Being A Catholic and Minority

Hi! It's Shelille Linnn.(^O^)

I'm a lay Catholc woman writing a blog about Catechism, thought for Bible verses , news and topics on famous Saints. I also write about Rule of Benedict for I'm still an oblate of Fujimi Trinity Monastery which will be closed this summer 2016.

I think many of you are now living in the nation, area or a small community where there are majority of Catholic community almost equals the majority of local community socially and politically.

Japanese Catholics and Christians have beenin very strange situation since Tokugawa Tyrany was over on 1868 and found the limited freedom of religion on 1873.

St. Francisco Xaviar, a mission dream seeker had visited Japan on 1549, when
European were struggling over the religious reformation and the Council of Trident had been held.

Japanese people had a good impression on Christianity basically while St. Xaviar had spoken very little Japanese of the time.

One of his earliest follower who had baptism and became Jesuit brother was a blind Biwa(an instrument look like a guiter) performer-priest of budhism.

This man, Brother Lorenzo began to sing Catechism in Japanese, and spreaded Christianity thereby.

After 270 years of grotesque oppression" and many known and unknown martyles, we Japanese Christian really know the true meaning of "oppression".

Now on 21st centuty, there is only 0.2% of the nation are Catholic.

That means we have almost no one to share the joy to celebrate Easter and Christmas. Off course, there's no Christmas nor Easter vacation, too.

Many Catholic church members are widowed or sick women, having husband or child with disability, handicapped or treated "heretic" "out of common senses" in out of the parlish.

Some are afraid to be "out casted" from local community, apartment union, office or classroom.

Hence the situation is so hard to every Catholics and Chrsitians here, many indivisual Chrsitian try to seek how to have our way of Catholic culture even the Christian culture is denied by Japanese society.

Therefore the Catholic church in Japan itself is settled over very mystical belief.

Also, there are so many mystery of our faith happen through just ordinaly sacrament such as adults' baptism, anointing sacrament or by just a coffesion.

We can never imagine to experience "Japanese originated Catholic culture" suported by majority of society for generations, sharing joy without having deep devotion for the Christian faith.


I sometime think if those of you in Catholic or Christian culture are really feeling joy to walk with Christ through having baptised and have a communion at the Mass.

It is your true treasure to have your local Christian based culture by the corner stone of St. Paul the apostle and the First Pop.

Having a big feast on your gardian Saint of nation, job area, and labor union is something really special.

Just think if you really have try to inherit your treasure of Christianity to younger generation, have you?

←Our parish in spring