The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, Archbishop Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, has voiced deep concern over the global indifference that continues to claim the lives of defenseless innocents around the world.
This Japanese, who served his country as its prime minister five times, kept his Catholic faith throughout his life in secret. Probably because he was a politician and the majority of Japan were followers of Shinto and Buddhism.
The first church in Japan was built in Hirado in 1551, a year after Francis arrived in Japan. The ruins of the first church are located in Sakigata Park.
The Japan Bible Society (JBS) presented its latest ecumenical translation of the Bible to Pope Francis on April 10, 2024, during the general audience in the Vatican.
Father Takeya Motoi, SVD, worked for the Home for the Homeless in Nagoya City, Japan. He was the founder of ‘Sasashima Kyosei Kai’ (Sasashima’s Solidarity Organization) for and with the homeless in Nagoya City, Japan.
Bishop Daisuke Narui, SVD, of Niigata, said the quake, which has an estimated magnitude of 7.6, has killed more than 200 people, injured more than 500, and resulted in several aftershocks and subsequent earthquakes, and caused massive destruction.
The Pope expressed solidarity with those suffering, those who have lost loved ones, saying he was "deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake in the Ishikawa prefecture."
“We also pray that the investigation of Ukon's miracles will be completed, approved, and canonized at least within the next year or two,” said Archbishop Thomas Aquinas Manyo Cardinal Maeda.
Today there are over 300,000 Brazilians living in Japan, mainly as workers in factories. They came from various corners of the enormous country. In their midst, I find meaning in my ministry today as a Divine Word missionary.