October 2020

An important event for Shinmeizan, this month, has been the appointment of Sr. Maria De Giorgi, Assistant Director of the Center, as  Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog.  Sr. Maria, who belongs to the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary (Xaverian Sisters), has been active at Shinmeizan from the very beginning and for 15 years has taught courses on interreligious dialog at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. She is also a Consultor of the Subcommittee for interreligious dialog of the Bishops` Conference of Japan. 

Once every two years, on the first Sunday of October, since 1994, Shinmeizan has held an interreligious meeting of prayer for peace with the participation of its closest partners in dialog. This year, because of the persistent danger caused by the covid-19,  the event was held  at the same time but by  each religious leader in his/her own place of worship, all  spiritually united in prayer for peace in the world and… for a quick end to the corona-virus pandemic!  17 Temples or Institutions participated in the event, representing twelve different religious traditions: Shintoism; various Buddhist Schools: Tendai, Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren, the Seimeizan-Schweitzer Temple ; and Omoto, Tenrikyo, Risshokoseikai, Byakkoshinkokai; Catholic and Protestant (Lutheran) Christians.

Here below some photographs.   

      
Risshokoseikai                                                                        Kumamoto

 
Ven. Saiki, 　Guji, 　Motoigi Hiyoshi Shinto Shrine (Kumamoto Pref.)

Ven. Ogihara, Assistant Head of Omoto in Kumamoto Pref., Omoto Shrine

Ven. Inoue,    Head of Koen Temple,  Kitakyushu, Pure Land Buddhism

Ven. Nakayama Gisho,  Head of Jokoku Temple, Kumamoto, Soto-Zen Buddhism

Rev. Sugimoto,  Pastor of  Lutheran Church of Tamana (Kumamoto Pref.)

Mr. Uemura, Former Coordinator of the “Interreligious Dialog Group” of Kumamoto, Catholic

Fr. Franco,   Shinmeizan