Otsuchi volunteer base completed

On 13 December, more than 60 people including 3 bishops, Bishop Hiraga of Sendai, Bishop Hamaguchi of Oita and myself, and more than 10 priests gathered together in a former business hotel in town of Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture to celebrate opening of a volunteer base for Nagasaki ecclesiastical province.  Bishop Hamaguchi, who is the one in charge of volunteer operation of Nagasaki ecclesiastical province, was a main celebrant of the dedication Mass of the volunteer base which used to be a business hotel owned by a Catholic from Morioka city.  On 11 March, town of Otsuchi was one of so many coastal communities which were hit by massive Tsunami.  The town lost more than 800 people including their town mayor and still more than 500 people are missing. 

The business hotel was also hit by tsunami and, though first and second floor were submerged into water, building structure remained intact.  So it was used by volunteers from nearby Kamaishi Catholic Church as center of activities immediately after the disaster.  Then when Japanese bishops decided to ask Nagasaki ecclesiastical province with 5 dioceses to concentrate their relief activities in central and north coastal area of Iwate, the owner of the hotel, Mr. Michimata, offered the building to be used by the Nagasaki team as their base of activities. 

Archbishop Takami of Nagasaki appointed Fr. Furuki, SDB, who had been an assistant secretary general of Nagasaki diocese to be in charge of the project to rehabilitate the hotel and make it ready to be a base of volunteer activities.  It took longer than usual since it was quite difficult to find professional assistance to rehabilitate the building as contractors are busy helping victims.

The base is now standing out of no-where.  It used to be surrounded by many buildings but today it is standing almost alone.  Fr. Furuki wrote once in his report that when evening comes the base stands in darkness as torch light of hope since it is only a very few building with light at this moment.

I joined the dedication Mass with Mr. Tadokoro, the director general of Caritas Japan.  Caritas Japan is fully supporting the project and will continue to be with volunteers of Otsuchi base.

Christmas greetings

Merry Christmas!

Sorry for this belated Christmas greetings.  I had a wonderful Christmas celebration with parishioners of Niigata Cathedral.  I presided over 24th 8pm Mass and 25th 10am Mass.  It was terribly cold in Niigata but many people including quite a number of non-Christians joined the community for the celebration.

Any how, I wish all of you a very merry Christmas. First and most , on behalf of Niigata and Sapporo dioceses, I would like to thank all of you for your dedicated service and contribution to Church activities throughout the year 2011, especially your willingness to do something for victims of March 11 disaster.  Thank you so much. As for supporting these victims, we have to continue to remember them in our prayer and maintain our willingness to be with them.  Next year, 2012, Niigata diocese is celebrating 100 anniversary of establishment.  So I ask you to pray for Niigata diocese.  Also kindly pray for Sapporo diocese so that they may get their new bishop as soon as possible.

Then on behalf of Caritas Asia, I would like to thank all of you for your wonderful cooperation and contribution for activities of Caritas Asia throughout year 2011 which, we may say, a year of
continuous natural calamities.  I hope and pray that the light which will be shinning in darkness tonight as we celebrate the mystery of incarnation of Word of God may reach all the people affected by these disasters through our work and prayer.

Also on behalf of Caritas Japan, I would like to thank you sincerely for your kind words and contribution for victims of March 11 disaster in Japan.  We are all grateful to your significant ways to show your solidarity with us. Kindly continue to remember us in your prayer.

Caritas Asia finally appointed Mr. Eleazar Gomez from Philippines and a member of NASSA as our next regional coordinator.  He will take his post by 1 February in Bangkok.  Fr. Bonnie Mendes, our present regional coordinator, will be with the office in Bangkok till the end of February. I welcome Mr. "Zar" Gomez sincerely and thank Fr. Bonnie for his dedicated service for all of us.  I am sure we all have more chance to work with Fr. Bonnie in Caritas activities.

I wish you a Happy New Year.

