The Laity Congress of Miyagi Prefecture

The 40th Laity Congress of Miyagi Prefecture in Sendai Diocese was held in Sendai on 7 July with more than 400 participants. Sendai diocese which had been hit by 11 March 2011 earthquake and massive tsunami is consisted by 4 prefectures, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima.  Cathedral is in Sendai city in Miyagi prefecture.  The diocese organises the Laity Congress annually for each of these 4 prefectures.  As for this year, the theme of the congress was " A concrete step forward as A faithful" in connection with the Year of Faith.  I was asked to give a talk during the Miyagi Congress on Caritas Japan's activities after the March 11.  The congress was held in Sendai Shirayuri Girls High School.

At the beginning of the congress, two people shared their experience of volunteer activities after the disaster. A representative from Yagiyama parish shared their activities in Watari area and their experience of visiting shelters of evacuees.  Also a leader of the one of the volunteer center, Yonekawa, also shared his own account of experience with a lot of volunteers coming from all over Japan. Bishop Hiraga of Sendai was the main celebrant of thanksgiving Mass after lunch