Japan Catholic News
February 2009
NEW JOSO CHURCH TO BE EVANGELIZATION CENTER FOR
MULTI-CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
Catholic Weekly, February 15, 2009
 A new church in Joso city, Ibaraki prefecture, was consecrated by
Saitama Bishop Daiji Tani Feb. 8. About 600 multi-national attendants overflowed
the church for the celebration.
The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Apparecida, a popular Brazilain
devotion.
"This will be a center for the evangelization of multi-cultural communities," the
bishop told the congregation in his homily.
The bishop explained the background of the Brazilian devotion.
"According to the Brazilian tradition, the statue of Our Lady was
a composite of two pieces reeled in by river fishermen's nets. Repairing
the two pieces resulted in a black Madonna statue. The fishermen,
poor and oppressed by slavery, prayed for her mercy and intercession earnestly.
Then, a variety of miracles occurred one after another."
"That the Marian statue once broken into two came back in one is a
symbol of the reunion of two peoples. I dedicate this church to Our
Lady of Apparecida as a sign of hope for the unity of multi-national communities."
Coordinated with the Centennial of Brazilian Immigration in 2008,
the new church construction began last June 8, the day the first Japanese
immigrants arrived in Brazil, and was completed by Christmas.
Francisco Conjiu, a representative of the new parishioners commented, "We
were a small, spontaneous group of Catholics. Getting together in an apartment
room we said the rosary and organized communion services occasionally."
"In 2006 the idea of new church was introduced," he continued. "Honestly,
at first we felt it too big a plan for us to follow. However, thanks to
the assistance both spiritual and material given from inside and outside
of the diocese, the church came into being. Now we feel deep thanks for
everything."
Sacred Hearts Father Nelson Soverino de Souza, a Brazilian priest
staying at the Mito Church in Ibaraki, will serve the new church. Three
Sisters of the Daughters of Jesus, Japanese, Filipino and Brazilian, will
settle in to provide pastoral care.
Sister Isabel Romero, provincial superior of the Daughters of Jesus,
said. "The evangelization of multi-ethnic societies is a urgent need
for the Catholic Church of today. To fill the need is our mission."
Carmelite Sr. Mitsue Shirohama, who has long worked for the Brazilian
community in the area, said, "I feel like I'm sending off my beloved
daughter to a new married life with her husband. As we came here and overcame
difficulties and kept unity, I wish them a happier life. I am aware that
our God has guided us. This church has been born from the loving kindness
of the whole Church."
Though there are some who have lost their jobs and returned to their
home countries, Franncisco Conjiu is optimistic, saying, "Life isn't
easy now, but we have the new church. We will keep it going."
JOSO CHURCH'S JOURNEY FROM DREAM TO FULFILLMENT
Beginning in 2006, the Catholic Weekly published a series of occasional
articles that traced the development of the Joso parish. The series looked
at the process and challenges involved in founding a new community. Below
are summaries of the articles in the series. Readers can read the full
article following the month/year given after each headline.
1. FIRST STEPS TAKEN IN FORMATION OF NEW PARISH IN SAITAMA DIOCESE
(JCN June 2006)
Sister Mitsue Shirahama, 59, of the Carmelite Sisters of Charity
recommended to Bishop Daiji Tani of Saitama diocese the opening of a new
parish in Ibaragi prefecture. The southern part of Ibaragi prefecture is
an area where the population of both migrants and Japanese is increasing,
and it was possible to acquire land there. The Scalabrini Missionaries
sent Father Olmes Milani, 60, to take charge of pastoral care. The Japanese
and Brazilian Catholics' dream was coming true.
2. LAND PURCHASED FOR BRAZILIAN-INSPIRED PARISH IN SAITAMA DIOCESE
(JCN Aug. 2006)
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. July
2 was the first Sunday of the month, the usual day for the Brazilians'
Mass. The local town hall, which they usually use, was not available. They
set up a tent and held the Mass on their own land. A few people got wood
and made a cross and stood it up on the ground..
3. BISHOP BLESSES NEW CHURCH SITE AND COMMUNITY (JCN Oct. 2006)
On Oct. 1 Mass and a bazaar were held under tents in the rain. About
300 people, mostly immigrants from Brazil, attended. A five-member parish
council was elected as the nucleus of the new community and blessed by
Bishop Tani.