Yours,

Bishop Isao Kikuchi, SVD
President, Caritas Asia & Caritas Japan
Bishop of Niigata
Apostolic administrator of Sapporo

New regional coordinator for caritas asia appointed

Yesterday morning, on 19 December, the regional commission of Caritas Asia met in the office of CA in Bangkok to conduct an interview with 3 shortlisted candidates for the post of regional coordinator of Caritas Asia.

After the interview and due discussion, the regional commission has come to a decision to choose one of candidates as next regional coordinator.

I am happy to announce that Mr. Eleazar Gomez, known as "Zar", is our next regional coordinator to succeed Fr. Bonnie Mendes who generously agreed to extend his term of office to offer his service to Caritas Asia.

Mr. Eleazar Gomez is from Philippines and currently working with NASSA, Caritas Philippines. After due process, we expect him to take his post by 1st February, 2012.  Fr. Bonnie will be with us until the end of February.

I would like to thank Fr. Bonnie (photo above) for his generosity to work for us for much longer than what had been expected. I am sure we will have more chance to work with Fr. Bonnie in Caritas programs. I welcome Mr. Gomez and pray for abundant blessings of Almighty Father over his new job as our regional coordinator.

The Niigata centenary crucifix relay got rolling

As you may have already read about it on my previous post on 27 November, to commemorate 100 anniversary of establishment of Niigata diocese in 2012, a crucifix relay had commenced on 20 November in Niigata Cathedral.  Two crucifix had been blessed and sent out to go around all parishes in the diocese and will return to the Cathedral on 7 and 8 October next year.  Actual relay got rolling on 4 December when 25 parishioners of Niigata Cathedral led by Fr. Ebe, the parish priest, made fraternal visit to neighboring Hanazono parish with one of two crucifix.  The crucifix was brought into the Hanazono chapel at the beginning of Mass by Mr. Saito of Niigata Cathedral and placed next to the main alter.  Then Fr. Fernando, a parish priest of Hanazono, blessed the crucifix and celebrated Mass with Fr. Ebe which was followed by a tea party.  One of the main purpose of this relay is to develop mutual and fraternal relationship among Catholic communities in the diocese so that this kind of actual exchange of members are very important.  The second crucifix is traveling to Sanjo on 18 December.

The crucifix is travelling with a note book (Photo above).  Every one of the parish community where the crucifix are stopping are welcome to leave your own comment.  It will be displayed at the end of the relay during the centennial diocesan congress on 7 and 8 October in Niigata.

Visitation of the convent of Poor Clares in Takada@Joetsu

After the Priest Senate meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Niigata Cathedral, I had to travel to Takada in Joetsu city.   It was 2 hours drive through Hokuriku motor way to south from Niigata.   I had to travel to Takada for the official visitation of the convent of Poor Clares. There are a community of Poor Clares Sisters in Joetsu which was invited by my predecessor, late Bishop Sato who was a Franciscan.  The community of Takada in Joetsu is under a local bishop and according to their statute, the local bishop has to make an official visit every 3 years.  During the visitation, an election of mother superior and her assistant has to be conducted and the bishop has to be present with the community.   Also before the election, I have to interview all the members of the community.   So these are my official duties as Bishop of Niigata.

 

There are only 7 members in the community and 2 out of these 7 are residing outside the convent because of their age and health.   So I had to meet with only 5 members. It is a small community.

Today Sr. Gushiken was elected as mother superior of the community and present superior, Sr.Ohmi was elected as an assistant.  They are a small community but obediently offer daily prayers for us to support the apostolate of Niigata diocese.  Their prayers are powerful.   So it is also our duty to pray for them, especially for their vocation.

 Photo above is a front view of the convent and below is inside the convent. Of course, this is a section open to public.

Feast day of Christ the King @ Niigata Cathedral

This year's Christ the King feast was on 20 November according to the Catholic liturgy calendar and it was the last Sunday of the year before we begin a new cycle from first Sunday of Advent on 27 November.  Our Cathedral in Niigata has been dedicated to Christ the King and, thus, 20 November was a feast day for the Cathedral community.  As usual, I celebrated a Mass in which one young student originated from Akita has been confirmed and a 8-year-old boy received his first communion.

