got information
about foreign language Masses from other students. When he visited
a local church there was no information at all about English Masses.
"If there was just a little bit of information in English it would have
been a help," he said.
PASTORAL AGENTS WHO SERVE BRAZILIANS GATHER IN
NAGOYA
Catholic Weekly, October 29
Some 30 people responsible for the pastoral care of Brazilians in the
Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, Tokyo and Saitama dioceses
gathered for their annual meeting Oct. 16-18 at the Nanzan Research
Center in Nagoya.
Bishop Yoshinao Otsuka of Kyoto presented a report on the efforts being
made in his diocese to provide pastoral care to Brazilians. Following
his talk, Reika Yokoyama from the Fuji Church in Shizuoka prefecture
along with two others involved in education in their local areas, formed
a three-person panel to discuss the present situation in each of their
areas regarding education for Brazilian children.
After the talk and panel discussion, there was a discussion among the
participants concerning what kind of concrete actions they could take.
Sister Mitsue Shirohama of the Carmelite Sisters of Charity said, "Many
ideas surfaced. Responses have to take into account the reality of
each diocese, but in any case, for those in the Church who work with
Brazilians some connection with a Brazilian language school is important."
Father Joseph Gustaf Hendricks (Zekker) of the Missionaries of the
Sacred Heart has come to Japan for a period of three years to cooperate
in the pastoral care of Brazilians following work in Brazil forming
missioners coming to or being sent from Brazil. He spoke about mission
spirituality, after which the participants spent time in reflection.
Sister Shirohama remarked, "His observations that, 'years ago
missionaries spent their whole lives working in one country, but today's
missioners work in an unstable situation as immigrants and migrants,
not knowing what tomorrow will bring,' left a deep impression. The
life of a missioner today is that of a person on a journey."
She further observed that this is true of Brazilians in Japan, too,
since they are very insecure, not knowing whether they will return
to Brazil or not.
The participants also discussed preparations for observing the 2008
centenary of Japanese immigration to Brazil. At present there are three
events being planned: a pilgrimage to Nagasaki sometime next year;
a commemorative Mass in each diocese; and a call to various Protestant
churches and the Brazilian Embassy to join with the group in holding
a commemorative ceremony in April of 2008, the centenary of the first
immigrants' departure from Kobe.
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