4. BRAZILIANS IN IBARAGI MOVE AHEAD ON BUILDING NEW PARISH (JCN May
2007)
Raising funds was the standing topic of the parish council, while
building up the Brazilian community was pursued. The parish decided to
celebrate Mass at the former Mitsukaido public hall every third Sunday
in addition to the first Sunday Mass at the Ishige town hall. (The Mitsukaido
City and the Ishige town were merged to become the Joso city as of Jan.1,
2006.) An April 1 meeting of the parish council discussed what Joso Catholics
could do for the "Immigrants' Festival" at the Moka Church in
Tochigi prefecture on June 17.
5. BRAZILIAN CATHOLICS IN TOCHIGI MOVE CLOSER TO BUILDING NEW CHURCH
(JCN Nov. 2007)
The two Mass groups, Mizukaido and Ishige, contributed a fixed amount
each month toward the construction. There were no quarrels about the money
between the two. The Joso community organized a festival for fund raising
in June in Moka, Tochigi prefecture, at the centenary celebration of Japanese-Brazilian
immigration sponsored by the Saitama diocese. The two groups were growing
closer together. As 30 or 40 people came to each of the Mass, the new church
was expected to have more than a hundred parishioners. The plans were drawn
up. The building fund was frugally used. The parishioners themselves built
the fence. Many items used were recycled.
6. NEW PARISH IN JOSO IS ERECTING BUILDING, BUILDING COMMUNITY (JCN
Nov. 2008)
The presence of the Brazilians had fostered the growth of the new
Joso Church. While the physical aspect of church building went well, the
spiritual aspect seemed requiring tough and dedicated approaches. Separated
from their homeland, living in a tough situation, the Church should be
a place of healing for all people, regardless of their race or nationality.
If Brazilian priests try to impose a Brazilian style on their new community,
they're asking for long years of struggle. A Japanese worries about the
Brazilians' integration into Japanese society. The consecration ceremony
was scheduled to be February 2009.
JAPANESE SISTERS COMPLETE A DECADE OF SERVICE
IN SIBERIA
Catholic Weekly, February 1, 2009
 When freedom of religion was restored in Russia in 1990 after 73 years,
Catholics in eastern Russia wanted to have a church. To respond to
that pressing need two American priests and three Japanese sisters
began to restore a Catholic church in Khabarovsk, a state twice as
large as Japan. The sisters were of the Kamakura-based Sisters of the
Visitation. Later, three Japan Lay Missionary Movement (JLMM) members
joined the mission for three years.
Sisters Kiyoko Suwa, 82, and Kazuko Seya, 70, have returned home and
told the Catholic Weekly of their over 10 years' missionary work since
1998.
Soon after their arrival in Russia they faced with the dark and sorrowful
history of the east Russian plains, a place of the Soviet-era gulag,
the site of battles in the Russo-Japanese war, and a place of exile
for Korean forced laborers and their offspring from Sakhalin. The Church
team realized that their work should inevitably involve the healing
of such political and racial wounds, and they recognized the need of
developing a mutual understanding with the Orthodox Church.
Sister Suwa said, "Building a brand new church was then not permitted
to foreigners. Only renovation of an old house was allowed. Maryknoll
Father Joseph McCabe put all his strength into the project, going through
countless difficulties with all his soul. We shared with him in the
hardship."
Initially planned to be completed in half a year, it actually required
two years to prepare the church. Thanks to funds from Ofuna Church,
Yokohama diocese and contributions and cooperation from all over Japan
the church was reborn in 2006. At the beginning, there were only five
congregants at Mass, but the number of parishioners has grown 300.
In one case, one family's finding a rosary among a grandmother's mementos
made them realize that they were Catholic.
In the early days of their mission, the effects of the anti-religions
policies of the Soviet Union era still remained. The Catholic team
tried hard to promote true evangelical love and mercy. Volunteerism
and true devotion had to be built up. The raining of leaders, Scripture
study and promotion of a more friendly community life were their first
strategies.
The late Japanese Cardinal Fumio Hamao visited east Russia in 2007.
