July-August 2019

Also this year　Shinmeizan has welcomed、 and will welcome in the next few months, guests and visitors coming first of all, of course, from Japan, but also from other Countries: France, Italy, Sweden, Norway, United States, Continental China and Taiwan, Indonesia…

individually or in groups, for a short visit or to stay with us for a few days.     Since the very beginning hospitality has been an important part of the service offered by this Center of Prater and Interreligious Dialogue.   Here we wish to mention in a special way the two groups of Students from the Kitakyushu University of Industrial Medicine who came to Shinmeizan for a four days’ study session on July 24-27 (a group of 10) and on July 31-August 3 (a group of 7)  

It is the 19th year in a row (since 2001) that Prof. Fujino, sends the third year’s students of his courses of philosophical anthropology to Shinmeizan for these short but dense courses on the meaning of human life from a religious point of view. Since these students are going to become medical doctors and, as such, will have to deal with, and care for, human life, Prof. Fujino thinks it is important that, at least once, they hear the voice of religions on the fundamental meaning, beauty and sanctity of human life.

The residential program includes not only lectures and study sessions, but also a certain experience of religious life, marked by silence, the practice of prayer, zazen, samu (the care of nature as the human house entrusted by God to human responsibility), and, for those who freely wish to, also the possibility to assist at the celebration of the Eucharist, which constitutes the center of the spiritual experience for the Catholic Community of Shinmeizan.

   The first day deals with the true meaning of “religion”, a term often misunderstood and even perceived with some suspicion on the part of young people today.  Than follows the presentation of how human life is seen in the traditional religion of Japan (Shinto), in Buddhism and in Christianity. For the presentation of the Buddhist teaching, we are grateful to our friend, Ven. Maeda Nobutake, Head of the Chigen Temple of Osaka (Pure Land Buddhism). On the last day, dialog among the religions is presented as the way all of them can cooperate in dealing with this challenging and fascinating topic.

   The response on the part of the students who take part in these courses, goes from an attitude of simple interest, to surprise and even awe, at the discovery of the deep meaning, otherwise unperceivable beauty and sanctity of human beings and their life as seen from a religious perspective. Not a few of them are moved and led to reflect deeper on the challenges and nobility of their future profession. Ans some of them… come again to Shinmeizan for consultation and guidance.