Confirmation Mass in Aoyama

Niigata area has been suffering from heavy snow since Christmas and we had yet another heavy snow last night.  Of course, total snowfall in Niigata city area is nothing compare with one in mountain area such as Tokamachi, but it has been quite enough for the city which does not have so much snow usually.  Despite heavy snow fall and severe cold weather, quite number of parishioners made effort to join the Sunday Mass in Aoyama Catholic Church in which 7 ladies received the sacrament of confirmation.  Since 5 out of 7 were from youth group, high school students and college students, number of their friends from neighbouring parishes also join the celebration. (photo above: preparation by Fr. Raul, the parish priest, before Mass)

Gospel today was the famous "Sermon on the Mount" from Matthew.  Jesus began with a declaration of "Blessed are those" and draw attention of people who had wanted to know how to be blessed people.  However, Jesus did not taught them how to become blessed but rather he declared "Blessed are the poor in spirit".  As if to explain the meaning of the "Poor in Spirit", today's Mass offered us the first Corinthians as the second reading.  Through the second reading, we get to know that what we could be proud of is not what we have but rather the source of what we have which is the source of our life, God.  So we would be blessed if we are able to surrender ourselves completely to God.

Christian Unity Octave service in Aoyama

Though Catholic Church and Christian Churches of other denominations all over the world always pray for unity among Christians, a special week of prayer has been observed annually from 18 to 25 January.  For this year's octave, Christian council and Catholic Church chose the Acts of Apostles chapter 2, verses 42 to 47 as the theme for the prayer service which is "One in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer".  Catholic Bishops  Conference of Japan (CBCJ) and the National Christian Council in Japan (NCC) have been working together to prepare a booklet every year for the prayer service and encourage their respective members to organise joint prayer services during the octave.

As for Niigata city area, since late Bishop Ito and late Bishop Sato, both my predecessor of Niigata diocese, were the chairman of the Ecumenism Commission of the CBCJ, a week long joint services for Christian Unity was one of the regular events for Christian Churches in the city.  Until recently, daily evening prayer service during the octave had been organised by the council of Christian teachers of Niigata city and member churches, including Catholic parishes, took turn to host the prayer service.  However, problem had arisen that majority of members, both Catholics and other denominations, grew old and were not able to venture out into cold winter evening.  So it was decided by the teachers' council to reduce numbers of the prayer service to 4 times during the week and shift the timing to 10am.

Today was the turn for the Aoyama Catholic Church to host the prayer service of this year and around 35 people joined the prayer for Christian Unity led by the parish priest, Fr. Raul (photo above).  Fr. Raul invited the participants, including 5 ministers from other denominations, to put more trust in the power of Jesus who broke down the wall and make his followers one.  He also pointed out that "when we see someone fighting on the street, then we do not want to get involved in the trouble.  So if Christians are fighting each other, then who wants to come to join us?".

There will be a main prayer service on Sunday, 23 at 2 pm in Niigata Catholic Cathedral which will be led by Fr. Otaki, the diocesan chancellor.  You are most welcome to join us. Then at 10am on 25, Tuesday, final day of this year's octave will be observed in the Higashinaka-dori Christian Church.      

Okinawa

Okinawa was the destination for a study tour for Bishops in last December organised by the committee for the Social Issues of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan (CBCJ).  All together 7 Bishops, including myself, joined a 3-day study tour which was meant to be a beginning of the Bishops' response to a message delivered by Bishop Oshikawa of Okinawa.  During the Catholic Justice and Peace National Convention in Sapporo last year, Bishop Oshikawa sent a message appealing the participants to consider the heavy burdens of people in Okinawa who had been hosting foreign military bases in this small island for over 60 years and asked bishops to take action not in Okinawa but in Tokyo where Japanese government is located in order to bring a cry of Okinawa into the midst of the reality of daily life of majority in Japan.  So the bishops decided to go to Okinawa first to know the reality of military bases and history of Okinawa.

We visited several war memorial sites including 2 caves which had been used as a make-shift military hospital and a shelter for civilians.  While we were in one of these caves, a guide asked us to put our torch lights off and stay in complete darkness so that we might be able to consider terrible situation of suffering of people during the war in Okinawa.  Of course, there were no sounds of shootings and bombings nor scream of injured and dying.  Though my experience of shootings in a refugee's camp in Zaire in 95 is nothing to compare with the experience of people in Okinawa, the complete darkness and wet air made me to feel somehow frightfulness of people at that time.