His initial intention was to see the Visitation Sisters but as a coincidence
it turned out that the cardinal was asked to hand over a Vatican-held
relic to the newly established Khabarovsk Orthodox seminary. (JCN May
2007).
Thus the journey provided the cardinal with an opportunity not only
to meet the highest Orthodox clergymen but also to pave the way for
the two Christian communities to break the long-standing icy relationship.
Sisters Suwa and Seya looked back the occasion, saying, "It was
nothing but a miracle." Friendly interchange began between the
two Churches.
The first stage of the church development is over. The Maryknoll Missioners
left in 2007. A group Incarnation of Word with the aim of Church spiritual
development has succeeded to the second stage. Niigata bishop Isao
Kikuchi visited the Khabarovsk diocese twice in 2007 and has set up
a Niigata-Khabarovsk Believers Association.
Sister Seya said, "I was not good at the Russian language. Telling
the subtle meaning of faith was a problem. I needed the help of translators
to the very end. When I was leaving I apologized for my poor Russian.
Someone consoled me, saying, 'You talked to us with your heart, not
with words.' That made me really happy."
Sister Suwa concluded, saying, "The world is a valley of tears.
I feel it to the depth of my heart. Many are unaware that their life
was granted by God, they are loved by Him, and each holds the wonder
of existence. Evangelization is not giving sermons. It is a touch to
the individual heart. I believe now it gets a person to meet Christ.
The mission is to bridge the two, Christ and people."
MEDICAL SCHOOL FOUNDED ON CATHOLIC PRINCIPLES TEACHES THAT CARE IS 'PART OF THE CHRISTIAN SPIRIT'
Catholic Weekly, February 1, 2009
 In 1971, Kamon Akashi (d. 1973), a Catholic, established St. Mariana
University School of Medicine in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. In the spirit
of its foundation, doctors are educated to follow a mission rooted
in Christian love for humanity. The school has always maintained a
Christian Cultural Center, which has grown in importance over the years.
Katsumi Yoshida, 55, a parishioner of the Kojimachi Church in Tokyo,
formerly director of the center, is now president of the school.
"We reevaluated our goals for the management of the center. We
are doing more to emphasize that medical care is part of the Christian
spirit. In order to understand that, we want our students to put that
spirit to practical use," she said.
Last April, the education building was opened, including a room to
serve as the Christian Cultural Center.
Every year, the center holds a memorial Mass for the founder, a memorial
Mass for those who have bequeathed their remains to the hospital and
school for medical research, and a ceremony celebrating ethical animal
research.
After Franciscan Fr. Zenjiro Yamamoto, who had ministered to the school
for many years, died in 2006, Fr. Seiji Fukuda, 55, another Franciscan,
took on the tasks of teaching religion classes and performing pastoral
duties for both the school and hospital. As a member of the ethics
committee, one of his most important roles is to offer opinions on
research and related activities from a Catholic standpoint.
There are only one or two Catholic students each school year, with
only about 10 students who have graduated from Catholic schools. Fr.
Fukuda said, "It's one of my jobs to act as a constant Christian
contact point."
There are three religious studies researchers, and Fr. Fukuda teaches
a required religious studies lecture class for freshmen. Fr. Fukuda's
goal is to educate the students about religions from a Christian point
of view. He emphasizes ethics, culture and dialogue between various
religions and philosophies.
At the hospital, four nuns volunteer to provide general help to patients:
visiting the newly admitted, preparing for the weekly Mass at the hospital,
and taking charge of emergency baptisms. The school is, however, not
run by any religious order.
"Of the 60 faculty members, there are only a few Catholics and
Protestants. The majority of our board of directors are also non-Catholic," Fr.
Fukuda said. There are worries among the faculty that an increase of
Christians on the board would mean an imbalance, a bias against non-Christians.
Katsuya Akashi, 51, of Kanagawa's Nakahara Church has been chairman
of the school for two years.
"Our founder's wish was to create a school of medicine with a
Catholic base. That is our foundational idea. In six years I want the
idea take root in our students," he said. "I want people
to understand the Christian spirit, but, at the same time, from the
foundation of the school, we have maintained a policy of not pushing
religion on other people."
