March 2019

Also this month, we choose a couple of events, among the various activities conducted by Shinmeizan in the field of interreligious dialog, to dwell on them a bit more at length.

 March 5 – Fr. Franco and Fr. Peter are invited to attend the solemn celebration of the anniversary of the foundation of the Buddhist lay association Risshokoseikai, at the headquarters of the Kumamoto branch.   Risshokoseikai was founded in 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano, and has spread rapidly in Japan and abroad, counting at present around six million followers. Risshokoseikai is very much involved in interreligious dialogue, particularly in connection with the Catholic ‘movement’ known as “Focolare”. Also Shinmeizan, since the very beginning, has had very close ties of friendly dialog with Risshokoseikai, leading several times the “Kumamoto group for interreligious dialog” to visit the association’s local headquarters. Several members of Risshokoseikai take part regularly in the biennial interreligious meeting of prayer for peace held at Shinmeizan.  

 Some members of the Rissho Kosei Kai    (with their characteristic white sash) 

at an interreligious meeting held at Shinmeizan

 Maria De Giorgi with the President designate of the Rissho Kosei Kai, Rev. Kosho Niwano

March 31 – Fr. Ferruccio Brambillasca, Superior General of the PIME Missionaries,  invites Maria, who at present is teaching at the Gregorian University in Rome, to travel to Milano to meet a large group of friends and associates of the PIME Fathers at the headquarters of their Institute, to share with them some reflections and her experience in the field of interreligious dialogue. Fr. Ferruccio Brambillasca served for many years  as a missionary in Japan, also as Regional Superior, and is a very close friend of Shinmeizan.  The PIME missionaries and the Xaverians in Japan have been cooperating in the field of interreligious dialogue since the early 1980s, especially in the foundation and support of “Kakehashi”, the association of Religious Congregations and Missionary Institutes working together in the field of interreligious dialogue.

Maria De Giorgi and the group of friends of PIME, Milano