March 2022

Also this year, this part of Japan, the cherry trees have blossomed earlier than usual.  This is the majestic cherry tree that welcomes guests coming to Shinmeizan!

But the beauty of the cherry blossoms is always accompanied by a keen sense of impermanence, since it lasts only a few days… This year, more than ever, the sad news from Ukraine have saddened the season of the cherry blossoms…

While praying for peace in Ukraine, Shinmeizan has continued its various activities:

Welcoming guests, like the group of eight people from Yokohama, joining a pilgrimage led by the Travel Agency `Paradise`, who came for a three days retreat on April 28-30; 

and taking part in various online activities, like:

on March 7, the 8^th conference between Shinmeizan staff and Nichiren monks on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Christianity;

the participation of Sr. Maria, on March 9, in a meeting of the Study group on Buddhism of the Committee for interreligious dialogue of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Italy;

a lecture, on March 31, by Sr. Maria on “Mission and Conversion in Japan” to the students of two different courses held by Prof. Ilaria Morali of the Faculty of Missiology at the Gregorian University in Rome.