Since last year, Maria Nakamura, 36, has been the resident theology
professor at the Christian Cultural Center, guiding a chorus club and
leading arrangements for the Christmas gathering.
"Until now the Christian Cultural Center has had an inconspicuous
existence, but from now on everyone should be able to enter," Akashi
said. "We'll hold concerts, too. I hope the students make the
connection and have a more intimate knowledge of Christianity."
NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COALITION LOBBIES FOR FOREIGN RESIDENTS' RIGHTS
Catholic Weekly, February 8, 2009
The National Christian Correspondence Coalition for Foreign Relations
Legal Issues gathered more than 70 Protestants and Catholics together
on Jan. 31 at Saitama's Urawa Church for the 23rd National Christian
Assembly for the Enactment of a Foreign Residents' Fundamental Law.
At the meeting, participants examined international treaties passed
in Japan concerning foreign residents, setting their sights on the
enactment of a Foreign Residents' Fundamental Law that would explicitly
guarantee basic rights and privileges to foreigners living in Japan.
Foreign residents are expected to pay taxes just like Japanese citizens,
but prejudice restricts the rights of foreigners in areas such as social
security and education.
This meeting's theme was "Let's widen the tent united," echoing
Revelations 21 which states, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the
human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people...
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain..."
The meeting began with a play called Teodoro Uaman put on by a group
of Christian Peruvians and Japanese, a troupe known as Cerro Huachipa.
The play tells the story of Teodoro, a rural Peruvian who first travels
to Lima before heading to Japan in search of work. Wherever he goes,
he finds himself placed in the base of society. This makes for many
opportunities to comment on the absurdities of society.
After coming from Korea to Japan in 2000, Anglican Fr. Yu Sigyon taught
at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. He spoke about Marippu Sen Bu, who in
1992 defected to Japan from Myanmar, and Peruvian Delia Arias de Fukuzaki
(of Saitama's Gyoda Church) who has been living in Japan with her family
of four since 1997, and the difficulties such residents face living
in Japan, separated from their native land.
Two years ago, Fr. Yu said, he began writing a letter of protest against
the compulsory system of foreigner fingerprinting and photo registration,
giving a copy of the letter to the officials in charge whenever he
reentered the country. "I want everyone to participate in such
small declarations of intent to resist," he said. "I hope
for the enactment of a radical Foreign Residents' Fundamental Law that
will address these issues."
After announcing a message of solidarity from churches in Korea, Saitama's
Bishop Daiji Tani, head of the Catholic Commission of Japan for Migrants,
Refugees and People on the Move, delivered a message directed at those
people suffering in society today, and likened their suffering to that
of the people of ancient Israel. Finally, he appealed to the government
for the establishment of the fundamental law, and closed the meeting
with the announcement that he would personally hold more meetings to
tackle the issue.
Before the meeting, on Jan. 29 and 30, the Saitama diocesan chancery
office hosted the 23rd National Conference, with about 40 members representing
the National Christian Correspondence Coalition for Foreign Relations
Legal Issues. While the main theme concerned the Foreign Residents'
Fundamental Law as an issue of religion, the meeting also addressed
issues including the Foreigner Registration Act and the Immigration
Control and Refugee Recognition Act, the future outlook of the national
coalition as a whole, and the efforts of the faith organizations to
tackle the issues on a more individual basis.
TOKYO GOVERNMENT BANS FOOD SERVICE FOR HOMELESS IN RIVERSIDE PARK
Catholic Weekly, January 25, 2009
The Tokyo metropolitan government issued a ban on a long-standing free
meal service for the homeless conducted by Sanyukai, a group that has
provided services for the homeless in Tokyo since 1984, when a group
of Church people, doctors, nurses and others volunteered to provide
medical and other care to people in the Sanya district, a well-known
homeless area in Sumida, northeastern Tokyo.
For almost 25 years Sanyukai has been offering a free clinic and health
service to street people. Provision of free meals, introduction to
the local welfare system, arrangement of shelters, organization of
events or gatherings with foods and chats are the main activities.
Sanyukai has grown gradually and was incorporated in 2002 as a nonprofit
organization specialized in health care. Currently, 10 staff members
and approximately 175 volunteers including 11 doctors and 10 nurses
are working for homeless and jobless Japanese.
