I have been to Sendai for a week to preach a retreat for the Charity Sisters of Ottawa in Japan. I left Niigata immediately after the Niigata diocesan pastoral council on 29 April and just returned from Sendai this afternoon. The retreat was the annual one for sisters and 15 of them, from Yamagata, Yokohama and Sendai communities, joined a full 7-day retreat. This morning during 7am Mass, sisters renewed their religious Vows and were sent out to their respective apostolates.
I am not given a talent to be a spiritual director so that I can not give comprehensive spiritual direction through the retreat as such. What I did was to give talks for 12 times, that is 2 talks a day, said daily Mass and preached, and met with each individual sisters to listen to their stories. Mu talks are all based on my own experiences as a missionary priest in Ghana, Caritas volunteer in Rwanda refugees camp and Caritas director in various countries. Because of these experiences, especially with Caritas Japan, I have given rich experiences of encounter with so many people in many countries.
You may find a familiar face among Sisters. Ms. Sawako Inae who used be a program officer of Caritas Japan is now a novice in this congregation. After the March 11 disaster in Japan, Sawako was sent to work in Sendai Diocese Support Center to coordinate relief efforts of Caritas and other players. She stayed with Charity Sisters while she was in Sendai and was fascinated with the lives of religious community. That is why she is now with them. Kindly remember her, Sawako Inae, in your prayer so that she can follow the call of Jesus faithfully.
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