Bishop Suwa ordained in Takamatsu

Newly appointed Bishop of Takamatsu diocese, Bishop John Eijiro Suwa, who is succeeding Bishop Osamu Mizobe, has been ordained a bishop and enthroned on 19 June.  The celebration was attended by more than one thousand people from 4 prefectures in Shikoku which are under Takamatsu diocese where Bishop Suwa had been working as a parish priest for past 6 years and many from Osaka archdiocese where the bishop originally belonged to.  Archbishop Jun Ikenaga of Osaka was the main celebrant and co-consecrating bishops were the out-going Nuncio and bishop Mizobe.  All other bishops of Japan including 2 bishop-elects and Archbishop Kim of Kwangju joined the consecration Mass.  Archbishop Kim has been sending one of his seminarians to Takamatsu diocese. 

As we all know well, name of the diocese of Takamatsu has been on the news on the issue of the international seminary established as a diocesan seminary by Neo Catechumenate Way.  I do not want to go into the entire story of the issue, however, I may point out the fact that the diocese which has only five thousand Catholics out of four million people might easily face several practical problems which poor bishop had to face in practical sense to run such an institution while rest of 15 dioceses in Japan themselves facing several difficulties to run a national seminary such as securing "Japanese speaking" qualified professors and shouldering quite high living cost in Japan.  The international seminary has been transferred to Rome since then.  Newly appointed bishop has to face the task to secure the unity among laity, religious and priests in the diocese.  Bishop Matsuura of Osaka preached on the issue of unity in the Catholic community in the diocese during the consecration Mass.