Japan Catholic News
August 2006
JAPANESE SISTERS SPEND MORE THAN 30 YEARS ON MISSION IN MACAO
Catholic Weekly and UCA News, August 13, 2006
 An
hour's ferry ride west of Hong Kong is Macao, a city where world heritage
sites line the streets. There, in the center of town, opposite the
cathedral, Japanese Pauline Sisters have staffed a bookstore for over
30 years.
"Until I came here, I did not even know that such a place existed," Sr.
Ayako Yamada said.
The evangelization work of Sr. Yamada and her colleague, Sr. Haru Kanezaki,
consists of providing books and videos in three languages: Portuguese,
English and Chinese.
The population of Macao is 460,000 of whom 10 percent are Christian.
The Sisters say the Macao Christians are zealous. They are devoted
to novenas and on the first Sunday of Lent they hold a procession through
the streets with Christ carrying his cross .
The most widely spoken language in Macao is Cantonese, said to be among
the world's most difficult because it uses tones to give different
meanings to the same basic pronunciation.
"When something difficult turns up, I just say I don't understand," Sr.
Yamada said.
"But,"she continued, "everyone knows that we are Sisters,
and everyone greets us. Evangelization is mostly witness."
There is one Japanese prisoner in the Macao jail. Sr. Yamada visits
him once a week and brings whatever he needs.
 Both
Sisters have worked in other countries but Sr. Yamada has been in Macao
13 years and Sr. Kanezaki 32 years. In that time, Macao, once
a Portuguese colony, became a Chinese special administrative district.
Sr. Kanezaki was a founding member of the Pauline Sisters' convent
in Macao in 1969.
"The houses were all dilapidated," she said, adding, "It was
all fields."
Macao is a very different place now, she observed, "a city where
people make their living from casinos and tourism."
"The sad thing is, however, that younger Christians are going abroad
to study; others emigrate and our average age is rising. Relations
with the Chinese government are also difficult. It means that vocations
are hard to come by in Macao."
But, Sr. Kanezaki said, "Old as we are, the work of evangelization
must go on," and the Sisters open their shop for another day.
61 YEARS AFTER ATOMIC BOMBING HIROSHIMA STILL PRAYS FOR PEACE
Catholic Weekly and UCA News, August 13, 2006
"Let Us Continue to Hand On the Message of Sincerity, Justice and Love" was
the slogan adopted by the Hiroshima diocese to mark the 61st anniversary
of the Aug. 6, 1945 atomic bombing of the city.
On the evening of Aug. 5, some 500 people took part in a march to the
Peace Memorial cathedral from the monument to the dead in Peace Memorial
Park and about 700 attended a Mass that followed.
Six Catholic bishops, including Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki,
took part in the ceremony.
This year for the first time, two Anglican bishops, Yutaka Nakamura
of Kobe and Shoji Tani of Okinawa, as well as over 200 of their faithful
also took part.
The first reading at Mass was done by one of the Anglicans. The
sermon was given by Bishop Nakamura, who stressed that each of
us must be prepared personally to do something toward achieving
peace.
Before Sunday Mass on, Aug. 6, participants joined in prayers for
the dead using a pantomime format "Creation and Anti-Creation" taken
from a pamphlet issued by the Catholic Council for Justice and
Peace, Praying for Peace 60 Years After War's End.
Bishop Junichi Nomura of Nagoya, president of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of Japan, officiated at the Mass. The sermon was given
by Divine Word Father Michael Seigel of Nanzan University. In his
appeal for peace the priest mentioned that his own father had been
injured in the Pacific war.
This year for the first time, there was a program to include elementary
school children on Aug. 5. The children helped to make the peace
candles used at Mass. There were other areas too where young people
made themselves useful. Just as in previous years, students from
Notre Dame Seishin High School attended the Masses and acted as
ushers.
ASIAN YOUTH DAY IN HONG KONG DRAWS 800 TO REFLECT ON FAMILY
Catholic Weekly and UCA News, August 13, 2006
 The
Fourth Asian Youth Day (AYD) in Hong Kong July 28-Aug. 5 drew 800 young
people representing 25 countries -- every country in Asia except
East Timor as well as others from Africa, America, Europe and Oceania.
Thirty people from Japan attended, including three priests and one
religious Sister. This year's theme was "Youth, Hope of Asian
Families."
"I was so happy that the word 'happy' is not enough to describe it," said
Haruo Akino a 27-year-old parishioner of the Suminoe Church in Otaru,
Hokkaido. "Everybody smiled naturally at each other, sang and
danced together, and I really felt we were all together."
