JAPAN

Compiled by- Aurolina Mascarenhas
Philippines

This year our DHM in Japan are celebrating their Golden Jubilee! Yes 50 years of their presence in Japan!

May we recall the words of the late Pope John Paul II who said that the purpose of a Jubilee is “to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm, and to look to the future with confidence" (novo Milenio Ineunte, n. 1).

The year long celebrations beginning this month, will include seminars, conferences, Eucharistic Celebrations, get-togethers, also in the agenda are outings, pilgrimages etc., with various sections of the public i.e. lay persons working with us, various religious groups, friends, benefactors, well wishers, students and families of our sisters.

While wishing our Japanese DHM both in Japan and outside we hope and pray that Gold may turn into Diamond! bearing much fruit. They are a small number yet they have given many personnel to serve outside as missionaries, around 36% to be exact!!! Well done, may your efforts be blessed.

On this occasion, it would be fitting to recall the early beginnings: Extracts taken from the pages of the diary.

“….There were two precise signs of the times for the reason of the foundation. One was the vocation of the first Japanese DHM, and the other was the call of the Jesuit Fathers for a precise cause : to look after the students of their University by organizing a hostel.
- In 1958, Fr. Sick s.j. a German on a mission in Japan asked the province of Germany to receive one of the young women whom he had been directing and to whom he had made known the Society. This young lady, Sachiko, who spoke neither French nor German, arrived one day in Cologne. M. Venth welcomed her, then accompanied her to Paris. It was a courageous vocation which headed the line of other vocations from Japan.

- In 1959, the Rector of Sophia University in Tokyo wrote to M. General, M. Rascol that “a house for women students would be very useful".

The Jesuits opened their University to girls in 1958; their number increased every year. Though the Jesuits know how to do everything, there was one thing which was impossible for them: to run a hostel for women students.

“An increasing interest was shown by young Japanese girls for higher studies, and the possibility which is now given to prepare in this was for social and political responsibilities, in addition to their family life. This would be one of the important factors of the evolution of Japan in the years to come. Would they develop and empower their traditional qualities (a sense of family, spirit of devotion and sacrifice) whiles being open to new activities? This widening of their horizon and necessary emancipation-would it be favorable to openness to Catholicism, and if it is, then can we not hope for a marked progress in the conversion of Japan which remains difficult and slow?"

“Fr. Luhmer, Rector of Sophia University, desired that his students could live in Tokyo in an atmosphere favorable to their growth, so he made every effort to organize a hostel for them.

Following a meeting with an American DHM, a missionary social worker in Bombay (Ms. Baker), who had come to Tokyo for a Congress, he wrote to the Superior General to ask her to organize this hostel for students.
A little while after, the proposal was accepted in principle by the Superior General, a property was put up for sale which was very close to the University in a way which seemed providential but beyond our reach. The money needed to buy this property and to furnish it was very large. But M.G. trusted in Providence who had shown a sign of establishing the Society in Tokyo by making it possible as it gave a promise of an interesting mission".

On 18th April 1959, M. Rascol flew to Japan with M. Hanquet, who was going to stay in Japan and see to the problems of installation, make the first contacts and prepared herself for her apostolic tasks by learning Japanese.

M. Rascol examined the entire situation. The Jesuit Fathers, whose Provincial was Fr. Arrupe, were exceptionally helpful and kind. Trusting in Providence, M.G. concluded the purchase of the property. Eight days later she flew back to Paris, leaving M. Hanquet alone in Japan.

