May 2023

This month of May, also thanks to the good weather of this springtime, Shinmeizan was visited by many guests. Among them we wish to mention in a special way...

Mr. Gerald Kong, in charge of interreligious dialog for the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, with two Muslim friends, also involved in the same field of activity: Ms. Liyana and   Mr. Zul Haqem, who came from Singapore on May 20-22 to known directly Shinmeizan and interreligious dialog in Japan.

the `international group` (Peru, United States and Japan) lead by Ms. Haydee, who visited us on May 25.  and the fourteen participants in the monthly retreat, held on May 11.

                                                         
On May 14 Shinmeizan led the group for interreligious dialog of Kumamoto in a visit to the Shinto temple of Hikino in Tamana, where we were welcomed by the Guji in charge of the temple, Ven. Watanabe, and had an hour-long instructive conversation with him on Christian-Shinto dialog.
                                                       

 After the visit to Hikino Jinja, the group, joined by representatives of the local Catholic Church (the Pastor of which is Fr. Claudio Codenotti, Director of Shinmeizan), visited the grave of the first missionary who died in Japan (in 1564): the Jesuit Brother Duarte Da Silva, whose tomb is in Ikura, within the area of Tamana city.
                                                        

 After offering a prayer at the tomb of Duarte Da Silva, we moved to the church of Tamana, where Mr. Izuno, an expert in the history of local Christianity, showed us a video, taken by him, of a relic (some hair) of Duarte Da Silva, jealously guarded during the centuries by a family of hidden Christians, and now at the local historical museum.


 On May 20, with our three guests from Singapore, we traveled to the Buddhist Temple Sainen (Pure Land Buddhism) at Imari (Saga Prefecture), to take part in the annual celebration of the birth of Shinran (this year the 850th anniversary). Invited by the Head of the Temple, Ven. Ide Satoshi, a friend of Shinmeizan from the very beginning, Sr. Maria and Fr. Franco addressed the numerous faithful and visitors speaking about their involvement in the Italian translation of Tannisho, a fundamental text for the transmission of Shinran`s teaching.

 On May 22, we accompanied our guests from Singapore to the neighboring Shinto Temple of Hiyoshi (Motoigi, Nagomi Machi), where we were kindly received by the local Guji, Ven. Saiki.
            

Also during this month, we were kept busy by interreligious activities online (ZOOM). Among these:

On May 10, the participation by Fr. Franco in the symposium organized by the WCRP (World Conference of Religions for Peace) on the occasion of the G 7 meeting in Hiroshima.

On May 15, a conference by Sr. Maria, on interreligious dialog in missionary life, for the participants to the General Chapter of the Consolata Missionary Sisters held at Nepi (Viterbo, Italy).

On May 24, the participation by Sr. Maria in the Network of Women building a culture of encounter interreligiously, organized by the Vatican Dicastery for interreligious dialog.