June 2024

This month, first of all, we wish to remember with sentiments of deep gratitude, Mr. Michio Uemura, from Kumamoto, who died on June 12, at the age of 93. He has been a very dear friend and a precious cooperator in our activity of interreligious dialogue. Since the very beginning, in 1991, and up to his very last days, he took part in the events of the Kumamoto Group for Interreligious Dialogue, for many long years acting as its ‘Secretary’. May the Lord reward him and welcome him into His heavenly house and His peace!

 Mr. Uemura, on the occasion of an interreligious prayer meeting for peace held at Shinmeizan.

Among the guests who visited us this last month, we wish to mention in a special way Fr. Benedict Seung-jae Baek, General Councilor of the Franciscan Conventuals, visiting the Japan Province of the Order. Fr. Benedict came from Tokyo with Fr. Marco Keiichi Omizu, Provincial Secretary, on June 4-5, to meet with Fr. Peter Sonoda, OFM Conv., who for the last 25 years, with a special permission of the Superior General of the Order, has been a member of the community of Shinmeizan.

 Among the various activities in the field of interreligious dialogue, carried out by Shinmeizan this last month, particularly significant has been the participation by Fr. Claudio and Sr. Maria in the observance of the 50^th anniversary of the unjust execution of Mr. Takeo Nishi, held at the Seimeizan Schweitzer Temple of Tamana (Kumamoto) on June 15. This annual event is an important occasion to rekindle and carry on the national campaign against the death penalty in Japan, to which the late Ven. Furukawa Tairyu dedicated so many of his energies, and which is now continued by his son and successor, Ven. Ryuji.