Shinmeizan Journal - April 2016

The beginning of April was marked by an important event: the arrival of Fr Rocco Viviano, a Xaverian Missionary, who has been appointed as the new vice-director of the Shinmeizan Centre of Spirituality and Interreligious Dialogue. Fr Rocco obtained a doctorate from Heythrop College, University of London, with a thesis on Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI’s theology of interreligious dialogue. He has been lecturing for eleven years on theology of interreligious dialogue and theology of mission at the Loyola School of Theology of the Ateneo de Manila, at the Maryhill School of Theology of Manila (Philippines), at Heythrop College (UK) and other academic institutions.

Also at the beginning of the month we forwarded to our Buddhist partners in dialogue, the message of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue for the Festival of Vesak (Hanamatsuri in Japanese), which celebrates the birth of Buddha, accompanied by a letter from Shinmeizan. We sent the same message to the parish priests of the diocese of Fukuoka, so that they and their parishioners may forward it to Buddhist relatives and friends. 

4 April – As a consultant for the Japan Bishops’ Conference’s Subcommittee for Interreligious Dialogue, Fr Franco participated in a colloquium between members of the Jodoshinshu-Higashi Honganshi Buddhist School and representatives of the Catholic Church in Japan. The meeting took place at the Bishops’ Conference headquarters in Tokyo. 

10 April – The Shinmeizan community accompanied the Kumamoto Interreligious Dialogue Group on a visit to the Hikino Shinto shrine in the town of Tamana. 

11 April – The committee who assists Fr Franco as person in charge of the office for interreligious dialogue of the diocese of Fukuoka met at Shinmeizan for the planning session that takes place twice a year.

14-15 April – A violent earthquake struck the areas of Kumamoto and Oita. Aftershocks have continued persistently for weeks. The damage is considerable and thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and many others are also experiencing great distress too. Despite located in the area affected by the earthquake, the buildings at Shinmeizan have suffered no damage. However, the convent in Yufuin, Oita prefecture, where Fr Sonoda was residing had to be abandoned because is considered unsafe.

18 April – Despite some anxiety related to the recent earthquake, the group of the elderly of Heboura, the village where Shinmeizan in located, came to the Centre for the customary yearly Spring visit. Our friend Ms Manami Sano enlivened everybody’s spirits with her songs and her warmth, as every year. 

22-23 April – Fr Franco e Fr Rocco attended the meeting of Kakehashi, an organization for the promotion of interreligious dialogue, whose members are the representatives of various religious orders and of some Catholic associations committed to interfaith relations in Japan.