"It was good to meet everyone," according to Shizuka Hiraoka, 20,
from the Kojimachi Church in Tokyo. "There are times when I feel
uncomfortable to be Japanese in Asia. Much has happened in the past,
but we young people must create the future. I feel our little gathering
is expanding, and I want to extend it more."
 The participants spent the first two days in the homes of
Hong Kong Catholics. Each parish held welcoming ceremonies
for them as they tasted
home life in Hong Kong.
Four Japanese stayed in the home of Lao Shu Chan. "We are all
brothers and sisters. I'm responsible to host these people," he
said.
Another part of the schedule was a stay at a YMCA camp. There were
also workshops and lectures, and after Taize prayers people from the
different countries got together. The organizing committee meetings
continued after 10 o'clock each night.
For Lo Wan Tat of Hong Kong, AYD was "a time for reflection." After
his parents divorced, he did not think very much about his father. "I
say, 'I have a hope in my family,' and I have to put my words into
action," he said.
 Chour Damo, 22, from Cambodia said, "In Cambodia, there are a
lot of violence in families. I hope I can improve family situation
in Cambodia."
"This theme is for East Asian context only," according to Antony
Pushparaj, 35, from India.
"In India when you get home late the family will ask you why. But not
in Hong Kong," he observed.
"If you think of diversity in Asia, there's no single theme that can
fulfill everyone's needs," according to Wong Ho Kiu, a 24-year-old
participant from Hong Kong who since June 2005 was involved in organizing
the event. "But if you see beyond that, we've got the same family
values."
In the final statement read out during the closing Mass on
Aug. 4, participants urged every local Church to support
young people in their
faith and prayer life, and to develop friendly parishes to help youths
strengthen family relationships.
They also urged the Church to utilize the Internet to provide assistance
and guidance to youth who search for "answers" in life while
surfing the Internet.
In addition, they called on local Churches to simplify Church social
teachings so as to make them more readable and widely known to young
people.
On their meeting's theme "Youth, Hope of Asian Families," the
young people concluded: "We see great possibilities for our youth
to become a source of hope to help uplift their family," even
as they struggle with challenges.
 The Asian Youth Day had its roots in gatherings of young people from
Asia who had taken part in the World Youth Day held in Poland in 1991.
After that, opportunities for Asian young people to come together increased,
and the first AYD was held in Thailand in 1999. Individual Japanese
attended these, but this was the first time that the Section for the
Pastoral Care of Youth of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of
Japan took the initiative in organizing Japanese youth to participate.
This year's AYD was sponsored by the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences,
and the diocese of Hong Kong, as host, was involved in the planning.
About 60 people from mainland China were expected to participate, but
only about 40 were able to acquire permits to leave the country for
the event.
CARDINAL REFLECTS ON NEW POPE, WORK IN ROME, CHURCH IN JAPAN
Catholic Weekly, August 13
 This summer Cardinal Fumio Hamao made his first visit home to Japan
since retiring last March as president of the Pontifical Council for
the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. He continues to
work in Rome as a member of a number of pontifical commissions and
committees. The Catholic Weekly interviewed the cardinal about the
first year of the pontificate of Benedict XVI and his reflections on
viewing Japan from the outside.
Benedict XVI, one year after his installation as pontiff is "a
very warm person," said Cardinal Hamao. "Everybody is relieved
at this." The number of people attending his general audiences
and the noon Angelus is greater than during the latter years of John
Paul II.
According to the cardinal, "One of the reasons for this is that
Germany is closer than Poland."
"The present pope often praises the previous pope, quotes him. He has
also visited Poland and pays him special reverence," the cardinal
added.
Reform of the Roman Curia started at the beginning of this year. Cardinal
Hamao's successor currently serves also as the prefect of the Pontifical
Council for Justice and Peace.
"There are 11 pontifical councils, with nine people serving as presidents,
some of more than one council at the same time. Some say the number
of councils will be reduced. The prefect for the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples, the Secretary of State, and the secretary
of the Section for Relations with States have been changed. Some people
say that as the previous pope turned his attention abroad, so the present
pope is strengthening the internal structures of the Church,"explained
Cardinal Hamao.
Cardinal Hamao has often criticized the Vatican as being dominated
by Europeans and Americans.
Since retiring he declared that, "Asia is morally too far away
from here! The number of Catholics is greatest in the American continents,
Africa and Asia, but in Europe they control the Church and think that
Asia and Africa are immature."
And within this eastern Asia is considered even farther away. "They
know very little about countries like Sri Lanka and Thailand, and even
here – China, Korea and Japan. They cannot understand how there
are no catechumens in a church even when a priest is there all week."
