Japanese Bishops on "ad limina"

Today I represented the Order at a reception held in Rome by the Japanese Episcopal Conference for all the religious congregations working in Japan. It was a good occasion to talk to Bishop Berard Oshikawa, OFM Conv., of the Diocese of Naha, where the curia of our custody is located. Bishop Oshikawa was the successor of our own Bishop Peter Baptist Ishigami, OFMCap., who passed away last year just shy of his 94th birthday. In the accompanying photograph, I am standing with Bishop Oshikawa. I'm not sure what caused me to be blurry - the camera or the wine.

I also had a good conversation with Bishop Dominic Miyahara of the Diocese of Fukuoka, where we have a small presence. The Bishop expressed his fervent wish that we send more brothers to work in his diocese.

Both bishops expressed their gratitude for the presence of our brothers, and had high praise for their work. 

Blessing of the Relic Chapel

Many of the brothers who visited the generalate before it was renovated may remember seeing the Relic Chapel. It was usually one of the highlights of the visit, and not just because everything else about the visit was incredibly boring. When planning the renovations, it was decided to move the Relic Chapel to a more suitable location. This necessitated the work of a skilled carpenter because the size and shape of the new room was slightly different than the former. Last Saturday (21 March), we were finally able to view the results, and the verdict is overwhelmingly positive. The new chapel is as beautiful and the old.

To mark the occasion, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, presided at a ceremony to bless the new chapel.

Card. Amato preaching about the importance of relics

Here is the niche containing the relics
of Saint Conrad of Parzham

I can't promise you a niche for your relics,
but we might have a drawer for them!

A fable

So I says to the guardian: "How about buying a new Ferrari for me?"

So he says: "Sorry. But I will buy you a used Lamborghini if you promise to use it often."



So I says: "No problem!"