There were much more to celebrate during the Mass.  As I have been celebrating my own silver jubilee of priestly ordination this year, I had been contemplating how to organise.  Then March 11 happened.  Since there are so many people still struggling to restore their normal lives after the disaster, I decided not to organise a big party as such.  So I decided to offer Mass of thanksgiving on the feast of Christ the King with the community.  Parish community was so good to organise a small lunch party after the Mass in parish hall for me and those who received sacraments.  Photo above is a sign written by one of parishioners to congratulate me.  Thanks a lot.

Also after the Mass, 2 crucifix were blessed and sent out to go around parishes in the diocese.  Our diocese is celebrating 100 anniversary of establishment as the apostolic prefecture and 50 years as the diocese in 2012.  So the planning committee of the celebration decided to organise a crucifix relay.  2 identical crucifix will visit all parishes in the diocese starting from 20 November and will come back to the cathedral in October next year during the Diocesan convention.  The crucifix will travel with a note book and members of parish communities may write their own message for the anniversary celebration to enforce unity among the community of the diocese. 

The 100th ExCo of Caritas Internationalis @ Rome

Immediately after the Japanese Korean Bishops' meeting in Sendai, I traveled to the eternal city to attend a meeting of Caritas Internationalis (CI) for a few days.  The headquarter of CI is located within the Palazzo San Calisto in Trastevere area just adjacent to a beautiful Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere.  The Palazzo is a part of the Vatican territory and several offices of Holy See has offices within.

The meeting was the Executive Committee of Caritas Internationalis which is chaired by its president, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras.  Caritas is celebrating its 60th anniversary of foundation this year and this meeting was the 100th session of the Executive Committee which acts as the highest decision making body of Caritas Internationalis between its General Assemblies.  I attended the meeting as the President of Caritas Asia which is, at this moment, according to the present CI Statute, one of 7 Vice Presidents of the CI.  Asia was represented by delegates from Indonesia and Sri Lanka.  The regional coordinator of Caritas Asia, Fr. Bonnie, could not attend the meeting because of Visa difficulties.  All together, more than 25 members attended the meeting representing regions of Europe, Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, North America, Oceania and Asia.

The ExCo had intensive discussion to finalise the revised text of the Statute and Internal rules, budget for 2012 and action plan for next 4 years. The meeting also invited Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, Chancellor of Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, who addressed members of the ExCo on the economic crisis which has been causing tremendous difficulties over people's lives in world today.

The new Statute has been approved during the ExCo and will be submitted to Holy See for its approval.  Once it is approved, it may change several key structures of the CI executive body and I may not continue as the Vice President any more, though I will remain as the President of Caritas Asia and also as a member of the renewed ExCo.  We will see when it will be given approval of Holy See.

This is my second time to join the ExCo of CI.  Before I became bishop, I was a member of the ExCo from 1999 for one term of 4 years representing East Asia.  While I was serving for my second term as member of ExCo, I was appointed as bishop in 2004 and Fr. Daisuke Narui, SVD, the present director of Caritas Japan, took over from me.  This time, I could feel much more at home to attend the meeting and, though it was not easy to follow the discussion and express my opinion in English, enjoyed being there.  The present ExCo is filled with quite positive atmosphere of friendly exchange of opinions and cooperation.  Well, as a "good and typical" Japanese, I was quiet and listening.  During the meeting, one may use one of 3 official languages of the confederation which are English, Spanish and French.  In fact,there are quite a number of members who are fluent in all these 3 languages.  Also the executive officers of the CI, such as a president or a secretary general, have to be fluent in these 3 languages.  Though the professional simultaneous translations are provided during the meeting, and which also guarantees to finish a daily session at 6 pm when translators go home, it is not easy for me to just follow the flow of discussion through English translation.

It was beautiful autumn days in Rome during the meeting and I enjoyed morning walk to the Pallazo along Tevere river.  Next meeting of ExCo will be in May, 2012.