With the liturgy also, "there is the Latin Rite and the Eastern
Rite, and the Eastern Rite usually means Eastern Europe. There is nothing
for any place further east than there. In Japan also it is the Latin
Rite. It would be good if we could develop our own rite!"
With the retirement of Cardinal Hamao it appeared there would be no
Asian in a position of responsibility in the Vatican.
"When I said this to the pope in April, he said, 'I am thinking about
it.' He was probably referring to Cardinal Ivan Dias (a native of India,
and now Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples).
I was very happy about him. He is a very spiritual person."
When looking at Japan, Cardinal Hamao is more concerned about proposed
changes to the Constitution, revising the Basic Education Law and other
problems than with the situation of the Church.
"Legislating patriotism is strange," he said.
While Europeans always evaluate missionary work by the number of adult
baptisms, as Pope Paul VI wrote in Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelization
in the Modern World) missionary work is about changing fundamental
values, public opinion, culture and so on towards the Gospel, and this
is much more attractive.
The cardinal pointed out the situation of migrants in Japan as an example
of this kind of evangelization.
"Since Japan is an island country there is a reluctance to help foreigners
and a tendency to exclude them. But the way in which the Church in
Japan accepts these people is a great witness to the faith. It is wonderful!
The pastoral care of refugees and migrants is very good in Japan," he
said.
Since retiring as president of the council, Cardinal Hamao has been
working on four pontifical commissions and since April has attended
a number of their meetings.
"This work is scheduled to continue until 2008. When it finishes, I
will return to Japan," he declared.
At present Cardinal Hamao is compiling the addresses and reports he
made during his eight years working in the Vatican, preparing them
for publication on the 50th anniversary of his ordination next year.
"I intend to have them translated into Japanese as well," he said.
Another of his interests for the future is a "desire to do something
in the East." At present he is intensively studying Korean.
"During the past two years I have been talking with the person in charge
of Far Eastern affairs in the Vatican. I want to be of use in some
way in that area also," he said.
TRADITIONAL KYOTO SILK ART ENRICHES LITURGY
Catholic Weekly, August 6
 Noboru Yanagimoto, 48, of Nishijin Church in Kyoto uses nishijin-ori,
the famous traditional Kyoto silk fabric, to make vestments and other
religious articles because, he said, "I want Kyoto's traditional
crafts to be used in church also."
Yanagimoto, a younger brighter of Kyoto diocesan priest Fr. Akira Yanagimoto,
is the representative of Kyoto Art Textiles, which makes stoles, chasubles,
altar fronts, tabernacle veils and other religious goods to order.
The work with nishijin-ori is divided into different sections, with
Yanagimoto in charge of design and color arranging while other workers
manufacture the product.
"The workers are not Catholic, but they are interested in the wheat
and grape patterns which are not used in kimono, and are happy to cooperate
with me. Sometimes I explain to them simply the meaning of these patterns," he
said.
Nishijin-ori uses dyed threads, and through the use of artistic techniques
in the warp and woof fabrics of various designs and patterns are produced.
Light and strong, pliability is one of its special characteristics.
Explaining the characteristics of the nishijin-ori vestments, Yanagimoto
said, "In Europe in the past the embroidering of vestments was
done by decorating the material with metal lace or wire, and they were
said to be as heavy as armor. Using gold thread is one of the special
characteristics of nishijin-ori, but even if the fabric is fully decorated
it does not become heavy. Since pure silk is used, even with simple
tones of light and shade, the colors come out beautifully when light
reflects on them."
Yanagimoto is a fourth-generation Catholic. His maternal grandfather
studied Jacquard weaving in Leon, France, and brought new techniques
to Kyoto's nishijin-ori hand weaving. His paternal grandfather was
also a weaver.
The paternal grandfather of Yanagimoto's wife, Aiko, 41, also dealt
with nishijin-ori. After World War II he met Maryknoll Fr. Leopold
Tibesar, was baptized, and until retiring last year, presented each
pope with nishijin-ori vestments, as well as making vestments for priests
both in Japan and abroad.
In addition to making and repairing vestments, Yanagimoto's company
produces silk pictures of the Madonna and Child and banners. Recently
a member of the Nishijin Church who is a lacquer worker has been cooperating
with a shop that sells Buddhist religious articles to make lacquer
painted altars and crosses using traditional craftwork.
"Church artwork at present has become quite plain, there are very few
covers for sacred vessels or tabernacle veils and we no longer experience
the color of the liturgy. Since many priests now are members of pastoral
teams looking after more than one church, they arrive at a church with
one briefcase and offer Mass with whatever vestments are provided,
and unfortunately do not pay much attention to the type of vestments
they wear," said Yanagimoto.