She lived for six months-learning the language and taking the first steps for the organization of the future hostel.
In the beginning, we thought of welcoming 50 students by using the main house and four other smaller houses in the Japanese style. Which were located by the side, but we soon realized that this idea would be difficult to realize. One of the difficulties was that rooms for 3 or 4 students who had to sleep on tatamis, was less suitable for work than individual rooms, and less appreciated by the present students. Living in European style rooms, dispersed in many houses, made it difficult for discipline to be maintained and for an atmosphere to be created.
Very soon the Lord inspired M.G. to make a renewed act of faith in His Providence by going ahead with the organization of a hostel more vast and better adapted to the work of formation that he had entrusted to us.
The 28th May, the Rector wrote to M.G. that the Japanese government had made a proposal to private Universities for a long-term loan on a small interest to cover part of the expenses entailed by them to construct hostels for their students. To benefit from this loan, it was necessary to present a project very quickly for a hostel which could receive 80 students at least.

M.G. accepted this offer and the Sophia University presented its request to the Government.

It was necessary to present a provisional plan very quickly – but it had to be well done so that it would be accepted.
Thanks to a German Jesuit brother, who was an architect formerly, the project was worked upon in some weeks and presented – this permitted us to obtain the loan from the Government."
29th September 1959, M. Leroy left for Japan, under the patronage of St. Michael, accompanied by Erika Fachinger to join the mission. Erika was a young German sister who had just made her first vows in Paris on 15th August.

Evolution of the Mission

By using the Hostel, the mission developed, opened up……in 1963, a ‘Session for Young Girls" was organized.
Another important dimension of the mission in Japan is in the Social field. France Chevillotete was a social worker in France. She wished that the Society be implanted in the most simple quarter: downtown. There was ho house of religious in this area.
“ The insistence of the Bishops on more apostolic work among workers, especially the disadvanted, and the attraction of several of our sisters for this type of activity, made us decide to begin a social and apostolic work in a workers' area in Tokyo. This was the beginning of Tomo-no-Ie (the House of Friends).

The witness of M. Hanquet (ref. Perspectives No. 3)

“Here in Japan, the atmosphere was very different. It was true that Fr. Arrupe had called us for a specific mission, but I quickly understood that the Japanese were not expecting anything from us. What did we have to offer them, if not the clear transparency of our witness? For me this was a very serious challenge and I felt like saying with Saint Francis Xavier ‘I can never describe what I owe the Japanese' for they have show me a world that is so different from ours and yet so coherent. This questioned my way of thinking, my appreciation and relativised my assurance. If in Africa I thought I was someone, in Japan I had to change my way of thinking and be attentive to those around me."
MISSION is not primarily our project. We are at the service of God's own project.
To realize it, we need humility and intimate union with the Lord, as our first missionaries witnessed in Japan.

***********

◊ This picture was taken by Chizuko in June : occasion
send-off for Josephine Sylveira (Indian) who served
in Japan for ten years.
Sophie Imamura comes to bid farewell and say
‘Arigato Gozaimasu' with the community of Tokyo.

“Lifers"

The movie is about how criminals are to be reclaimed from their wrong and the ways to reclaim in a U.S. jail.
After watching, it realized how important it is to communicate with people and understand of each other.
I recommend this movie for all people, because many have never had opportunity to visit a jail and one can learn about cultural difference through this movie.
Also there are some who once visited foreign jails in the cloister. So it is good opportunity to know about many countries by asking. (a student of the Studio)

Report of “50 Years of Presence in Japan Jubilee Project"

1. Beatification of Peter Kibe and 187 Martyrs

The beatification took place in Nagasaki on November 24, 2008.

Cardinals and bishop from India, Vietnam, Philippines, Korea, Taiwan and many other participants from different countries joined in with the 30,000people from all over Japan for the joyful celebration.
It was the first beatification to be held in Japan.

After the proclamation of the beatification, as the picture of the martyrs was unveiled and 188 doves flew into the sky, it stopped raining and the sun came shining out. The mass continued in the bright light.

“I felt the blessing of God and his encouragement for our Church in Japan and for the whole Church. I was filled with warm emotion" our sister E. told me excitedly when she returned home. M. S. also attended the ceremony. They both radiate with the great joy of the beatification.

The 188 martyrs were killed during the time when Tokugawa Ieyasu inaugurated his government in Edo (today's Tokyo), starting with the 11 Christians in Kumamoto in 1603 to Peter Kibe in Edo in 1639.

