March-April 2020

During these months of March and April, on account of the dangerous spreading of the coronavirus epidemic, following the guidelines of both the civil authorities and of the catholic diocese of Fukuoka, also Shinmeizan has been obliged to suspend all activities involving meetings and gatherings. In the field of interreligious dialogue, all we could do was to send to all our Buddhist partners in dialogue, by post or internet, our friendly congratulations on the occasion of the feast

celebrating the birth of the Buddha (Vesakh/Hanamatsuri) occurring on April 8, accompanying the message addressed to Buddhists worldwide by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious dialogue. But the beautiful flowers of this season, also here at Shinmeizan, together with the occurrence of Easter, the feast of the Resurrection of Christ, during these same days, invite us to look forward with optimism and hope to the overcoming of this contagious disease now endangering the life of so many people the world over!