Shinmeizan Journal – September 2016

2 September – Father Franco visited the Seimeizan-Schweitzer Temple to celebrate, together with Ryuji, Ryuto and Sayuri, his arrival thirty years ago, and his one-year stay with Tairyu Furukawa’s family.

2-3 September – While in Italy for academic commitments, sister Maria gave two lectures on Christian-Buddhist dialogue at the summer school of theology in Pennabilli, Rimini.

5-9 September – Father Franco and father Pietro guided the annual retreat for the clergy of the Osaka diocesis. It took place at Beppu, Oita Prefecture, and the theme was interreligious dialogue and Christianity’s  relationship with Japan’s other religions.

10-11 September – Father Franco attended the interreligious symposium on the place of mercy in various religions, organised by the Interreligious Dialogue Committee of the Bishops' Conference of Japan. The following day the participants visited the Eiheiji Temple, which was established by Dogen (13th Century), the founder of the Soto Zen School in Japan.

13 September – Father Franco and Father Rocco visited Mr Nakayama, head of the Soto Zen Jokuku Temple in Kumamoto, and also met the kannushi Fujita at the Fujisaki Shinto Shrine also in Kumamoto.

17-20 September – Father Franco, Father Pietro and Sister Maria attended the Assisi interreligious gathering, organized by the Sant’Egidio community on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Interreligious Day of Prayer for Peace convened by Pope John Paul II in 1986.

25 September – Two members of the Buddhist association Risshokoseikai visited Shinmeizan.

26 September – Father Rocco attended the bimonthly gathering of the Fukuoka Buddhists and Christians Interreligious Exchange Group.

30 September – Mr Markus Meyer, from Sweden, arrived at Shinmeizan. He will stay until 18 October, for an exchange of ides and experiences regarding interreligious dialogue.    

Shinmeizan Journal - August 2016

1-12 August – Sister Maria accompanied a delegation from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, from the Vatican, on a tour aimed at collecting materials for a documentary to be produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Vatican II declaration Nostra Aetate. The group travelled to Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Shinmeizan, Nagasaki, Osaka and Tenri, and interviewed representatives of the Catholic Church as well as of Japan’s major religious traditions that engage in interreligious dialogue.

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Shinmeizan Journal - July 2016

4 July – Sr Maria, Fr Franco and Fr Rocco attended the meeting of the Christian-Buddhist Exchange Group in Fukuoka. The topic chosen for the discussion was religious life in the Christian tradition, in response to a previous request from the Group. After an introduction by Fr Franco, the film Into Great Silence was shown, and a very rich exchange of impressions and comments followed. Mr Hal Edmonson, who is staying at Shinmeizan for a two-month internship, also attended the meeting as a guest.

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Shinmeizan Journal - June 2016

5 June – Father Franco, Father Rocco and Ms. Ikeda Kumiko guided the Kumamoto Interreligious Dialogue Group on a visit to the Jokoku Soto-Zen Buddhist Temple, in Kumamoto. On that occasion, the head of the temple, Mr. Nakayama, explained the practice of Zen in the Buddhist tradition, while Fr. Franco spoke about meditation in the Christian tradition.

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