Meanwhile, among Protestant churches there are some where, in an effort
to give people a sense of the seasonal changes in the liturgy, Catholic
liturgical colors are being adopted and some churches have put nishijin-ori
covers on their altar tables.
For Yanagimoto, who as a child was an altar server, "the altar
for Mass is a special space." His work is inspired by the belief
that the Mass should be not be gaudy, but should be offered solemnly
as an "act of worship."
BELGIAN TAPESTRY WITH BIBLICAL THEME IS PART OF ANCIENT KYOTO FESTIVAL
Catholic Weekly, August 6
The central part of the annual Gion festival in Kyoto is a procession
of giant wooden floats decorated with silk and woolen hangings and
for nearly 300 years one of those hangings has been a representation
of a scene from the Old Testament.
At this year's Gion festival, the hanging attached to one of the 32
floats was a new reproduction of a 16th century Belgian tapestry featuring
a scene from Genesis chapter 24, "Rebekah giving water to Isaac."
The original woolen tapestry, 2.73 meters high and 2.2 meters wide,
was designated a national treasure in 1970.
According to the website of Kanko-boko, the organization responsible
for the maintenance of the floats, the original tapestry was donated
for use in the festival in 1718. The reproduction was made because
the colors of the original had faded.
The reproduction was on display along with the original in a local
hall July 13-16 before being attached to the float for the festival
on July 17.
The annual summer Gion festival in Kyoto had its origins in 869 when,
to counter an epidemic that swept the city, 66 floats representing
the provinces of Japan were erected in the Imperial Park and prayers
were offered.
LATEST STATISTICS SHOW PRIESTS GETTING OLDER WHILE BISHOPS GET YOUNGER
Catholic Weekly, August 6
The secretariat of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan
recently released statistics on the age of priests and brothers
in Japan as of July 6. According to the report, the average age
of foreign priests in Japan is 64.33, that of Japanese priests
is 59.79, and the overall average age is 61.66, showing no change
in the increasing age level of the clergy here.
Meanwhile, among the 17 active bishops in Japan the average age dropped below
60 for the first time, to 57.18. The reason the average age of active bishops
dropped so much this year was because 63-year-old Bishop Kenjiro Koriyama replaced
78-year-old Bishop Shinichi Itonaga of Kagoshima who retired in January and 76-year-old
Bishop Hisajiro Matsunaga of Fukuoka died suddenly in June.
When the average age of diocesan priests is examined diocese-by-diocese, Sapporo
has the highest at 66.12. Oita diocese, at 46.63, has the lowest average age.
The oldest priest in Japan is still Fr. Koichiro Sawada, 99, of Tokyo, unchanged
since 2002. After him come Fr. Manri Nakajima of Nagasaki, 98, and Fr. Michiyoshi
Doi, 96, of Yokohama.
The youngest priest in Japan is Fr. Yuji Kumagai, 27, of Nagasaki.
Among brothers, Trappist Bro. Kito Imamura at 106 years is now the oldest. The
youngest brother is Bro. Gerald Pedrera, 28, of the Claretian Missionaries.
|
Average Age of Diocesan
Priests
| Diocese |
Number of Priests |
Average Age |
| Sapporo |
26 |
66.12 |
| Sendai |
31 |
62.19 |
| Niigata |
16 |
63.63 |
| Saitama |
18 |
59.89 |
| Tokyo |
86 |
62.05 |
| Yokohama |
47 |
56.34 |
| Nagoya |
19 |
62.84 |
| Kyoto |
18 |
63.28 |
| Osaka |
52 |
63.04 |
| Hiroshima |
22 |
56.50 |
| Takamatsu |
28 |
47.43 |
| Fukuoka |
32 |
57.25 |
| Nagasaki |
99 |
52.92 |
| Oita |
16 |
46.63 |
| Kagoshima |
17 |
61.76 |
| Naha |
5 |
56.00 |
|
LAND PURCHASED FOR BRAZILIAN-INSPIRED PARISH IN SAITAMA DIOCESE
Catholic Weekly, July 23
In its May 28 issue, the Catholic Weekly began a series of occasional
articles that will trace the development of a new parish in Joho, Ibaragi
prefecture, part of the Saitama diocese. The series looks at the process
and challenges involved in founding a new community. The following
is the second article in the series.
 Responsibility for building the new Joho church has been taken over
by Deacon Masataka Nagasawa, ordained last April and now one of five
permanent deacons in the Saitama diocese. He took over from the diocesan
chancellor, Deacon Sadato Yabuki. Carmelite Sisters of Charity Sr.
