July 2021

The heat of the season notwithstanding, and always with the necessary cautions due to the still dangerous situation of the covid-19, Shinmeizan continues its activities as a House for Prayer and Center for Interreligious Dialog.  Besides holding the traditional monthly retreat, on July 8,  we have welcomed various guests.

Among them, three Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration who came for a retreat on 4^th-5^th of July, and Ikegami Yuken, the young son of Ven. Ikegami Riken, Head of the Buddhist temple Butsuganji of Wakayama Prefecture.  The young boy (16 years old) had visited Shinmeizan years ago with his father, and has wanted to come again here, to spend some days (July 16-18) with us.

Yuken Ikegami with fr. Franco

On July 11, Shinmeizan has taken part in the commemoration of the unjust execution of Mr. Nishi (held online because of the still dangerous situation of covid-19).  This commemoration, organized by the Seimeizan-Schweitzer Temple of Tamana, is a yearly occasion to recall and support the campaign against the death penalty, strenuously carried out by Ven. Furukawa Tairyu, and now continued by his son, Ven. Furukawa Ryuji.

On July 5^th, Maria De Giorgi attended the meeting, held as usual at the Catholic Cathedral of Fukuoka, of the Fukuoka Group of Interreligious Exchanges, which resumed its activities after a year suspension due to the dangerous situation caused by covid-19.