We also visited several US military bases, including Kadena, Futenma and Camp Schwab, though we could only observe them from outside.  The photo above is from the Henoko Beach where the Camp Schwab is located.  Japanese government had made an agreement with the US to remove the Futenma base and bring it to the Camp Schwab.  Futenma is in the midst of Ginowan city and too dangerous for the marine helicopters to fly over the densely populated city area.  However, the idea to bring the function of Futenma to Camp Schwab is also causing controversy because this beautiful tropical sea of Henoko beach will be destroyed by proposed new airstrips.  Number of local people in the area has been conducting a sit-in protest to the proposal for more than 2,400 days.

Though I do not want to be too idealistic on the issue of national security, however, as a religious, I should always emphasize the importance of protecting human life which is a gift from God.  I do understand the importance of having sufficient forces for national self defense.  However I do not know whether the reality of Okinawa is meant for the sufficient national defense in Japan.  I think it is too much and majority of us, those in the main land Japan, has been too insensitive to people of Okinawa for many years.       

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

May the year 2011 be filled with blessings from the Father of all creation, the source of our life, and your heart be filled with His love.

Though it was a rough evening yesterday with strong wind and chilly rain, more than 30 people joined with me to celebrate a midnight Mass for the World Day of Peace.  Holy Father chose "RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, THE PATH TO PEACE" as theme of this year's message for Peace.  As Holy Father reminds us of the situation of Christians in countries where the religious freedom is not guaranteed or restricted, and in countries where hatred against Christians have been escalating such as in Iraq, let us remember our brothers and sisters in difficult situations in our prayer for Peace.  

Dear brothers and sisters, more than a year has passed since I had been appointed as the apostolic administrator of Sapporo diocese while I have been serving as a bishop of Niigata.  I would like to ask your prayer as ever for myself and for the appointment of a new bishop of Sapporo.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you all in Niigata and Sapporo dioceses!

During our midnight Mass in Niigata cathedral on 24th evening, 2 strong young men have been baptized and also been confirmed by me after several months of intensive preparation by Fr. Ebe, the parish priest and his assistant, Fr. Sakamoto.  As usual, the Cathedral was packed by the people to join the Christmas celebration including quite number of non-Christians.  The evening Mass on 24th December attracts many non-Christians in Japan and a Christmas party has become December tradition in recent Japan.  At least those who decided to come to Church on the night had chance to listen to the Word of God. 

Northern part of Japan has been covered by heavy snow fall for the Christmas day.  Niigata city itself was not so bad but it was so cold.  And the highway connecting Niigata and Fukushima was closed down completely for 2 days because of heavy snowfall and more than 300 cars were stuck for hours in cold snow.  According to the weather forecast, it may snow heavy again in the end of the year.  I got to fly to Sapporo tomorrow and have to return to Niigata for the midnight Mass on 31 December.  I hope I will make it to Sapporo and return to Niigata on time for the end of the year Mass.

Tornado hit a part of Niigata

On 3 December in the afternoon around 3 pm, a small tornado hit a part of Niigata city.  It was really a windy afternoon and very cold.  Fr. Fernando, a parish administrator of Hanazono Parish, was staying in his room in Toyano Church, an out-station of Hanazono, when a part of roof of Toyano Church was ripped off violently with great noise.  Thank God that he was not hurt but a half of the front roof of the Church building was completely damaged and inside the building, especially the second floor, was soaked with strong rain.  Nearby High School building was also damaged and several students were injured by broken windows.  According to the local meteorological observatory, the area was hit by a small tornado.  Recently we hear a lot of incidents of tornado in Japan.  Until few years ago, we thought that tornado has nothing to do with Japan.  Is this because of climate change we are talking about?

Chapel renovation in Yamagata completed

The parish chapel of Yamagata has been under renovation for past few months and the construction work has been completed by the end of October.  So the re-dedication Mass of the Parish Chapel was celebrated on 28 November, the first Sunday of Advent, which was attended by more than 100 parishioners including those members from Shinjo.  Entire flooring, ceiling and wall have been refurbished and a new stained glass window has been added behind the alter, above the crucifix.  Also in order to make the building earthquake resistant, several windows have been removed so that walls would be able to withstand powerful quakes.  A slope way has been added at the entrance of the chapel so that wheel chairs could easily enter the place of worship and prayer. Parish priest, Fr. Honma and the parish council members went through hard time to negotiate with parishioners on several issues on the renovation planning.  I do appreciate their tireless effort to involve everyone in the parish community.  Ayekoo (GOKURO-SAMA, or good job in Ghana local language). 

After the Mass on Sunday, a celebration get-together was held in the parish hall.  Almost half of the participants were our Filipino members who brought their famous Filipino foods for sharing.  I really enjoyed its international atmosphere of the Yamagata Parish community.  I hope that the renovated chapel would be the foundation of the active community life so that the Church community of Yamagata would be the symbol of unity and communion among the society which is in need of clear direction for the better life.  Many people are at a loss of clear direction of their own life and present society which does not give due respect to human lives can not provide bright and clear vision for the future.