On the last day of the year 2012

This is the last day of the year 2012. The last day of the year creates special atmosphere in Japan for everyone to reflect upon one's words and deeds of past one year. Many visit shrine or temple this evening to get purification of hearts and blessings for the new year.

In the same way, I also reflected on my own words and deeds of past one year and what I can say is only "thank you all". Because of you,my dera friends, I could fulfill my duty as a bishop. You supported me through your words, deeds and prayers. Thank you.

 

I could not post new articles as often as I should have been but I never forgot thei important communication tool with many of you.  I have shifted quite a part of my time to write posts in the Facebook recently.  If you have your Facebook accounts, you are welcome to find me there.

 Regrettably, a new bishop for Sapporo has not been appointed by Holy Father yet. I expected it to happen within the year 2012. I know our Nuncio in Japan has been working very hard to find a suitable person for this important post but it is not easy.  Meantime, Archbishop of Osaka and Bishop of Nagoya has reached the retirement age of 75 already.  Well, we have to wait and see. So I am still in charge of 2 dioceses, Niigata and Sapporo, and may continue to be so for some more time. I need much more prayer from you because of this.

This morning, I found an article in our local news paper, Niigata Nippo, on the life stories of Filipino Mothers in Ofunato, Iwate, which is in the area hit by Tsunami on 11 March.  (the photo above) The article also mentioned about the activities of Catholic Church in the area, especially of Sr. Nogami and Fr. Harnoko. The name "Caritas" was also mentioned. 

As I have been saying that the Filipino migrants or other Catholic migrants in Japan are, regardles of the reason to be in Japan, missionaries in modern times sent by God to Japan. My dear Filipino Catholics, you are missionaries.

Happy New Year!

 

Opening of the workshop on Anti-Trafficking @Tagaytay

Caritas Asia organised a regional planning workshop on anti-trafficking of women and children in Tagaytay, Philippines, from 21 to 23 November at the CBCP Nassa BEC development Center. The workshop was hosted by Caritas Philippines, Nassa. I could join the workshop as the President of Caritas Asia only on the first day to welcome more than 30 participants from 11 countries in Asia. Bishop Pabillo, the chairman of CBCP Commission on Social Action, joined the opening Mass and gave us encouragement through his homily. Caritas Internationalis is also represented by Ms. Orga Zhyvvsta, the project adviser in Rome.  

Caritas Asia inherited the program on the Anti-trafficking from APHD and has been seriously tackling this terrible crime in the modern society. So this workshop is to evaluate past experience of the program and plan for future. 
 

Below is my welcome address at the beginning of the workshop.

This is my greatest pleasure to be with you today to join the Caritas Asia Workshop on Anti-Trafficking of Women and Children.  While showing our sincere gratitude to Caritas Philippines (NASSA) who is generously hosting this event, I also welcome all of you on behalf of the entire member organizations of Caritas Asia.

Currently, our Church is celebrating the Year of Faith from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013.  The Holy Father has set this occasion for all Christians to rediscover, and share with others the precious gift of Faith entrusted to the Church and the personal gift of faith that we have each received from God.  As a member of Caritas Member Organizations, we also share this sentiment of the Catholic Church and try to commit ourselves to be a part of its mission, especially in the field of charitable activities. The Holy Father, in his first Encyclical "Deus Caritas Est" puts emphasis on the three-fold responsibilities of the Church which are "proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia), and exercising the ministry of charity (diakonia)"  Therefore, while participating in the Caritas activities, we are also taking part in the essential dimension of its mission.

The Year of Faith also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council.  Among all the important documents of the Council, the "PASTORAL CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH IN THE MODERN WORLD", "GAUDIUM ET SPES" has significant importance for our direction in Caritas activities.  The constitution begins with these famous phrases: "The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts."

Though we may find number of "joys and hopes" among people whom we serve, much more "griefs and anxieties" attracts our attention.  One of these "griefs and anxieties" is problems caused by human trafficking of women and children.

Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal activity in modern society. It has been victimizing millions of women, children all over the world. And it does not care about international borders.  Therefore every country of this world is affected in one way or another.  So it is a cry of the people that has to be answered by each and everyone.
 

I hope that this meeting for the member organizations of Caritas Asia, that are part of the regional program on the Anti-Trafficking of Women and Children, will give all of us a good opportunity to share our experiences and give us courage to work for people who are locked in the bond of human misery.

I wish you all a happy stay in the Philippines.

The Chrysanthemum Festival @ Yahiko Shrine

Annual event of the Chrysanthemum (Kiku) Festival was held at YAHIKO Shinto Shrine in Yahiko township near Niigata city from 1 November to 24. This festival is a kind of competition among local flower growers.  Though you do not find dolls made out of flowers here as other famous Kiku Festivals but you may see wonderful Kiku flowers all over the shrine premises.

 

 Yahiko Shrine is located at the foot of Mt. Yahiko which is 634m above sea level. 634m high is the same height with Tokyo Skytree. You may climb the Mt. Yahiko either by foot, a cable car or by your own car. At the top of the mountain, you may also try to ride a Panorama Tower which brings you 100m high and give you perfect 360 degree view only if weather is fine.

