Annual peace memorial events of Catholic Church in Japan which is called the Catholic 10 days for Peace was celebrated as usual in all over the diocese in Japan. It starts on 6 August which is the memorial day of Hiroshima A-bombing and ends on 15 August which is the last day of the II WW or Pacific War. Of course Nagasaki A-bombing day which is 9 August is included. Catholic dioceses in Japan organize events for this 10 days but both Hiroshima and Nagasaki dioceses usually organize quite major events.
In Niigata, because of several reasons, we are unable to organize major events during this 10 days so that we usually have at least one study session and a Mass for peace around this time. This year in Niigata, we invited Fr. Masaru Ota of the Littele Brothers of Jesus on 29 July for a study session and I presided over the Mass for Peace after the talk in Cathedral.
Fr Ota, who used to be a secretary of the Human Rights Commission of the Bishops' Conference, spoke about the Christian perspective to understand the nuclear accident in Fukushima
I have been repeating this same point but, I do understand that politicians or business people or scientists must have worked sincerely with all their effort to protect and promote values which they believe the best for future development for human welfare. The present situation of our society must be the result of their efforts. If so, as people living in faith, what do we say about the present situation of our society from our perspective which is the value of God. All the creatures have to be protected because they are said "Good" by God and more over we have to promote that the human lives have to be given the priority in this society. It is crystal clear even after this disaster in Japan which is natural disaster and man-made nuclear disaster, majority in power still give preferences to the value contrary to the value we believe in. We have to speak up.
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