Mitsue Shirahama and Fr. Olmes Milani of the Scalibrini Missionaries
continue to be involved in the project.
Part of the deacons' task on behalf of the diocese has been to find
and purchase a suitable site for the new church. Because many of the
Brazilians travel to church by car, the availability parking is more
important than proximity to a railway station.
In addition, said Sr. Shirahama, "When they get together the volume
of their music can be high, so we wanted a place without people living
close by."
On June 9 an agreement to purchase land was concluded. At 2,500 square
meters, it is much larger than what the organizers originally sought.
On the day the purchase was agreed they discovered that the owner was
a Protestant Christian. According to Deacon Nagasawa, "He was
delighted when told that we were going to build a church. 'I am grateful
that you are going to use it for a church' he said.'"
The money that the diocese is paying to purchase the site will be used
to rebuild a Protestant church.
At Sunday Mass on June 4, before the purchase was concluded, people
were told that agreement had been reached and were consulted about
the plans for the church and fundraising. Sr. Shirahama explained that
it would be necessary to form a committee and appoint people to take
responsibility for this work.
Many people expressed opinions about the church plans, such as, "Let's
have a Mass when the foundation stone is laid," "Let each
family decide how much they will contribute" and "Let's hold
a bazaar and a festival to collect money."
July 2 was the first Sunday of the month, the usual day for the Brazilians'
Mass. However, the local town hall, which they usually use, was not
available. There was talk of canceling the Mass when Deacon Nagasawa
suggested they "set up a tent and hold the Mass on their own land."
From noon that day, parishioners cut the grass, and "as everything
was decided quickly, a few people got wood and made a cross and stood
it up on the ground," according to Fr. Olmes.
"Heavy rain was forecast, but at the end the sun came out," said
Deacon Nagasawa.
It was the first Mass at the newly purchased site.
Although plans for the new church emerged from the Brazilian community,
many of the local Catholics have begun to get involved also.
One of the people who participated in the search for land was Tomoko
Hattori of Tsukuba Church. "I am glad there will be a church nearby.
Although it is in the country, it faces a main road," she said.
"We do not have any funds, but this is only the start," said Deacon
Nagasawa as his dreams for the new church begin to take shape. People
are now being asked to contribute to the building fund for the new
church.
TO BUILD PEACE, 'START BY LOVING YOURSELF,' STUDENTS TOLD
Catholic Weekly, July 16
 Xavier High School in Yamaguchi holds some event every year
to mark the Ten Days to Pray for Peace period sponsored by
the Catholic Church
in Japan, though because of the school schedule, the school's
event does not coincide with the national program.
This year the school's activities were held June 13--19. The school
invited Alan Nelson, a retired U.S. Marine, to talk to the students.
His talk, "What real war is like," described his experiences
in Vietnam during the war there.
Yoshino Shimazoe, a 10th-grade student, said, "The power and the
beauty of Article 9 of our Constitution amazed me. It never occurred
to me that I was being protected by that clause."
Asked what the students could do for the sake of peace, Nelson replied, "You
must start by loving yourself."
Asami Aizawa, an 11th grader, said, "I thought he would tell us
to stop quarreling and avoid war. I never thought the answer could
be anything so simple. Then I realized that if you do not care for
yourself, you will not be nice to others."
This year the students prepared for the events of the week by learning
about the Vietnam War and the defoliant chemicals that were used during
it. Based upon questions the study raised, the students tried to clarify
what "peace" meant to them personally.
During last year's study, Bishop Goro Matsuura, auxiliary bishop of
Osaka, spoke about Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan. The article
renounces war and militarization.
"The talk this year tied in with the bishop's talk last year, so I
feel the students' awareness has been heightened," said Sister Tomio
Kohama, 46, the teacher in charge of the study sessions.
"The teacher cannot force ideas on the students concerning Article
9. It is best if the students think for themselves and begin to question
the need for changing it," she added, referring to movements aiming
to amend the article.
Each year as the peace study period approaches, teachers plan projects
dealing with subjects such as "religion," "education
to eliminate discrimination" and "social welfare." Students
select an executive committee to help in the preparations. This year,
six students volunteered to prepare for the talks, and took turns in
leading prayers during the week.
Sister Kohama said that this year the students made cards on which
they wrote "what they thought, what they were drawn toward, rather
than just what they heard in the talks."
"It is my hope," the nun said, "that the students will somehow
pull it all together for themselves -- what they heard, what they
thought, what struck them during the week."
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