Pastoral visits @ Naoetsu, Myoko & Itoigawa

Autumn is a season for pastoral visits of parishes in Niigata Diocese.  So I made two pastoral visits on Sunday, 4 November and another one on 11 in Nagaoka district which is in south of Niigata prefecture.

 

First on 4 November at 9:30 am in Naoetsu. Parishioners gathered together in front of the city crematory.  I do not know what images you have on "crematory" but the photo above is the one in Naoetsu and this is a typical crematory in Japan.  You do not find any chimney and it looks like a museum or hotel.  In Japan, one can not avoid cremation on transition from this world to eternity.  It will be quite difficult to find any cemeteries in Japan which accept actual burial of a body.  In most cases, a tomb is owned by a family and it has space enough to contain ashes. 

 

Well, across the street from the crematory is the Parish Cemetery of Naoetsu Parish and that is why parishioners had been gathering in front of the crematory. Every year in the first Sunday of November, number of parishes in our diocese organises the cemetery Mass to pray for their beloved departed souls.  The parish priest, Fr. Hubert Nelskamp,OFM, celebrated Mass with me.  After the Mass, we returned to the Parish for lunch together.

 

After the lunch, I traveled with Fr. Hubert to visit Myoko Church, an out-station of Takada parish.  Fr. Hubert is also taking care of Takada parish at this moment with 2 other elderly priests assisting him for Mass duties.  Myoko Church is in a mountainside of Mt. Myoko. Myoko area is beautiful place and the station has a lovely chapel which looks like a mountain cabin. Also they have a cottage which is able to accommodate around 50 people. The cottage used to belong to a major bank corporation.  Any Catholics not only in Niigata diocese but from all over Japan are welcome to use this wonderful facility of Myoko cottage.   Contact Takada parish for information.  Moreover, this cottage has natural Onsen, a hot spring bath, attached in it. You have to enjoy it.

 

On 11 November, I drove around 3 hours to reach the southern end of my diocese, Itoigawa city.  There Fr. Bruno Fabbri, OFM, was waiting for me to visit his flock in Itoigawa.  I could find number of faces from Philippines among the congregation. 

 

Fr. Bruno arranged a kind of forum after the Mass to let parishioners to ask any questions to Bishop. After some typical questions, such as what would be the answer for aging population and diminishing number of youths in parishes in the diocese, or what would be the best way to strengthen community spirit, etc., one lady stood up to share her own story.  She was an only Catholic in her family.  Typical situation in Japan.  Her husband never showed any interest to Christianity and their children are rather hostile against to any religious practices.  So she was lamenting her inability to contribute to the Evangelisation effort of the Church and asked me what to do.

 

I just wondered what to say to her since this is not the only case in Catholic community in Japan and many are feeling kind of guilty conscience of not able to produce much fruits of the Evangelisation in their family.  What to say?  Then the situation of migrant Catholics, especially those ladies from other countries who had been married with Japanese farmers in my diocese came to my mind.  I have been telling these migrant Catholics that they had been sent by God as missionaries of modern times to penetrate deep into Japanese traditional family system with Gospel values behind them.  So it must be the same case with these Japanese Catholics who are feeling alone in their families.  They do not have to be ashamed of not doing anything for the Evangelisation because without their very existence in their families, these family members, husbands or wives and kids, never ever had any chance to encounter with Christianity. Whether these family members take positive or negative attitude toward Christianity, at least they had a chance to know about it through these lone Catholics in families.  What a great contribution to the Evangelisation.  What a deep mystery of God's providence. 

 

After the forum, we had lunch together and I enjoyed both Japanese and Filipino foods.  Thank you everyone in Naoetsu, Myoko and Itoigawa for wonderful hospitality to be with your Bishop.   

New appointments, also for myself.

Past few days, there have been a number of important appointments made by Holy Father for Catholics in Asia.

First and most, we are happy to know that  Archbishop Chito Tagle of Manila and the major Archbishop of the Trivandrum of the Siro-Malankaresi in India, His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal were among those 6 bishops named Cardinal by Holy Father on 24 October.

Archbishop Tagle is well known as one of the best speaker of modern times in Catholic Church and I also had several occasion to meet him.  Photo above is from a meeting in Taipei a few years ago.

In January when I went to New Delhi for the Golden Jubilee of Caritas India, I met Archbishop Cleemis.  Though, according to the birth record, he is younger than myself but he created a impression of well matured wise old man.  Wonderful man.

