This is the season for gatherings, rallies or activities in the diocese. Since Niigata is famous for its heavy snow during the winter, cold season is not for activities in the diocese. Likewise summer in Niigata is also not for activities since it is simply very hot. Hence between cold and hot season, which is between April to June and September to November is considered as the period to organise activities for the vast diocese.
To honor this tradition of the gathering period in the diocese, annual priests rally was held in Tainai city in Niigata from 8 to 10 June. This gathering is meant for all priests working in the diocese, which include diocesan and religious priests alike. All together 31 priests made effort to travel to Tainai to join the gathering in Royal Tainai Park Hotel run by the city government of Tainai.
In order to commemorate the conclusion of the Pauline Year, we invited Fr. Toyonari Sawada, a Paulist Father and a reputed Biblical scholar to give us 2 lectures on the theme of "Deepen our understating of Mission in the year of St.Paul". Fr.Sawada, a young and soft spoken scholar and a professor of several seminaries in Japan, gave us good insights for mission activities in rural parishes by telling us difficulties which St.Paul actually faced while he was trying to proclaim the Gospel, which was based on his personal encounter and relationship with Jesus himself.
Thank you Fr.Sawada. Also thank you for Fathers in the diocese. I hope you have refreshed both your body and spirit during this 3-day gathering in beautiful forest of Tainai. (In the photo above, far left is Fr.Sawada ready for his talk)
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