The meal service, in fact handing out onigiri, a rice ball wrapped
with seaweed, was its outreach to meet people, check their health,
and find newcomers. For over 10 years the onigiri service continued
under Komagata Bridge every Thursday afternoon. However, this service
is now fated to disappear in March.
According to municipal officials the reason for the ban was increasing
complaints by local residents. Quebec Foreign Mission Society Deacon
Jean LeBeau, director of Sanyukai, was forced to sign on the withdrawal.
"To me the reason seemed ambiguous," he said. "The officials
have turned oppressive since last fall. They spoke of trash, but we
do clean-ups after the onigiri handout."
Deacon LeBeau continued, "I have received no direct complaints.
There is no way to explain to members and volunteers what actually
happened. The place is a park spread along the riverside with no residences
and a superhighway runs on the other side. We have been doing this
for over 10 years with no incidents at all. It takes only 20 minutes
to hand out onigiri. The Tokyo government is adopting a ruthless law-and-order
policy."
At 2 pm on Jan. 15, 19 volunteers, mostly day laborers from Sanya,
brought 650 pieces of onigiri to the park. Immediately after their
arrival, guards approached and urged them to move their vehicles. Deacon
LeBeau murmured, "I've never seen anything like this before."
The onigiri were handed out to over 400 jobless or homeless people
waiting in line. Among them there were some wearing business suits.
"They are new faces here," a volunteer said. "Probably
they were laid off quite recently. The number is increasing these days."
The onigiri service finished when volunteers cleared up the trash.
In all, the meal service took less than 30 minutes.
Later, members carried the leftover onigiri to people in blue vinyl
tents, calling out, "Hello, we are Sanyukai." They called
at around 80 tents spread out between Shirahige-Bashi bridge and Mizukami
Ohashi bridge.
"Welfare allowences are provided at the beginning of the month," Deacon
LeBeau explained. "Therefore, the waiting line gets longer toward
the end of the month."
The deacon continued, "We are in a recession. The order came at
the worst possible time, when big companies are canceling temporary
work contracts."
JAPANESE LAY MISSIONER TEACHES, LEARNS AT CAMBODIAN
DUMP
Catholic Weekly, January 18, 2009
Miyuki Asano, 46, dispatched from Japan Lay Mission Movement (JLMM)
to Cambodia in 2002, lives in Phnom Penh and drives a motor bicycle
to a village near a waste dumping ground.
Her work in the village is the education of pre-school children. She
covers healthcare, language, and other basic subjects.
"Parents pay little attention to the children's schooling," Asano
said. "Neither are teachers devoted to their profession because
of their low salaries. As children earn money working on the dump,
they do not want to go to school. Our mission is to be a bridge between
children and school using the JLMM Children's House, which prepares
children to adapt to school life by teaching the joy of leaning."
She continued, "Since the dump was going to shut down in 2009,
we began a 'Food Wagon Project.' We rented a wagon for the sale of
'roti,' a kind of crepe, to make up the loss of revenue. Seven villagers
applied for the new venture, but only one was still at it a year later."
"The cause (of the others' quitting) was the hard work. Kneading
the dough entailed getting up at six in the morning. The waste business
was easier because the workplace was near, revenues were so-so and
they could work at any time they wanted. We found the project did not
work well. We learned that the dump was in fact their shop. Working
there was their occupation."
A change, however, has been noticed since the end of last year. The
price of recyclable finds began to go down, so the revenue from scavenging
went down. People turned back to the wagon project, and now six wagons
go out to the streets every day.
What brought Asano to JLMM was her love of Asia. When she was a parishioner
of the Kikuna Church in the Yokohama diocese, she joined tours with
the church's youth group to Asian countries, which helped her to acquire
knowledge about Asia.
Commenting on her motivation, she said, "It is of no use to make
Philippines a country like Japan. The aim must be to develop a country
where individuals are attended to first. I wished to participate in
building the Kingdom of God."
The reality in Cambodia cracked her dream. "First of all, I had
to be accepted," she said. "Their way of life is different.
So I had to change myself. They are fundamentally robust and optimistic.
If you could look at things with the Cambodian eye, the world would
appear different."