Compare with these important appointments this one is not so significant but it is a great honour and challenge for me.  It has been announced on 27 October that Holy Father appointed several additional new members for the Pontifical Council of Inter-religious Dialogue and Pontifical Council "Cor Unum." These appointments included two bishops from Japan.  First and most, Archbishop Okada of Tokyo has been appointed as a member of the Inter-religious Dialogue.  Then I have been appointed as a member of Cor Unum together with Cardinal Maradiaga, SDB, the president of Caritas Internationalis. Term of office is for 5 years.  Mr. Michel Roy, the secretary general of Caritas Internationalis has also been appointed as a consultor of the Cor Unum. You may find other appointments of the day from this link.  In fact, I had received an appointment letter a few days before the announcement was made. The letter was signed by Cardinal Bertone and it was, of course, written in Latin.

Doubleheader Confirmation Mass@ Kashiwazaki & Tokamachi

On 21 October, Sunday, I made a pastoral visit of both Kashiwazaki and Tokamachi Parishes in Niigata Prefecture. City of Kashiwazaki is 80km southwest of Niigata city.  Then Tokamachi is 40km south of Kashiwazaki city.  Kashiwazaki city is famous for the Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant run by Tokyo Electricity Company.  By the way, Niigata prefecture has been provided electricity from Tohoku Electricity Company and not from Tokyo Electricity Company which operates this world biggest mega-nuclear power plant with 7 reactors.  Because of the accident after the March 11 disaster of the Fukushima plant, all these 7 reactors have come to a halt.

This Sunday was a kind of the "Doubleheader Confirmation Mass Sunday".   I celebrated Mass at Kashiwazaki at 9am and Tokamachi at 3 pm. In Kashiwazaki, 6 people were confirmed while 3 people were baptized and one confirmed in Tokamachi.

 

First two photos are from Kashiwazaki in which you may find a parish priest, Fr. Leo Bassi, ofm, who is 89 years old this year from Italy standing behind those who were confirmed.  Still keeping strong and active so that he prepares candidates for confirmation every year.  Majority of kids who received infant baptism stop coming to Church while they are in the Junior High School because of Sunday sports activities organised as part of School activities.  Japanese kids are busy even on Sundays for school activities though, officially, the weekends are designated as holidays in Japanese School System.  I should not be so critical about the present practice of this society but Japanese society has developed one of the best way to kill traditional religions which require faithful to come for regular worship during weekends.  Japanese traditional religion, such as Shinto, does not require their faithful to visit their shrine in regular basis as such. 

The photo above is in the chapel of Tokamachi after the Mass.  You may find a parish priest, Fr. Sato and also Fr. Chito Lorenzo, SVD, from Nagaoka parish supporting the day's activities.  Well,you may see from the photo so many faces from other countries, especially from Philippines in Tokamachi Catholic Community. They and their families are real hope for the future of our diocese not only in Tokamachi but in many other parishes.  I believe these so-called "migrant Catholics" in Japan are the modern missionaries sent by God, especially to the places where traditional Catholic mission activities could not reach out, which is villages in country side.  These Filipino in the photo came all the way to Japan to be wives of Japanese farmers and now they are mothers of so many kids.  Their husbands are also showing quite positive attitude towards the religions of their wives, Catholic, and some of them have been baptised already.  Thank God for his providential care for us.

At the beginning of the Year of Faith

A message from Bishop Isao Kikuchi at the beginning of the Year of Faith

My dear brothers and sisters in Niigata diocese,

"We cannot accept that salt should become tasteless or the light be kept hidden (cf. Mt 5:13-16)"

With these words in his apostolic letter to announce the Year of Faith, "PORTA FIDEI," Holy Father invites all of us to commit ourselves to a new evangelization.

The Year of Faith begins on 11 October this year, which is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, and will last till 24 November 2013, Sunday of the Christ the King. Through out this year, as one who inherited the gift of faith, we are invited to renew our commitment in "choosing to stand with the Lord so as to live with him ("Porta Fidei"10)" and to be witnesses of our faith through our words and deeds by going back to the root of our faith.

As we are celebrating the centenary of the diocese in Niigata, I would like to invite all of you to make this year as "time" to go back to the very basics of our faith and deepen your knowledge again.

While referring also to the message of Japanese Bishops Conference, I would like to recommend following points to be considered in our parishes. Each parishes are to come out with their own plans of action for the Year of Faith and report back to me through respective parish priests.

1: Read attentively the apostolic letter of Holy Father, "Porta Fidei," and meditate on it.
2: Participate in the Holy Eucharist actively.
3: Pay much more attention to the study of the documents of Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church "so that everyone may feel a strong need to know better and to transmit to future generations the faith of all times."
4: More time and attention should be given to the Word of God and through prayer and sharing we will try to be renewed deep in our hearts.
5: By our own witnesses in the society through words and deeds, we will live to testify that "the Christian vocation by its very nature is also a vocation to the apostolate."

In Niigata diocese, the Year of Faith has started on 7 October with the Centenary Thanksgiving Mass. On 14 October, parishes should pray for the blessing over the Year of Faith during the Sunday Mass.
As we are invited to renew our gift of faith, we are also invited to realize our responsibility to bring our witnesses of faith and love. May we be able to return to the origin of our faith and deepen our understanding of our own mission.

11 October, 2012
Bishop Isao Kikuchi, SVD
Bishop of Niigata