They were martyred in the area of 9 dioceses of Japan, Niigata, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Oita and Kagoshima.

Among them, there were 4 priests and a religious brother. The other 183 were lay people. There were 60 women, 33 minors under the age of 20, among who were 18 infants 5 years old and younger. There were 2 handicapped people.

They were beheaded, burned or died from the “torture of the pit", all suffering terribly, but praising the Lord and encouraging each other, they offered their lives joyfully.

The beatification of these martyrs who gave their lives 400 years ago took place to guide and encourage our Church in Japan through their witness today. The bishops of Japan have worked for this moment through long years of preparation.

We feel God's providence at work that the beatification coincided with the period of preparation for our Jubilee this year. Together with the martyrs, we give thanks to God for the gift of faith. (M.F.)

2. Charity Concert

A Charity Concert was held as part of the project to celebrate our Jubilee, 50 years of presence in Japan. It was for the benefit of the children of Benin in their education, and was held on the same day as the beatification of the 188 martyrs, on November 24.

The concert project started when our missionary in Africa, Michiko was back from Benin for home-leave last summer. Michiko has been in mission there for 22 years since 1986.

When Michiko gave us a talk with a slide show, we came to know more about her activities and efforts at the Montessori nursery where many material necessities are lacking. We came up with an idea to hold a charity concert to help the education of these children of Benin.

The musicians who gave the concert were the “Trio d'Anche Soleil" and 2 friends, a three part woodwind unit of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. One of the members was Y. S., a resident of our Studio Meisen, and the others were her friends.
The venue was St. Anselm's Church in Meguro. (Josephine used to help Sunday school there. Now, N. helps out every Sunday.)

The church was packed with a turnout of around 130 people, and the audience was mesmerized by the wonderful performance. Some have told us that the music still lingers in their hearts.

Our sister H. who is the committee member for the Jubilee Project worked for 3 months with the graduates of the “Foyer Meisen" to prepare for the concert.

A friend from St. Ignatius Church acted as a host, while N. gave the greeting speech. The audience was given the explanation on how the DHM was founded in France, on its 50 anniversary in Japan and that the concert was being held as part of the celebration, to help the children of Benin in their education.

It became all the more meaningful for those who came to enjoy the concert. More than a dozen graduates of the “Foyer Meisen" volunteered to help that day. C. and S. took part in receiving and attending the audience, other sisters stayed home to attend our house and the “Studio Meisen". We all worked together for the success of the concert.

After the concert, we invited the musicians to dinner at home to express our thanks. The young musicians were filled body and soul with food and joy by the end of the day.

November 24 was a day when great joy resounded in Heaven, in Nagasaki and in Tokyo. (M.F.)

Let's kindle the Light of Hope of one another

Tokyo, September, 2008

Dear Friends,

We are happy to announce to you the 50thanniversary of the foundation of the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary in Japan. We will commence the Golden Jubilee year celebrations from 28 September 2008.

We will have divers programs during the year till September 2009.

We have taken for our motto “Let’s kindle the Light of Hope of one another” and a prayer is enclosed. We invite and ask you to join us in our joy and thanksgiving so that we may be able to convey the light of hope to the people in the world today.

Please help and join us with prayer.

Daughters of the Heart of Mary in Japan

Prayer for the golden jubilee year in Japan

Loving Father, we thank you for your love and blessings the Daughters of the Heart of Mary have received in the past 50 years in Japan.

We are called to follow the paths of the founders, Fr. de Cloriviere and Adelaide de Cice, to compassionate the people’s sufferings and to work for a world filled with love and justice.

Mold our hearts into the Heart of Mary, and give the grace to behave like her. Let us to bring Christ’s light of Hope to those are in darkness, and to share joy with those we meet.

Let be our life of service and prayers, the strength to step forward with courage.
Amen.

Let’s kindle the Light of Hope of one another

Our Programs during the Year 2008 – 2009