She has doubts about the effects of aid. "To Cambodian people
the Japanese look rich. So they try to get as much as possible free
from them, even telling tall tales. Since NGOs came in and granted
them anything wanted free, they became dependent on the aid. If the
NGOs had not entered, they might have helped themselves and each other."
Asano guides about 200 visitors from Japan every year to the dump.
"Shocked with the misery of the life on trash," she said, "visitors
shout 'Oh how poor!' but nothing has come out from the visit. Cambodian
people are basically gay and lovable. I now realize there is a lot
to learn from them."
A guided tour for individual visitors is possible. Asano said, "Get
in touch with JLMM for information. I recommend the rainy season from
May to November. The green is truly beautiful."
Asano will continue to work with the JLMM until July 2009. Then she
will decide what to do thereafter.
COUPLE BUILDS FARM TO HELP MENTALLY ILL AND THEIR FAMILIES
Catholic Weekly, January 25, 2009
In a part of Shizuoka prefecture's Numazu City called Ida, within the
bounds of a national park on the Izu Peninsula, Shinjiro Gou, 69, and
his wife Ikuko, 65, parishioners of Numazu Church, began Rakuraku Plantation
nine years ago as a place of healing for people with mental illnesses
and their families.
"One day, one family" is the principle followed at Rakuraku
Plantation. The grounds are open all year round with no admission fees
charged. There are mandarin orange orchards, vegetable fields, paddy
fields and gardens that make up the privately managed non-profit institution.
Guests are encouraged to have fun doing farm work, enjoy the colors
of the orange fields from private cabins, walk among the hills and
pools by the rural seaside, and spend time relaxing as a family.
The Gou family began Rakuraku Plantation when their oldest son, now
37, was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 20, while sstudying in
England. Shinjiro had been an international businessman, moving among
the US, the UK and other places. So, his children, from the time they
were in elementary school, were often forced to change schools. When
his son returned to Japan after his diagnosis, the family fell into
an exhausting cycle of sending him for psychological treatment once
a year for 10 years. This took place while they were parishioners at
Chigasaki Church in Kanagawa prefecture.
During treatment, Ikuko would sometimes take her son on an outing,
spending time with him in a quiet park. One day, while they were passing
near an orange field in Odawara, her son's tension seemed to break.
She thought to herself, "If some day my son could work in such
a place..."
Shinjiro said, "I was focused entirely on work, and even when
my son became ill, I left it all to my wife. Once I thought that I,
as his father, was the cause of my son's illness, I took early retirement.
I realized that a change of environment was necessary for him to recuperate,
so I loaded the car with futons, said, 'I won't be back until I find
it,' and sped off toward Izu."
The Gou family agreed to begin searching for a place to start a plantation
that gave a view of both Mt. Fuji and the ocean, sat within one hour's
driving time of a hospital, and was completely surrounded by nature.
The place was Ida, on the west coast of Izu. Soon afterward, they moved
and began work. Local villagers understood the situation, and always
greeted the Gous' mentally troubled son with kind, smiling faces.
Shinjiro started with zero knowledge of farming techniques, and learned
about all the necessities of farming in two years. Five years ago,
he was certified as a mental health and welfare expert as well. His
ambitions growing, he began making plans for a lodge where the mentally
troubled could have their own space.
He said, "It was actually a good thing that the implementation
was difficult in terms of both legality and money. I had been an enterprising
person, and now I was working a dream job. I was the one who destroyed
the condition of my son. I blame only myself."
Ikuko said, "The original motive for our move was treatment for
our son. With the added power of other mentally troubled people and
their families we want to become a beautiful plantation, like a dream
where everyone feels free to relax and spend time together."
After the Gou family moved, they erected a cross in Ida village, where
the villagers were all Buddhists. In November of last year, Rakuraku
Plantation received a statue of "Healing Mary" from Numazu
Church, and the pastor, Paris Foreign Mission Father Gerard Adam lead
the dedication ceremony.
The Gous said, "We cannot think of this place except as a gift
from God. Faced with spiritual troubles, families become very weary.
With gratitude for the cooperation of everyone at Numazu Church, from
now on, while we are able to support (our guests), I will be happy
if we can make this a place of peace."
For details, Rakuraku Plantation can be reached by fax at 0558-94-2692.
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