April 2023

April in Japan is the outburst of spring, with so many flowers blooming... also at Shinmeizan!
The good weather of these spring days has made the stay at Shinmeizan particularly enjoyable for its guests. Among them we wish to remember in a particular way:

The Rev. Pastor Gustav Ericsson, from Sweden, who visited us from April 13 to 15 with his son Alfred. Rev. Ericsson had been here already several years ago and has kept in touch with us ever since.  

Bishop Josep M. Abella, Bishop of Fukuoka, the diocese Shinmeizan belongs to, visited us on April 15-16. His visits always fill us with joy and gratitude.

 On April 22-24, a group of eight people from the Parish of Hatsudai (Tokyo) led by Mr. Atsushi Suzuki (of the ORIENS Center for the Study of Religions), came for a three days` retreat on the Liturgy.

From April 24 to April 30 Sr. Luigina Dossi, of the Missionary Sisters of Mary (Xaverian Sisters), and, from April 25 to May 3, Bro. Enrico Mariano, of the La Salle Brothers of Christian Schools, came to Shinmeizan for a personal weeklong retreat.

Also our activity of interreligious dialog continues, particularly through the many commitments of Sr. Maria De Giorgi, who this very month has also been asked by our Bishop, Mons. Josep M. Abella, to take charge of interreligious dialog for the whole Diocese of Fukuoka. Among her various activities this month, we recall her participation (via ZOOM):

in the meeting, held on April 17, of the `Study group` for Buddhism of the National Office for Interreligious Dialog and Ecumenism (UNEDI) of the National Bishops` Conference of Italy (CEI);

 at the commemoration of Bishop Pietro Rossano, on the 100^th anniversary of his birth, held on April 26 at the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome (Bishop Pietro Rossano was the Secretary of the then Vatican Secretariat – now Dicastery - for Interreligious Dialogue for several years and a pioneer in this field. In 1987 he was invited to Japan by Fr. Franco Sottocornola to hold conferences on interreligious dialog, and had remained in contact with Shinmeizan until his death accompanying its foundation with his precious assistance and guidance);

on April 27, at the meeting online of the “Networking of Women” called by the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialog.

Moreover, on the occasion of the feast of the birth of the Buddha (Hanamatsuri, April 8), Shinmeizan, as usual, has forwarded the congratulatory message of the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialog to all Buddhists, to more than twenty Temples of various Buddhist traditions, accompanying it with a personal letter of greetings for the occasion.