(34) The progress of the Japanese language, Japanese funerals, the death of the bishop of Nagasaki, the first baptism, and the reward for children

Miyazaki September 2, 1926
To Father Rinaldi Filippo

My beloved father, Father Rinaldi

I would like to briefly share this month's news with you so that you may understand our situation and be encouraged by good advice and guidance. (...)

This Month's Life: We have been studying Japanese diligently, and now we can understand a little if people speak slowly. Aside from sermons, we can speak a few words without looking at a piece of paper. However, we are not yet able to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. We are like unripe persimmons. If we patiently wait for the right time, they will ripen. We have learned to read a little, have a certain foundation, and can now walk a little on our own. As you know, Japanese has a rich vocabulary and a unique thought structure. (Japanese people express their thoughts in unique ways, even down to the smallest details.) In addition to katakana and hiragana, there are three other types of characters: kanji, most of which originated in China. Most books are written in kanji (Chinese members who are familiar with kanji will be able to understand the general meaning of kanji even if they cannot read Japanese). It is kanji that we are currently working on. There are almost no books written in romaji (Roman characters), and without mastering kanji, it is impossible to read ordinary books. To understand something, you need at least 2,500 characters. (...)

A believer recently passed away (she was a respectable woman with a husband and four children, and the only believer in the family). I may have written about the funeral of a non-believer in other letters. For believers, a similar ceremony is held. No one comes to the home to collect the body. The family carries the body to the church, and after the usual ceremony, a procession takes place to the cemetery. At the front is a person carrying a flag on the end of a long bamboo pole (non-believers also carry two large lanterns). Next are those carrying flowers in vases or wreaths (the number of flowers or wreaths indicates the family's status). Next comes the celebrant (such as a Buddhist monk) in a rickshaw. Finally, the coffin arrives, surrounded by family members. These people wear white clothing or at least white headgear. They hold the long white ribbons hanging from the coffin. At the end of the procession are relatives, friends, and the curious. Most talk and laugh, but it's not customary to pray. (……)

On August 18th, we received the sad news that Bishop Combers of Nagasaki, whose health had been a concern for some time, had passed away. We all prayed for this blessed man, who welcomed us more than a father could, led us in missionary work in his parish, and helped us through his exhortations and prayers. I felt I should attend the funeral, so I went with Father Piacenza (Father Tanguy fell ill the night before his departure). I was deeply moved to see how much this holy man was respected and loved by those around him. The bishops of Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, and Daegu (Korea), as well as missionaries, superiors and members of the Society of Mary, Trappist superiors, and superiors of the Society of the Divine Word, were also in attendance. For me, this was a valuable opportunity for encounters, and I was able to see once again the wonderful work of the Paris Mission and Japanese priests. Thank God! There are private rumors circulating that a Japanese bishop will be chosen to replace the resigned Bishop of Tokyo, and that the Nagasaki Diocese will be split into two, one with a Japanese bishop (Nagasaki) and the other with a bishop of the Paris Mission (Fukuoka). The vicar of Nagasaki has been chosen to be Father Tilly, the bishop's secretary and in charge of the Paris Mission's missionary office in Nagasaki.

Now that the Bishop has passed away, what will become of us? Currently,
a	We don't have a parish priest. We are not yet able to administer the sacrament of reconciliation, so we have asked a nearby priest to come in temporarily. (...)
b	We don't know when the parish priest will return. I would appreciate it if they could at least let us know clearly whether he will return or not. (...)
c	We are unsure when we should relocate. For this reason, we have been in contact with Nagasaki and the Vatican envoy, asking them to decide on a date. In a recent letter, we suggested the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, but so far we have not received a response. (...)

August 15th: I forgot to mention, but the other day, on the Feast of the Assumption, I harvested the wheat from the field where our parish priest had worked, and offered a sheaf of ripe wheat to Jesus through the hands of Mary. For the first time in Japan, Don Bosco's children baptized a family. This family had studied the catechism for two years and had exemplary attendance at church. Father Boncas (at the expense of not being there himself) wanted me to baptize them. I was truly moved; it felt like a dream. The parents, who own a large china shop, converted from Protestantism before Mass last Sunday and received a conditional baptism in the evening. Today, on the Feast of the Assumption, I solemnly baptized five children (four boys and one girl). The parents chose the following spiritual names to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, to commemorate his missionary work, and to honor Don Bosco. Their daughter was given the spiritual names Saint Teresa of the Little Flower, and their sons were given the spiritual names Saint Francis of Assisi, John Bosco, Francis Xavier, and Francis de Sales, respectively. Please consider the date, the names, and the motivation. The Feast of the Assumption, Don Bosco's birthday, and the fact that Don Bosco's sons were the instruments through which God's grace was mediated! Even though this family did not yet know about our work, they had a fond impression of Don Bosco and desired that name for one of their children. I sense God's guidance here. (...)

Furthermore, on this day, it is customary to give rewards to children who attend catechesis. It's an interesting way of doing things. The rewards are sweets (Japanese people love sweets) and stationery. Money to buy the rewards is collected among the family. However, this year, the family was poor, so they didn't collect enough money to buy sweets, so we contributed the remaining amount. Everyone was very happy. Each child is given several cards as attendance points. The rewards are displayed in a visible place, and one of the fathers picks up one of the rewards (a school bag, notebook, pencil, paper, etc.) and loudly declares, "This is worth XX points." If two or more children want the same item, the child with the highest number of points wins, just like in a contest. (...)

That's all for this month's news. Everything else is going well and it seems everyone has returned to their novitiate or seminary.

Dear Father, Please keep us in your mind, along with all your superiors. I am completely in God's hands. (...)

Salesian Father Vincenzo Cimatti