August 2026

The earthquake that struck the Kumamoto area in late July, causing damage and casualties, also shook and rattled Shinmeizan Hill, but fortunately caused no damage here. Although we were limited by “roadwork” along the road leading up to Shinmeizan and by frequent “aftershocks” from the earthquake, we were able to continue our activities, both in welcoming guests and in interreligious dialogue.

 Among our guests, we would like to mention in particular: •

Ø  The two Franciscan Missionaries of Mary who came from Kumamoto for a course of “Spiritual Exercises” from August 2 to 12,

Ø  The two young Xaverians, Lucien and Aubin, who also came for a retreat from August 11 to 14,

Ø   The Korean Benedictine monk Agostino Oh, from Saint John’s Abbey (Minnesota, -USA), who visited us on August 14–18;

Ø   Our friend and collaborator, Masao Ono, who came to visit us with Dr. Matsumura from Amakusa, on August 17;

Ø   Prof. Davide Guzzetti, a long-time friend and collaborator of Shinmeizan, who was with us from August 23 to 27,

Ø   And Mr. Hiroki Otani from Tokyo, who was with us from August 31 to September 2.Ø

Among the activities related to interreligious dialogue, we would like to highlight the following:

 Ø  Fr. Claudio’s participation—on August 22—in the commemoration of the deceased Ven. Furukawa Tairyu, his wife Michiko, and the eldest daughter Ven. Ryuto, at the Seimeizan-Schweitzer Temple in Tamana: 

Fr. Franco’s participation in the 60th annual meeting of the association for dialogue between Buddhists and Christians (Zen-Kirisuto Kondankai), held in Harajo (Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture) on August 25–27.